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

@charles007100 

If I plug the Meitner directly into my amp, there will be no way to run my analogue gear. So, even if the Meitner sounds better without the preamp, I'm not going to be able to un it that way.

@kirkwallace 

The cymbals and their decay are astounding on "My Foolish Heart." I found the best digital version on Qobuz that I could. Now, maybe I'm imagining things, but to me the digital version sounded taken apart and reassembled. I actually heard slight breaks in the cymbals, or if not breaks, places where the sound did not fit exactly right together. I will listen again, because I hadn't broken in the Meitner, and that might have been the problem.

@audio-b-dog I’ll be interested in your experiences, but i do think listening to all 3 of the versions i linked to will be worthwhile. I don’t think the higher resolution one is the best.

@kirkwallace 

I have listened to the streamed versions of "My Foolish Heart" and the record. I don't think the digital version is close. There is a naturalness and a sense of air from the album that I'm not sure if digital can capture, at least not today. Also, when people clap on the record, you can actually hear the flesh of their hands. Obviously, I'd have to listen to something like the dCS $250,000 stack or something better the Meitner to know for sure, but I think that song offers inner complexity that is beyond digital today. Not bad news. We have something to look forward to!

As for the version you cited, how am I supposed to listen to that on my stereo? My laptop won't be a fair comparison.

@audio-b-dog 

I still remember when it went through the Preamp compared to now…that’s the whole point you don’t need your vinyl rig….

@charles007100 

My ear says that in so many cases records sound better still. Is digital now involving? Yes, I admit to that. Is it better than vinyl sometimes. Yes. But is the best vinyl experience better than the best digital experience. Yes. And I wouldn't want to part with all these albums that I curated over the years. Brazilian albums I had to look all over the city for. Albums I had when I was a teenager. No. I'll keep the albums. I'll keep the anaolgue rig. I'll play both.