Absolute top tier DAC for standard res Redbook CD

Matt, good luck with the DX. I have been a very happy owner of DS Reference for over an year and it is a great product. One important point, the server shall be on for at least 40 hours before it reaches optimum performance. In fact, Mark Jenkins recommends to keep it on all the time.

TOO bad you cant consider the flagship DYNA AUDIO EVIDENSE PLATINUM (due to its rear ports ). They are truly a remarkable design. Only 8.5 inches in width, but standing 76 inches tall, they totally disappear in the room, when properly implemented. The dual Esotar tweeters are very clean, and airy sounding with ZERO fatigue factor (no shout at all).
Cheers.......

Musicmann1 - I have heard the Evidence Platinum. I didn't love it. That's why I was skeptical about the Consequence but I was wrong; the CU had everything the Evidence lacked. Interestingly, the Evidence Platinum is advertised as their flagship speaker but it costs ten grand LESS then the Consequence Ultimate. They market the Consequence Ultimate a different way since its been in essentially constant production since 1984. I think the CU is their finest product.

I need to clarify that the shout I am hearing has not been heard in any other room I listened to it in (and I heard it in 2 very different rooms at the store) nor has it been identified by an other reviewer. I am convinced it is a byproduct of my room or breakin. We shall see.

Agear - thanks. That's good to know.

Thanks Paul - that's VERY helpful and I think that's my issue. The shout is not all the time and it's not on every track. It's almost exclusively vocals (not all vocals, only sometimes) although I get it on occasion on clarinet or oboe. It almost sounds like clipping or dynamic compression which would go along with what you said. I'm going to pull out my trusty LP's and do a little experiment....

Abe - I haven't tried the DX enough to compare it honestly. I am thinking on first listen, that surprisingly my low frequencies are a bit tighter and better controlled with my Mac mini. The soundstage seams more open with the DX and there is a layer of detail and complexity that I think the DX is revealing. But that's with like 45 minutes of listening time. And thanks for the heads up on running time. I'll leave it on 24/7.

The DX is intriguing. Let's see how it compares with more time.

The Tenor's are pretty see through so I would be surprised if this was a source issue. Furthermore, Steve Nugent uses a modded mini and am swears by it. His dac has a built reclocket so that is another ripple...