I've spent some time comparing the TIDAL app (sent to a Musical Fidelity 24/96 DAC) vs. passthrough to my Explorer² plugged into the C61's analog inputs.

No contest. Even though the music is digitized again for use by a legacy system, the Explorer² reveals so much more.

One example would be American Beauty by the Grateful Dead, which I own in various versions, including DVD-Audio. Listening to the song Brokedown Palace, I hear a completely new and startling recording. Garcia's vocals and layers of accompaniment are effortlessly and distinctly present. The TIDAL app decode sounds flattened and cluttered by comparison.

"Music so true, it’s like you’re there."

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