Digital with same soundstage as analog


I have a modest setup, but the analog sounds good to me. Question, can I get the same soundstage with digital by adding a DAC or Streamer?

Current equipment is;

VPI Scout with Hana SL

Parasound A21

Vincent SA32 Preamp

Elac PPA2 

Dyneaudio Emit 30

Oppo 83SE

room is conditioned floor to ceiling and approximately 12x24’

When I play SACD’s, the soundstage is no where near the analogue presence. Maybe it’s the SACD player that’s limiting my experience to go streaming.

Advice based on setup would be helpful

Thanks in advance

128x128vette5451

Showing 1 response by 8th-note

I can share my experience which is quite different than yours. I happen to have the same cartridge (Hana SL) on a Denon DP 47f turntable. For digital I'm running a Jay's Audio CD3 Mk III transport with a Berkeley Alpha Reference Series 2 MQA DAC as well as a Tubadour Mk IV DAC. I also have a Marantz KI Ruby SACD player. I have about 4,000 CDs/SACDs and about a thousand albums.

If I'm careful to make sure that I'm playing the same version of a record and CD/SACD my analog rig sounds remarkably similar to my digital rig(s). The soundstage is about the same and the other aspects of SQ are very close. This was also true when I was running a Marantz SA 8005 SACD player.

I have quite a few newer audiophile releases in both vinyl and SACD. Analog Productions puts out high quality vinyl pressings and a corresponding SACD and I have many titles where I own both. Same with Mobile Fidelity. Some that I own are Stevie Ray Vaughn, Steely Dan, Donald Fagan, Pink Floyd, Crosby Stills, and Nash, Joni Mitchell, and others. I'm sort of a format junkie and have quite few titles in more than one format.

I have never heard a substantial soundstage difference between different formats of the same master. I can hear differences in detail or harshness but thus far, not in soundstage.

I don't know why you would be experiencing this but one theory is that your turntable/arm/phono preamp combo is doing something to widen the soundstage. I'm doubtful that getting a new digital player will make a big difference but there is lots of good used digital gear for sale and you can experiment without spending huge sums of money.

Please report back if you try a new DAC or digital front end. I'm curious about how much difference it will make.