What Music Server and Dac Will Out Perform My Turntable and Phono Preamp

Audiophilehi

Audiophilehi

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I so much enjoy my analog setup over my digital setup. (See signature below) I do realize that my analog setup costs more than my digital setup but at what cost would it take to surpass my analog setup and what would you recommend?
 
Hi Jack...I’m really not in the market just yet. All I know is that my VPI HRX/Gold Note/Cadenza Black bests my N100H/BDA-3 and I want to know what it will take for a digital front end to surpass my analog front end. This would include what the components and what budget it would take.

To maybe put it another way, my analog front end is over 3 times more than my digital front end. Would it take 3 to 4 times more money than my N100H/BDA-3 to surpass my VPI HRX/Gold Note/Cadenza Black?
 
Paul

In the end even after an upgrade to your digital you may still always prefer the sound of your analog rig as many do. It's going to come down to if you get it close will the convenience over time win out. You can start by exploring an upgrade on the streamer side with the Bryston and see what that gets you. I would stay with one of the major brands if re-sale is a concern. To me that would be the Auralic Aries G2, Innuous Zenith Mk III, Lumin U1 and whatever the comparable current Aurender model is. They all sound slightly different as they have different opinions about what things are most important but in the end it may be more important which model has the features, connections and software that you prefer. DACs are a more personal thing like speakers so unless you have the opportunity to try a bunch of them in your system from the local dealers you will have to find a sound profile that appeals to you from reviews or other audiophiles and chose from the models in that group. But in the end with the abundance of different models out there you can find a combo that appeals to you without the outlay of a top flight vinyl rig and gets you close but you may still be over five figures for the combo.
 
MSB Discrete with dual power supplies. Pick either Roon Ethernet or USB module. $13,450 MSRP. It sounds like R2R tape. The most analog digital I’ve ever heard. The only thing that beats it is the higher up MSB models.


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From my experience and at our level no server and DAC will outperform a turntable and phono - it is two completely different approaches, and both serve equal purposes, playing music.

Then comes the recording, IMO the most important attribute. Listening to an album produced and recorded in its native format should tell you what to select on you preamp for listening pleasure.

Personally I enjoy playing and listening to records since adding analog, but still play and enjoy my digital.



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That was my point. Even if you get the gear to equal or close you may still prefer the sound of one over the other as they are just different. Then convenience becomes a deciding factor or for some physical constraints.
 
Jack said:
That was my point. Even if you get the gear to equal or close you may still prefer the sound of one over the other as they are just different. Then convenience becomes a deciding factor or for some physical constraints.
Click to expand...

Totally agree on all points Jack!


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Ed

On a different note just curious how does the streamer function on the Nyquist compare to using the Aurender N10 as the streamer?
 
Jack said:
Ed

On a different note just curious how does the streamer function on the Nyquist compare to using the Aurender N10 as the streamer?
Click to expand...

I tried it but never gave it any real time as I should at some point, but right now it’s very tough to beat in its current state. Maybe Kuoppis has?


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you have a solid vinyl rig....really pretty good depending on your set-up skills. so it will take a formidable digital set-up to even equal, or possibly take you further, musically. but with vinyl so much depends on your collection of pressings, and your intentions of pursuing top level performances and pressings. if you have lots of great sounding pressings, 45rpm and direct to disc pressings, and have good performances, digital ultimately can't quite touch that. no matter how good......and i know how good digital can get.

so your question is as much about what music you want to pursue, as your gear. digital has an unlimited access to lots of music. but it's not the best way to hear golden age classical, jazz and rock. so investing in high level digital is a commitment to the music best heard that way. or double down on the vinyl you want.

just my 2 cents.

i use MSB and would recommend the Reference level MSB for a dac, or the Premier if that is too rich.

for servers, i use the SGM Extreme and love it; it's fantastic but it's price is up there; so i would differ to others about more moderate priced servers. but if you want the best performing server.....that is the one i have and could not recommend it more highly. it will get digital closest to vinyl.
 
I can say the trp with a volume control and a good server be it sound galleries or a sk is a very fast analog sound. If you have good analog you can model your way to good digital
i for one am at the ground floor of analog tape and now 4 tt
tune your digital to your analog by weight and tone.
I mention the TRP as it’s cheap as a try and has tubes to tune it.
you need a volume control on the dac period
why becomes obvious over a shirt time.
enjoy your decisions. Remember lampizator is a large family affair. And I can’t name any other brand that has the amount of minions they do.
Just my two cents
 
Finding a digital setup to "beat" the sound of a good LP rig is like trying to find an apple to beat the taste of an orange. The question would be better framed by asking what digital rig will bring you listening pleasure on a similar scale to what your analog rig brings you. I'm constantly amazed at how good digital can sound, but switching over to LP or tape always puts things back in perspective.

The one area that digital "beats" analog is the pure convenience of streaming. It's like having a digital jukebox that contains the music of the world and you control it all with your iPad. It still won't sound like analog, but it sure can be appreciated for how good it does sound.
 
I agree with mep. What i do is start with digital
of I go to analog tape or vinyl as good as I got my digital up to its obvious
but of I stay busy in 30 mins it’s great again. In part it’s all perspective really. It’s a small percentage that blows up digital really
it’s the same on tape most vinyl is very good but SW tape is better
tape is more convenient tape just stops
 
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