When is digital going to get the soul of music?

there is no emotion in a machine. an emotion is a reaction from a human being. music conveys the emotion, but the reciver expresses it or feels it.

it is not the function of a "machine" to convey emotion.
sound quality is not necessary to experience an emotion.

a simple medium, such as a table radio will suffice, as will a personal stereo which can be purchased from a mass merchandiser.

as poor sounding as a recording may be, it is still possible to receive that which music is communicating. while you may not like the sound, the message can be communicated in spite of the sound.

MRT, I conveyed your thoughts to my TEAC X-01 Limited this morning. . . and I would like to let you know that she immediately started to throw hissy fits. . . she's rather emotional sometimes, no matter how much I threaten to put her on a strict regime of Brian Eno.

I haven't followed the entire thread, but I'm inclined to agree with Nilthepill- almost - but then, I first refused to believe my ears, I listened again - in my system no less - to a well set up Goldmund Reference I, a Clearaudio Insider and a WAVAC phono. I hadn't listened to vinyl for five years, but now through this rig and listening to big orchestral classical gear my truly unwilling answer is: "NEVER" at least not with that kind of music.

Mrtennis, Yes I do see your point... and I have been moved by music from a table radio, because the musical message was so strong. However, if audiophilia goes together with love for music, you would expect from your rig, that it would move you emotionally with the right kind of music. After all, that is what you set it up for, to listen deeper into the essence of a musical piece. Exceptional systems will reveal information which a simple system really cannot and the deeper you are enabled to listen into the interweave of a complex musical message, the more you may become enthralled by it. This is a simple truth I'm afraid, though elite in a way of course, which may make it unsavoury to many. However, the sad truth is, if you're used to guzzle cheap wine, you wouldn't know what a good bottle of Bordeaux can do to you. You may get drunk on both, but the way to there is oh how different.
Cheers, D,

To the Shadorne and the "Amen" guys who think all CD players sound the same: aren't you in the wrong hobby? If you think, as Shadorne does, that all cables, amplifiers, preamps, and CD players sound the same (or have negligible differences) why waste your time pursuing or discussing audio any further? There's nothing left to talk about.

Shadorne, just for the record, I don't bash digital. In fact I like it and can get drawn into the music with a well recorded cd. The Zanden combo is magnificent and what it does to redbook is simply amazing and also the DCS combo with SACD gear can be highly satisfying. USB dacs, like the Spoiler are pointing a way into the future. However, as Nilthepill so rightly points out, analog is closer to the real thing. If you are familiar with that, there is no way around it. Anyone is free to prefer whatever he or she likes. That is entirely another matter. Therefore I tend to consider all the bickering about what is "better" futile, boring and besides the point. I you like big dynamic swings, black silence between notes and an etched out presence of voices and instruments within the soundstage you MUST prefer digital. If you wish to "feel" the presence of the hall, where the music was recorded, consider "blackness" as unnatural, rather have the silence between notes "breathe" as the sound softly decays in minute reverberations, you will prefer LPs or prerecorded tapes, because it comes closer to what you might hear in your favourite concert hall. As most things in life, it is a matter of taste, where everybody is free to prefer what is pleasing. Anyway, even the best rig, be it analog or digital falls sadly short of the live event. Neither digital nor analog provide sufficient "air", that is space where the sound , emanating from every instrument, seems to float and spread in space, to come even close, except that analog sometimes seems to mimic that just a tad better.