I know this is heresy, but...

Undertow. A very good analogy and well said.

Matrix is correct, get yourself a McIntosh preamp with equalization. The more current models are designed in such a way that the tone controls are truely out of the signal path when they are set to 0db. Although I personally do not use equalization now but have in the past, it could hold water that one slight turn of a tone control could save you hundrerds if not thousands of dollars in tweaks!

audiophiles. Actually I don't know how many people have said that.

The amount of destruction caused by the DEQ 2496 compared to the good it's capable of is negligable. After 35 years in the hobby I think I have a handle on what's important and what is not important to me. Many others seem to agree.

I've been told by others that my system is of the best they've ever heard. It is the best I've ever heard:)

Shadorne, good catch... Yeah I would bet fact is the richness and harmonic resonance of vinyl is in fact part of the whole equation.. However I have been lucky as of recent to find the miracle of room acoustics, I just treated my whole room with Killer results! Digital sounds nearly just as smooth, not all recordings hit rock bottom, but more of the panels I add keeps getting the room deeper and deeper in the gut region. Now of course you can overdue it, and I am done adding panels, very excellent balance, However I will probably get some of the little foam corner wedges to run along the long part of the ceiling soon cutting off that one major 90 degree angle left over.

As for balance, My Digital and Analog sources come SUPER close now, some albums show very rich bass, but the Cd's that are done low compete very well now too. Also for a good solid dose of analog bass in a digital system, I can't recommend Highly enough of giving a Cardas Digital cable a shot, this is the most analog I have heard CD since getting a hold of one for the Coax digital duties.

Acoustics". That is my opinion also. A major transformation is often possible. Glad to hear of someone else enjoying their system in a good acoustical environment.

If you don't have bass traps then they're also a very excellent improvement. You can't have too many but a minimum of two is a good idea. And the bigger the better.