Hi @Soix and everyone. Interesting as always discussion with folks on each end and in the middle. I kind of come at the vinyl / digital issue from the fundamental end. I want to listen and hear the best reasonably (individual meaning of course) sound possible. I had mid-fi stuff with surround / stereo combinations that seemed great. About five years ago I needed to start over with new systems. Vinyl is awesome, but digital allows playlists and easy opportunities to explore, find and enjoy new music. My 'catalogue' of what I listen to has expanded immensely since going 100% digital. I think many are just 'stuck' in their traditional (vinyl) ways and that is fine. But I now have my digital sounding amazing, and it would take big bucks to do the same with vinyl. LP's do create a bit of chill in the decision making process, and keep one from jumping around from track to track. And, like some smoking a cigarette after a meal or sex, the 'dropping of the needle' is a part of the experience.
If we compare entry level rigs, there is so much improvement to be had. I think digital affords the opportunities to start very cheap, with a computer and a cable. I did. And I loved the access to all the music! I even streamed Apple Music via Airplay. Not great sound quality, but I got the taste. I heard an Esoteric DAC at a dealer and was so smitten with the sound.
Digital books are an interesting analogy. Many prefer the 'book in my hand' over an ipad. 'Just seems better', 'I like the feel of the book in my hand', 'they look nice on my shelf', 'I like the smell of a new book'. I was there. But today, having several books loaded on my ipad when I travel, seeing the next book in the series right away, having recommendations of things I might like, or searching for something of interest.... Yep, a change from a nice bound book, but so many advantages. (ok sometimes hard to see in the bright sun!).
So I evolved my digital front end just as I evolved my entire analogue system. Everything matters, and I had to hear that. Of course I thought components important, and they are the most important, But everything matters. Many supporters of LP's over digital have amazing systems. And then others want to compare a computer or a Node and get shot down. That is not fair. Amazing digital takes effort, just as amazing vinyl.
Today I have taken many of the steps to optimize my digital front end and my system. My Nucleus and better switch are in a remote office on a separate AC line. I use an iFi power station, and a dedicated linear power supply for both the Nucleus and my switch. I have a raid hard drive with lots of high res music and all my old ripped CD's plugged into my Nucleus. I use all Supra Cat 8 cables for the shorter connections. I added an iFi power supply to my router.
All this travels over a regular network cable to my listening room. I have added an Ether Regen (helped) and then a Network Acoustics Muon filter which helps even more. This fed my Mola Mola Tambaqui with internal streamer (about my fourth DAC) and then into my all Audionet Pre and amps. Now I added an Aurillac Aries G2.1 streamer and USB into the DAC. This formerly seemed unnecessary, as the Tambaqui also streams. But it made a huge difference, and I have now modded the Auralic Aries with a custom Sean Jacobs power supply, and this made the most improvement of anything. So today I am there, just as i was there about 15 times in the past.
To someone new to streaming, this seems crazy I know! But it is no different with vinyl. Look at the nice rigs with custom platforms, upgraded arms, cartridges, tonearm cables, phono preamps, cables, record cleaners, humidity control and of course set up! It all matters if you want to and can hear the subtle improvements.
Bits are bits is just as arcane as vinyl is vinyl.
So start with a node or a mac mini and have fun. If streaming / digital is for you, then upgrades afford vast improvement in quality. Just like vinyl. Everything matters!
