1. Home
  2. digital
  3. 198411-137065

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-dog
audio-b-dog's avatar
audio-b-dog OP
893 posts
 

@audphile1 @zlone @mclinnguy 

I just discovered a jazz album to stream: Javon Jackson Plays Dylan. I'm trying another one of his jazz albums and like him.

mclinnguy's avatar
mclinnguy
1,129 posts
 

@audio-b-dog 

thanks- very smooth and easy to listen too. Got 2 tracks in and then the wife said "put something I like on now" which means 70's and 80's rock. indecision

audio-b-dog's avatar
audio-b-dog OP
893 posts
 

@mclinnguy 

My wife doesn't like jazz either, no matter how smooth. She likes silence. Irony, yes.

I've listened to another one of Javon Jackson's albums. He's no youngster and has plenty of work out there.

audphile1's avatar
audphile1
8,198 posts
 

@audio-b-dog thanks!

good sound, but somewhat primitive playing. Dylon translated into bebop. Lol

Good for one listen. For tenor sax it’s hard for me to like this after Coltrane, Dexter Gordon, Rollins and Getz. 

mclinnguy's avatar
mclinnguy
1,129 posts
 

@audphile1 

For tenor sax it’s hard for me to like this after Coltrane, Dexter Gordon, Rollins and Getz. 

I hear ya. 

Dylon translated into bebop. Lol

I ignored the Dylan part, not a huge fan- to put it mildly. But I remember a while back "Man in the Long Black Coat" came on via radio streaming program, wasn’t familiar, and my ears perked up how good it sounded- very well produced, and then Bob started singing.... shame. 

More to discover