Best Digital Source That Money Can Buy?

APL NWO-3.0 GO-SE

Without any doubt the best today available digital front is dCS Scarlatti, forget Payback designs, EMM labs, Zanden and others toys, I dont own it, but if one day I have the money..., and sorry I have one EMM labs combo that is vey good

Newly, so when did you compare the Playback Designs to dCS? I'm trying to work that out, but a conflict has kept it from happening. Can you be a little more detailed in your description of the differences?

I've compared the PD to Emm's CDSA-SE single-box unit. I preferred the PD by a good margin. My detail review is available elsewhere on A'gon.

Dave

I agree with Newly. I use a good transport (Lector with aftermarket clock) through a dCS Purcell to send 24/176 dual AES into a Scarlatti DAC. My digital cables are LessLoss RCA between transport and upsampler, LessLoss dual AES to Scarlatti ($250 apiece for the three wires a while back). The sound is sublime, even with the long signal chain. I had an Elgar DAC prior - a top notch unit as well, but not in the Scarlatti's class.

Start saving now to snap up a used Scarlatti DAC at half or less new price, once enough units have been in the field for a while and fickle audiophiles jump ship. I won't be one of them.

has anyone compared these esoteric and expensive products to an amr 77 ? if so what were the results ?

it helps to have a personal criterion for the designation "best". in my case, best means, least timbrally inaccurate, relative to the sound of an instrument, not the sound of a recording.