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Sound Quality of red book CDs vs.streaming

I’ve found that the SQ of my red book CDs exceeds that of streaming using the identical recordings for comparison. (I’m not including hi res technology here.)
I would like to stop buying CDs, save money, and just stream, but I really find I enjoy the CDs more because of the better overall sonic performance.
 I stream with Chromecast Audio using  the same DAC (Schiit Gumby) as I play CDs through.
I’m wondering if others have had the same experience
128x128rvpiano
djones51
4,947 posts
 
I always assumed we were listening to the  CD ripped to their servers as the source. I wouldn't  think  these streaming  companies  had access  to any master tapes. 
+ 2 on Bo , I am glad I'm  not  the only  one  who  wondered WTF 
audioengr
3,282 posts
 
Just to get back to the original post of this thread for a moment.
Does anyone know what source is being used for streaming tracks?
Do record companies allow their master tapes to be used?

The source used depends on the streaming service. Amazon Prime Music uses 256k MP3. Apple iTunes uses ALAC at 44.1. Tidal uses FLAC at 44.1. I believe they are all commercially available tracks, not studio masters.

There may be some hi-res master tracks at 24/96, 24/176.4 or 24/192 available at HDTracks.com for download, depending on the artist. There are master tracks available for download from Bluecoastrecords.com. These are very well recorded with minimal EQ and no compression. If you have a good system, they sound live. Keith Greeninger, Alex DeGrassi and Jane Selkye are some of my favorites. I would start with Bluecoast collection 2.

Steve N.

Empirical Audio

rvpiano's avatar
rvpiano OP
2,656 posts
 
Audioengr,

When you say “commercially available,”.  In what form?
Hard drive? CD?
audioengr
3,282 posts
 

You can stream them from the site and then purchase in most forms, CD, SACD, DSD and downloads from Bluecoastrecords.com

From HDTracks, it depends on the artist. All downloads and some 24/96, others 24/192 and you can select .wav or FLAC or DSD and other formats.

Steve N.

bo1972's avatar
bo1972
2,789 posts
 
You can buy music form studios as well these days. But I will give you some tips to find your own music you like.

I use an Audioquest Dragonfly Red with an Sony Inear of 900 dollar. I listen to new music for about 3-4 hours each single week.

I always try to buy the best quality avaliable.

What is the most effective way to find new music?

You go to Youtube and you fill in above the artist or song you love. Youtube will show on the right side similar music you filled in. This way I did find many new artists and songs I love and bought.

Qobuz has by far the biggest demand in music you can buy. All other websites together have even less music for sale. They are also by far the cheapest in buying music in the world. When you buy a streaming subscription from them the music you can buy from them is a lot cheaper.

After I find the new artist I go to Qobuz to see if they have this music for sale.

Each week I also take a look at new music what came out that week. I always listen to many different genres.

I mentioned it before, ProStudioMasters has many albums in hi-res no other company has for sale. So I always look overhere if Qobuz does not have it in Hi-res for sale.

DSD is by far the best quality you can buy on the internet. I own different DSD 512 recordings and they are from another planet. But there is not that much titles for sale.

* Always try to buy most music you really like, Music you buy to impress friends based on the recordings quality which are stunning will not make you happy after a longer period of time. So be aware of that!

So where to buy DSD?

- Acoustic Sounds
- Native DSD.com
- Highresaudio.com

Overhere you also find titles in different genres which they only have in hi-res.

-HDtracks, I sometimes look overhere. But the same music you buy from Qobuz is better in quality and always cheaper. Sometimes they have titles in hi-res no other has. Then I buy it overhere.

- 7digital.com also sometimes has music no other one has for sale.

Where to find titles the above websites do not own?

- Bandcamp
- junodownload

* You can go to google; fill in the name of the artist and the word flac/wav download. And this way I also could find music what was difficult to find.

Is Hi Res PCM/DSD/MQA always better than a good 16 bit-44.1 khz recording?

The answer is no, I have a lot of stunning recordings in 16 bit 44.1khz which are even better than good Hi Res recordings and DSD recordings.

Is each recording you buy in Hi-Res a good quality?

The answer is no again. Most new hi-Res recordings are often limited and poor. In the world of the loudness war many recordings are screwed.

There are a lot of improvements needed in the world of recording as well. We have also ideas to improve this and we will share this in 2019 as well.

Enjoy your chirstmas and time with those you love.






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