Absolute top tier DAC for standard res Redbook CD

My apologies Matt its not the Phaeton (that is the amp) its the Eratos! My bad.

Not only were they showing the brilliant integrated Phaethon 110wpc integrated which had been previewed in Munich and should start to export by November, they also had their very first production speaker called Eratos built from 10-year old aged solid wood.

A docked two-box three-way, the pièce de resistance here is Ypsilon's home-rolled ribbon tweeter obviously tapped off their own transformer. Their designer claimed a colossal 15mm of linear excursion and a 2'900Hz crossover point with a for this driver type shallow filter slope of 12dB/octave. Having petitioned these folks for a review sample of the Phaethon already in Munich, I'll reserve sonic comments for the formal occasion later in the year except to say there's good reason why this exhibit opens my report.

http://www.6moons.com/industryfeatures/highendsuisse2014/1.html

http://parttimeaudiophile.com/2014/05/29/high-end-2014-ypsilon-audio-introduces-phaethon-integrated-amp/

http://ypsilonaudio.de/lautsprecher/erato-ls-100/

Wisnon - pm sent

I know of the MM7. It's their statement product. Four huge towers. I think the MM3 is their "realistic" reference product.

Ypsilon doesn't have any speaker on their web site, nor does the U.S. Importer. No matter the name. It's just not there....

AG speakers are great. I'm hesitant because of my 11' listening distance and my smallish room. I think my Burmesters are fast enough for the AG and up to the challenge.

I set up an audition for the Pearl 3 next Tuesday. I'm hoping to get to hear the Avalon within a few weeks as well.

Mattnshilp I think you would like the Boenicke W8SE or W20. Heard the W20SE at CES a few years ago and they were great.

Wisnon just asked me off thread what SQ I was looking for. Here was my response:

SQ - as I explained, I want tight accurate base with finesse and refinement but I want impact and scale. I want to feel
It. I want the second and third harmonics from the base that makes the music engaging. I want leading and trailing edges that are accurate but not overstated or blunted.
I want mids that are full and textured. I want complexity and layers and nuance. I want highs that don't shriek and make me wince. Just extended properly reproduced highs with clarity and detail with an inner core of music and depth.
Most importantly, I want my feet to be tapping and I want to be emotionally engaged. I don't want to think about the next song I'm going to hear because I'll be to caught up in the one I'm currently listening to. I want my eyes closed and my body & soul swaying and bobbing to the music, no matter if it's a crappy MP3 or hi-Rez or vinyl.

Is that asking too much?

JWM - I had a pair of Boenicke W8SE+ in my room for several weeks and I enjoyed them. But they didn't give me the scale and dynamics I am after. And the W20 is rear ported, actually rear horned. So it won't work for me.