Any experince with Audio Note DACs?

ulf said:

Thanks for the link
I am sure the DAC 5 sign is THE Dac to own The only problem is it 60000USD price tag and you cannot buy it in Kit.

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ulf said:

I have listen to a AN DAC3.1 and it was very good. I use my Nagra CDP as transport and the sound was equal good as the Nagra in itself (which has the best CDP sound I have ever listen to) but a bit different.
I consider buying the bigger brother DAC 4.1LE in kit form (1/3 af the factory built product)-

Anyone with experince of AN DACs and of the kits?

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c1ferrari said:

(...) The transports are Forsell Air Reference Mk. II and Esoteric P-0s

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microstrip said:

The Forsell Air Transport is really a great transport. I have owned an MK3 and, retrospectively, consider a mistake having sold it. But at the time everyone reported that the integrated player was the correct way of avoiding jitter in SPDIF and the Forsell went to France. The guy who bought it for me got if for modification and re-sale. Much later he emailed me that my transport was the best sounding he ever got ...

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c1ferrari said:

I've been listening to an Audio Note 4.1X Balanced DAC for a few years and am quite fond of it. The transports are Forsell Air Reference Mk. II and Esoteric P-0s.

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lloydelee21 said:

Hi Sam, What are your thoughts on the Esoteric P-Os compared to today's top transports? i am always curious to know since in my experience sometimes older references are clearly surpassed...and other times, not surpassed or barely surpassed...but at a price that is well in excess of s/hand.

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I can really only furnish informed comment on the P-0s and Forsell Air Reference. I've heard various DAC/transport combinations; however, I would be unable to distill the specific contribution by the digital front end from the unique experience in toto.

The Forsell is a very fine transport and couples well with the AN DAC. The P-0s is another marvel, altogether It features options that remain unexplored by me -- for instance, an external word clock sync interface that is incompatible with Audio Note (no external clocks with AN). Perhaps, the ultimate obstacle precluding the zenith of performance with the P-0s is that I have no facility for Japanese...the exquisite manual yields precious little meaning for me There are buttons on here that I have absolutely NO IDEA as to their function - LOL.

I believe you have a Zanden...didn't Zanden have an I2S interface with its transport?

As it stands presently, my digital front end comprises 4 boxes -- CD transport, transport PS, 117V --> 100V step-down transformer, and AN DAC -- and 8 sundry cables...but, who's counting

My strategy, Lloyd -- wherever possible, is to purchase top-flight current production and vintage gear via secondary market...it's the only practical method for me

lloydelee21 said:

I agree 110% with your last point!!! i have done exactly the same...it has taken a lot of patience to do it, but it was been well worth the investment of time to dramatically reduce the investment of dollars! yes, the zanden has an i2s interface...i will either go with a s/hand zanden transport, or am considering the new msb transport....which is using an oppo 93 base, and then takes any digital signal from virtually any interface and then completely reclocks it, submits it to solid state memory and apparently reproduces the digital signal with a few picoseconds of jitter before it comes thru to your DAC. given the rave reviews of the DAC...i am trying to learn more about this transport to see if it does what it claims to do.

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I'm not current on the msb product line...let us know which way you go
If it were me and I already had a Zanden DAC, I would opt for the companion transport with i2s

ulf said:

Both transport are old and I know there been problems with Forsell gears in general getting spare parts. Can you find spare parts (laser etc) to P-0s? Both transport looks amazing and I am sure they still are among the best.

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I prefer vintage, hehe
I imagine you may be correct pertinent to spare parts...
Dunno about lasers for the P-0s...never attempted to source them
By any chance, can you read Japanese --just playin

lloydelee21 said:

Yes, i agree C1F. i am tempted to find one s/hand (at a reasonable price...whatever that means!). and with 1,000 CDs i am probably ok just using it to play my redbook. however, if i thought the MSB would allow me to compete with Zanden (even quite closely)...but also use digital server, ipod and get comparable jitter free streams to my DAC...plus play blu-ray movies...and buy one brand new for less than the lowest price i have yet to see a Zanden Transport trade for...well, i would say that too is going to tempt me!

Funny...at the moment, since i do not like upgrading in increments (only in big steps which last me for years)...i have been using an oppo blu-ray transport to my Zanden via a nordost valhalla digicable i got used. (the last transport was a $60 dvd player).

i have purposely been waiting so when i plunk down serious money, it will last me for several years...the transport and digital has been the toughest to do that for so many reasons.

i will keep you posted.

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that the MSB offers greater flexibility/compatibility for various digital platforms...extremely cool
Tough decision