Absolute top tier DAC for standard res Redbook CD

That's the spirit Geoffkit! Lol....

My neighbor went all out and ordered a full set of top tier WireWorld Platinum Eclipse 7 interconnects, digital and speaker wire (literally tens of thousands in cable); and I get to play with all of it before we set it up at his place. They are coming around the same time as his Berk Ref. Fortunately, he also ordered the Berk USB converter so I will be able to try it with both the Mac mini and his Aurender N10.

And I still owe you all a review on that Waversa Smart Hub I was sent.

SO many toys, SO little time!!!

10-25-15: Dgarretson
Georgelofi, do you recall if the Theta Gen Va is an R2R? I can't find a spec, but there are some on the forums who believe so. I have one in storage that I haven't listened to in years. If it's an R2R then I'll dust it off for comparison to K-01X.

Dave, I found multiple indications on the web that the Gen Va used the Burr-Brown PCM63, which was a 20-bit predecessor of the 24-bit PCM1704 discussed above. As can be seen in the PCM63 datasheet it was indeed an R-2R, and the theory of operation section on page 5 reads very similarly to the corresponding section on page 6 of the PCM1704 datasheet. The focus on performance around the zero crossing in both descriptions is reminiscent of the philosophy of the very expensive MSB DACs.

Matt, thanks for the light-hearted interlude, which I read and enjoyed.

Best regards,
-- Al

On a side not, and a side note that I don't believe has been discussed, I'm very curious of everyone's opinions of line conditioning, surge suppression, power regeneration, balanced power, filtering, magnets and magic pixie dust??? I know I dragged everyone into the depths of my electrical design when I was wiring my room, but we never hit on this subject.

Let's keep it organized and break it up into overall room conditioning at the circuit box, high current conditioning for amps and low current conditioning for rack gear.

My room utilizes a dedicated panel and the only thing I have (actually, am about to install) on my panel for the whole room is the Environmental Potentials EP-2050 Surge and Waveform corrector ion module. I know Mike went all out for the Equi-Tech Balanced power breaker panel. Wish it had been in the budget at the time; maybe some day.

I am currently running my amps direct to the wall using Shinyata Zitron Alpha High Current Power cords but am considering adding an IsoTek Evo3 Titan high current conditioner with Evo3 Syncro power cable (they are very cool. The cable has a small balanced conditioner built right into the cable. DC filtering, no emi/rfi). Or a Shunyata Hydra Triton V2.

Rack is currently under control with a Shunyaya Hydra AV and all Shunyata Zitron Power cords. Although I will definitely be jumping on a Plasmatron for my digital when I can fit it into the budget. Seriously considered the Audience Adept Response gear and that's actually the direction my neighbor went, along with the IsoTek Titan/Syncro for amps (which I am all over borrowing and trying!).

Open forum as always. Nothing is the best, especially in the voodoo world of power conditioning.

Should be a fun side run while we slowly post about dacs.

Mattnshilp, well I certainly would not think you would want to introduce "magic pixie dust" to start a discussion. I have limited experience with anything you introduce and some of which I have never heard of. All that I have ever owned of these products is an IsoTek balanced power unit. It gave me a hum when I used my turntable. It was basically the absence of a ground at the root of this problem.

I have had about 15 different line conditioners dating back at least ten years, ranging from isolation transformers, filtering systems, magnetic filtering systems, and regeneration units. I had some of the Shunyaya equipment in my system but none that I ever bothered to buy.

As always, I find little to discuss as everyone hears differently and has different tastes. But I must say that I find no power cords that challenge
the High Fidelity power cords and that the obscenely expensive "Pro" or clearly the best. With these power cords, I hear more detail as they are so quiet. They allow a holographic presentation.

Finally, I think any dac that cannot play quad DSD will long endure.

"Car analogies only get you so much mileage."
Geoff, I "resemble" that comment!!!! That's exactly why my next car will be the Prius 2016... 60 miles per gallon *grins!* ... With standard audio setup, BTW.

Matt.... IMO, before you indulge in further line conditioning magic etc.... Why not upgrade your Burmies PCs. The new Shunyata Sigmas are obvious contenders.... But Norm brings up an excellent point.... HFCs are relatively new contenders, and they are more than worth careful examination. I have only explored the basic CT-1 and the Ultras, and find them to be astonishingly musical, resolving, and harmonically complex. The only caveat is that for high current amplifiers one must adopt a series that does not limit current.... This probably means at least the Ultras -- which I use on my M925s -- or an even higher series.

G.