As a new member of this forum, please allow me the chance to describe a phenomenal change that my listening has recently gone through, even though I thought that I had a pretty good system up till now. Brief system background...
Speakers: Piega P-10, PS Audio Xstream Statement (bi-wire)
Table: VPI MK4 with SAMA, air bearing tonearm, Benz cartridge, Timbernation wood platform, VPI 16.5 cleaner
FM Tuner: Sangean HDT-1X with Magnum-Dynalab Signal Sleuth
CD: Audio Alchemy DTS v1.1 (top load, 2 component)
Amplification: Vincent SV-236
Power: PS Audio Powerplant Premier, PS Audio Outlets, PS Audio Noise Harvesters
Cables: Signal Cable (component power), Granite Audio, Cardas
and then, the last, most recent piece...
Music Server: Sonore System 3 with Lynx L22 Audio Card.
The Sonore rocks... that's just all there is to it.
The box is very clean in both appearance and build quality. We've tweaked the card programming so that it also serves as a DAC for my CD transport. I had previously been using an Audiomirror DAC V2 (non-oversampling) which this unit just blew away in a head-to-head comparison.
The box was a custom build, using a high quality metal case, 1Tb storage drive and the Lynx L22 Audio Card. System interlinks (digital to RCA) are custom made by Cardas, as was the power cord. Power supply is separate, standalone, run thru PS Audio Powerplant. Remote is handled thru a free app on my iPhone (MPoD).
All I can tell you is that the output through this system is like hearing all my favorites, from classical to rock, and everything in between, for the first time. The soundstage is wide, instrument placement is precise and ambience is to die for. I'm in the middle of the band or orchestra, no questions asked. The background sonics are resilient without being pushy. The "speed" of the response is also lighting fast. In addition, compared to other "competition" this box (including the cables) is still 1/2 of what you'd pay for anything comparable. Understand that all music is being loaded onto the box in an aiff format, so each album is roughly 7gB in size.
I was completely hesitant to try this type of set-up previously, as all I had heard digitally were mp-3 cuts which I despised. So, when I heard this component for the first time, I had a hard time believing what I was hearing (and how much...). Suffice it to say that I was converted instantly. In addition, having played live music for years, I could not believe the high-level reality check that this box provides through my system, especially in acapella vocals and brass (I'm a big Miles Davis and Wynton Marsalis fan)
Jesus and Adrian at Sonore have been very helpful with the custom build aspect of the box as well as with the set up, including teaching an old codger like myself how to use a component that had nothing on it other than an on/off switch.
If any of you have questions, please contact me. I don't make recommendations lightly, but this one is well-deserved. The Sonore System 3 deserves more than a casual listen... just go buy one and enjoy.
Dan