Newly single and looking to stay that way, I moved into my garden level apartment in an old building that seemed to be constructed with extra thick floors, walls, and ceilings. No one ever complained no matter how loud I played my music. Several of my neighbors told me that while they could hear my music in the stairwell, in their apartments there was no hint of it. I was once paid a visit by the police who were in the building responding to something unrelated to me or my music and they knocked on my door — scared the shit out of me, in fact — as they were making their way out of the building and told me I should turn my music down. I asked if anyone had complained. Admitting that no one had, they said I should turn it down because they thought it was too loud.
This is when I got all of the way back into vinyl. And more poignantly, back into sitting and actively listening to music. I still had that Technics linear tracking turntable I bought when I was in high school. It was doing its job. Until it wasn’t. One day it decided to not work anymore. I think you could say that it died of old age. By this time it was probably 33 years old. Maybe closer to 35. I’d say I got my money’s worth, especially considering I don’t think I spent more than $150 on it back in the early 80s.
At this point I decided I would spend as much as I could afford to spend on a new one. I wasn’t going to liquidate retirement accounts or go into significant debt, but I felt that the next turntable I’d buy would definitely be my last and I wanted it to be the best I could afford. I ended up dropping close to three grand on an E.A.T. C Major. I noticed what an audible improvement it was. Immediately. The soundstage was bigger, in all directions, and more realistic. I was very happy. Shortly thereafter I fried my active Audioengine speakers which I replaced with some passive Klipsch’s, and that took the whole shebang to another level.
This was my setup until about five months ago. It took me roughly seven years to finally admit to myself that, while I thought I was at the zenith of sonic nirvana, the vinyl experience was causing me some ongoing audiophile anxiety. High end turntables are high maintenance. They’re like a race car — there’s always some tuning that could be tweaked to eek out more performance. Vertical tracking force, azimuth, tracking angles, and anti-skate are some of the things that could get out of whack. And I found myself not ever able to fully relax and enjoy. Even when I felt I was, I wasn’t.
I think what started me thinking about this, at a super granular level, was when I heard my brother’s system in the summer of 2021. His was an all-digital-source system with some pretty high end components. And it sounded crazy good. His speakers were practically invisible, which means you couldn’t really tell where the sound was coming from. That’s kinda the goal to any two-channel system but pretty hard to achieve because there are so many variables that come into effect.
Even when I heard his system, I remained steadfast in my belief that vinyl sounded better than hi res digital. I talked myself into believing it, I should say. All the while I would sit back and (try to) enjoy what I was hearing even if I was certain the VTF was a little off, as an example. And then there’s the whole process of handling and cleaning those damn records. Yes, it’s part of the appeal, but it’s also a bit of a drag.
So last November I decided to buy my first digital to analog converter (or DAC as they’re more commonly referred to) just to see what I thought of streaming digital as a source for active listening. (Reader, it is impossible to overstate what a leap this was for me.) OK, not so bad, I thought. And that was Spotify. What about hi res streaming? Enter free trials of Tidal and Qobuz. Holy shit! That sounds great!
Next, I made some minor upgrades to my equipment. I had bought a phono preamp from Schiit Audio and was extremely impressed by how it broadened the soundstage of my vinyl experience. It was their entry level DAC called Modi that I referred to in the last paragraph, and so I added their little amp called Rekkr and their little headphone amp/preamp called Magni and started doing some serious A/B listening. I began comparing hi res streaming digital to analog vinyl. The question was not simply does this sound better, but also could I live with an all-digital-source set up long term. And how does it effect my audiophile anxiety.
In January I sold my record collection and turntable. I did the unthinkable. My wife didn’t think I should do it and, in fact, talked me out of it at least twice before it actually happened. My daughter was in sheer disbelief.
With some of the money I upgraded all of my components again (Bifrost DAC, Jotunheim preamp, and two Gjallarhorn amps, all from Schiit). Then I got a Wiim Pro to send the streaming feeds into the DAC via digital coax or TOSLINK optical (I find the coax sounds better). I also transitioned to a nearfield listening experience — this is where the listener is positioned within just a couple feet or less of the speakers which themselves are only a couple feet apart.
So there you go. That’s where I’m at today. In fact, I listen to music less when I’m not at my desk. Used to be I always had music going, maybe through the various Sonos speakers we have throughout the house, yard, and garage. Or with headphones, in the car, or a bluetooth speaker. I don’t consume music passively as much as I used to. I want to experience music actively. At least that’s where I’m at right now. And if anything changes, you can bet there will be a part 4.
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