1. Home
  2. digital
  3. 1398132150

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
mattnshilp OP
894 posts
 
I am getting another MSB DAC from MSB with a different filter to see if I like that better. Not sure exactly what product it will be. I will keep you all posted.

Also should be able to get my hands on the Berkeley Reference DAC shortly as well. I want to let it burn in for a few hundred hours before I borrow it from my neighbor. But it's definitely arriving next Monday to him.

I'll compare the Berk and the MSB directly. And I still have the Emm Labs dac2x sound fresh in my mind.

Also hoping to get some time tomorrow morning to compare the Aurender n10 and my Mac mini. The N10 has been cooking for about 120 hours. Stay tuned.
georgehifi's avatar
georgehifi
4,966 posts
 

Interesting Mattnshilp, the Berkeley have also now with their Reference Dac has gone back to Multibit as well as the MSB, they were both into Delta Sigma (1 Bit) only a couple f years ago.

It will be interesting how they stack up against each other as the EMM Labs is Delta Sigma, all doing RedBook

From Berkeley
"Alpha DAC Reference Series, use multi-bit D/A converters because they provide better performance than 1-bit converters - even DAC’s who advertise “native” DSD compatibility."

Cheers George
georgehifi's avatar
georgehifi
4,966 posts
 

Interesting review on the $16k Berkeley Reference Multibit Dac, from Absolute Sounds.

http://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/berkeley-audio-design-alpha-dac-reference-series/

Cheers George
audiolabyrinth's avatar
audiolabyrinth
4,483 posts
 
Hi Guidocorona, I enjoyed reading your professional review of the merril Veritas amplifiers,very well written I must say, thankyou, you know, Tbg-norm is a reviewer as well, cheers
guidocorona
4,114 posts
 
Thank you Audiolabirynth, Veritas is a very lovely amp. Worth listening in one's own home.

Norm is a fine reviewer... BTW, we are both very fond of the HFC wire products designed by Rick Schultz in Dallas. The HFC Ultra PCs do amazing thing to my electronic components, M925 amps included.

Guido
More to discover