The best way to start adding A=analog to my system

I have reached a very interesting place in the analog vs CD, playing files, and streaming. They all sound virtually the same… and better than I have ever heard any of them. This has been a truly great revelation. How?

All my equipment is made by the same company… Audio Research… very importantly the phono stage and DAC… but also the preamp and amp. My turntable (Linn LP12) has a very carefully chosen cartridge (Koetsu Rosewood signature) to match my musical taste and my streamer (Aurender W20SE) to be extremely detailed and natural sounding. The result is the character of the sound is identical. I just upgraded my turntable with a top of the line arm and sub chassis. The character did not change… but the level of detail increased.

Think about this! What this says is the character of what you hear is primarily the result of the signal chain, not the source media. If you think about it, it makes sense as well. It appeared otherwise historically for a very long time because of the inability to build digital equipment to optimize some part of the digital path. But that is no longer true.

I am not inclined to profundities, but this is profound. It also points to digital streaming… because if it is only a matter of getting your components right to get the sound right… then you get a nearly infinite library with almost no cost and don’t have to collect physical disks. Unless, you like to fiddle with physical median.

@ghdprentice  I couldn't agree more! While I'm not at point where my vinyl setup on par with streaming and cd rips, I do hear the convergence as painstaking work on my digital setup has provided much more analog like sound quality. My take is greatest expenditures for digital is spent achieving analog like sound qualities, greatest for analog is resolving capabilities.

My take for those running both analog and digital setups is your audio costs have just gone up exponentially. There will be long battle in one upsmanship between the two, you listen to your vinyl setup, love the ease and luxury, want to replicate that with your digital, love the resolving capabilities of your digital, want to replicate that with your vinyl.

I had a cut off point with my Power Amp's many years past. There is not an Amp I need to try and surpass them. I am not suggesting they are unsurpassable, I am content in not expressing any interest in attempting to discover an amp worthy of a replacement role.

I am almost at this place with the Pre Amp, a bespoke built Dual Mono Pre is being produced for me with the schematic fundamentals based on a popular design. There is not another Pre, I will consider owning after this one is built, if I want a different flavour, I have a Valve Pre for added Bloom and a Slagle AVC for the impact this can have on the SQ.

I do not see much to be achieved with the Vinyl Front End, after many years of various motor drive TT's, I have settled for a DD TT, the ancillaries used with this are keepers, the Phon' > Tonearm are going nowhere and I hope the Cart' is able to be serviced as and when required.  

The CDT > DAC totally suits my needs and even though the two devices are not  commonly seen in the UK, they have found a synergy that is very attractive.    Owners of well respected CD set ups that have received demonstrations have been very impressed with what has been assembled. As I am very inexperienced with CD Replays, I seem to get itchy feet, and want to try something new, the grass being greener sought of attitude.

I am fortunate to have a Dealership not too far from  my home  supplying Jay's Audio and Denafrips, I have restrained from car tyre kicking on their premises.   

@audioguy85 scrollng back through. not sure how I missed your post before. I hadn’t seen the Tavish Design Classic, so I am going to check that out in addition to:

• Pro-ject tube box DS2; and
• Hagerman

On the Pro-ject, it seems like changing tubes will be annoying, and for no good reason. Hagerman seems ridiculously straightforward in every way. Plus buying direct feels less wasteful.

Thanks!