Downloads Versus Streaming

@kota1 I was thinking about the NAIM.

OP,

You are correct. But technologies reach tipping points a point where the financial and sound quality proposition is overwhelming, in my opinion that has happened with streaming. Yes, I think the better investment is streaming.

So, you have to look at the gains versus loses… there are normally compromises.

So, you gain access to 1/2 million high resolution recordings in various formates and millions of CD resolution recordings recordings where the mastering varies widely. You loose a few hundred specialty records and a can stream at a number of standard formats with millions and millions of recordings but not use one particular format. If it becomes popular, the streaming companies will start streaming in it. So what? Your universe expands a 100,000 times and you loose a tiny percentage of the possibilities.

Finally, streaming is paradigm shifting. We are trained to make careful choices and finding the very best recordings because once we make a purchase it is permanent. Streaming is different, and it takes a while for you to realize you can behave differently and increase your range of music.. It allows the great freedom to try some thing and if you don’t like it just move on to create a library that has no additional cost. It just creates a completely different way of looking at music but it takes a little while of living in that world to adapt to the new freedom.

In general, I find most any high end audio component gets significantly improved in ten years. Either making a case to upgrade or not. If you wait technology to stop improving then you will never change. Nothing wrong with that.

@goofyfoot I'd spend the $3600 you mentioned on streaming setup, amazing sound quality possible and library of music available nearly limitless. The most difficult thing is choosing which components to purchase within your budget.

Funny thing about streaming, budget constraints create more complications, marginal gains can be had with a myriad of add on components, things get simpler  at higher end.  Assuming one has nice dac, the server/streamer is absolutely critical to quality streaming. For off the shelf get something like Antipodes K series, Aurender, or other top of line and be done with it, none of these add on devices needed.

I've played with a number of these add on devices over the years, and while many have positive effects, none will come close to what top line streamer offers. While I've long considered dac most important component in streaming chain, I now consider streamer/server at least equal if not more important than dac.

Even if top line streamer out of budget, entirely satisfying streaming available right now, why wait years to experience quality streaming. Streams equaled my downloads some years ago, this with streaming setups in vicinity of $3600 budget you mentioned.

I decided to listen very closely to two downloaded CDs in WAV files on my Innuos Zenith 3 drive vs the same two streamed from Qobuz. In both cases the streamed version on Qobuz was an HD 192 stream. In both cases the streamed version sounded slightly better. Van Morrison and Nora Jones. The Qobuz streams seemed to have less noise being more relaxed and pure sounding. A tad more enjoyable.

This scenario goes in the other direction slightly favoring my downloads depending on the quality of the particular Qobuz recording.

Investing in a high quality Aphile switch, ENO Muon ethernet filter, and ENO Muon ethernet cables helped make this level of streaming quality possible.

I have a Tron Atlantic Signature dac and Tchernov Ultimate USB cable. I owned the same Wireworld USB the OP uses and it is certainly very good! I did find both the ENO and Tchernov USB cables more to my liking. Both being more meaty and full bodied sounding while maintaining great realism and purity.

I did a test not long ago comparing local FLAC 16/44.1, 24/192, streamed FLAC 16/44.1 and 24/192 and the actual CD and SACD version.  Tested all using an Antipodes K50 with Samsung SSD into a Playback MPS-6 and then played the CD on the MPS-6s tray.

My focus was on detail.  I used Miles Davis So What as the test track and found that CD vs. Local 44.1 was so close it was tough to distinguish but at same resolution I found both CD and local were clearer and more detailed than streamed at same resolution.  

Ultimately, I found resolution trumped format.  192 streamed was superior to 44.1 local or on CD.  DSD on the SACD seemed like the best but it was only a small difference between it and local 192 but both were noticeably better than streamed 192 off Qobuz.  

This is not about which is most enjoyable.  Just focus on detail and clarity.