Not wasting my time on new Digital

There's a number of issues to address here but in short no one component makes for a very dynamic, revealing, involving, and 'lifelike' system. There simply are too many variables involved.

(Although if there ever were a single component that could most drastically affect a system for better or worse I'm of the opinion it is the amplifier.)

For example, if one's system did not include 'proper' line conditioning and/or one's system included speaker cables and ics that induced much time smear(as many do), most always any good or better analog source would sound more pleasing to the ear than any good or better digital source. But some might also consider this scenario as applying a band-aid to cover certain shortcomings.

That said, there are a few digital units that given the right system can match or exceed the performance of potentially any analog.

The APL-modified and Exemplar-modified ucdps certainly come to mind. Of which I am an owner of an APL-3910 and will be putting my unit up for sale shortly (only for business purposes as I'm a dealer).

But to claim after one or two experiences with 'good' digital in a given system along with potential shortcomings in a given system (we all have them) should not be considered enough conclusive evidence that digital is simply inferior.

So let me start with three questions:

1. What, if any, line conditioners are you using?

2. What speaker cables and ics are you using?

3. What amplifiers are you using?

-IMO

D_edwards, what your argument boils down to is that, absent analog -- specifically vinyl -- distortions or limitations, stereo material should be played back in multichannel. Whether that's true or not, the alleged perfection of digital is beside the point.

If you're going to start worrying about the velocity of propagation in cabling, you better start looking at the Td ( Time Delay ) through each component. That will be pretty tough though as most manufacturers won't provide this type of spec, probably for good reason. Sean
>

D edwards makes an interesting and compelling argument. I wonder what do you think the minimum number of channels is to do digital justice?

I too have been very dissatisfied lately with some pretty expensive digital equipment. Currently I am listening to a NON-OS dac the is proving to be very enjoyable. I gave up on heavy analysis of my system some time ago and am now just looking for some engagment out of my systems' sound. This has lead me to pursue some different technologies (some old, some new).

Interesting thread.