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Jeremy, another few lead that I think might conceder.

Manly Labs has their 20-bit digital to analogue converter that uses the Pacific Microsonics processor inside. I was told that is available as the “street price” for ~$6K-$7K and it might be a “frugal version” of Pacific possessor. There are however tree things that makes me suspicious in this. First: I am not a big fan of HDCD. Second: I very skeptical with all this hi-fi paranoia tube output stage that Manly built in that unit. I did not see any “interesting” tube buffer and I feel defiantly that it would not be made as a commercial product from an Audio Asylum minded company. The third is probably my individual issues: I do not like Manly as a company and I do not like her personally. Their/her cheap “twist oriented”,  “friendly tough love” approach that is “optimized” to impress an average Stereophile subscriber is really turns me off. She personally and her entire company/products impress me as much as that girl from a small Western Pennsylvania village who suddenly designed to demonstrate me want from her point of view a Manhattan lesbian chic might look like. Also, Manly told me that he hate cats and as far as I concern the people who hate cats should be put to death… Anyhow, they all perhaps my semi-personal predicaments and you might find is worth to explore…

Another A/D option that is very promising is the Crane Song HEDD192. I heard that it is VERY different sonically and with the price tag of $3.5K it might be interesting to try…

TonyB wrote:

If it was an original DSD converter, was it a Sony or more likely Ed Meitner's? I wanted to use unprocessed DSD as a digital delay and was looking for converters some time ago. Being in Canada, I spoke with Ed about DSD. His A/D has the ability to be adjusted to be nicely linear. Other units may not be able to do it. But there is a "bit" of processing in programmable logic to get the DSD stream. Something I am not that thrilled about. Also, Ed strongly recommended against just low-pass filtering the output DSD to get audio out. This is exactly what some equipment modders do. If Ed's DSD equipment were not that expensive, I would love to try it and modify it.

Actually I spoke with some very much “deeply plugged” people who very closely monitored what Meitner did in the end of 90s and they informed me yeastoday that the Meitner's original DSD were be 4-bit processors and that it was very-very good. Since then as Meitner's begin to commercialize his DSD idea he converted it in single bit system called SACD and this new system, is in fact very primitive. I’m not quite sure what I juts said, but since I never ever heard any properly sounding SACD from a disk, nor I even head any properly recorded PCM layer on the SACD so I never consider the SACD worth any attention.

TonyB wrote:

There is something about FM radio. I even wondered what is the net processing done  to the signal by the process of FM modulation, transmission, reception and demodulation. I have an intercom with FM radio built into a wall in the kitchen. I listen to it during dinner. One can get a very good feeling about the actual performance of the piece. Likely better than in a high-end system. Maybe it is the single driver speaker in a nice enclosure in the wall between wooden studs and drywall. Who knows? No wonder that the FM was discontinued from this intercom - it was competing too much with high end systems. But listening to my Mac MR-67 is not bad either. I could visit Magnum Dynalab again considering that I used to work almost next door to them.

Yes, there is something about FM radio. Even it broadcasted only very compressed it still sound amassing…. However, do not visit Magnum Dynalab…. it will not help. I have thier units and they are not the real FM but the "Hi-Fi FM" with no real bass and no real "space"….

Further update….

Then, last nigh the electricity was quite all right and I run the native window uncompressed files via the digital output to my DAC. As I initially sent it was quite nice that pretty my prove to me the fact that it might be nice or even presumably “remarkably good” ….if is done properly. At this point I do not know what properly would be or might be but today I am wiling to try. First I did learn that I would need a very good external A/D processor.  Looking at the situation about the ADCs, knowing that it really takes time and patience to learn how to get the best out a given processor and knowing the I really would like to go on the road of endless ADC evaluation I decided to listen my native feline instincts and go with them. So, decided to buy a Lavry’s Gold AD122. This is the very first peace in audio that I decided to buy without actually listening it. First of all, I am not equipped at this point to audition it objectively and second there is no way for me to try it as the local dealer is semi-armature. Still, I have very-very good feeling about the DB technology products and it this ADC will be as good as this DAC then it will be a direct hit with the A/D processor.

Now, the biggest problem remains what digital I/O PC interface to use after the Lavry’s digital stream. Lavry has the digital balanced outputs, so what along the good sound cards have AES inputs.  As I learned two cards re in running for being better and have the AES/EBU? There is Lynx L22 and there is RME Digi96, and believe or not but there is an army of people who perform some sustom updated on this cards, I do not practically believe in it at this point….. Both of them around $700 and both or them have positive feedback.  There are some other contestants, the Prodif 88 for instance. Also according to the chart the  no analog aboard LYNX AES 16 is what I might need….

http://www.lynxstudio.de/enpages/compare.html

I relay do not know if I need those expansive cards and anyone who love them presumably comment about their AD/DA options that with my new Lavry ADC will be absolutely irrelevant. Will my cheap $100 card with XLR/RCA adaptor do the same if I load a digital stream directly to PC’s HD drive? Will the quality of the clock and thousands of other thing in those expansive cards still be matter? I do not know… Can I buy another not $700  care juts to have a AES/EBU I/O for my PC? If some one do then please advise me….

Still, I do not stop to consider to go for PCMCIA card with antennal box and run this entire thing from a laptop… Unfortunately no one who do the pro cards and whoever do impress me very little, not to mention that none of them do the AES/EBU. What I actual need would be the old RME Digi96 card, now discontinued, the card that had AES/EBU, no DSP on board, no mixing capacity, do analog section at all. It was $150 and had the rest within itself identical to what the today RME’s $700 card have.

Well, it will be fun to see what else is available there…. BTW, one more thing… if I go do 40”-50” of balanced d-cable than dose it quietly mater. Will the pro-shop level cable sufficient enough?

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