[Berto]

After chill'in w/Gopher, and conversing w/Lou @ Daedalus, a version of that EE is on my S.L.

[werd]

I know, but doesn't it seem especially volatile right now?

I guess you have to look at what is coming out on Hirez recordings. It took awhile for 24 bit to start making a go at it with HD tracks(and others) and now maybe Itunes. I doubt there will be a big overhaul in the recordings and whats available for sale. Anything that plays 192khz will probably be current for a few years.

[woodsyi]

I am going to concentrate on digital source this year at RMAF.  What digital sources are at the show and what would y'all recommend as must hear.  I am going to carry a flash drive with hiRez songs that I am familiar with.

[skunark]

Is that 10k on the source or entire system?

If it is just the source I would go for
 Bryston's BDP-1
 Bryston's BDA-1
 Favorite AES XLR cable
 Favorite Mobile HDD
 And about 5 grand on music

[ted_b]

I am going to concentrate on digital source this year at RMAF.  What digital sources are at the show and what would y'all recommend as must hear.  I am going to carry a flash drive with hiRez songs that I am familiar with.

You MUST hear the Bryston BDP-1, and then find the other minimalist Linux front ends (Auraliti, Sonore, etc) too.  My days at home with the BDP-1 were quite good!! 

[woodsyi]

You MUST hear the Bryston BDP-1, and then find the other minimalist Linux front ends (Auraliti, Sonore, etc) too.  My days at home with the BDP-1 were quite good!!

Is BDP-1 married (monogamous) to BDA-1 or can it play around?

[skunark]

It can play around, with DACs that offer BNC/coax or AES inputs.

[woodsyi]

It can play around, with DACs that offer BNC/coax or AES inputs.

You MUST hear the Bryston BDP-1, and then find the other minimalist Linux front ends (Auraliti, Sonore, etc) too.  My days at home with the BDP-1 were quite good!!

What DAC(s) were you using with the BDP-1 with?

[skunark]

I had the MF Vdac-1 for a while until I decided on a preamp.  It's probably the worst DAC I've heard on any source, but it was very apparent the BDP was the best source I've owned.   

I went with the BDA-1 so I can route the BDP-1, PS3, Oppo's BDP-95, ATV, Wadia's iPod dock.   With the BDP and BDA it's the best source (as a combo) I've heard.

I was holding out for the SP3 and eventually decided 2-channel is more important to me.

[Occam]

I recently bought an E.A.R. Acute III CD player/dac.

EAR Acute 3

The Acute 3 is Tim de Paravicini's latest CD player. The original Acute employed the excellent Wolfson, 24/96 upsampling DAC. The Acute 3 employs the latest Wolfson DAC, which upsamples to 24/192. The Acute 3 also offers digital inputs—S/PDIF, Toslink, and USB. Everything beyond the DAC is of Tim de Paravicini's design, including the filters and the output stage. One thing that makes the player unusual is the fact that the filters are analog, not digital. Another is the transformer-coupled tube output stage. A third is the fact that it has enough gain to drive a power amplifier directly, with the front-panel volume control (also analog). The Acute 3 CD player offers both true balanced and single-ended analog outputs. Review link: http://www.positive-feedback.com/Issue54/ear_acute.htm

I been quite happy with it. I've been using it primarily as a cd player, but last week I hooked it up to a Mac G5 running Pure Music for both 24/192 spdif and (no needed driver) usb. 
In this last month I've had one of those - ya don't know how good something can be until you hear it set up mo' betta. Heretofore, I've believed that current production tubes were perfectly adequate.... What a mook.  So I first replaced the 2 supplied PCC88s with a multitude of tubes, both 6dj8/ECC88 and7dj8/PCC88. IMO, the design is wonderful in that both 6,3 and the far less expensive 7.2 volt filament tubes may be used as the filaments are powered via a constant current source. Each tube serves both channels, the first, filtering and the second buffering, allowing the choice of tubes specific for its function. I ended up with a Siemens PCC88 in that first position, and a Dutch Amperex in the second. Actually I ended up with 4 of each, my lifetime supply, and they were the far less dear PCC88 rather that costly ECC88/6dj8, at the whopping cost of $40 and $15 each. Ever price a NOS Siemans ECC88/6dj8?
While the tube complement I prefer may not be another's preference, the Acute's tube implementation affords its owner the ability to customize the sound to their specific preferences.

I've heard the Lindemann and Playback Design CD players. I've also heard the dcs and EMM stacks. IMO, the Acute III, properly tubed, plays in their sandbox. I believe I prefer the sound of the Acute, but I've not heard those players and dacs in my own system.

FWIW,
Paul

EDIT: Dan Meinwald of EAR, along with one of his dealers, will have the Acute III in Room 1104 at RMAF '11. Dan's rooms are always a joy to listen to.

[ted_b]

What DAC(s) were you using with the BDP-1 with?

http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=97925.20

[zybar]

Is BDP-1 married (monogamous) to BDA-1 or can it play around?

It can play around.

Though in my system it is an excellent combo.

George

[woodsyi]

http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=97925.20

Dang.  You've been busy.  I got some reading to do before the show.  I will have to pick your brain at the show too. 

[woodsyi]

I recently bought an E.A.R. Acute III CD player/dac.



I been quite happy with it. I've been using it primarily as a cd player, but last week I hooked it up to a Mac G5 running Pure Music for both 24/192 spdif and (no needed driver) usb. 
In this last month I've had one of those - ya don't know how good something can be until you hear it set up mo' betta. Heretofore, I've believed that current production tubes were perfectly adequate.... What a mook.  So I first replaced the 2 supplied PCC88s with a multitude of tubes, both 6dj8/ECC88 and7dj8/PCC88. IMO, the design is wonderful in that both 6,3 and the far less expensive 7.2 volt filament tubes may be used as the filaments are powered via a constant current source. Each tube serves both channels, the first, filtering and the second buffering, allowing the choice of tubes specific for its function. I ended up with a Siemens PCC88 in that first position, and a Dutch Amperex in the second. Actually I ended up with 4 of each, my lifetime supply, and they were the far less dear PCC88 rather that costly ECC88/6dj8, at the whopping cost of $40 and $15 each. Ever price a NOS Siemans ECC88/6dj8?
While the tube complement I prefer may not be another's preference, the Acute's tube implementation affords its owner the ability to customize the sound to their specific preferences.

I've heard the Lindemann and Playback Design CD players. I've also heard the dcs and EMM stacks. IMO, the Acute III, properly tubed, plays in their sandbox. I believe I prefer the sound of the Acute, but I've not heard those players and dacs in my own system.

FWIW,
Paul

EDIT: Dan Meinwald of EAR, along with one of his dealers, will have the Acute III in Room 1104 at RMAF '11. Dan's rooms are always a joy to listen to.

Are you talking stock or did you tinker with it? 

[Occam]

Re: EAR Acute III

Are you talking stock or did you tinker with it?

Totally stock, other than the non warranty violating change of tubes.
Its a Tim de Paravincini component; even I don't have the hubris to consider modding it.

Please stop by Rm 1104 at the Rocky Mountain Show, introduce yourself to Dan, and give it a listen.

Regards,
Paul

[ted_b]

The EAR Acute II is a wonderful player!  Dan and I spent a lot of time with it last year, and it has always (in earlier versions) been a musical highlight of these shows.  The first DAC that went into the Acute was not Tim's design (the one I heard last year), but I believe since EAR has introduced the DAC only version they might have gone back and included it in the Acute.  Paul, do you know?

[Occam]

Ted,

From the EAR site -
http://www.earyoshino.com/products.php?catId=6

The "acute III" can accept up to 24/192 digital input from USB, coaxial SPDIF and Toslink SPDIF devices. Immediately upon returning to the analog domain, the audio signal is passed to analog filters of Tim de Paravicini's own design. The audio is output from a transformer-coupled PCC88tube line output stage as in EAR pro audio equipment. This allows true floating balanced output as well as identical quality unbalanced line out by RCA connectors. The maximum output is 5 volt, which means it can drive directly any power amplifier of any type, with analog volume control that can be controlled by remote handset.

(the link also gets you to the new DAC description)

I'm not sure as to the technical specifics. I'll see Tim at CES and get more technical, detailed information.

I'd previously thought my Aksa Lifeforce 100 amplifier was the limiting factor in my system. I was mistaken, and found the limit residing in my CAT SL-1 MkIII preamp, or rather in my choice of tubes. I'm now going through the hideously expensive process of re-tubing the pre, as I continue to like the vinyl from my Galibier Serac. The upside is my pleasure in finding how the Aksa continues to punch far above its weight, gloriously driving the Marten Miles II with the Acute directly driving the amp.

Regards,
Paul

[woodsyi]

After vacillating for the last few months I came to terms to buy an EAR ACUTE III.  First it was Debussy, then Meitner MA1 than MA2 but I just didn't want to pay full price you know.  I am too much of a bargain hunter (a cheapskate at heart) to pay list.  Anyway I made a play for a used EAR ACUTE III that just came up and I have a deal.  It plays CD like what my wife wanted and I can play up to 24/192 through USB input.  Time to get some 24/192 files!

[jjc1]

I am woefully out of date on digital playback as I have been spinning vinyl for the most part.  Since Ted is up on all the latest developments on DACs, I will ask the question here even though my question pertains to Redbook playback as well. 

Starting from scratch with an arbitrary budget of $10K, how does one construct a digital front end that will give the most bang for the buck?  It will just be the front end consisting of a transport, a DAC and whatever else that is needed to play digitized music both on discs and in stored files.  Let's assume there is already a server with stored music files in FLAC and WAV but discs must also be able to be played directly.

  First off, you will never get sound from digital that's as good as vinyl(IMO). That being said, I use the BDP1/BDA1 combo. Hi REz downloads sound best. But I also have a collection of SACDs which I run from an SACD player, then through a de-embedder (very cheap,$60 or so) then to the BDA1. To me this sounds better than Hi Rez downloads, but then again that's my opinion. All of this costs a lot less than your budgeted $10,000. For example, I'm using an old Oppo 970H for a transport (since  a player with great a DAC proceesor isn't needed since I am using the BDA1 as the DAC). The Oppo only cost $160. But of course you could opt for a more expensive SACD player.