How much do you need to spend to get digital to rival analog?


I have heard some very high end digital front ends and although  they do sound very good, I never get the satisfaction that I do when i listen to analog regardless if its a"coloration" or whatever. I will listen to high end digital, and then I soon get bored, as if it just does not have the magic That I experience with a well set up analog system. So how much do I need to spend to say, " get a sound that at least equals or betters a 3K Turntable?

tzh21y

@audioman58

Unlike the OP I am very happy with my digital setup.

You didnot state how much $$ spent on complete turntable setup ,that is key

IMO - you need to reword your statement to arrive at the truth here based on my personal experience.

so your statement reworded.

"You did not state how much TIME/EFFORT spent on complete turntable setup ,that is key."

Proper vinyl setup is all about dealing with vibrations and resonances - not 1- 0 - 1 - 0 -1- 0 ..............

Just torquing the headshell bolts for the cartridge too tight can mess things up. Its a more mechanical, meticulous setup. In a resolving system it is all heard.

I have an IT background. i remember punching cards and loading them into the card reader. You can manipulate the 1 and 0’s all you want. It still comes out 1 and 0 in the end.



I may have to check out the Lampizator products.  I think I read someone said that "no digital will ever satisfy like analog", especially for someone like me as I have been used to analog my whole life. Its been a tough transition for me to listen to digital other than to put it on while I say.. clean the house or background music.  The thing is that some music is just not available on vinyl and maybe never will be so I have to have something for that.
Everyone has to remember that now it is the rare recording that is done analog. The vast majority are now recorded directly to a hard drive. So in saying that analog is better you are also saying that high resolution digital is not a problem and that analog playback of digital material is better than digital playback of digital material. I believe this is an admission that vinyl playback is adding something to the signal that many audiophiles prefer be it the background noise that dithers our brain or increased distortion (added even order harmonics). There is a euphoric quality to vinyl playback. Another interesting comparison is older analog recordings vs newer digital ones, a very difficult comparison to make because you can not get a single piece recorded both ways for comparison. In thinking about it I really could not say. Most of my classical collection is analog and given that I was very picky looking for the best artistry along with recording quality, it is an excellent collection. But, what little DDD I have is also quite good. I have the four Brahms Symphonies in 24/96 digital and they are wonderful. I can not imagine it getting any better. But I also feel the same about many of my analog recordings.
     I know this is not exactly what you mean, but to answer your specific question, buy a CD player that costs as much as your cartridge, tone arm, record platter, phono pre-amp, head amp, assorted isolation equipment and wiring.  
     For your question, total all these up and compare the total to the price of your streamer, which BTW, I am not convinced would work, being on my list of inferior products, along with horn speakers. 
     Don't anyone continue to ask me to consider horns by saying I must hear yours, without an actual invitation; ditto for your streamer.  I have heard Audio Advisor's (WPB, FL) streamers and am not impressed, even though they carry the best equipment I ever heard (Wilson, Audio Research, B&W 800 series, and much more, along with the $27000 turntable at their entrance, and $1500+++ LP's to play on it. 
     Am I a total snob?  Not really.  I even listen to the inferior XM radio through my 803's, because I Iike the jazz station, and drive an old, blown S2000S.     
Are you saying that a CD transport or CD player is better than a streamer/DAC?