I know this is heresy, but...

Undertow,

The more harmonics in music the less sensitive it will be to room modes (if you excite several modes at once an uneven response at a particular frequency becomes less obtrusive). An instrument without harmonics is not much use....it won't sound good at all. Tube amps on electric guitar throw out loads of harmonics and give the guitar a very rich sound even when distorting a sound that is good in all kinds of venues due to the richness in harmonics.

Analog generally has higher harmonic distortion content than digital, especially in the LF, it is possible that a good analog system will therefore play better in a room than digital. The same can be said of Tube amps...the added harmonics can help even things out a little ( our brains perceive a combination of the fundamental and related partials not single frequencies ).

Digital, with the least harmonic content, is less forgiving on the room, IMHO. So I would agree with your comment. Digital will also sound "thinner", particularly in the bass.

Warnerwh...By admitting that the Behringer is "transparent" in your system you have admitted that your system is inferior :-(

My condolances, and, as Rauliruegas says. "enjoy the music".

I use the 2496, but my preamp only has a unbalanced processor loop. So I use XLR/RCA adapters. I like it in my system. I would give it a try, and if you dont like it, it will be easy to resell.

Undertow. A very good analogy and well said.

Matrix is correct, get yourself a McIntosh preamp with equalization. The more current models are designed in such a way that the tone controls are truely out of the signal path when they are set to 0db. Although I personally do not use equalization now but have in the past, it could hold water that one slight turn of a tone control could save you hundrerds if not thousands of dollars in tweaks!