So E-Stat,

what are the differences you percieve between the Toshiba and the GamuT? In the GamuT CD1, the f response falls -1.1 dB at 20 kHz, around -0.35 dB at 10 kHz and so on using non-balanced outputs. Using pre-emphasis the player's f response starts to fall at 1 kHz with 0.2-0.3 dB drop at 3-4 kHz.

Although distortion is very low, this result is far from "high-end" performance.

The Toshiba 9200 may not compare to your Toshiba model but it is basically flat, with the exception of the low bass (-0.5 dB at 10 Hz). Distorsion is, similar to GamuT, very low. But all things equal the GamuT falls short of the Toshiba 9200. Now the Toshiba 9200 is quite expensive. The old Musical Fidelity X-24K DAC, cheaper, measures equal to or better than the Toshiba.

I have made tests using the X-24K dac against 3 different players, Marantz CD6000, a Toshiba and an Audiolab. No audible difference could be established among 4 listeners, except for a difference attributed to 0.5 dB level difference.

The speakers were DIY active three-way speakers with low distorsion at moderate listening levels, ±1 dB frequency response 40 Hz-19 kHz, damping panels in behind speakers effective down ?100 Hz.. Amps were Audio Analogue, Rotel, NAD, parametric EQ of one standing wave (47 Hz).

T