Oppo 105 D vs. DAC-transport combination.

mahler123,

Maybe records do sound more like a real event. Maybe the sound of frying bacon is reminiscent of the guy sitting behind you opening his package of, let's say, paper tissues. Maybe the dust on the needle makes you feel like sitting in the back, under the balcony, all the way to the right side, and so on.

Speaking of Mahler, after hearing a number (maybe 20-30?) different SACDs, I am puzzled why anyone would ever want an LP. What is it that bothers people on it? I heard only one LP of the same material as SACD and I have no idea why, but it was incomparable. On the other hand, after buying mono Beatles on LP, I started enjoying their music to some extent. As far as clicks and pops, they were there from the get-go.

@noble100 

You seem to have a lot of opinions.

However, taking you at your word, the analog systems you have heard had noisy bearings--hence rumble, poor speed control--hence flutter, etc., were playing dirty records--hence annoying surface noise, inferior phono electronics--hence poor dynamic range, and poorly adjusted cartridges--hence poor channel separation. That seems to be your vinyl experience . . in your own words.

You claim to have "discovered the true potential of digital," your own words. However, your digital "reference" is an Oppo 105. I have a 105, and it comes nowhere near to revealing how good digital can really be, and that is readily and easily demonstrable.

You say you have never compared comparable digital to analog, but yet you have "impressions." Have I got that right?

Enjoy your system, as you obviously do, but are you sure you want to go on pontificating?

@junzhang10 
@geoffkait 

The great, and best, SACD releases of analog material are AAD, not ADD.

melm,

     I guess you're right, I do seem to have a lot of opinions.  But isn't sharing and discussing information and opinions the main purpose of this site?  My comments and opinions are just my honest thoughts based on my personal knowledge and experiences accumulated through many years of being interested in and using audio/video equipment and enjoying listening to music.
     I readily admit I've never possessed a high quality vinyl/TT setup but I have listened to enough of them to know their appeal.  
     But you stated: " However, taking you at your word, the analog systems you have heard had noisy bearings--hence rumble, poor speed control--hence flutter, etc., were playing dirty records--hence annoying surface noise, inferior phono electronics--hence poor dynamic range, and poorly adjusted cartridges--hence poor channel separation. That seems to be your vinyl experience . . in your own words." 
  
     I believe those are your words, not mine.

     I also make no claims that my digital based system is of the highest quality.  But its quality is sufficiently high for me to know that its sound quality is superior to. and I prefer it to, the finest vinyl systems I've heard thus far.....in my opinion.
     Beyond sound quality, there is also the undeniable advantage of convenience.  This is especially important to me since the left side of my body is semi-paralyzed due to a stroke.  I use a laptop running JRiver Media Center software with a 10 TB NAS and my Oppo 105 as the dac/player.  All are connected to my wi-fi and this functions just like a very good quality juke box. 
     As I've stated previously, I perceive high resolution (24 bit/192 Khz or higher) digital files to sound superior to the finest vinyl systems I've heard thus far.  Hi-res files recorded direct to digital sound best to me but even transfers of analog masters to digital typically also sound very good; after all, hi-res digital is capable of copying the full resolution and quality of the original analog master reel to reel tape. 
      Of course, the preference of vinyl or digital is a highly subjective choice that others may and often do disagree with.  

Tim

     

In case anyone is still following this thread, I’ll update it.
 I finally got a power cable from Cyrus itself, and, lo and behold, it’s a THREE pronged IEC hole instead of the two hole designed for the unit.  The good news is that it works and sounds great, much better than the cable I was using.  The bad news is that, for some reason, the coaxial interconnect now produces no sound whatsoever!
Fortunately, the optical cable works.
I’ve called Cyrus.

The coax (Morrow)  kicked in finally, but it doesn’t sound as good as the optical.
 Maybe it has to break in more