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
No. If I were to do subs, I'd do the matching Vandy subs as they are set up to work properly with the Treo's. I hate to say it, but I've never heard a sub integrate properly. I know so many swear by their usage and I'm sure that there are plenty of you who have them set up perfectly. I've just yet to hear it. I also feel that the majority of dealers really don't know HOW to set up a room. I know that even the top dealers will often have problems setting up their rooms because folks come in all the time and touch stuff and actually move things. I've seen customers in a very high end boutique start to tip speakers to see their spikes or something. They don't realize that will throw off everything. Winson, please share more about the subs.
Very fast woofers

Jan Plummer knows his stuff.

http://tbisound.com/dsp_products_subwoofers.asp

http://tbisound.com/dsp_sound.asp

Now with TBI™ Bass Extension Modules you can match the speed of your mains precisely, with the room having a positive - supportive effect on the results. The driver is acoustically shielded from reflections allowing the room to support the bass in a positive way. Low frequency room treatments are typically unnecessary for a properly set-up TBI bass extension system.
The very low mass driver requires little diaphragm travel to produce long wavelength signals in this patent pending design. This combination of attributes provides a platform for fast launching of the low frequency waves. The hybrid alignment combines the best attributes of reflex and transmission line models and is the result of extensive research and development. The resulting products are setting a new precedent in objective bass quality and uniformity for high quality audio systems.
You will find a product compatibility chart at the bottom of each product page that will give you some guidance in choosing the right bass extension setup for your high quality audio system.
TBI and Vinyl
I was speaking with the guy at Von Schweikert who sets up their rooms at most of the shows about my concerns/issues. He said that he hears it all the time and it has to do with unbalanced pressurization of the room when it's a smaller room. The large rooms at shows don't have this issue.

I have not tried it yet, but he suggested I add a sub to the room connected in series from the amps to speakers (high output terminals). He specifically said not to pull the signal low level from the pre-amp. He said to put the sub behind the listening position in the back of the room to balance the pressure in the room, adjusting the output so its not even audible but enough to offset the main speakers output pressurization.

I'm away for a few days but when I get back, I'm definitely going to try it.

Thoughts?
I have also been advised by a room design guy to consider this:

http://www.bagend.com/products-category/active-bass-trap/

It's a Bagend active Base Trap.

"it looks like a small subwoofer without input termi- nals. Fore and aft are two small micro- phones; either one can supply the input to, effectively, two single-band paramet- ric filters (range 20–65Hz) that add tar- geted resonance peaks to the feedback circuitry that powers the driver. As a result, the input signal at those peaks is amplified and output via the 10” driver but, cleverly, opposite in phase to that of the input. Place the E-Trap in a high- pressure zone, such as the junction of two or three room boundaries, and its output will oppose and cancel the nodal energy in the room"
If the room is over pressurized, how does adding more pressure solve the problem? I'd look at taking the room out of the equation, as well as the crossovers. I have not ever heard box speakers sound good in a small room. Matt, try external crossovers - that will really open up your world of choices for time & phase coherent accuracy as you'd be doing it yourself. You need to take control, brother. This will consume you.