MSB select II vs all dacs ?

Bob Visintainer here- I’ve been quoted many times in this thread. Here are the facts-

-I had the MSB Select II for six months with one power base and Femto 33 Clock. It was the best digital that I had ever heard.

-I got in a CEC $33K Dac. I put it in my system and was completely satisfied, I did not feel I needed the expensive MSB any longer.

-I then got the Rockna Dac, same thing happened. It was $11K and I did not miss the CEC. I sold the CEC.

-I also was using the Rocka Server. The combination was/is excellent especially with the I2s interface using an In-Akustik usb cable.

-Then after a few months I ended up getting a Taiko Audio Extreme server. The price of the Extreme is $25K compared to the $9100 Rockna server. Is there a difference? To me there is MUCH more of a difference in my systems inserting the Extreme server than changing the different DACs. There should be a difference the Extreme is almost 3X the cost of the Rockna server. I still think the Rockna server and DAC are excellent at their price points. I could live with them and enjoy digital easily with this combination.

-At the present time my reference is the Extreme server with an Intona Ultimate USB cable into an Intona 3.0usb isolator with another Intona ultimate usb cable into an Aqua Formula xHD DAC with the latest analog output board.

In no way did I do a direct comparison between the MSB, CEC and Rockna DAC. What I did what go from one to the next to the next and never missed the one prior or felt like going back. Although right now I am enjoying the AF xHD but again it’s twice the cost of the Rockna DAC.

In addition Rhapsody.Audio is no longer a Rockna dealer.  We are focusing on the Taiko Audio Extreme server as well as the Aqua Formula Dacs.  

The Rockna products are excellent products for the $$$ and anyone can't go wrong in choosing them for a digital solution.

Any questions please just ask.

Bob V.

@rhapsody   Bob, thank you for your post and allowing us to follow the digital breadcrumbs. : )

Very helpful and clear. Thanks!

Thank you David!

Rhapsody I’ve been following this topic thanks for chiming in , I guess like most here I generally find topics of this sort highly interesting though the majority is way outside my price bracket.

You suggest prominence on the source / network server over the dac i wholeheartedly agree keeping with my old school thought on similar topics.

I wholeheartedly agree with ‘prominence on the source / network server’ part. That’s why my Aurender N10 is been the reference for over 5 plus years. There isn’t anything else out there that I seek or desire anymore.

I couldn’t have asked for a better digital streaming setup than N10 + EMM Labs DA2.  

Latik-The Aurenders are great, especially the N10.  If you are enjoying music via streaming then why opt to spend more $$$ on something new.

in_shore  Yep, the source as very important back to the Linn proclamation in the 80s still holds true.

I personally was very surprised in the streaming/digital world how drastically in my room/systems the server and connections from modem to the server and the server connection to the DAC made more of a difference than when I switched DACs.

Anything that I have ever said about this to anyone was always in the context of my system and what I had experienced and really has nothing to do with what others might experience in their systems.

I've NEVER done any direct comparisons between any of the DACs mentioned in this thread.

It is also noted in this thread that Rhapsody.Audio is a dealer for the distributor, WorldWideWholesale.

To clarify Rhapsody.Audio  WAS a dealer for Rockna and In-Akustik but as of a few days we are no longer a dealer for either brand and we have no affiliation whatsoever with WorldWideWholeSales.

i wanted to add my perspective on the Taiko Audio Extreme server, to what Bob from Rhapsody posted above. the Extreme server is a game changer.

and also agree with Bob that the MSB Select II is also the best digital i have heard.

the combination of the Extreme and the MSB Select II in my system makes for remarkable digital performance. and i would add that the Extreme server is better than other servers by a larger, more obvious margin, than the Select II is better than other dacs.....if that makes sense. the Extreme is like a punch in the nose obvious.

the musical advantage of the Select II is more subtle.....and is more apparent over time as everything is just more real, flowing and nuanced.

of course, i’ve not heard everything out there....and especially not heard everything in the context of my system. YMMV.

Just revisiting this thread. It seems pretty much everyone loves the rockna wavedream, esp sig balanced. So for under $20k has anyone heard a dac they enjoyed more?

The Rockna is a very good sounding dac.  I now use the Aqua Formula xHD at $17K and love it. SO many good DAC's now. I actually never hear about a "bad" sounding dac.

Over the last year I personally have come to the conclusion in my system(s) that the server, the network prior to the server AND vibration control all are more important to me vs. what DAC is used.

Again, just my opinion from my experiences, doesn't mean anything to someone else in their rooms, systems, ears etc.

Any other dacs that can compete at rockna level in this price segment?

I ALWAYS hear great things about the Schitt Yddrasil at $2499.  I've never heard it and have now idea but even at it's price point it is worth investigating.  I think the Yggy is more different than say the Rockna vs one being better than the other.

I've dealt with Worldwidewholesales in a transaction, Bob Neil is not an honest fair guy to deal with. He flat out doesn't listen to the buyer needs, could care less what you have in your system, could care less about anything but talking about himself. He tells you what will sound best, because he's A/B tested XYZ amount of brands, he knows more than you. To the new audiophile this tactic likely works, or to the person looking for a deal, since he undercuts his own dealers all the time. Ask Bob at Rhapsody about him, he dumped Worldwidewhoesales, even though he loved Rockna. That should tell you alot.

 The attitude he displays here, is the same EXACT attitude he displays in a business transaction, so caveat emptor when dealing with him. Any positive feedback he likes to parrot having is a direct result of what I said earlier. Undercutting his own dealers, and selling to those only looking for a quick deal, not the right piece of equipment. Don't expect someone who will listen to your needs when dealing direct with Bob. 

@jc51373

My experience with Bob - worldwidewholesales is very similar to yours. He reminds of used car salesman back in 90’s, just like them he would make up lies or say anything in order to close a deal to his advantage.

Yep, definitely not grinding an axe here either, this is the truth. Ask around and you quickly find out about his interactions with others, mainly US dealers. I know of two US dealers who recently expressed interest in carrying the Rockna line but flat out decided against it after a conversation with him. IMO, he's seriously holding back the brand in the US. I had a Rockna from one of his dealers here in the US, but returned it, in part because of him being at the forefront of support for it- not thanks.

Lastly, people need to know, he is not from nor does bob reside in the US, and therefore has an extremely limited and short-sighted understanding of the US hifi market and customer. 

People just need to be informed. What you do with the information is up to you from here. 

@rhapsody From everyone I have talked to the rockna is far superior to yggy2 but I have not heard either so can't personally comment.

To me all the digital is very good at this point and allows one to enjoy music through digital.  Everyone is different and their systems and preferences are different.  Hard to generalize for me.  My experience is that it is more individualistic depending on someones entire equation, including budget.

Just wanted to say that my own experiences with Bob and worldwidewholesales has been positive. I never felt pressured, and all of the advice that he gave me turned out to be 100% true. It started when I was comparing various USB cables (between my Aurender N100H and Hegel HD30) DAC... some of the cables I was auditioning were over $2k... and Bob suggested that I try the Inakustik USB which was just a few hundred dollars with a no-risk trial period. He assured me it would sound better than the cables I was using and when the cable arrived my ears heard exactly what he had said. Same thing with the Inakustik power conditioner. I know that all sales persons, naturally, are interested in selling. Of course. However, all of the advice that Bob has given me has been accurate, and I never felt pressured in any way with him trying to "close a sale". I think he's a music lover just like us and has personally auditioned a LOT of gear and sharing that experience might come across as "not listening" to some folks, but for me, he was always open to hearing about the particulars of my system and listening preferences and his advice was tailored accordingly. 

Any other dacs come to mind ?

Yeah you should check out Holo Audio May, Mola Mola Tambaqui, and Metrum Adagio.

smodtactical OP
MSB select II vs all dacs ?

I have an MSB Discrete R2R ladder dac, and direct into any of the amps I have, and it makes PCM RedBook CD (any vintage) sound great.
Rich full bodied mids airy transparent highs, huge sound stage, slamming tight deep bass, pinpoint imaging and depth.
The sound no matter how loud you play, just washes over you, instead of trying to burn laser holes in you.
It made me realize all those old/new CD’s that always sounded fair and I didn’t play that much, are now sounding like they were done yesterday, (those new and old that aren’t compressed that is).

Cheers George