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Who listens primarily to Redbook CD?

My primary (only, actually) source is a CEC TL5 Transport feeding an Audio Note Kit 1.1 NOS DAC through a Cerious Technologies Graphene Extreme AES/EBU digital cable. They are both decked out with CT GE power cords, Synergistic Research Quantum Black fuses, Herbie's Audio Lab Tenderfeet isolation footers, plus other misc. tweaks.

Sounds great, and I have very little desire to add another source. Pretty much all the music I want is available on CD, and is usually quite cheap. I hope to upgrade to an AN factory DAC (3.1x/II, or better, would be nice), and a Teo Audio liquid metal digital cable (I have their Game Changer ICs, and absolutely love them!) in the future.

Who else is happy with Redbook CD as their primary source?
tommylion
georgehifi's avatar
georgehifi
4,966 posts
 
hifijones
  The 3rd step may take some time because the price of admission is still more than I’m willing to pay at the moment: the Linn CD12.

+1 and more on that. I have the CD12 MkIII last version made with the 4 x PCM1704's and HDCD PMD200, nothing comes close to it on 16/44 24/96 Redbook.
Give me a call in 3mts it could be yours hifijones, as I'm looking in new Multibit directions.

Cheers George
agriculturist
160 posts
 
I would second the tubed Concert Fidelity DAC that @ps68 above referred to.  It has a Philips DAC chip. Very fine sound I get from it, frankly eclipsing what I can get from LPs at any (to me) affordable price point in practically every way.  My CF DAC is fed only 16/44 redbook digital signals by a MacMini via Berkeley USB.  I have goosed the performance of my CF DAC with Shakti Onlines and Synergistic ECTs inside and by damping the PCB screws with Herbie's washers. I use a very good balanced power source (BPT) for all components.  Stillpoints ERS paper all over the inside walls of my Berkeley USB, another 10 SR ECTs inside and Herbie's washers damping the PCB screws. BTW I have very little ERS paper inside the DAC, and that only on the transformer.  I can say honestly the results make me very happy. 
bigkidz
1,784 posts
 
The Schiit is an R2R but not discrete so IMO still is a chip type of processor.  You can buy discrete R2R for under $300.  I have also build a DAC with the sigma and I found it so sound excellent also.  The discrete R2R was more analog sounding to my ears, but I also liked what the Sigma offered.  Its a matter of ones own taste.

Happy Listening.
vegasears
922 posts
 
Red Book most of the time, either hard drive or dedicated disc player.  I have a few DVD-A's and maybe 25 SACD most being dual format, SACD/Red book. I also do vinyl.  I have a fairly large collection of music and really don't need to rent more.
rspyder
75 posts
 
I bought an Esoteric K-01X a year ago and since then I have rediscovered all my Red Book CD's.  Esoteric is one of those companies that believes you can get the best sound from spinning silver discs, as opposed to streaming or file storage.  They made me a believer.  It also does a phenomal job on SACD's.  But the level of improvement on CD's is more dramatic.  The K-01X unfolds and delivers 16 bit media with the same depth, density and delicacy as a high-end MC cartridge.  An absolute blast!!!
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