When is digital going to get the soul of music?

I think the Audio Research DAC 8 might have just done it.

It's a redux of the classic tubes/SS dilemma but they've sure got an intoxicating blend of the attributes of digital and analog going in this unit for sure.

This question is ridiculous IMO.

For years, great digital has captured as much of "the soul" of music as any turntable.

Note that I didn't say "more than" any turntable. That would also be absurd.

Both formats now offer compelling, if different, views into the music.

Bob

Objex,
Excellent observation. Currently both mediums when implemented to a high standard can sound superb. Both also have the capacity to sound less than grand. I`ve come to the conclusion one is`nt instrinsically superior to the other. I recognize that for some defending analog has taken on a religious zeal. To each their own.

Objex and Charles1dad, in a long ago posting on this thread, I basically said what you said plus the additional observation that neither was the equal of good magnetic tapes. I have since greatly improved my digital with a music server from Empirical Audio. This has been an awesome improvement, but now using a new BMC MCCI phono stage, I am hearing what I have never thought possible from vinyl. I often think vinyl cannot be achieving this detail, dynamic, depth, etc. You have to go into this unit with balanced ics, but wow!

As good as my digital has become, it will never equal what I am hearing from vinyl, but of course, all I need to do with my digital is to select from among approximately 175 albums from my Ipad using the Remote app and play it. I can then put away all my cds.

Tbg,
I understand your point and don`t for a moment doubt that in your current system the analog bests the digital. But on the other hand I`ve read numerous posts where someone states their digital front end (APL NWO 4.0M owners for just one example) now betters or at the very least equals "any" analog system they`ve ever used or have heard. It just goes on and on(as it always will) based on one`s latest experience with a given component. That`s why in absolute terms I can`t except the concept of "the best" in highend audio, there`re far too many varibles.