When is digital going to get the soul of music?

It makes sense to me that people typically tune their system around the source material they use.

Those with large vinyl collections tune their systems primarily around this. Introducing a second source that inherently sounds different may now become a problem, especially for those with highly tuned ears: how do you get that second or third source that is now inherently different to sound equally as good?

I think the answer in many cases is you can't, at least not to the extent that you have for your primary source, whatever that is.

So those who own mostly CD tune to that. Those who own vinyl tune to that. Others like, me who are source agnostic, will try to get the sources to sound as good and as similar as possible and tune in each source as best as possible, but they will never sound exactly the same or equivalent when playing the same music for many reasons. I'm sure there are audiophiles out there that could never live with the fact that not all their sources sound equally good to them, because the fact is they will always sound different.

So one of my theories is that the preference people have for whatever is mainly because that is what serves them best, which is the way it should be.

But one person with a bias towards one medium telling another with a bias towards something different that theirs will never sound as good does not carry much weight.

Each has tuned their system the best they can within their means for their source material and different sources will always sound different. Which is better? It really doesn't matter. Neither is perfect and both deliver good but not perfect sound.

Both my vinyl and CD sources are Denon. This is not by chance. My hope is to make both sound equally good but also as similar as possible so that I can live with both without resorting to tone controls and such. But I have to say that getting two distinct sources for two distinct source media is not an easy task. Many audiophiles will chose to punt, I would guess.

Mapman, Good observations about fine tuning your system to two different formats. Very difficult. Hell, I've had a hard time just trying to tune one system to accomodate two different digital systems, let alone vinyl. Everything compromises something else, IMHO.

Mapman,
to my mind and ears it is very much like you say. I've tuned the LP part of my system to LP, the digital part to digital, using software which I know well in the process. Ty my ears both sound good, however different, which does not bother me in the least as long I get drawn into the music and can forget my rig.

I have 5 sources to deal with on my system (in order of general priority):

1) CD
2) vinyl LP
3) Internet radio (Roku Soundbridge)
4) Fm Radio/tuner
5) Cassette

99% of my listening these days is with the first 3. I hardly ever listen to FM anymore and I only use the cassette for old cassettes I recorded years ago and still like but haven't replaced on vinyl or CD.

Even my $129 pure digital Roku Soundbridge sounds very satidfactory to me in more cases than not. I accept the sound quality of internet radio for what it is, which ain't half bad these days...better than FM for sure, and the variety of music to listen to is unlimited.

I agree with all the comments about tuning for source. Admittedly my system is driven by LP, but open reel tape seems to fare very well with the same tweaks.

There was a time when I put all my effort into making digital right and at one time I had my system where digital and analog were very close. One day a friend who had not visited in a long time, a guy with excellent ears, listened with me and pointed out the fact that I had managed to "down grade" the analog source to make the digital warm and friendly enough to enjoy.

After that, I returned to my quest to make the music as dynamic, transparent, resolved and emotionally involving as possible and when that formula is applied, analog excels and CD falls.

These comments apply to my system for the last (approx.). 20 years, with multiple analog rigs and multiple digital rigs.

Oddly enough, the comments by Mapman about Denon digital hit home. I've found it's easier to live with a Pioneer Elite, Denon or Sony CD player and let it fall where it may. These lower end machines error on the side of softer and warmer, making it possible to press the resolution of analog to the max without the digital driving me crazy.

When I go for super high end digital, I fall on either side of a line. Tune to throw away resolution so it's less offensive, or press for resolution that tries to approach analog and wind up with uncomfortable sounding music.

Again, maybe it's an equipment thing, but this formula has held true for dozens of analog and digital front ends, as well as four preamps, five amps and two very different speaker systems.