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 am listening to the 2010 version. I don’t think it’s the best, maybe because it is 16/44 and the one I was listening to was hi-rez. At certain times the cymbals sound okay. When they are being brushed across a drum or there is a long decay, the Meitner cannot reproduce it with the air and duration I hear on the album. The Meitner is a champ at transcient attacks, on a cymbal or guitar string or whatever. But decays are really difficult. If I wanted to take the time, I could probably hear the difference on the decay of a piano note, but I don’t want to. I hear what is obvious to me, but I don’t want to search for a lack in sounds that aren’t obvious to me. I love the Meitner MA3i. I just think that digital still has a ways to go. Again, with the caveat that I have not heard the very high-priced spread. I am now listening to the second cut on "Waltz for Debbie," Detour Ahead. It sounds great because the cymbals are keeping rhythm and are constantly being hit, so the sounds are transcient attacks that I think the Meitner does well. It also has much more air between the instruments than I’ve heard on the MA3 or my Moon 280D. The bass notes also seem very natural, they are quick and have bloom when the music calls for it. Is the decay probably a bit shorter than on a vinyl record? Probably, but again I don’t want to go digging for things that aren’t obvious to me. |
@audphile1 Just noticed this...surprised with how active you are on the forum, and for so long, that you don't have your virtual system listed in your profile. |
@kirkwallace I will check on Roon in a bit…my nucleus one is off as a result of 💩 sound quality and slow performance... but… On Tidal iPhone or ipad app, hit Credits, then Info tab. In Tidal it shows the following: engineer, David Jones; remastering Joe Tarantino.
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@macg19 had it listed. Was working on updates and made it private. Will have it up soon. For now here’s a picture of it…
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