Worth pursuing analog sound from digital?

@rauliruegas I've stopped worrying about the cerebral requirement for having a live reference. 
My simple test now is does the sound connect me to the music? in which case warmer cd, cleaner vinyl - I may be unconsciously making them sound the same.

I can't remember the last un-amplified live jazz, or rock  ever heard - do you? Probably a street busker without electricity. I don't work in a studio so I don't sit in a booth mastering sound. 
I do listen in the near field - but I have found the move towards a tube output CD player which certainly ain't harsh and cold. I don't find that near field lacks warmth - in fact I don't understand your remark that near field is anything but warm - being far or near is about perspective and imaging - not warmth. 

let me put it this way - play rock via a naim nait 3 amp in the near field using a CD player without tube output vs a tube amp driven by a valve  output phono stage - there's gonna be a world of difference in warmth.

rauliruegas
Der @geoffkait : """ digital generally still sounds thin, unnatural, bloated, bass shy, inarticulate, congealed, zippy, two dimensional, generic, metallic, electronic, like paper mache, bland, hard, piercing, compressed, airless and sour ""

you have a problem too, not digital technology.

>>>>>>When’s the last time you had your ears candled? 🕯

Ok GK, I'll bite. What gatefold album did you get those lyrics from???? :-)

All crap. Lets face it old guys. Digital is way more accurate than analog, you don't have to deal with noise issues or the 10% harmonic distortion or the needle getting stuck. You are all disillusioned by the fact that there is very little to tamper with. No tweaky stuff you can make yourself think you made sound better. All an illusion. You are all ripe targets for any scheister that wants to rip you off with magic trinkets and silly wire.
"digital sounds thin,unnatural, bloated, bass shy, inarticulate" and on and on and on. My back side. I could call it for what it is but then my post would be deleted. Which it probably will anyway. 
I love vinyl. I have so many records I can't help but love it and there is an art to the best vinyl playback but it is not more accurate than full res digital. It can't be. Just look at the distortion specs of even the best cartridges. As high as 10%!
You might care to notice that I did not say digital sounds better than analog. I said it was more accurate. 

To the OP, atm PS Audio has a promo going on that will allow you to trade in ANY PS Audio DAC toward the purchase of a new Direct Stream DAC.

They will give you a $2000. credit for your old DAC, no matter age, or model. I have a PSA NuWave DSD DAC that I purchased new, after they were discontinued for $800.  They will give me 2K toward the DSD. 

I'm very tempted to jump on a new DSD, directly from PSA for 4K. I would rather go this route than purchase a used unit for a few hundred less. Just my 2 cents.

Might be worth looking into...