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

@audphile1 

Back to the Meitner MA3i, it's performing brilliantly. It did need to break in, but it is so focused and yet smooth. Very analogue, and very involving. I will still play vinyl because it has its own charm, but so does the Meitner. I am playing Melody Gardot's "Sunset in the Blue," which does have cymbals being brushed, but all of it sounds effortless and about as good as is possible on my system. And I like my system a lot. 

@audio-b-dog that’s super cool! Expect the DAC to continue to evolve. I think mine was slightly changing up to 300hrs + 

but the initial break in is around 200

@audphile1 

Great! It has changed a lot, and I think I'm only around 100 hours. As you said, the treble was a bit rough at first and it's pretty smooth now. 

@audphile1 

I love my Meitner very much and you seem adventurous lol…have you hooked it up directly to your amplifier?…if so what are your thoughts..

@charles007100 I am using a Boulder 866 integrated. But it has a theater bypass mode you can set for each input. I tried it and used the MA3i volume control. There was absolutely no degradation in sound quality. I have used it in this configuration for a few weeks. I didn’t feel there was an improvement but again there was no audible compromise. I switched the boulder to regular mode. 
I would say if this DAC is your only source then using direct into amp is what I would do. I think you would need one heck of a preamp to beat the volume control that’s on the Meitner. 

@audio-b-dog ​​​​@macg19 listening to Bill Evans Sunday at Village Vanguard and sounds incredible. There’s slightly less interference from the venue on this recording. Both albums are fantastic. The sound quality is insanely good on this Craft vinyl mastered by KG. The cartridge and phono stage pull ever out of the grooves. Great album.