I agree. I know I'm an idiot, have no problem admitting it and some of the best gear I have purchased are those I have never heard!! In this case, I didn't see I had a "choice" in the matter other than to part with some serious $$$ as the alternative was to keep a spectacular end of the line product and spend the money on dumb things like mortgage, car and education payments. So like all good audiophiles, I made the right decision by rationalizing why I HAD TO buy this absurdly expensive "current" product without a demo.
I chose not to get the renderer as yet as a new one will soon be coming out that does ROON. So my unit is coming with the QUAD USB MQA module.
Are you using the Select without a preamp? I have an ARC REF10 now which I am probably going to sell based on everyone's experience with the preamp section of the Select to help "finance" my "deal"
As to the Analog, that is where I began years ago. I had a EMM DAC2X and decided to try the Analog to compare it as my dealer was taking on the MSB line. I was hooked immediately. I had it on loan for 30 days until my dealer got a Diamond Plus IV+ and out went the Analog. I haven't found a DAC I enjoy more than the IV-->V and am sure I will love the Select.
This will be another one of those products I tell my wife "Oh it was just a few bucks for the upgrade". She just shakes her head now and ignores me. Better that way.
Hahahah great story
The Renderer will be upgraded with Roon indeed, last I heard mid-2017...
As for the preamp situation, we've compared it against $40k tube preamps with another few k extra in NOS tubes... And the SELECT was better, *as a preamp*. The beauty of it is that the DAC modules are directly driving the amps (no buffer, no extra gain stage, nothing), but there lies the only caveat as well, since you're limited in terms of overall gain. In very large rooms, with fairly inneficient speakers and/or low gain amps, it's easy to max out the volume control on the SELECT.
But in 99% of the time/situations, the SELECT's preamp stage was better, clearer, more transparent, and not lacking in bloom and presence, which is what normally happens when you go with DAC direct to amps, at least with other brands.
You're in for a bigger jump than you've ever experienced, my frend
Bigger than Analog ->IV or IV->V.
I can't wait to hear the new MSB Reference, as it uses the same architecture as the SELECT (down to the same modules!), with 4 instead of 8 DAC modules, and a preamp gain stage (as the 4 modules won't drive an amp directly). Still, should be "up there"!
cheers,
Alex
