Absolute top tier DAC for standard res Redbook CD

I agree on USB cables....I also agree on ALL cables. There are too many great sounding cables on the market that are 'cost effective' I guess you would say. I never understood spending as much for cables as you do for the component. At that point I've never heard a cable sound better than taking that same amount of money and upgrading your component. I love the cable that I purchased from Steve with his Empirical DAC, but I've heard the TotalDac cable now and it too sounds great on two DAC's I heard it with. Had to pay more than 500 or so on a USB cable when there are a few out there that sound great. JMHO

Well, from my experience there is no rhyme or reason when it comes to Audio Cables.

In some cases I have heard a difference. Out of those only a few were worthwhile.

Price, at times, did play a roll in how much better the improvement was.

But like anything in life is the cost worth the improvement.

Sometimes it is.

I have not heard a huge amount of brands of cables but out of the ones I have heard the one that stands out as exceptional sounding and "reasonable" compared to the cost of cables vs performance in general is.....

High Fidelity Cables

Another MUST try IMHO

Do not misunderstand me, there might be others I am unaware of.

And I if someone wants to spend $2,000 on a USB cable I have NO PROBLEM with that.

What my problem is that at that price point compared to the price point of the Totaldac it is not a far comparison.

Hifial & Ctsooner,
I agree with you guys, but this is audio and people are going to be chasing the last detail like a dog chasing its tail. Not sure if the Vertere Pulse HD USB Cable has been compared to the $2,000 Synergistic Research USB Cable. Besides the Totaldac USB, it has bested the following according to AE. They also hail the Vertere Pulse HB Ethernet cable as knocking anything that came its way against as well as the Vertere phono cable. Also, the Vertere RG-1 Reference Turntable/Reference Tonearm has replaced Da Vinci Gabriel, Wave Kinetic NVS, Transrotor's flagship and several Durand Telos in some systems according AE. I am not endorsing Vertere products, but they are worth checking out, and I would give them a listen if I am in the market for any for any of these products.

1. Absolue Creations TIM Crystal Dreamline Plus/ Reference USB
2. Siltech Double Crown Golden Universal USB
3. Light Harmonic LightSpeed USB cable

The problem with making cable pronouncements is that cables are very much equipment dependent... To say xyz cable beats abc cable is pointless unless the equipment used is exactly the same as ones own..

Erikminer,
I agree, in many instances, not all.