Does anyone have a digital system that is as involving as their analogue front end?


I have a good analogue front end. Not stratuspherically good but good enough for this comparison. VPI Prime Signature 21 turntable, Pass Labs XP-25 pono preamp, Pass Labs XP-30 preamp and Hovland Radia amp. It has a lovely, very involving sound. On the right recording, I just drop everythng and am drawn in to listen.

My streamer, on the other hand, is decent but not spectacular. It is better than my CD player, but it is not jaw-dropping like my analogue front-end. My question is this: does anyone have a high-end, tier-one streamer (dCS Bartok Apex, Lumin X2, or something like them) that can rival a good analogue system?

audio-b-dog

@audio-b-dog yes, I think you are right that, not surprisingly, if you want digital playback that is as engaging as your $25k investment in analog you will need to substantially upgrade your streamer/DAC.  And when you are ready to upgrade, my recommendation is that you look into R2R DACs, whether cheaper ones like Holo Cyan2, Denafrips or Gustard;  or even better, mid-priced ones like the LTA Aero. There was a recent thread on here with a bunch of good suggestions under $5k.   (And maybe give  @mitch2 ‘s 6 DAC comparison thread on here for some additional info and other great ideas, albeit at higher price points.  I’m currently trying out the new Mystique  Z quantum DAC from mojo audio and it is excellent and has the convenience of no tubes.)

I’ve found that Delta sigma DACs with ESS chips like the one in your Moon have a hard time sounding as musical as even moderately priced R2Rs. The streamer is important too, as you started your thread with, and if you want a streamer/DaC in one box , @audphile1 has given you his very well considered recommendation.  If you’re looking for separates, to allow for flexibility in upgrades, the Aurender N200 is a very fine place to start.  (If you find a deal on a used one, maybe even consider the N20.) I don’t see a used N20 or N200 at TMR at the moment, but they frequently have them and they offer a 30-day trial with a small restocking fee.  So that is one less risky way to test the equipment out in your room with your preamp and amp. 

It is an "apple/oranges" kind of thing. 


I am finding no matter what the source/medium - a lot comes down to the original production, soundstage, sound engineer, original mastering. Some of my CD's, non SACD, sound exceptional on my system...they were produced well, on a great sound stage, and a great first master, on par with my analog vinyl. A few of my SACDs - not so good. The same holds true in my digital music catalog. To try new things, I picked up a few CDs & downloads from 2L productions (Borders & Pax), as they are known for pushing the recording quality to the best possible = and yes they sound great both on CD and downloads:  https://shop.2l.no . PS Audio also has stated producing high quality albums...I have not heard  any https://www.psaudio.com/collections/octave-records


Streaming is the same - in my system; I feel if the original tract was done well to start with it usually sounds good.  I stream via Tidal, many of the 24 Bit/192 KHZ sound great, some not so. My digital library is the same...some good, others no. Even on U-tube music there are tracts that just sound exceptional in my system Steve Windwoods latest cut of "Cant find my way home" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eoSn2Y-b6wI, & also his https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bXDcPoeIx-E&list=RDbXDcPoeIx-E&start_radio=1 or Christina Aguilera take of Moulin Rouge https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQa7SvVCdZk&list=RDRQa7SvVCdZk&start_radio=1


A few of my brand new "high quality" vinyl albums - just sound poor from the start. If you get the 170 pressing of an album, it is different than the 170,000 pressing. A few of my original albums from the 60s & 70s sound better than the newer remakes, actually – many do.

My analog system is still a little better than my digital system, but digital has made some great advances, and the margin is very thin.  At this point, recordings from top notch companies, such as Reference Recordings or Mapleshade will sound better than recordings from most other companies, no matter what format I choose to purchase  (or access if I'm streaming it).

@jmrrobbie1 

I have been doing a lot of research on vinyl albums. Although some people eschew chatgpt, it is a good resource to ask about albums, pressings, etc. One important thing I learned is that pretty much everything recorded after 1980 was digital. Most album reissues from pre 1980 have also been stored digitally, and you will hear that digital sound through your analogue rig. A number of good jazz albums, such as Bill Evans "Waltz for Debbie," were pressed from the original tapes, but you must look for that on the album cover. I purchased Roberta Flack's "Quiet Fire" reissue and it sounds great. "First Take," on the other hand was digitally based, and I could hear it. I like that album a lot so I found a copy that was analogue based. Buying good sounding albums now takes a bit of research. There are, however, some digitally stored albums that do sound good, if the people who engineered and pressed it were careful. I ask chatgpt. More fun for audiophiles! Everyone else thinks I'm crazy, including my wife.