What is the missing element?


My pc audio setup currently is as follows

PC (Lossless audio through Jriver) > V-link (first model) > Rega Dac > Jolida JD1501 > KEF LS50s

The Rega was probably the first component I bought that completely transformed the sound of my system. The difference it made was simply huge.

I then added the v-link to support higher resolution audio through the s/pdif connection. Again, the sound noticeably improved. The soundstage was bigger, and the music just sounded fuller. Without the v-link the music sounds quite a bit smaller through the usb input.

The Kefs were the next big leap forward for my system. I simply cant believe how big a sound these tiny little speakers put out.

Now, originally most of my listening was through the setup listed above. However, the addition of a thorens TD-160 has gotten me into vinyl in a big way and now I really don't like the sound of digital. By comparison it sounds like congested chaos, has a rough texture (especially noticeable in voices)and overall is just very brash sounding. I simply can not stand it at loud volumes. Nothing like the polite orderly smoothness I hear on vinyl which constantly has me turning up the volume.

I had all but completely switched to listening to music on my turntable while the rega was relegated to streaming pandora or youtube as background music and always at low volumes. Then, some time spent with a naim cd player reminded me just how good a digital source can sound. So my question is how can I bridge the gap? I have been reading a lot about jitter and I am wondering if that is holding the rega back. I've read that the v-link measures at right around 400ps while other digital transports like the audiophilleo measure well below 100ps. Would replacing the v-link with an audiophilleo or another s/pdif converter give me the sound I am looking for? Is the problem with the nature of computer audio itself and I should just be looking for a good CD player? I am slowly driving myself crazy over this.
128x128megido
"it sounds like congested chaos, has a rough texture (especially noticeable in voices)and overall is just very brash sounding."

Two things are likely causing this:
1) too much audible jitter in your digital source - typical for rough textured vocals
2) FLAC files - typical for listening through a cave effect

#1 can be fixed by upgrading your USB converter and using a better power supply and S/PDIF coax cable for it

#2 is more difficult. You either have to be willing to live with .wav files and minimal tags or get a server like the Antipodes that sounds identical with both. Another option is to try JPLAY in conjunction with Jriver. This may or may not help.

Jitter numbers are all but useless when they get to these levels. The problem is that jitter like most phenomena is not something that occurs in one instance or repeats the same every time. There are billions of instances and each one is different. This creates a Gaussian distribution of jitter events that can be examined. Some of the jitter events may be data correlated and others may be random. When one says that a particular device has 500psec of P-P jitter, this is incomplete information because the 500Psec event may only occur every 30 seconds, or it may occur every millisecond. Big difference in these two. Also, the shape of the peak of the distribution may be very narrow in one case and very wide in the other. In other words, the distribution of the jitter events must be studied in order to determine whether one device is actually better than another. Then of course, one must listen to music as well. The human ear is the only thing that will tell you definitively whether one jitter distribution will sound better than another.

I would recommend upgrading the USB converter first, as well as an upgrade power supply and Coax cable. Most of these have money-back guarantees, so your risk is low.

Steve N.
Empirical Audio
It is possible to match or even beat your vinyl with the RIGHT digital:

www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=95464.msg960567#msg960567

www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=105049.msg1159717#msg1159717

forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?icomp&1351958193&openusid&zzErndog&4&5#Erndog

Steve N.
Empirical Audio
Thanks for the info. I'll definitely look into upgrading my usb converter first. I've played around with comparing wav and flac but at this point I can't hear any difference. Who knows, that may change once I get the jitter under control.
Megido,
Would you consider trying Cerrot's modest cost suggestion of the 150.00 sound card before spending more on a USB converter?