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

@audio-b-dog I’m very familiar with ARC and Pass. I’ve owned LS15, LS16, LS25 and Ref1 as well as CD3Mk2 cd player. I had Ref3 in my system for a few weeks driving Pass X260.8 mono amps and compared it with my then XP-22 preamp I owned at the time. I owned Pass X250.5, XA30.8 and X260.8. Also owned XP12. But never had the pleasure of owning Pass or ARC phono stages. I know exactly what you’re talking about though.

I have simplified my system since and no longer own separates. I wanted different sound from what I’ve lived with for years, and less clutter. 
I run Boulder 866 integrated (analog version without the built in DAC) amp with Meitner DAC and Whest phono stage. A very accurate and transparent setup. 

I only compare analog to digital when I want to know which format sounds best with a specific album. And at that point I move on. 


 

@audphile1 

Yeah, I'll stop playing around so much when I have tested out this streamer. 

My streaming rig with a Bluesound 2i and a Schiit Bifrost 2/64 sounds great with a Freya (original version) preamp (NOS GE tubes) getting things to the amps (Dennis Had Firebottle SEP or a Pass XA-25). I don't listen to any modern pop music so it's generally jazz for me, and most of that sounds amazingly good. My vinyl rig also sounds great but is used less often because I'm lazy...I have a new vinyl of John Scofield with Dave Holland that I can recommend as a system reference test of sorts as it's a very "real" sounding recording. The "analog vs. digital" issues seem like a waste of time as they can both be extremely satisfying unless you have a serious flaw someplace...like in your brain.

@wolf_garcia 

Brain flaws... hmmm. You do know, don't you, that audiophelianervosa is a disease that has no cure. 

@audio-b-dog Please give more warning on the diagnosis audiophelianervosa. I almost spilled my drink and called the dr!