Digital Processor Reviews

Digital Sources: Primary: dCS Verdi SACD/CD transport, dCS Elgar Plus D/A processor, connected with dCS FireWire cable for SACD playback, and for CD playback, the dCS Purcell upsampler connected to the Verdi with a DH Labs AES/EBU cable, the Elgar with FireWire. For reference: Mark Levinson No.31.5 CD transport and No.30.6 Reference or Benchmark DAC1 D/A processors connected with Illuminati Orchid AES/EBU link.
Preamplifiers: Mark Levinson No.380S, Z-Systems rdp-1.
Power Amplifiers: Mark Levinson No.33H monoblocks, Halcro dm38.
Loudspeakers: Paradigm Reference Studio/100 v.3, Bohlender-Graebener Radia 520i, Revel Ultima Studio, Linn Artikulat (active), NHT Evolution 6 (with NHT X1 crossover and two NHT A1 monoblock subwoofer amplifiers).
Cables: Balanced interconnect: AudioQuest Cheetah, Madrigal CZ Gel-1. Speaker: AudioQuest Kilimanjaro. AC: PS Audio Lab Cable, generics.
Accessories: Sennheiser HD600 headphones, PS Audio Power Plant 300 at 90Hz (preamps, digital components only); Audio Power Industries 116 Mk.II, PE-1 AC line conditioners (not power amps); ASC Tube Traps, RPG Abffusors. AC power comes from two dedicated 20A circuits, each just 6' from the breaker box. A monoblock was plugged into each.—John Atkinson