CES 2015 • Hot Product

Even with Zanden's full lineup of electronics, we still think of this Japanese company as being a digital specialist, because its Model 2000P transport and Model 5000S DAC remain the best CD-playback hardware we've heard. The new Model 500 ($7500 estimated price) is Zanden's first USB DAC and its first digital product that decodes data above CD resolution -- both PCM and DSD. In addition to USB, it features I²S input, which Zanden has championed with its other digital products, along with Zanden’s patented analog filter that maintains superior phase coherence. AES/EBU and S/PDIF digital inputs are also included, as are XLR and RCA analog outputs.

Given Zanden's expertise with CD playback, this DAC has us more excited about file playback than ever before.