Hi Stuart - I have to say I would generally agree with every one of those three premises, especially the second one. I would, however, also generally agree with Newbee's first post as well.
Three recent, key learnings
I have had more than a normal amount of time on my hands, and I have made a number of "cost-neutral" changes to my system. I have had a great time, and I have had a couple of minor revelations:
1: There really is a thing such as system synergy. I have tried to carefully change the make up of my system. Right now I think it is working pretty good. I have an AR-XB table with a mid-range Grado cartridge, a Cambridge Audio Azur 540p Phone stage, a Sonic Frontiers SFL-1 Sig. preamp, a McCormack DNA-1 amp, Vandersteen 2CE Sig. speakers and an M&K subwoofer.. I am currently using an OPPO 980H universal player for digital. I use various lower end Cardas, Kimber, Tara and Morrow cables. Right now the system just sings...I recently replaced a more expensive amp and speakers with these, and they just seem to work right together. I am thrilled with the sound
2: Decent anlog is superior to decent digital as a source. I realize my OPPO plyer is probably a weak link, but I am total surprised by how much better this old AR table sounds over the OPPO player or the Rotel/MSB combo I had earlier. The best way I can explain it is that I can turn the music up much louder and thoroughly enjoy it when when using the turntable, and it sounds like music. With digital it has this edge to it and it drives me crazy, and just wears on me.
3: A good system can't make a poor recording sound good. So often I get frustrated when the music doesn't sound the way I want it to. I wonder what I can do to my system to change it, but what I am realizing is that it is often the shortcomings of the recording that I am hearing.....analog or digital. For example I can play the first side of "Eye in the Sky" vinyl by Alan Parsons Project and just love the sound. Then I play another album and it just sounds blah. The same happens with digital. I can play a Mary Black disc and it sounds great, and then someone else and it is hard and lifeless.
Anyway, these are some of the things I am learning, probvably elementary for most, if not all of you, but I am having a blast navigating through this hobby, and finding great deals on used equipment.
Finally I am hoping to improve my digital front end. If anyone has a recommendation for a cost effective "analog sounding" player that can play multiple formats I would like your input.
1: There really is a thing such as system synergy. I have tried to carefully change the make up of my system. Right now I think it is working pretty good. I have an AR-XB table with a mid-range Grado cartridge, a Cambridge Audio Azur 540p Phone stage, a Sonic Frontiers SFL-1 Sig. preamp, a McCormack DNA-1 amp, Vandersteen 2CE Sig. speakers and an M&K subwoofer.. I am currently using an OPPO 980H universal player for digital. I use various lower end Cardas, Kimber, Tara and Morrow cables. Right now the system just sings...I recently replaced a more expensive amp and speakers with these, and they just seem to work right together. I am thrilled with the sound
2: Decent anlog is superior to decent digital as a source. I realize my OPPO plyer is probably a weak link, but I am total surprised by how much better this old AR table sounds over the OPPO player or the Rotel/MSB combo I had earlier. The best way I can explain it is that I can turn the music up much louder and thoroughly enjoy it when when using the turntable, and it sounds like music. With digital it has this edge to it and it drives me crazy, and just wears on me.
3: A good system can't make a poor recording sound good. So often I get frustrated when the music doesn't sound the way I want it to. I wonder what I can do to my system to change it, but what I am realizing is that it is often the shortcomings of the recording that I am hearing.....analog or digital. For example I can play the first side of "Eye in the Sky" vinyl by Alan Parsons Project and just love the sound. Then I play another album and it just sounds blah. The same happens with digital. I can play a Mary Black disc and it sounds great, and then someone else and it is hard and lifeless.
Anyway, these are some of the things I am learning, probvably elementary for most, if not all of you, but I am having a blast navigating through this hobby, and finding great deals on used equipment.
Finally I am hoping to improve my digital front end. If anyone has a recommendation for a cost effective "analog sounding" player that can play multiple formats I would like your input.