As always ’compared to what", Well, I was in the biz in the late 1990s-- early 2000s. Dedicated 20 amp line, and was testing various PLCs.. Back then the PS Audio P300 on the front end was awesome.
At one point I had Rogue M150 monos with full sets of cryoed 6550s and EL 34s (+ cryoed NOS driver tubes), a Lector pre (custom ordered with XLR output) and several tube CD players. everything was on Stillpoints with Risers and custom Harmonic boards (made from violin wood): I was/am an isolation nut. IMHO, nothing is as good as inexpensive Machina Dynamica Springs, which isolate in all 3 dimensions). Various speakers, but at one point I had Harry Pearsons Genesis Vs, and later a prototype pair of 7ft Nearfield Pipedreams with a 10K MSRP (we were dealers), followed by Usher 6371s> KCIIs. You get the picture
I started getting into class D with PS Audios various iterations; I still have a GCC 250 (modified as new by Underwood HiFi driving my video system. In the main rig I had W4S stereo amp> W4s MC 250/500> Emerald Physics 100.2SE with custom fuses) and currently Audio Alchemy DPA- 1 (stereo amp) and matching AA DDP-1 (dac/pre). CD is a Marantz HD CD 1 used as a transport via HQ coax, and an Oppo 105 with Linear Power Supply and incoming IEC wire upgrade for high rez discs, which I haven’t yet listened to in months. Speakers are Emerald Physics KCIIs (Clarity cap and WireWorld internal XO wire upgrades) which replaced Magnepan 3.5Rs and 2 SVS (Ultra subs, both turned off after the cable changes
So, when I say I haven’t had this level sound quality in decades, that says a lot, to me at least. .
Only budget limits me at this time from Nuprime Evos, GaN...
At one point I had Rogue M150 monos with full sets of cryoed 6550s and EL 34s (+ cryoed NOS driver tubes), a Lector pre (custom ordered with XLR output) and several tube CD players. everything was on Stillpoints with Risers and custom Harmonic boards (made from violin wood): I was/am an isolation nut. IMHO, nothing is as good as inexpensive Machina Dynamica Springs, which isolate in all 3 dimensions). Various speakers, but at one point I had Harry Pearsons Genesis Vs, and later a prototype pair of 7ft Nearfield Pipedreams with a 10K MSRP (we were dealers), followed by Usher 6371s> KCIIs. You get the picture
I started getting into class D with PS Audios various iterations; I still have a GCC 250 (modified as new by Underwood HiFi driving my video system. In the main rig I had W4S stereo amp> W4s MC 250/500> Emerald Physics 100.2SE with custom fuses) and currently Audio Alchemy DPA- 1 (stereo amp) and matching AA DDP-1 (dac/pre). CD is a Marantz HD CD 1 used as a transport via HQ coax, and an Oppo 105 with Linear Power Supply and incoming IEC wire upgrade for high rez discs, which I haven’t yet listened to in months. Speakers are Emerald Physics KCIIs (Clarity cap and WireWorld internal XO wire upgrades) which replaced Magnepan 3.5Rs and 2 SVS (Ultra subs, both turned off after the cable changes
So, when I say I haven’t had this level sound quality in decades, that says a lot, to me at least. .
Only budget limits me at this time from Nuprime Evos, GaN...