Absolute top tier DAC for standard res Redbook CD

Hi Guido. Wasn't the Daemon. Was the Continuum. I asked "off Thread. "

Hi CTSooner and Matt, thank you for the clarification. I had an inkling that the Rowland integrated in question might have been the Continuum S2.... For no other reason that Rowland Daemon is still a very rare breed.

Saluti, G.

Yea, sorry guys. I'm not familiar with Rowland like I used to be when they first started. I'd like to hear my Ayre vs it side by side in my system. I like a lot of gear to be honest. Not just Ayre, but until I find an integrated at the same price as my Ayre that is better, then I stay with what I have. Same with speakers. I love my Vandersteens and hope to get the Quatro's as soon as I sell my Treo's, but that doesn't mean that others don't make great speakers that I could be very happy with. Matt and I often share ideas of gear we hear off line. I'm not married to any specific product or manufacturer. Heck, because of THIS very thread I purchased an OSDE/SE and if you read my posts early in the thread, I said there was no way I'd get something that isn't sold via a dealer network etc...I'm very very pleased with my digital. All because of what Matt is doing and also listening to input from a few of you who's ears I trust (you can tell what folks like based on their posts.). Thanks for letting me play.

No prob at all Ctsooner... For next time you are on an integrated hunt... Continuum S2 is the cute 35 pounder with vestigial cooling fins priced just below $10K... Daemon is the one you can't lift because it's a 100 pounder, has a big honking horizontal selector/volume wheel, and is priced around $40K.

I do like continuum S2 quite a bit... Daemon I have not herd yet.

Ctsooner, I fully understand your position. I've been at this since the late 1960s when I taught at Florida State U. Tallahassee had about 50,000 people and three stereo dealers. Then there were about five manufacturers of electronic components few power cord makers, no rack makers, etc. And virtually everybody had an AR turntable although Linn was coming along.

So one had few choices but many opportunities to hear them first. I remember going up to Dallas to hear a new amp by a guy named Jeff Roland. I was very impressed and bought one and it was cheap, but I cannot remember how much. I think about $2500!

I have noticed as I am sure you have too, that dealers are a dying species. I expect that very soon you will find them only in NYC and LA. So you had better buy now.