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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
wisnon
700 posts
 
Me too Matt!! Very curious. You can also contrast against the PL speaker too. you are in the right place to hear them all. LoL. Hopefully the Kii will be in Zurich or Warsaw this year. I will try to attend both, if possible.

Woould LOVE to hear your take on them. AVSshowroom was gaga as well. HUGE sound from the small format with stunning bass, they say.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1Nebe3ULcY

"Small footprint, big sound with extended bass. The game changer is that they are not room dependant for set up, in other words they go not excite bass room nodes.. Bruno explains this."
wisnon
700 posts
 
OK, they will be in Zurich!!!

From the website.

HIGH END SWISS 2015 - 16. - 18. October - Mövenpick Hotel - Zürich-Regensdorf - Switzerland
agear
1,353 posts
 
All these high tech, engineering companies are hawking their lifestyle products. That's fine. Yawn. Matt, go hear this stuff and put us out of our misery....
charles1dad's avatar
charles1dad
6,996 posts
 
Andrew,
You seem to have made up your mind about them without actually listening to them. Surprising in that you're one to usually embrace the new and different more readily than someone like me.
Charles,
agear
1,353 posts
 
Charles, I always open to hearing them for entertainment value. My central point, based on experience, is that it takes considerable effort to extract "analog" sound from the digital domain, with proper mechanical grounding (Sistrum), power conditioning, electrical grounding, etc. If Goldmund can squeeze in a Golden Gate dac, Tripoint Troy, power conditioning, and one of Steve Nuggets reclockers into its speaker, I will consider it. I was an early adopter to the wireless realm (2002), and while I love elements of it, it has a lot of weaknesses. In the context of lifestyle audio engineering, by all means. If SOTA sound is what you are after, not.

Steve Nugent, you have gone quiet? I would love to hear your take on this subject.
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