Can digital get to vinyl sound and at what price?

[PYP]

I listened to them with the same amplification and cables, etc. I also had the opportunity to listen to some in different systems, but not critically; it was mostly at the dealers who then let me borrow the devices for home audition, except for the Wadax, and the Ideon, and the big Lampi (not the Horizon) that I also listened to in a private system.

As you mentioned, the effect can very well be due to amplification or cabling, etc. My amplification is Symphonic Line Kraft. I (obviously) like the sound, it is punchy, powerful and dynamic and does not run out of steam, but it does not offer the resolution of, say, an equivalent CH Precision.

I listened to a lot of music, blues, classical and jaz, but primarily compared using Jochum's Carmina Burana, (Klemperer's Messiah, and) Tchaikovsky, Liturgy of St John Chrysostome

Please note that is a personal and subjective impression, not a review, test, or otherwise objective assessment or wall-to-wall criticism of the excellent DACs available out there (nor do I sell such products).
Regards

seems like a lot of great high-end gear designed and built in Greece. Is it the weather?

 

[Lee]

seems like a lot of great high-end gear designed and built in Greece. Is it the weather?

Historically incredible local audio clubs there. That may be a factor.

 

[PYP]

Historically incredible local audio clubs there. That may be a factor.

and good engineering schools?

 

[Audire]

Lots of great gear manufactured gear thru-out the entire world!

 

[Lee]

and good engineering schools?

Maybe, don’t know the quality of schools there.

 

[Mike Lavigne]

seems like a lot of great high-end gear designed and built in Greece. Is it the weather?

maybe in Greece you either are in tourism, services, or work for the government, or are in business for yourself. so probably there are not many tech jobs for tech people, so tech manufacturing is a better opportunity.

 

[PYP]

Lots of great gear manufactured gear thru-out the entire world!

True. That makes me think this would be an interesting angle for an article about the high end. Choose a country, talk about the high-end brands being designed and manufactured in that location and then the resources that make it likely (engineering, manufacturing know-how, lots of live music/fine venues, etc.). Or perhaps this has already been done.

 

[Gregm]

seems like a lot of great high-end gear designed and built in Greece. Is it the weather?

Good point!
(The speakers are made in western France where the weather is not as good -- encourages one to work more, perhaps?)

 

[Gregm]

Maybe, don’t know the quality of schools there.

Reportedly, the Polytechnic School of Athens & of Patras are v good (I'm in recruiting).

 

[Bushikai]

Many Denafrip Terminator and Terminator Plus owners using HQPLAYER to upsample everything to PCM 1,536 KHz or even better transcode to DSD512 and DSD1024. If you try it, HQPLAYER would change your world and save you some money on a new dac. Go over to AudiophileStyle and learn about the details.

Hello, Have you try the new HQplayer 5? Is it worth it? The cost is like buying a new software.

 

[Carlos269]

Hello, Have you try the new HQplayer 5? Is it worth it? The cost is like buying a new software.

I have been using HQPLAYER 5 since the day that it was released. YES, it is absolutely worth it. The new modulators are excellent, the new layout for the settings is easier to maneuver and more intuitive, and the implementation is more efficient, which allows you to use more demanding filters with the same hardware. Brilliant upgrade worth every penny. Jussi Laako is pushing the boundaries and at the cutting edge of digital audio playback. I could not recommend it more strongly.

 

[AudioDoctor20]

I have been using HQPLAYER 5 since the day that it was released. YES, it is absolutely worth it. The new modulators are excellent, the new layout for the settings is easier to maneuver and more intuitive, and the implementation is more efficient, which allows you to use more demanding filters with the same hardware. Brilliant upgrade worth every penny. Jussi Laako is pushing the boundaries and at the cutting edge of digital audio playback. I could not recommend it more strongly.

I can only agree with this.

 

[Kingrex]

What filters do you use. I never filter. I never really hear them.

 

[AudioDoctor20]

What filters do you use. I never filter. I never really hear them.

Normally I use Poly-Sinc-Gauss-xla for 1x files, meaning 44 and 48 hz files. Hi Res, or Nx files get poly-sinc-gauss-hires-mp to DSD 256.

Occasionally I switch to Sinc-Long and enjoy the computationally intensive, but fantastic sounds of pure PCM it creates at 768khz.

edit: I use the ASDM7ECv3 modulator as well. I have a purpose built machine to run HQP that includes fast DDR5 6000 RAM, an AMD 7950X, and an nVidia 4090 gpu.

 

[ScottK]

As to high-end audio springing up around the world I have one observation.......high profit margins.

 

[Rexp]

As to high-end audio springing up around the world I have one observation.......high profit margins.

Or money laundering...

 

[Rexp]

Here are two LP rips, the first where the Tidal/Qobuz version sounds similar to the vinyl, the second where the LP blows away the Tidal/Qobuz versions:

 

[superelmar]

 

[billeames]

That may be the case. Two similar but different sound signatures. The best way I can describe the differences in my system is the digital sounds a little "homogenized" while the vinyl sounds more alive and acoustic instruments do sound more "real".

I agree. What year will that happen at a less than $60000 price? I assume 2030. Digital is making very slow progress in my opinion. CH precision c 1.2 plus d1.5. at 84000 or more, getting close in my opinion.

 

[treitz3]

I know a guy with a 40 year old, never upgraded LP12 and an old Denon 103. It sounds like a 40 year old stock TT with an old “reviewer blessed” very modest cartridge. He does not clean his records

He also has a Chinese sourced DAC that got some Stereophile love several years ago as great for its price point.

He is continuously in the mode of bragging about how it’s so good that Stereophile uses it as their reference DAC, and there’s none better.

In his mind digital already sounds WAAAAYYYY better than vinyl.

So there’s that way … use a lousy TT set up and your digital will become your reference. Not only that, you save a ton of money by not exploring further to evaluate your evaluation.

So much for pushing the envelope...(sad)

Tom