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Absolute top tier DAC for standard res Redbook CD

Hi All.

Putting together a reference level system.
My Source is predominantly standard 16/44 played from a MacMini using iTunes and Amarra. Some of my music is purchased from iTunes and the rest is ripped from standard CD's.
For my tastes in music, my high def catalogues are still limited; so Redbook 16/44 will be my primary source for quite some time.

I'm not spending DCS or MSB money. But $15-20k retail is not out of the question.

Upsampling vs non-upsampling?
USB input vs SPDIF?

All opinions welcome.

And I know I need to hear them, but getting these ultra $$$ DAC's into your house for an audition ain't easy.

Looking for musical, emotional, engaging, accurate , with great dimension. Not looking for analytical and sterile.
mattnshilp
guidocorona
4,114 posts
 
Matt, Raidho speakers tend to like largish rooms, and lots of space behind them... They can be challanging to set up... overexhuberant mid bass is not unheard of.

G.
ctsooner
2,104 posts
 
Matt, that was a blast meeting up. I do wish you were there in the later part of the day. You'll hear what they really can do when when Johnny has time to get them up and running with your gear and warmed up. Hopefully we can get Richfield up there too. Great grinder/pizza shop down the street too, lol. This should be an interesting search that is transpiring.
wisnon
700 posts
 
Matt,

Thanks for the fan story...nice read and I have to agree with the conclusion.

For monitors, why not try a Vapor UberAurora as discussed here:
http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=133774.0

Their use of RAAL tweets on most models seems to be the Shizzle (sine AGear opened that door...LoL) and in the Uber, they use Beryllium tweets.

Vapor design thoughts here:
http://audioshark.org/vapor-audio-190/ask-ryan-7690.html#post132351
agear
1,353 posts
 
Matt, the term "shizzle" is underutilized on Audiogon due to the demographics at hand, but I think we should always be open to expanding our audio vernacular....:)

I don't have any real current data on monitors. For many years, I used Intuitive Design Gamma Summits which were a time aligned, transmission line monitor that weighed around 90 lbs. It had its own dedicated stands and incorporated stillpoints throughout. It went down to around 30 hz which was nice.

The tricky part is sub integration. It takes skills that I do not possess.

The Art from Trenner & Friedl is intriguing.
mattnshilp OP
894 posts
 
I would still much prefer a full range floor stander. My goal
Is to get my room right.

Floor is getting changed out next week now. When it's done I'm going to add back my floor standing treatments one by one to see how it effects things.

I think that in the end a HelmHotz will fix my issue. But it's costly, to say the least.
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