Has anyone had the chance to audition this DAC?

Yup, got to listen to it a few weeks ago at a local dealer. Source was a Mac laptop and it fed a C1000T and, if memory serves me right, an MC402 and WP8 speakers. Very smooth, excellent dynamics, no data drops. I think Ayre has made a serious marketing error though by making this DAC USB-only. No other digital input is provided. Maybe the computer only crowd will go for it, but my guess is most audiophiles want one DAC with multiple inputs to select from.

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MC402, AudioResearch LS26, Magnepan MG3.7R, PS AudioDLIII, ACI Force XL, Transparent, Wireworld, Tara

This might be a shrewd strategy since it may equal their CD players in quality. They don't want to cut into their own sales. I think the DAC goes for half the price of Ayre's CD player.

This DAC is getting a lot of very good buzz. The MP filter sounds like what's been missing in digital. I will try to audition one.

I agree that many audiophiles are computer-phobic, but they are gradually getting over it.

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David, a/k/a David10024

PC server - Lynx L22 card;Technics Sp10 w/ Grado Reference; Sony NV9100ES SACD; C712; MC402; D'Apolito designed speakers: Modified Super Aria Seas Milenium Tweeter, 2 Accuton ceramic mids, 2 Cabasse 8"woofers
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I think it goes for $1500, all things considered, not too bad. And I was also told that Charlie has made a conscious decision not to put digital inputs on his players. But I think it will hurt sales since many people, me included, will not consider an Ayre player since it is "closed". Unless all you want to do is spin discs and not attach a server or other digital source. It makes no sense to have to have multiple DACs in a system. But it looks like some manufacturer's marketing strategies are to force you to do just that.

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MC402, AudioResearch LS26, Magnepan MG3.7R, PS AudioDLIII, ACI Force XL, Transparent, Wireworld, Tara

The Ayre DAC retails for approx. $2,500.00

Oops! Typo on my part, thanks for the catch Audio1!

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MC402, AudioResearch LS26, Magnepan MG3.7R, PS AudioDLIII, ACI Force XL, Transparent, Wireworld, Tara

If you are comfortable with the idea, you can get a sound card with a SPDIF in and then run the USB to the DAC. In other words, run the SPDIF from your CD player then to your computer then usb out to the DAC. It should not be difficult.

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David, a/k/a David10024

PC server - Lynx L22 card;Technics Sp10 w/ Grado Reference; Sony NV9100ES SACD; C712; MC402; D'Apolito designed speakers: Modified Super Aria Seas Milenium Tweeter, 2 Accuton ceramic mids, 2 Cabasse 8"woofers
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Is it even possible for this DAC to be upgradable for 192khz in the future?

I found the answer to my question...

The QB-9 is a modular design that has a separate input board for the USB receiver. The TAS1020B is limited to USB 1.1, which can only handle up to 192/19. Nobody uses that, so to reach 192/24 we will have to change to a new USB receiver. This will probably be available by the end of the year. Don't forget that 192 kHz requires Class 2 USB Audio (not the same as USB 2.0), which currently is only supported by OS X. The initial release of Windows 7 will not support Class 2, but MS will probably add it in a Service Pack after a year or two..... as written by C.H himself, so it holds some credibility.

The next question is how does the QB-9 compare to the Berkeley Alpha?

Berkeley is the DAC to beat according to whatever I have read. Downside to the Alpha is you need a $600 card to get the best out of it and that is on top of the $2500 more than the QB-9.

I see your point, but a lot of computer audio enthusiasts are using multiple boxes from the computer to the dac (usb-spdif converters, clocks, etc) so this will satisfy those that have given up on spinning discs in their system. All one needs is a mac-mini and a QB-9 and they're good to go.

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Mcintosh: C500 C & T, MC501 x 2, Sonus Faber Cremona M, Ayre QB-9, Mac Mini Music Server, Oppo BDP-95, PS Audio PPP, AudioQuest Diamond USB, AudioQuest Colombia Interconnects, Shunyata Black Mamba CX Power Cables