My experience with digital front ends is probably similar to a few others out there.
I had started off with a cheap CD player many, many moons ago. Over the years, i had changed players. Sometimes out of wanting something new, sometimes out of having to replace a player that was "wounded". There were some subtle changes along the way, but nothing really major. Out of all honesty, i think that most of the improvements were simply due to the normal "trickle down effect" as digital technology has grown over the years.
All of that changed when i picked up a tubed DAC. While i had tried a few different SS DAC's before, i was not prepared for the difference in liquidity, increase in soundstage depth and air, separation of instruments, drastically increased "musicality" and overall improvement that came with the addition of the "antique" technologies known as tubes to the digital signal. It was by far the biggest step forward in digital that i had ever taken. There was no more digital glare or "sterility" that i had so often encountered in most digital recordings and presentations. Instead, there was music that flowed freely from my speakers like never before from a digital source.
I was overjoyed to say the least. I liked it so much i ended up buying three more tube based DAC's ( some 18 bit, some 24 bit ) for other systems. Along with that went the associated variations in tubes, etc... It was both fun and enlightening to see the differences that various makes of tubes could introduce into a system. I was in "digital bliss", or so i thought. Little did i know that this wasn't going to last as long as i would have thought.
One day a package showed up at my shop. It was a DAC that i had ordered months and months prior. While it was an SS unit, i was guaranteed that it would put my tubed DAC's to shame. I was told that i would have the speed, frequency extension and transparency of SS with the warmth, liquidity and natural presentation that tubes offered. If i didn't experience this, i was free to return the unit with no questions asked. Needless to say, i was both reluctant and excited at the same time.
Upon hooking the new SS DAC up, i was immediately aware of how precise and clean this unit sounded. Not only did notes pour forth with razor like precision, they did so as effortlessly as Nolan Ryan threw a fastball. The sound was pure yet had such a soft and liquid character with great extension at both ends. I new my "old flame" of a tubed DAC would seem like yesterday's news. That is, if i were to ever hook it back up. I did do that, but not for quite some time. The difference was so startling and instantaneous that it swept across me like a revelation sent from above.
The bottom line to all of this was that i had reached a plateau at one point. This took place after literally trying over a dozen different players, dac's, etc... from various manufacturers. I thought that i had reached a point that would be hard to surpass. Then, all of a sudden, something rose above that plateau to show me that there was the potential for better performance and increased enjoyment. Just as i had come to rest on what i thought was a pleasant plateau with my new-found love, another product awoke me from my slumber on that plateau to push me forward. While i have moved forward from that "push", i am now pretty content with what i currently have. That probably means that there is something coming my way shortly that will make me sit up and take notice. That is, IF i want to.
I'm sure that there are others out there with similar stories and experiences. As such, their system and yours will only evolve to the point that you want or will allow it to. Sometimes the step forward is very noticeable and quite large. Sometimes it is gradual and made up of a bunch of smaller steps. Either way, there is always new ground to be explored with most of it being at least "different" if not pleasurable. It all adds up to what most would consider to be an educational experience in what can be a very fun and enjoyable journey.
Do your homework, demo as much gear as possible and spend your money wisely. If you play your cards right, you can check out quite a bit of gear in your house / system without really losing money should you decide to keep rolling things over. Variety is the spice of life and i encourage you to partake of that "spice". Why settle for less when there is so much more out there : ) Sean
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I had started off with a cheap CD player many, many moons ago. Over the years, i had changed players. Sometimes out of wanting something new, sometimes out of having to replace a player that was "wounded". There were some subtle changes along the way, but nothing really major. Out of all honesty, i think that most of the improvements were simply due to the normal "trickle down effect" as digital technology has grown over the years.
All of that changed when i picked up a tubed DAC. While i had tried a few different SS DAC's before, i was not prepared for the difference in liquidity, increase in soundstage depth and air, separation of instruments, drastically increased "musicality" and overall improvement that came with the addition of the "antique" technologies known as tubes to the digital signal. It was by far the biggest step forward in digital that i had ever taken. There was no more digital glare or "sterility" that i had so often encountered in most digital recordings and presentations. Instead, there was music that flowed freely from my speakers like never before from a digital source.
I was overjoyed to say the least. I liked it so much i ended up buying three more tube based DAC's ( some 18 bit, some 24 bit ) for other systems. Along with that went the associated variations in tubes, etc... It was both fun and enlightening to see the differences that various makes of tubes could introduce into a system. I was in "digital bliss", or so i thought. Little did i know that this wasn't going to last as long as i would have thought.
One day a package showed up at my shop. It was a DAC that i had ordered months and months prior. While it was an SS unit, i was guaranteed that it would put my tubed DAC's to shame. I was told that i would have the speed, frequency extension and transparency of SS with the warmth, liquidity and natural presentation that tubes offered. If i didn't experience this, i was free to return the unit with no questions asked. Needless to say, i was both reluctant and excited at the same time.
Upon hooking the new SS DAC up, i was immediately aware of how precise and clean this unit sounded. Not only did notes pour forth with razor like precision, they did so as effortlessly as Nolan Ryan threw a fastball. The sound was pure yet had such a soft and liquid character with great extension at both ends. I new my "old flame" of a tubed DAC would seem like yesterday's news. That is, if i were to ever hook it back up. I did do that, but not for quite some time. The difference was so startling and instantaneous that it swept across me like a revelation sent from above.
The bottom line to all of this was that i had reached a plateau at one point. This took place after literally trying over a dozen different players, dac's, etc... from various manufacturers. I thought that i had reached a point that would be hard to surpass. Then, all of a sudden, something rose above that plateau to show me that there was the potential for better performance and increased enjoyment. Just as i had come to rest on what i thought was a pleasant plateau with my new-found love, another product awoke me from my slumber on that plateau to push me forward. While i have moved forward from that "push", i am now pretty content with what i currently have. That probably means that there is something coming my way shortly that will make me sit up and take notice. That is, IF i want to.
I'm sure that there are others out there with similar stories and experiences. As such, their system and yours will only evolve to the point that you want or will allow it to. Sometimes the step forward is very noticeable and quite large. Sometimes it is gradual and made up of a bunch of smaller steps. Either way, there is always new ground to be explored with most of it being at least "different" if not pleasurable. It all adds up to what most would consider to be an educational experience in what can be a very fun and enjoyable journey.
Do your homework, demo as much gear as possible and spend your money wisely. If you play your cards right, you can check out quite a bit of gear in your house / system without really losing money should you decide to keep rolling things over. Variety is the spice of life and i encourage you to partake of that "spice". Why settle for less when there is so much more out there : ) Sean
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