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Are there digital front ends with the body...

and resolving power of good vinyl?

I'm mainly just curious; I'm not going to buy one. Getting into vinyl recently, I'm actually surprised by how a (moderately pricey) analog setup can trounce digital - any I've heard, anyway. There are at least two areas: 'body' and image density/separation. These add up to 'naturalness'.

This is not a taunt or anything like that: I'm curious if there are those that feel that there is digital that competes on this level. Price no object.
paulfolbrecht

Showing 5 responses by aplhifi

aplhifi
515 posts
 
Nilthepill,

Alex, how does your products compare and sound to the analog combo you describe above?

Well, I would not comment on how it compares, but here is the system I am talking about:

Audio system with SME30

You can see the SME30 on the pictures and a universal digital player next to it. Before this digital player took that place, there was a Zanden next to the SME30.

Regards,
Alex
aplhifi
515 posts
 
Both of these options represent the best digital solutions money can buy.

When did you compare "the best digital solutions money can buy" to EMM Labs Signature combo? Any of the newest dCS gear? Latest Esoteric combos? Ayre? AMR? In your system? Direct A-B?

Regards,
Alex
aplhifi
515 posts
 
Mrtennis, for me, best is a live performance, preferably unamplified. I have this favorite local jazz trio playing in a nice restaurant for Sunday brunch. It is very noisy on Sundays but I went there on a week day and recorded the piano player live. My brother knows how to play acoustic guitar so I recorded him too. I did this so I can recreate the live performance as close as I can with my audio system. If you can have a natural and realistic reproduction of a piano, guitar and violin, with all details, resolution and natural decay, then your system is indeed “the best”.

In order to properly evaluate my digital players, I have designed and built the rest of my audio system. It is not for sale, it is for a reference.

Regards,
Alex
aplhifi
515 posts
 
Tvad, you are absolutely correct. This is why I am always recording my vinyl to CD and DVD-A and A-B in real time with my digital. According to the ears of local audiophiles on a recent test, the digital sounded preferable to my vinyl. We used the direct-to-disc Bassface Swing Trio "Plays Gershwin" and its SACD copy. And the 45rpm Patricia Barber "Nightclub" on Mo-Fi and its SACD copy.

Regards,
Alex
aplhifi
515 posts
 
Zanden combo sounds rather anemic next to SME30/SME5/Kondo IO-J/Kondo pre vinyl rig. I've heard it with my ears on A-B.

BUT, this vinyl setup is x2 the price of the Zanden. So it really depends what you're comparing.

Regards,
Alex
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