vinyl and digital - play

Having some fun today (some would say an extended listening session). Listening to some vinyl via LP12, Rega Elys, Cambridge 640P and also from Squeezebox duet via Nos dac. Speakers ESL 63s and powered by two Monarchy Audio SMPRO 70s - pre Prometheus TVR passive.

I've tried speaker positioning, chair location, various cabling changes etc but no matter what I do vinyl source material always sounds better even with the odd crackle and pop. The sound is just bigger, wider more joyous and involving.

The thing is I'd like to be able to enjoy all the functionality of my squeezebox but have it sound like my vinyl sources.

Any tips?

:MILD:

 

Listen to better recordings, and add a bit of crackle and pop

 

Yep, speak to Wadia Meister at Coherent, I'm sure he could sort you out with something that'd do the trick - hope you have you're finances in order

 

I also like the convience of my Squeezebox and would love the idea of it giving me the same musical involvement as a good vinyl source. (like LP12)

You say you have a NOS DAC. I assume you mean 'New Old Stock' by that ?
I'm curious what (brand/model) DAC you're using.

I've read some very positive words about the Cambridge DACmagic, and the CI Audio VDA-2.

See: http://tonepublications.com/MAGPDF/TA_017.pdf (page 113-118)

End conclusion quote:"I love analog, when it's done right, but I feel it rarely is for the price of the VDA-10/VAC1. It just doesn't get any better than this. Praise the analog God's that this box wasn't available for $775,- twenty years ago. It would've been the death of analog!"

Btw, I'm using this dedicated PSU from CI Audio for my SB (SB3 classic).
It replaces the elcheapo wallwart PSU-plug and to me it's a very worthy improvement!


regards,
Alco

 

Mmmm... no matter what I've listened to in the past, I always prefer vinyl to digital. It could be something to do with my ears of course... They're analogue you know...!!!

On the subject of best analogue systems, I once got a listen to a Naim active and Linn active system from an LP12. The Linn system trounced the Naim system.

 

the only digital that ever got close to vinyl for me... is the new Marantz SA-7A1. hearing it back to back with an SME 20/2A its the only thing thats ever come close to giving the vinyl a run for its money.

shove on some well recorded classical though, and the vinyl still comes out on top. But then the SME is a pretty serious bit of vinyl replay kit

 

vinyl to me will almost be the best sound of the reproduction of music , i said almost because when i retire to guyana vinyl will not survive so eventually i will have to sell my massive collection, mean time i am putting them onto cd via a tascam drw901 recorder, not bad but not as good,
nando

 

I too run my squeeze box duet into a DAC but I gave it a bit of analogue wamth by running that into a Musical Fidelity X-10v3 valve buffer.Seem to take away the cold edge without sacraficing any detail.

 

Not too sure if that was a tongue in cheek question Alco? my understanding of NOS in relation to Dacs is "Non Over Sampling"

 

Strangely I'm not surprised!

 

No, no tongue in cheek question, Andy.

It's just that I only knew NOS as 'New Old Stock', instead of Non Over Sampling. That's why I first didn't understand the 'NOS' in relation to your DAC.

Cheers,
Alco