Majestic DAC impressions

Mick, look up PS Audio Directstream and Directstream Junior. Both convert all incoming data to 10x dsd or something like that and filter. I have heard this machine and it's excellent if pricey.
The new Marantz SA-10 does something that sounds rather similar (possibly copying PS Audio?) but lower factor of upscaling.
Any software like JRiver MC and the others do on the fly conversion from pretty much anything to anything including upscaling and downscaling, and dsd can be converted to PCM instantly. In fact I will need to use this to convert all my files to PCM 48k for the Majestic.
Incidentally, many DACs automatically upscale the incoming digital feed including (I believe) the Majestic whose chip seems to upscale to 8x input to allow simpler filtering around the Nyquist frequency issue. Early 4x over sampling DACs from Philips / Marantz did something similar.

...as the saying goes it isn't size that matters it is what you do with it, the camera analogy is a good one.

I personally treat digital signals and analogue signals the same as they both involve electron motion/oscillation and the transmission of electromagnetic waves through the conductor. (The signal speed is the same as that of the electromagnetic waves that propagate). The transmission frequencies are very different but the core physics is much the same. 0 and 1 is just signal off and signal on. I reckon signal strength is the main determinant of its susceptibility to interference.

Whoops, gone off on a tangent again. My thinking is that beyond CD 16-bit 44.1kHz resolution, the analogue output stage is more vital for getting the best sound out. Luckily Graham is a vinyl/analogue expert. How convenient for us.

IMHO the Majestic is an absolutely fantastic piece of kit that has made the most difference to my digital hi-fi system. Borrow one on the loan scheme and, in spite or because of, the quoted technical spec, you will have to buy one. I was lucky enough to be asked to review an early prototype. I have to tell you that it blew my mind and revealed a sound quality and detail that I had never realised existed on my CD collection. It was like having a brand-new music library.