How much do you need to spend to get digital to rival analog?

Dear @tzh21y : """ they do sound very good, I never get the satisfaction that I do when i listen to analog regardless if its a"coloration" or whatever. I will listen to high end digital, and then I soon get bored, as if it just does not have the magic... """

First problem to answer your op question is that you are already biased and accustom to the LP experience and what you are waiting is that digital ( with the same kind of signature than analog. ) can even or outperforms analog and this just can’t happen. Digital is a great alternative to listen music and I’m a music and analog lover too but I like a lot today digital alternative.

Analog and digital are two differents audio worlds where only shares that both " produce " music/sound and that’s all. Other important issue is that digital at playback in your system and due that many kind of system developed distortions are lower than in analog playback your system will " naked " or " severe exposed ( no place to hide those weaks as in LP playback developed higer distortions. ) to the weaks links in that system and maybe you could need to make up-grades on it and this is a good thing because you will have a beter quality performance system for both digital and analog alternatives.

We have to " undersdtand " digital sound and for do that we need a decent digital rig and play with for 2-3 months in a row with out touch in that time LP/analog and after that time return to listen LP and then you will know that why can’t compare apples with oranges but after that you will like digital with out that " boring " and obviously analog.

Regards and enjoy the MUSIC NOT DISTORTIONS,
R.

This or a similar question appears on the forum with regular frequency.  It makes for good reading every time.   I hear what you are saying.  I agree that the majority of digital rigs, even ones that are quite expensive, struggle to produce the magic that seems to be unique to vinyl.   It is possible to get engaging, non fatiguing sound from digital.  It is more a case of careful equipment selection and system matching than how much you spend.  I have a Modwright Sony HAPZ 1ES that makes beautiful music that I can listen to for hours.  Tube selection  is critical.    It takes work.   At the end of the day digital won't sound like vinyl, but it can be very satisfying with the right equipment.

ring dac or ’multi-bit/r2r/ladder’ dacs. (the one dac type goes by 3 different names, overall)

that’s the starting point.

then, excellent clocks, and excellent analog and digital circuitry to support those dac types.

Then digital can be good enough to enjoy as much as analog, without having to ’work at it’ (re enjoying). But it takes some doing. Not necessarily expensive, just properly made.

I’ve got a $2-3k modern 20+ bit multi bit dac here (stock, untouched), that I have not bothered to turn on, as it cannot compete with my highly modified 25 year old 44/16 bit multibit dac.

The question is moot because it assumes analog is inherently better which it isn’t. It all depends on both sides.
Having said that competitive digital is more common these days than not so even a minimal investment can take you far.