Outstanding digital components

[Filterlab]

In your experience, what digital components have really amazed you? It can be anything from a CD player to a DAC to an MP3 player.

I'll start, it has to be my Apogee Mini DAC which just gets better and better, so musical and natural with no sense of mechanical interference, slightly oddball looks but then again, who wants convention? :



I'd have to say the dCS Puccini which really impressed me at the Manc show - very neutral, lively and real.



The Pioneer PDR-609 CD Recorder. These machines were so good that the copies were virtually indistinguishable from the originals. I mastered my 2004 album to one of these.



Denon DVD-A1. Had one of these a while back, extraordinary universal player with amazing video processing (aside from occasional chroma upsampling issues) and excellent, if not quite audiophile, sound quality. Built like a brick poo house.



Marantz SR-9600. Super flexible, more inputs than your average hi-fi shop and thundering cinema ability.

[Filterlab]

I have to add the iPod actually, yes I know it's NOT hi-fi, but with a decent sample rate (say 320Kbps minimum) and a nice pair of headphones it can sound pretty decent - certainly better than personal cassette players of the 80s and personal CD players of the 90s.

I've got a 30gb - quite nice for video too, although a little small for prolonged viewing.

[sastusbulbas]

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[SolidState]

I'd have to say my RWA Squeezebox has impressed me beyond my own expectations of it. Now i'm looking into buying the Altmann DAC along with the Jisco connector, which is also battery powered.

[Steve Toy]

http://www.gamutaudio.com/media/pdf/...collection.jpg

GamuT CD3. I really want one.

https://www.ripcaster.co.uk/node/71

Also more than worth a mention.

[Lowrider]

The Linn Unidisk SC is a great deal, good DVD player, very good CD player, very good DAC, good processor, on top of all that it also plays SACD, and all sounds superb...

Sometimes there are strange noises from the drive, maybe because I dont use it often, but the processor is on 12 hours a day...

[jandl100]

A big vote should go to the Beresford DAC, I think. A very flexible digital control centre and great vfm too at only around £100 - it's brought good sound to a lot of folks who otherwise couldn't have afforded to get to that level.
And Stan B's a nice bloke, too!

[Rick O]

The Accuphase DP series. Stonkingly good CD players!

[griffo104]

Ensemble Dirondo. Heard within the context of a full Ensemble system but one of the few cd fronted systems I would say was exceptional.

The Wiess Medea Dac and the matching transport, silly expensive but silly good too.

Esoteric X-03se, heard a Wammer's deck a few times and I've always been impressed with it.

Most digital components make me glad I've got a turntable, the three above are exceptions, although my Audio Analogue Maestro MkII does a good enough job for me without the need to spend silly money.

[Sand Dancin Donkey Walker]

Hi Guys
A couple of things worth a mention from my point of view, and I have personally owned are noted below;

• Pink Triangle - De-Capo DAC
• CEC TL1x Transport
• Audio Logic MLX34 DAC

Andy - SDDW