Worth pursuing analog sound from digital?

lowrider nailed it

My system has been essentially the same for a couple years; Marantz HD CD- 1 used as a transport, Audio Alchemy DDP-1 + PS 5 (preamp/dac), WireWorld cabling, and Emerald Physics KC II speakers with WW wire loom upgrade and Clarity Caps). Amp was Audio Alchemy DPA-1 (both AA pieces got a fabulous review in TAS just 3 years ago) but at 125w was not able to create an adequate spl in my large room.

I then tried PS Audio M700s, which, at ~ 2.5xs the wattage did much better job in my room, but fortunately, I got wind of Ric Schultz’s new EVS 1200 class D (as were the other amps) but Ric uses the newest IcePower 600w modules (2 per amp= true dual mono) with lots of tweaks to the modules and elsewhere. All this for $2200 sounds too good to be true, He offers a money back guarantee, so with nothing to loose I dug deep into my bug out money and took the plunge, knowing I would sell the DPA-1 if the 1200 brought the goods.

Rics 1200 is not an off the shelf amp. It takes him a good bit of time to do the mods, and each is built to order, though he does so in small batches. It took almost 2 full months to get it. While it sounded good from the get- go, the transformation from ~50-80 hours play time was jaw dropping. The music sounds intimate/delicate when it is, and brash and bold when it is. When properly recorded, the music is EXTREMELY life-like, still catching me off guard.

For me, the analog v digital debate is no longer an issue, but I will try a 'better" dac

So what you’re saying is, you don’t have a turn table to compare with, so you’ll just assume your DAC setup is better. Got it. Im sure glad you told us that story about how awesome your class D amp is though. 

Good catch!

Anyone can listen to a cd or a files and a vinyl with the same very known musical piece and decide for himself if the analog version and digital one are close enough..."Close enough" is the key concept, because there is big difference between 2 turntables in different system and rooms, like there is difference between files read trough different convertor...

Even if you compare in the same embedding audio room, vinyl turntable with a digital convertor with the same speakers and amplifiers, the results means nothing,because you can have a better convertor that will make the listening more analogous...There will always be some turntable better than my convertor, and there will always be some convertor better than your turntable, it is a without end technological hierarchical progression toward an asymptotic point where the resolution powers of your ears reign supreme...


The only thing that count is your impression, is this music playing with an electronical halo or glare or not FOR YOU? In my digital system the answer is no for my ears...Good bye turntables...


Turntables are not religious necessities in an audio life...Neither the convertors, or class D amp....Music is music, with or without a turntable or a convertor...


By the way the most important choices and decision are not nowadays between a turntable or a digital convertor, these choices are up to the "taste" and caprices or budget of the audiophile, they are only a preference not a life and death audio decision...The important decisions and choices nowadays are between the cleaning, treatments, and tweaks that will transform the house and room embedding of the audio system relatively to mechanical vibrations, electro-magnetic interferences and noises, and acoustical dispositions of the room, nevermind if you have a turntable or a convertor...These choices are vital choices not the choice of a convertor or a turntable... Nowadays with the technology involved these choices between convertors and turntables are only markets hyped ideology and facts... There is fantastic turntables, and there is fantastic convertors also, thanks to many great audio engineers...But most houses and rooms are noisy, and destructing the music, unbeknownst to the owner... This is fact, and a real problem, not hypes or dogmas or debates between different audio religious characters...

I have never really understood this whole argument or concept of trying to get one to sound like the other, they do not and never will.
I embrace multiple analog and digital sources and accept each one for what it is and what it brings to the table, warts and all.

NONE of them sound the same and that’s just fine and dandy with me.

Today is a streaming day.
Tomorrow might be a vinyl day.
Next day might be a cassette tape day.

So what?

I am just enjoying the music.
Remember that’s the aim.