Dissatisfied with digital audio

Urobouros

New Member
I run analog through a Project Debut>iPhono2>Yamaha R-S202>Tannoy Mercury 7.2 speakers at home and enjoy the sound. At work I'm running a Fiios X3>Topping D30>Yamaha R-S202>Polk Audio RTI A3 and it it sounds thin by comparison. The more I read about analog vs digital I'm wondering if the difference I'm hearing is just compression or maybe a product of the space being too small for the speakers. I was considering trying a tube amp but would that add depth or just warmth?
 
I run analog through a Project Debut>iPhono2>Yamaha R-S202>Tannoy Mercury 7.2 speakers at home and enjoy the sound. At work I'm running a Fiios X3>Topping D30>Yamaha R-S202>Polk Audio RTI A3 and it it sounds thin by comparison. The more I read about analog vs digital I'm wondering if the difference I'm hearing is just compression or maybe a product of the space being too small for the speakers. I was considering trying a tube amp but would that add depth or just warmth?

Rearrange things such that you have both analog and digital feeds into the same system(s). Then compare. Then discuss.
 
I agree with @awillia6 in that you need to A/B compare the digital and analogue sources on the same system in the same room and then do a valid comparison. Although the Topping is highly regarded as an inexpensive DAC, it is still pretty low on the "food chain" in terms of DACs, and different speakers certainly do sound "different"--along with a host of other factors--like room effects, and what quality digital stream you are using. Lots of variables in play here.
 
I am have been doing this comparison for about a year. Agree with all the ^^^. IMO (and the majority that hear it) my analog playback trumps my digital.

:beerchug:
 
If you don't like the sound .. change your equipment configurations. For me .. over the years through experimentation, both my Analog & Digital sound good to me (though not the exactly the same). Much could depend on the type of music you listen too. I do prefer the way Classic Rock recordings were mastered during the early years (60's & 70's) .. but that's just my preference or taste. There are some modern recordings that I love (Joe Bonamassa for example) .. their just not all that common.
 
Personal preference, anything goes. As the others mentioned, comparison listening would validate your preference or maybe temper it. There are some variables to consider and eliminate as the source of the difference. Same receiver but different speakers and listening space.
 
Polk's RTiA series is bright, that could be the cause of your issue... If the turntable doesn't fix your problem, try a pair of their Signature series or something less bright. :)
 
As regards the A/Bing:

1) Is there a difference?
2) Can you reliably detect the difference?
3) Can you explain the difference?
4) Can you eliminate the difference?


Example:

1) Yes, A sounds fuller, warmer, and just more satisfying than thin, cold, sterile B does
2) Yes, every time
3) Yes, it must be differences in either "software," or the source device, or the cabling to the common pre/pro/amp, common speaker cables, common speakers;
turns out it WAS the source devices; A outputting a slightly stronger signal than B, resulting in slightly louder sound level from the speakers which, due to Fletcher-Munson, sound "better"
4) Yes, eliminated the difference by measuring sound levels and adjusting input levels in pre/pro/amp until equal

Repeat until the meter reads 'No'
 
Agree that the the digital source needs to be compared to the analog source through the same amplification and speakers.

Also, keep in mind that you have $1000 in your phono front end (TT, cartridge, phono amp), vs $100 in your digital front end.

Also, are you using lossless/CD quality files? For a more fair comparison, you should be.

Digital needs the same attention to quality of recordings and source components that is required of vinyl (if you want to get the best performance).
 
Digital needs the same attention to quality of recordings and source components that is required of vinyl (if you want to get the best performance).
This. Odds are, you have had other vinyl rigs, before you arrived at your current configuration. Each sounded better than the one previous to it. Think back to your first analogue rig, and how it sounded. Compared to now, it was probably a little weak, even though you might have liked it very much, at the time. I'm guessing this is your first digital rig, and it sounds okay. Just 'okay'. The problem is, you have this nice analogue rig against which to compare it, now, and it comes up wanting. Decide how much time and money you want to spend on digital, with the understanding that it can sound great, when you get all the parts optimized. Short of that, you choose your 'stopping point', and live with the decision.
 
Sources need to be considered ..but I have informally tested The Moody Blues , Question of Balance in LP , pre-recorded R2R ,and CD against each other...and it was really hard for me and my compratiots to tell the difference...though we all loved watching the Tascam 3030 do its job. Note linear drive turntable and Benchmark Dac2 to Bryston 14BSST — Martin Logan CLSZ2.
 
My digital source is about 60% CDs ripped to FLAC and about 40% 192kHz/24bit & 96kHz/24bit files. I'm looking to keep the upgrades to under $1K in the short term. The direct comparison will be the key...
 
I ran Pearl Jam “Ten” (192/24 FLAC) through my home system and it’s definitely better at home. My office is smaller than any listening space at home so I prolly need to rethink my speakers. In the end, when compared with the vinyl version, I preferred the analog more. I think it is partially preference. I don’t know that my DAC is as good as my phono pre though. Does it make any sense to try a preamp with the digital system or is that just adding a link I nether signal chain? The Marantz DAC1 looks pretty sweet on paper but I don’t know where I can listen to one to compare.
 
Do you have room for larger speakers? Cause.... those are tiny. Just sayin'.

(The thought you'd be considering downsizing speakers due to space constraints confuses me. Unless your office is a 3x3x3 cube.)

I may be exaggerating, but hopefully my point comes across. "The speakers are too big" isn't the real problem here.
 
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