When is digital going to get the soul of music?

There was a hope during the pinnacle of ladder DACs such as PCM63P-K and AD1865. Hi-end industry ruined it with the race for higher sampling rates. The soul was lost in translation.

Sure, but those cannot process DSD which, to my ears, has the ability of providing the "soul of the music", just like pure analog, and unlike any other digital format currently available. At least this is my experience after dealing with digital for quite some time now.

Best wishes,
Alex Peychev

I think if we were more concerned with listening to the music for the ethereal emotional content than listening to the device providing the music we might more easily realize that connection. My grandsons have no problem connecting to the soul of the music while listening to mp3s on their ipods or phones thru the crappy Apple headphones.

I still contend the "soul" of music is in the music and the heart of the listener. Not the playback device, no matter the quality. If the only way to get an emotional connection to the music is thru a perfect playback media we are in a sad state. Rather than listening to the device for flaws we should relax and as John Kay sang, "Close your eyes girl, look inside girl, let the sound take you away."

Tim, you are spot-on sir!
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I no longer except the premise that analog is inherently superior to digital as I once did. I've just heard one too many turn table setups that simply sound clinical, lifeless and artificially detailed. I've heard digital sources playing plain old redbook sound captivating and full of emotion and life. Both mediums can be musically involving and both can yield hifi sterility. Designer talent and implementation are the key for either format. I can live contently with either if done properly.
Charles,

Charles is spot on here. I went down the analog road purchasing an expensive turntable and phono preamp combo only to be disappointed. It sounded fine and all, but no better than a well executed digital front end.

Both can get you great sound and one is not better than the other. Both, when well implemented in a system sound fantastic!

Since Sony preportedly is going to put its master tapes all on quad DSD, I suspect that will be the end of the difference. Master tapes will be digital. I suppose there willl be less dense copies because of portability.

Now all I need is a DSD source for my Exemplar Oppo 105 mod and for the LampizatOr both of which can play native DSD, I think.