"Does anyone have a digital system that is as involving as their analogue front end?"
Yup.
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?
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I think it’s absolutely possible to have the best of both worlds: analog and digital, and enjoy what each does best. Besides my analog system, I currently use two digital systems. One is a HiFi Rose RS130 connected to a Gustard R30 via I2S. Besides sounding excellent, it also offers a beautiful user experience, both on its built-in screen and on an external monitor. The other system is sonically superior, although a bit more geek-oriented: a Linux computer running HQPlayer Embedded, doing upsampling and sending 768 kHz PCM files to the Gustard in NOS mode. It’s impressive how a US$300 software package can compete with DACs that cost many thousands of dollars. |
It made more sense for me to channel those vinyl dollars into a quality digital front end. The convenience of streaming, with access to millions of titles, helps drive that decision as well. Yes vinyl can sound terrific but digital just keeps getting better. I started out with a Lumin T2 about ten years ago, moved to a X1 four years ago and to a X2 several days ago. The X2 needs another 100 hours on it but thus far it easily surpasses the X1 in realism, clarity and detail. |
Conceptually and on the surface yes, it’s the same as it was 50 years ago. However, advances in technology and in engineering didn’t bypass analog / vinyl and modern parts and components take the vinyl listening experience up several notches from what it was 50 years ago. This applies to component design (phono amps, cartridges, turntables), mastering and pressing. There are many full analog reissues that blow away the originals in sound quality. Played back on the right equipment this stuff sounds amazing. |
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