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-dog05-10-2026 11:55pm

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macg19 Details Discussions Posts This discussion Message User 1,387 posts 06-25-2026 at 01:38am Copy Comment URL Report Comment Edit Delete @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.
audphile1 Details Discussions Posts This discussion Message User 8,080 posts 06-25-2026 at 01:54am Copy Comment URL Report Comment Edit Delete @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.
audphile1 Details Discussions Posts This discussion Message User 8,080 posts 06-25-2026 at 01:58am Copy Comment URL Report Comment Edit Delete @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… my MA3i in black
audphile1 Details Discussions Posts This discussion Message User 8,080 posts 06-25-2026 at 02:23am Copy Comment URL Report Comment Edit Delete @kirkwallace just asked Gemini, and here’s the answer I received…and based on it and info on Tidal, KG didn’t touch digital… For Craft Recordings’ relaunch of the Original Jazz Classics (OJC) series, the mastering credits depend on the format you are spinning, as they utilized separate masters for the physical formats: The CD and Digital Reissues: The digital remastering for the CD and hi-res streaming releases was handled by Paul Blakemore at Concord Mastering. The 180g Vinyl LP Reissue: If you happen to look at the matching OJC vinyl release, the all-analog (AAA) lacquer cutting and mastering directly from the original tapes was done by Kevin Gray at Cohearent Audio. (Note: If you have an older, classic 1987 Fantasy/OJC CD pressing sitting on your shelf rather than the newer Craft reissue, that original digital transfer was famously mastered by Joe Tarantino.) this aside, it’s a masterpiece of an album and can be enjoyed no matter the format or mastering .
ghdprentice Details Discussions Posts This discussion Message User 9,497 posts 06-25-2026 at 04:04pm Copy Comment URL Report Comment Edit Delete @audphile1 Nice system. You must be a youngster, still able to stoop down or get on you knees and change albums... or even more amazing, get back up.