How to make digital music sound more like vinyl records!!

Hello and welcome to this video on how digital can sound more like analog. Many people have come to believe that digital audio is inferior to its analog counterpart. However, this is not necessarily the case. In fact, with the right equipment and techniques, digital audio can sound very similar to analog audio. In this video, we'll explore some of the ways that digital audio can be made to sound like analog audio.
#digitalmusic #musicstreaming #audiophile
Musical Paradise Clock:
www.musicalparadise.ca/store/...
Decware Pills:
www.decware.com/newsite/PILL....
!!!NOTE!!! Decware Amp waiting list is actually 2 years!!!
Support hificave:
/ hificave
My channel: ‪@hificave‬
Video Chapters
0:00 Intro
0:38 Let's get on the same page
0:48 the audiophile distraction
1:32 The FIRST thing, the clock
4:28 The SECOND thing, vacuum tubes
5:32 The THIRD thing, Pills
8:38 Conclusion
10:08 Hifi Shine

[@hificave]

Decware Pills: www.decware.com/newsite/PILL.html !!!NOTE!!! Decware Amp waiting list is actually 2 years!!!

[@TheFilletingfish]

I’m in the same boat w Decware. I’m waiting for an Anniversary modded Torii V, phono preamp and SUT. I’ve only been waiting 1.5 years and am 350 on the list. But who’s counting right.

[@revelry1969]

Looks like those pills are out of stock

[@audio_acoustic_engineering]

Give me a red pill, not the blue one 🎶 great video!

[@focalfan6324]

You got any insight into which pill to use? Mid-fi and hi-fi are relative in terms of $$. How about mid-fi with lossless? That’s a missing option.

[@Waderunner626]

How long to burn in the pills? Just got a set of the Silver ones and it's giving me a headache. Somehow it's causing bass bloat. The sound is killing me. Again is there a burn in and how long

[@Santos.Sarmento]

IT'S WORTH WATCHING! The best ten and a half minutes on the topic for laymen, objective, comprehensive, no mambo jambo. Thanks for the video. Greetings from Brazil.

[@cyrilperin8464]

Maaaaan, you're the man! Great to see Hifi Guy actually explaining such great tips, being creative in his channel and not only doing what everybody else's repeatedly doing! love you open baffle projects by the way 😎

[@hificave]

I appreciate that!

[@darrellchitwood9167]

I like the production of this video and it’s informative in a entertaining way.

[@focalfan6324]

Hey Loic great content. Those pills will be a fantastic gift for my better half. For the rest of the system...new DAC and tubes will have to wait. Thanks!

[@kenanpao]

I always love the style of your reviews and trust your judgement. I saw this review last week and quickly ordered the silver pills. I got them last night and played a few hours. This morning I turned up the volume. And you are no joke this bills are really good. I couldn't wait for them to burn in. Thanks !!! 🙏

[@hificave]

Very cool!!!

[@christophermaley6822]

@@hificave I think you mean warm ?

[@blairsprague8112]

Never heard of Pills...but you suggested Puritan awhile back...incredible recommendation...sooo...lol...here I go again...thanks Loic for your input...keep it coming

[@user-od9iz9cv1w]

Excellent video. Entertaining, creative and full of sound advice. I'm impressed that you led with the clock. To me, everything counts. My three things might be the clock, the power supply(s) and the output (tube) stage. But certainly when you think you've got digital perfect, then a low phase noise clock will change everything for the better. And it gets better with every upgrade. Additional secret sauce for me is adding supercaps to the digital power supplies. Really cleans up that last hint of digititis. I am not familiar with Decware's pills. I'll check them out. I certainly like everything else that Steve has done over the years. Well done. Worth waiting for. PS. Right on about 44.1 vs HiRes. I optimized my system around 44.1 because you can get the lowest phase noise at 5mHz which supports 44.1 playback. The improvement of the clock out weighs any improvement that paying at 176 might bring. And of course 99% of my music library is from redbook.

[@mikecampbell5856]

Don't forget, you will need some kind of noise generator to make click, snap hiss and pop sounds to get the full analog experience. My wife surprised me with a CD player in 1985 for my birthday. I sold most of my vinyl and never looked back.

[@michaelwright1602]

Great video, I learned something. One thing you touched on but did not go into detail, is the power from that electrical panel to your gear. I am in the process of dropping new 20 amp circuits to my little AV corner in the living room. I dropped one a few weeks ago and the results were outstanding! Family came over and were admiring my new TV, it is not a new TV, it is the same one that has been there since 2017. That direct line from the house breaker panel to the outlet the TV plugs into made that much of a difference in picture quality alone. The sound quality of the system also improved quite a bit, at least to my ear. Just thought I would throw that out there.

[@hificave]

Go check my skeptical buddies react to me plugging their source to clean power. You are absolutely right. kzbin.info/www/bejne/qKXSl5-wjdl5npY

[@michaelwright1602]

@@hificave You are right brother... I bought the LHY Node filter and Linear power supply from Alvin over at Vinshine Audio, night and day adding that power supply! So much so, I ordered three more linear power supply units, a TeraDak for the Mac mini and one of the LHY SW-8 ethernet switches, along with two NetGear GS108Ev3 switches that tested out damn close to the LHY unit. Clean power BABY! I am in the process of completing five more home run drops for my AV setup, each outlet has two direct circuits, for a total of six. I went hog wild after finally getting around to dropping those home runs to the panel, I have wanted to do so for quite awhile, just never got around to it. That LHY linear power supply kicked my ass into gear. ;-)

[@nightingaleaudio]

Pretty spot on about everything you mentioned. I found out clocks were critical to digital play back as well. I build streamers based on Raspberry Pis and remove the stock clocks and replace with better clock also have another version with external clock input to address this very issue. Synchronizing the streamer, Ethernet Switch and DAC into one master clock. I think those who criticize digital have not heard digital done right. All my files are 16/44.1k with right cables even bad recordings sound good.

[@user-od9iz9cv1w]

Right on.

[@Don_Dilla]

The digititus bit explains so much to me... The light aluminium foil sound I was mentally screaming the words at the screen. 😂

[@firvaldur]

Great video, thank you 😊

[@dadowns100]

I'm chasing your setup! I'm running a Cambridge audio 851 n network streamer /dac with an Alan Eaton low wattage tube amp. I'm on that 2-year waiting list for a Zen amp. Perhaps I need to drive back to Peoria and pick up a couple of those pills.

[@kamijani1]

Love the video as usual. And you should take pride in the fact that you created a run for the pills and they are now out of stock for the next 90 days. Jee, thanks Loic! lol

[@hificave]

I didn’t even check, Im not paid to do this, I just share my experiences. And I know, that a few people who will buy pills now, will come back and bitch about them not making their mp3s sound like an original analog pressing… lol. (Love the internetophiles) But there will also be a large group of individuals who will get them and be happy and not go shout it on roof tops. :-)

[@ewhite5381]

Great editing! Very funny.

[@hificave]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@blejzerosamigos6115]

My head is spinning watching this video, you over did it this time.

[@hificave]

Noted. New methods require adjustments. I will refine and smooth it out next time.

[@TheFilletingfish]

Awesome production and content Loic. You’re getting better w age. More please.

[@TombstoneTube]

Hi Luis, bought the Puritan because of you and was mind blowing. Do you mind sharing a couple of options for a tube buffer? Thanks

[@mat.b.]

why do you keep changing shirts and angles mid sentence, this is so hard to watch

[@MaxiMe-et4zs]

Because he a humerus dude

[@tuckerllc]

This is probably the ’Best video’ you’ve done… keep it up!!!

[@bayard1332]

The answer is way more involved than your spartan list, IMHO. And you've left off 2 things that one can work without replacing the expensive primary gear. Noise in the AC power is a big culprit. PCM sound format is another, which is why I convert everything to DSD on it's way to the DAC. I recently found opamps that utterly shame every other opamp I've tried, and I'm talking a list of top players. The right power cables for your gear. A network switch right before the ethernet goes into your streamer is a giant player. The USB and ethernet cables are major. All resonances in the room are major players. Every single element inside the walls of the listening room is part of the equation, furniture, walls, acoustics, glass.... every resonance and bit of system noise affects/chops up the high frequencies and that leads to a hard and jagged top end and that is interpreted as 'sounding digital'. cheers

[@hificave]

Totally agreed sir. Complicated to make a single video on all of it. What you describe applies to digital and analog. Check my hifi end game series of videos for more on all this. I would love to hear your feedback on those as well.

[@nowalletevolution]

I've recently purchased a cheap tube preamp/headphone amp that has been a revelation of richness (trademark pending on this phrase). I've loved the qualities it has introduced to my listening setup. I really want to replicate this in my stereo setup. I tried adding this unit between my external dac and integrated stereo amp but it introduced too much noise (I can't bypass the integrated amp's preamp stage). Money is also tight right now so this might be a challenging question... are the non tube buffer options in this video an option to "warm up" the sound of my stereo setup?

[@donquixote4630]

The first digital product that sounded analog to me (and many others) was a Memory Player. Mark Porzilli has managed to reduce jitter well beyond the atomic clock level by resolving jitter inducing processes and components. For anyone interested in performance digital playback I know no better option. Plenty reviews regarding the Memory Player and a very interesting foray into the DAC in particular and general digital playback pitfalls, issues and advanced solutions. I love to use a MP, it is my third machine in the last 16 years and I feel that the music it reproduces resembles more a reel to reel sound than any other digital device I ever heard.

[@scottbennett3119]

Yep, but a well recorded sorce and properly designed dac can sound darn good even with 256 mp3 files. And like you said, CD quality files can be awesome. 👌 Sometimes, other components in the chain can be adding to the edge you may be hearing. My amp was slowly going bad, but I didn't realize it and started changing everything to no avail. Then I switched the amp and got the magic back.

[@scottbennett3119]

I would like to add that a good lower cost DAC that I am using that actually has some dimension and depth and musicality, without digital edge is the AUNE X8 Magic DAC ($299). I ran it in for about 20 to 30 hours with the included JRC (Japanese Radio Corporation) op-amp and it opened up very nicely, wonderful. I also tried other op-amps in it, but the JRC is the one. A great sounding DAC period. I`m happy with it. My other lower costs DACs are collecting dust. I have no skin in the game, I just like it.

[@GVernon]

I have a Cambridge Audio CXN2 that was modded by ModWright - which includes a tube buffer. Gets my digital closer to analog, IMO. Very satisfying!

[@dajikbatarang1]

That was an entertaining video. Any tube stages you would recommend?

[@hificave]

hard to make a recommendation on a buffer. You have to first know what your voltage output is on your dac and voltage input range on your pre-amp or amp (depending on where you want to implement it) Once you know what voltage range works for your system, (1.5 volts? 2 volts? 2.5?). You will need to validate that with the tube buffer manufacturer to be sure you don't have gain issues by adding the tube buffer. In fact, this might seem simple, but if I made a video on this topic, the amount of people that would retain only parts of the information and would blindly end up buying a tube buffer that is not compatible could lead to a lot of people wasting their money. You need to do your homework as tube buffers are not all entry level plug and play. That being said, ModWright makes one(analog bridge), Space-tech makes them, Musical Fidelity, and I am sure there are other brands. But I cant recommend any specifically as its not all one size fits all. I learned this from experience. Hence why I said, CAREFUL with tube buffers.

[@GOHoNZ]

I’m using a PrimaLuna EVO 100 DAC. Do the Decware Pills help on this DAC?

[@matthewhilty4209]

Those Pills remind me of the little boxes on MIT cables. The technician in me always wants to take them apart.

[@paulmorris1225]

Great video as usual. Just a couple of minor points. Many turntables DO have clocks. Anything that's "quartz locked" uses a form of clock to maintain accurate speed. There are both belt and direct drive turntables that use quartz clocks, although I'm not aware of any idler drives that do. Also, transistors introduce harmonic distortion too, the difference being transistors add odd harmonic distortion, valves add even harmonic distortion, the latter being far more pleasing to the human ear.

[@fabricehaesendonck196]

thank you!

[@hificave]

You're welcome!

[@joshuaschneck]

Good video - entertaining, the length was good. If I could offer a suggestion it would be to go a bit more into the technical side of the products you’re recommending. Why for instance would an external clock be better than one in a good DAC? What exactly is going on with the Decware pils that cost almost $500 for a pair and also require using another set of interconnects?

[@hificave]

Honestly, when I do research and weigh the “facts” from the technicians and engineers, there is often a lot of contradiction and different interpretations that I stick to what I hear for the video. As if I go technical the level of care I need to take to not make even the slightest mistake for now feels like I have more to lose if I go there. But I take your advice at heart sir. I will continue to think about it.

[@Pete.across.the.street]

Does the pill work on spdif? I don't have any rca in my rig.

[@goldenears100]

Okay! That was fun! I'm new here and was interested in what this video was going to teach me! I was hoping you were going to mention the thing that causes Distortion or noise in Digital! That would be Jitter! Are you familiar with a product called a Synchro Mesh? It lowers Jitter! Made by small company in Oregon called Empirical Audio! This device goes in between your DAC and Transport or in my case I tried it in my Ayon CD player which allows you to separate the connection! So this device refered to as a Recloker! It is recommended to use with quality power supply and Cables are Critical! I also use a Tube device called an RC 35 which is Amazing what it does! Look it up from USA Tube Audio! So I discovered this little gem when I purchased an older Berkeley DAC! It came in the package! One other thing to mention is Interconnects being used should have very low capacitance! I use Tube Monos and love the sound of both set ups! Running through Analog Out of my Ayon sounds very smooth but it I didn't push the level up really high. Then last night I re hooked up the Berkeley DAC with the Recloker and turned it UP! Wow! Steve Miller Born to be Blue! Love that album have the record by the way! Put on Filthy Mc Nasty. The percussion was mind blowing besides his guitar and the Sax really jumps out into the room like you are there! My room is Awesome too! Have dedicated wiring to just my Music room. Anyway, just wanted to share about the Synchro Mesh Relocker! Claiming the Jitter is reduced to like 7 Pico's?

[@slojdiskolan3314]

The magic pill... I don't know what it is but I bet it is an audio transformer, right? I use high quality audio transformers to remove digital glare - "digititis..." 🤔😅

[@RealHIFIHelp]

JCAT SSD with built in clock, with then a good LPSU driving it like the Keces p8 will IMO top the list, then after that the sold out ISOregen device; and then the JCAT femto USB card, those are the 3 most important products on the digital market, whether you own a store streamer or a DIY streamer. And lets not also forget the audio gd-di 20.

[@hificave]

GREAT info !!

[@audiorick841]

That was fun! Thanks man. In your case, which pills do you use? The gold or silver?

[@hificave]

Silver, cause im just full of myself and think my system deserves it. ;-). Hah! Love em tho!

[@audiorick841]

@@hificave LoL 👊🏻

[@joeythedime1838]

I have been chasing the opposite. I run a Cary Audio DMS-700 digital source into my 100% analog integrated amp a T+A PA3000HV. My TT is a Clearaudio Concept with Satisfy Carbon Fiber Tonearm that I just changed the cartridge to a Goldring Elite MC. When I changed my cartridge I also changed the phonostage to a Sutherland TZ Vibe. This was a huge step in getting my analog side closer to my digital side in terms of soundstage/dynamics/silent background. The upgrade improved speed and liquidity in transient notes. Jazz guitar or vibes sound great. I also think this cartridge is a good choice because it brings some of that midrange warmth/prominence that you wouldn’t necessarily get with other cartridges. - I think someone once said "being an audiophile is journey not destination".

[@hificave]

Yeah man!! Steak is the music, hifi is all the ways I can cook the steak.

[@joeythedime1838]

@@hificave Yes!! with the goal of always having a perfectly cooked long-bone 34oz dry aged Tomahawk!

[@carlitomelon4610]

Thanks for your insights Loic What a romp! Do all of these fixes introduce WOW 😲 and FLUTTER 😍 like that warped and off centre LP pressing? 🎶😉🎶 The Decware pills sound interesting, altho' they involve adding another cable too? How long is that waiting list? I'll check 🤔 PS TIMBRE isn't "timber" ! (It's French don't you know?;-)

[@hificave]

Ooops lol

[@davelistenstohifi]

I was comparing DACs a little while back and only listening to digital for a week or so. There was no obvious listening fatigue, but i started to miss the sound of my turntable and was relieved to hear analogue again. Maybe i need pills?

[@hificave]

Its always hard to know for sure, there are many variables, these are just 3 things, theres more elements out there. But Decware offers 30 day trial with restocking fee I think. So not much risk in trying.

[@joelcarson4602]

As always, the original mix and the room acoustics are the biggest factors in how the music is perceived, followed by the design and build quality of the preamp and amplifier chain and of course, the speaker component. If a manufacturer could be assured of selling millions of a standalone DAC, and went to great lengths in designing the circuit, PCB layout, low noise power supply and used quality components and connectors throughout, a sub $200 DAC could be functionally perfect. Economies of scale and all. Analog schmoozing begins at the microphone and mixing console and finishes up the microsecond it comes out of the analog backend of the DAC, into the preamplifier, on to the amplifier and out of the speaker diaphrams.

[@latheofheaven]

Bro, I love your sense of humour, and I realize that you are *ALWAYS* very careful and wisely never to say anything bad about Thomas, because as we all know... He is indeed *THE* Asian Godfather of Audio! 😳 If I may please just toss out a few thoughts (Sorry, ask Thomas, I just can't help myself) With your talent and excellent sense of humour, I honestly don't think you need the added 'hook' of the constant edits every 5 seconds. YES, a lot of the inserts are very funny, but for me personally all the quick edits truly are quite distracting, ESPECIALLY with that clicking noise you have added for each edit. TBH, that is one thing that I do love about Thomas, VERY few edits, a nice conversational and interesting flow. Very pleasant and relaxing to watch. Now, of course you will have your own style, which has some great humour. But... Unfortunately, like on this video, I feel like someone has slipped me some Crack when I wasn't paying attention 😲 Just too hyper in my lowly and wretched opinion Bro. So many do that BUT without your style and talent. Honestly, I just think you don't need all that flash mate. I would LOVE to continue to watch your videos, but I just can't quite get through them (I FF'd a lot through this one) without feeling like I'm going to have a seizure at any moment. Please forgive the critique sir, but I just hate to see your *TRUE* talent being buried and obscured underneath all the 'Gimmicks' You truly do NOT need them 😊 FWIW, I thought the intro was funny, and inserting things like that I feel works really well. I mean, by all means promote your own unique style and humour, but please, just not with the Ludicrous Speed editing/inserts 😁

[@hificave]

Im not careful to say anything bad about Thomas. I just have nothing bad to say. 😜 Thanks for the feedback, learning. 👍

[@latheofheaven]

@@hificave Chicken... 😀

[@vittoriomartinidonati65]

@@hificavehello and congratulations for your videos, I just want to second the comments about gimmicks as I agree that after a while they feel a bit forced like a guy that tries to make a few too many jokes….

[@andrewmeates7633]

Very interesting presentation. I used to own a Linn LP12 and do miss it, but now use an Innuos zen music server into a Chord qutest and do not intend to return to vinyl (sorry). The Chord DAC's are very resolving and believed that they were sorted in the jitter department. I also use a jitterbug between the Innuos and the Chord just in case. I have been looking at DAC's like the Audionote 0.1x that employ a tube. Or perhaps the decware solution you mentioned, but also don't want to waste money. Your thoughts would be appreciated. Cheers.

[@hificave]

my first advice, is power. when your Dac is being fed clean power this makes a big difference. (very audible) If you think you are good there, I experienced a nice difference when I upgraded the power supply of the Qutest (I had it for several months, I had used a Jcat, Pursuit of perfect system made a video on it even). The reason I say power matters so much to the source, is if the source is polluted by noisy power, tweaks made downstream of the dac are far less potent in terms of audible differences and can lead to people thinking what they added is snake oil.

[@andrewmeates7633]

Hi, yes I changed the power supply for a SBooster which has made a difference.

[@rickyblair8802]

Thanks

[@hificave]

Welcome

[@Iam-mad]

😂🤣🤣 gimme that spray can, I´ll take over... I did link Your MP-DAC videos in my last video btw 😉👌👍

[@hificave]

HAHAHA! I think you are the only one who watched it all the way to the end. thanks for the link! I will go check out your channel.

[@Iam-mad]

@@hificave Thanks, I love Your humour, and I think we have some things in common...

[@OscarSanchez-tk3hx]

The Deckware pills never heard of them what are they made of or what is inside is that snake oil thanks for sharing this video

[@scottlowell493]

I've had underwhelming SACD's. I've had DAC's that simulate analog with a soft/warm tube like presentation. Even if everything in the playback chain were theoretically perfect, some recordings are just bad on whatever format.

[@hificave]

Amen.

[@adotopp1865]

I have certain CDs that sound the same as vinyl on my system. A Bob Dylan freeby CD from uncut magazine called best of the bootleg series and the record from the bootleg series 1-3 box set recording of Blind Willy McTell sound the same . Exactly the same. And it's on a decent above average system

[@georgenicolaidis7550]

Problem is that you need to spend a lot, a lot, more for a good analog system to sound amazing, whereas a $1,000 DAC with well recorded digital music sounds absolutely amazing. The issue in my mind with the perception that digital music sound "bad"" is the result of over compression used the past two decades in CD's in order to sound good on inexpensive devices. A well recorded uncompressed digital music source beats analog to the dust all of the times.

[@mike_burke]

I cannot agree any more my friend 👍 Everything you say is true. However maybe we need to be careful, because many or most people think of .mp3, .aac, bitrates and sample rates if we mention digital compression. The digital criminals responsible deal in crushed dynamics, brickwalling, limiting and hard clipping at the click of a mouse. And there’s no way to get that lost music back. I wish I could go all digital, but I still run a turntable as well so I can enjoy the harmonics and nuances and listen to certain music of the last 3 decades without quickly becoming fatigued. Not strange at all that older (80’s produced) CD’s mostly sound great to me. You know, the ones most people complain about for being too quiet.

[@nicktube3904]

I would also recommend strongly SR Purple fuses

[@hificave]

Love those.

[@huertoeloasis]

Hi! I would like to know the Brand of the tube woofer. Thanks

[@hificave]

A few brands: modwright analog bridge, musical fidelity buffer, space tech labs tube buffers…

[@adotopp1865]

It's a dog.

[@TheDanEdwards]

Digital throws too much information at the listener, hence "fatigue". The much lower information content in vinyl precludes that.

[@hificave]

Well said!! Why wasn’t that how I wrote it! Exactly!

[@CharlesHoop]

Loic- when are you starting a Patreon??

[@hificave]

Check the video description

[@philippelabrecque6658]

Merci d'avoir aborder un sujet aussi controverser. L'électricité, les gadgets, etc... Peut de reviewers osent. Bonne chance avec les Trolls...

[@hificave]

😎

[@cubrini1]

Something is missing on my fries....😂

[@labalo5]

MU1 is great. Both other ways to enhance digital.

[@stevendog510]

Great video, more informative than the typical youtube salesman/reviewers. Bottom line its a dead end game of chasing your tail with too many variables..... Big kudos to your video on placing your system in various rooms... Sticking with vinyl... The more I listen for the changes you mention the less I listen to music. Just sayin... cheers

[@hificave]

Music is what drives all this. Its all that matters the rest of the hifi stuff, is a hobby. Music is the steak. The hifi stuff is how I cook the steak. :-)

[@stevendog510]

@@hificave well said, bon appetit!

[@timleelim9930]

While digital has improved and has at times tempted me to switch from analogue, I haven't, uh, caved

[@hificave]

You should not switch because of what people say, if you can maintain an analog rig, and enjoy the ritual, why change? Its awesome!

[@sidesup8286]

It used to be "Hey I got cds and you're still playing records." Now it's "Hey I got lp records, and you're still playing cds." Vinyl people thinking their medium is superior, from memories of a bad cheap cd player they once had, which became their digital stereotype. Those digital distortions are ingrained in their mind, like some traumatic experience. What they don't know doesn't hurt them, but it can make them look silly and hard to take seriously what they think about digital. Many of them are obviously enjoying their imagined exclusionarianism, knowing that they can afford expensive records and have what they believe is far superior equip. So much praise thrown at Mofi lp releases by digital haters, releases that were later found out to be nothing more than Digital Lps; with a capital D. I think the belief after all this is that it is no longer the easiest thing to tell digital from analog; if digital is done well. At least that's what the rational thinkers take away from it. I have experimented for over 3 decades in improving sound quality, and improving cd playback has taken up quite a bit of my time and efforts. I don't know if I nor anyone else could really tell whether it is digital or analog when I play a cd with my cd playback equipment, warmed up an hour and a half. I didn't get my sound quality by adding distortion, but by decreasing distortion. A lot of the digital hardness, brittleness, over edgy sound is distortion, and only some of it is digital distortion. Most of it is electronic circuit distortion. Look at all the hundreds of things the digital signal has to go through. With an lp, the signal is out the cartridge, down some tonearm wires and ready to be amplified. The simpler signal path usually sounds best. Very few of the flaws of digital are the cds themselves, it's mostly the circuitry and cheap parts the signal has to go through. You can double your digital sound quality and more, by paying attention to improving all the things the signal has to go through. Everything, and I mean everything matters. Loads of people poke fun at the thought of cables making improvements, and stuff like greening the edges of a cd. I can't think of anything that steers digital on a more analog path than greening the perimeter of a cd. It reduces glare (cds main problem) to a noticeable degree, opens up the sound and sweetens the sound a bit. It also makes it noticeably less electronic sounding and more natural. It might only be an 8% improvement, but I would say if someone upgraded and got a 20% difference, they'd be thrilled. I'll take an 8% improvement for free. Oh yeah, paint pen not green magic marker. It has to be opaque Digital does not have more detail, it presents the detail in a more showy way. When you get your digital act together, it gets less showy and more analog like. With opportunism & greed in lp pricing, not many could recommend to a newcomer starting out with analog. But hearing some of those expensive pressings with a very high quality turntable/ cartridge could be like a religious experience. There is digital equipment that can give you that too. It's anybody's guess how high up in price you'd have to go, and whether it gets you 100% there. Unless you figure out how to do things on your own without breaking the bank. Playing cds is a bit of an art. They are usually really good. More consistent pressings than finding used vinyl and finances for most people do matter.

[@thomasfi1275]

Why such a huge amount of video cuts? That makes it so hard to look at your video. Just my personal feedback. Question. Are the added harmonic distortions from tubes do really makes the sound „tube-like“. Isn’t it a myth? Question. Vinyls do have issues with different speed, different forces depending on the distance to the center position. Don’t they?

[@joeygsaudiochannel3972]

As much as think of all those analog "Tchotchke" actually does something to the signal path. There's not much to the circuitry but your are paying for the reseacrch that goes into those little "Tchotchkies". My solution is simple. PS Audio Directstream DAC Sr. (MK1) into a BAT VK50-SE (giving you tx coupled outputs into a Tube Preamp) then going out to a Orchard Audio Ultra GaN FET Amplifier. Simple but very expensive. No reclockers, magic pills, or even line conditioning/regeneration needed. I have 10AWG stranded fed straight from my breaker to my Audio rig and 12AWG solid conductor Romex feeding the Computer bits of my rig (not the DAC/Transport though). The K.I.S.S. rule is best and in the long run cheapest.

[@hificave]

Good stuff !

[@saikatbose8370]

Nothing can make anything like analog.

[@67Pepper]

The old "don't use too many tubes" statement, LOL. I love how some audio enthusiasts will go to extreme lengths to get "digital" to sound more "analogue", just buy a good turntable and phono pre and stop trying to mimic pure analogue. Digital will always sound inferior because it takes "samples" of the waveform. All the fancy add-ons, clocks, etc. are a band aid.

[@hificave]

Can I put you down for a 12 pack of hifi shine tho? :-)

[@67Pepper]

@@hificave Only if you throw in some "Magic Pebbles"

[@hificave]

@@67Pepper ew….

[@juliancrun]

The pills.

[@larrywe3320]

Tube PreAmp with R2R Dac... Problem solved

[@User_not_found_403]

I'll take a few pills....doh both out of stock!

[@hificave]

Email them… who knows.

[@jaffriechen5298]

Are you selling products ? The thing that you missed is a a mega issue : Power supply design

[@hificave]

Hell yeah!😎 Just couldn’t cover everything in a single video.

[@hificave]

Not selling anything.

[@alanarakelian5021]

Ultrasonic cleaning with a high-quality machine opens up the sound of vinyl records several notches. Without one, vinyl will not reach its full potential.

[@hificave]

No arguments there. 👍

[@toomuchtoofast4533]

Too much editing! Just educate and deliver - you’re a talented dude w great knowledge. No need to fluff it up

[@hificave]

Noted

[@Error2username]

Buy a turntabel...

[@davestevens4193]

Use a R2R/multibit DAC. DS chip based DACs are never going to sound analog. Sabre DACs are among the worst offenders.

[@hificave]

I know what you mean. I have experienced exceptions with all types tho.

[@johnshepherd708]

This is a bit misleading. An outboard clock as used in the pro-studio world, is done so that you can synch multiple digital sources to a single clock source. This reduces jitter induced as a result frequency variation between various devices with clocks in the chain. The best that I have heard for that application was a Rubidium Atomic Clock. This is a precision device with an oven/temperature controlled clock which is a very expensive device. It did, however, in that application make a improvement. In a single clock application such as a simple playback DAC or CD player with an internal DAC, it is best to have the clock directly adjacent to the converter chip or R2R assembly. The better and more stable the clock in that configuration, the lower the jitter and potentially the better the playback.

[@hificave]

Interesting, it’s important not to be misleading. Why is it best to have the clock directly adjacent to the conversion chip?

[@soloperformer5598]

Seems as thought you gotta spend a lot of money to get your sound as good as relatively low cost analogue. Why not go with higher quality analogue to start with and spend the money you've saved on something useful, beer for example?

[@hificave]

Not at all. Its quite the opposite. Its far more expensive to execute high end and high quality analog.

[@soloperformer5598]

@@hificave High-DAC,. external clock, magic pills etc. etc. don't seem to figure in an analogue setup.

[@hificave]

@@soloperformer5598 context, in my case for an equal performance in terms of high fidelity playback : high end dac 3000$+ ext clock 150$+ Decware pills 300$+tube buffer 2000$. To match the same performance, in vinyl : high end turntable 5000$ + quality tone arm 1000$ + MC low output cartridge 1000$ (minimum)+ phono stage 3500$+ record cleaner(500$) + records ($$$$$). I have less beer with vinyl.

[@soloperformer5598]

@@hificave I'd like to see your list of high end analogue components.

[@Ambient_Audiophile]

appreciated the video and info but man that editing is way too much. Good work though

[@hificave]

Thanks, still need make more adjustments. 👍

[@MrSabatini1981]

Aside the false claim that digital introduces all this unbearable "digititus" noise, which must be a very special type of noise, so much more audible compared to analog which has a lot more noise (and I mean a LOT!) and is, according to this guy, something you want(!!!)... I could just say whatever floats your boat, sound is personal, etc..., and move one. But what made me comment is something that has nothing to do with personal taste in sound quality: those "pills" are passive devices. You can't reduce noise with such a device. It's physics. My suggestion is.. buy a red pill instead ;)

[@hificave]

Passive devices cant reduce noise, its physics? please explain.

[@MrSabatini1981]

@@hificave Noise in itself has little meaning. You have to compare it to the power of the signal to put it in perspective. That's done by the S/N figure. The higher the better. One can't increase S/N with a passive device. One can only make it worse. Sometimes just barely, inaudibly worse, but definitely never better. What those pills probably are is filters with a slight drop of the high frequencies (typical of analog systems). Some people may perceive this as a more relaxed, "analog" sound. But it has nothing to do with a decrease in noise.

[@Kowinaida]

This has to be the most irritating edits I've ever seen. Ridiculous.

[@hificave]

Noted.

[@carljung9230]

super annoying editing and camera movement.

[@hificave]

Is it off-putting Carl?