Absolute top tier DAC for standard res Redbook CD

Question for we lay people....why would breakin of any DAc be more than 200 hours? I've spoken to many manufacturers as well as engineers and have been told that the biggest thing to break in are the capacitors and that even with the amount of silver used etc...they shouldn't need more than 200 hours to break in.

Are these folks mislead? Thanks.

"Steve, as we both know, S/PDIF is a very jittery interface when it comes to a Master Clock recovery."

Alex - That used to be the case, but with the latest receiver chips, good transformers, good circuit design/layout and a good 75 ohm cable, it is just as transparent as a good USB interface. I am using right now my prototype Off-Ramp 6 XMOS interface driving my DAC with S/PDIF coax and its the best digital I have ever heard. Beats everything I have done previously. It matches my I2S for performance too.

Steve N.
Empirical Audio

Matt - I actually offered my USB interface module to a couple of big manufacturers. It was not cheap, but not overly expensive either. They were too cheap to even try one. They are pinching pennies trying to eek out as much profit as possible. Those marketing guys don't come cheap and neither do the ads.

Steve N.
Empirical Audio

Keep in mind. My comments about USB inputs refers to all I have heard up to this point (NOT including the DSD-S, which I have yet to evaluate). To my ears, in my system, the ODSE is the best DAC I have heard thus far. I can not determine if that is due to the improved USB processing or just a better DAC with better parts and design. Who knows. Since I have no interest in SPDIF, I don't care. It sounds amazing and I am just giving it the credit it deserves.

Abruce - If I like the DSD better, then I will wait for Steve's newer mods and try them on my current ODSE (which is still stilling in its boxes) to see which performs better. At the end of the day, I'm not married to Steve and his Over Drive DAC. The point of my thread is to find the best DAC for 16/44 I can. If the DSD-S bests the ODSE (even with the upcoming upgrades) then I will sell my ODSE and go for a DSD-S. But lets wait until I actually LISTEN to the DSD-S to see how it is before we jump the gun….

The DSD-D does DSD, which the ODSE does not. But I have no interest in DSD as a source (for now).

I will let Alex explain better, but the DSD product converts all its input (PCM as well) immediately to DSD like the Direct Stream and all of Meitner's gear.

I am looking forward to Wednesday to take my first listen.

Unfortunately, with a brand new ODSE comes the need to really burn it in. Which means at least 3-4 weeks of constant play to get what I heard from the demo unit. With my added week, the DSD-S that I have will have a total of about 468 hours on it. Which means even the DSD still needs an additional 10 days more burn in to get to 700h.

I am thinking I will cook the DSD-S for the additional 10 days first. Then let it sit on the shelf for the month and burn in my new ODSE. Then, I'll run the DSD-S for a 24h run before comparing the two directly. I won't know which is better until they are both fully broken in and being played head to head.

I hope Alex is willing for me to hold onto the unit for 45 more days to really give it the chance it deserves… He has been very generous thus far.

If there is one thing I have learned with this project, its that these single guys (Lampy, Empirical, APL) REALLY know how to make gear and what you pay for is the best damn gear you can get instead of marketing/advertising/overhead.

My amps are the same. Merrill Audio makes ridiculously good gear! My amps are just off the chart good!

What a crazy hobby!!!

oops.

"The DSD-D does DSD, which the ODSE does not. But I have no interest in DSD as a source (for now). "

that should say DSD-S