Best Digital Source That Money Can Buy?

#1 Dcstep states: "So, your unequivical agreement with Newly must have indeed been baseless."

In the first item of my 8-31-08 posting I clarified very specifically the extent to which I agreed with Newly. What about the phrase, "nothing more, nothing less" continues to elude you?

#2 To Dcstep: Your own statement, "This is not a magazine where we're "paid" for our opinions and there's a code of ethics, but generally when we say something like, "this is better than that" then we will have some basis for making a statement like that.", is all you should need to understand the last paragraph of my last posting. I hope (but will not assume, in this instance) that you know that the paragraph I appended to my "baseless claim" earlier today was copied from the initial response posted to this thread. Oops, my bad - I substituted "dCS Scarlatti DAC" for "MPS-5".

We both claim a product "might be on another level compared with ANYTHING ELSE OUT THERE" (my emphasis). Of course we both added that, in fact, we haven't actually heard everything in our systems. Oh, (and this will be of particular interest to you, I'm sure) I deliberately kept the word "might" rather than substituting "is", to further render my claim immune to debunking. Note: ONLY I acted deliberately here.

Neither I nor the first respondent has written a bold faced lie; yet, are our claims any LESS subjective than would be Newly's even if he's done the comparisons you're so fixated on?

And since you (not me) chose to bring ethics into the discussion, one final question, Dcstep: If I told you I also deliberately worded my claim to maximize it's potential boost to Scarlatti sales because I've gotten to know a few people at Audiophile Systems Ltd and want to help them sell more of these expensive units in a difficult economy, would I be in violation of the "code of ethics" to which you refer?

I agree with Newly. I use a good transport (Lector with aftermarket clock) through a dCS Purcell to send 24/176 dual AES into a Scarlatti DAC. My digital cables are LessLoss RCA between transport and upsampler, LessLoss dual AES to Scarlatti ($250 apiece for the three wires a while back). The sound is sublime, even with the long signal chain. I had an Elgar DAC prior - a top notch unit as well, but not in the Scarlatti's class.

Start saving now to snap up a used Scarlatti DAC at half or less new price, once enough units have been in the field for a while and fickle audiophiles jump ship. I won't be one of them.

A response to my 8-30-08 post appeared this morning then promptly vanished.

To that poster:

1. I agree with Newly in that the dCS Scarlatti DAC is a part of the best digital source I have ever heard - nothing more, nothing less.

2. I have not directly compared dCS Scarlatti gear to your CDP, nor does the original poster set such a condition. He did ask that stock gear only be mentioned and I am at fault for mentioning my modded Lector CDT. FWIW, I alternate listening with a stock dCS Verdi transport and use a dCS Scarlatti master clock in that configuration. The sound is equally, maybe even more sublime - IMHO, as good as it gets absent a dCS Scarlatti transport.

3. My comparisons, fwiw, are to my current source, but with a dCS Elgar DAC and to an earlier source I owned for years, which consisted of an Ensemble Dirondo transport >> Stealth varidig Sextet BNC cable >> an Audio Note DAC 4.1x Signature DAC. Both were immensely satisfying digital sources and quite costly.

4. I needn't be held to some comparative standard, yours or any others', to express an opinion. You know very well that, even if I directly a/b'd my source with your CDP, our systems (including rooms) are completely different otherwise - making my opinion of said comparison just as subjective as the opinion I actually have offered and, arguably, less biased than yours since you "have a horse in the race".

5. My 8-30-08 post had zero to do with Newly's possibly sarcastic reference to your "horse". For all I know it sings with angels' voices but, frankly, that's irrelevant to me.

To Dcstep:

I hereby append my prior "baseless claim" as follows:

my opinion based on my experience with other digital i have heard is that the dCS Scarlatti DAC might be on another level compared to anything out there. but i have not had everything in my system to compare.

I ask you to once again critique it's worth - but THIS time along with the worth of the next to last paragraph of the initial response in this thread made to the original poster by another member on 8-03-08.

Dcstep - Below is a copy of the post I responded to on 08-31-08 (my bad - it IS still in the queue):

>>>Mikelavigne
JB0194, you mention that you agree with Newly.....

are you saying that you think that the DCS Puccini is 'best' compared to the others that Newly mentioned.....which infers he has compared these units?

Without any doubt the best today available digital front is dCS Scarlatti, forget Payback designs, EMM labs, Zanden and others toys, I dont own it, but if one day I have the money..., and sorry I have one EMM labs combo that is vey good

or that you really like the Puccini and prefer it to others you have heard?

these are two quite different things to say. i am still waiting for Newly to answer DCstep's question about whether Newly has actually compared the Puccini to those he mentions or is he just guessing.....specifically has he compared the Puccini to the Playback Designs (which has only been on the market since mid-June).

btw; the Puccini may be best but i have not done any comparisons to venture an opinion about that.<<<

Dcstep: I particularly enjoyed Mikelavigne's "or is he just guessing" comment, in light of Mikelavigne's own "the MPS-5 might be on another level compared with anything out there" remark. Also, ignore his mistaken reference to "Puccini" though it is, arguably, the dCS digital source most similar to his "horse".

Now, I again invite you to address all questions in my last post. I've tried very hard to specific with you. Please repay me in kind. I respectfully suggest that you copy and paste each question, then add your answer - it'll help you to focus.

Dcstep:I've copied below the questions I posed to you in my prior post, which I'm hoping you will answer.

>>>>Neither I nor the first respondent (Mikelavigne) has written a bold faced lie; yet, are our claims any LESS subjective than would be Newly's even if he's done the comparisons you're so fixated on? <<<

>>>If I told you I also deliberately worded my claim to maximize it's potential boost to Scarlatti sales because I've gotten to know a few people at Audiophile Systems Ltd and want to help them sell more of these expensive units in a difficult economy, would I be in violation of the "code of ethics" to which you refer? <<<