Sound Quality of red book CDs vs.streaming

@jmarshak +1

Lalit has provided invaluable advice in my case as well, from choosing the amplifier, cables and acoustic treatments. 

Jmarshak,
The E-800 can be had BRAND NEW for 11K if you know where to shop. I had one. Where in the world do you come up with 20K for a 4 year old inferior model?
Go to AUDIO UNION in Japan...grab a E650 for about 5000 (MSRP 6100) Pay somebody here in the USA to switch the jumpers for $100 and your good to go OR you can buy one here BRAND NEW for probably 7-8K

@jmarshak & @arafiq 

Thank you both for your kind words. I am requesting you to ignore posts from riaa 😊

lalitk,

Streaming is to CD, like CD/digital is to vinyl. They are both equalizers and that is deeply offensive to some.  The thing is, today, you don't need to spend $50K, or $20K or even $10K to have near perfect digital to analog conversion. Benchmark, Qutest, fed by a reasonably low noise (electrically) USB source are near flawless.  Paying more does not get you "better", it gets you a different flavor.  Ditto for any number of non-OS DACs, ladder-DACs, etc.  Often less accurate, but if you like the flavor, then enjoy.  What is even more deeply offensive to some is just how good a $169 modern Topping DAC is again fed with good USB.


Now you have people who have curated huge (read expensive) CD libraries, 99% made obsolete for $14.99/Month, and available to any pleb at almost any level of income.  That is almost as offensive to some as a $169 Topping DAC from China in many cases offering superior sound to a $10K or $20K (or more) turntable at least to those with no special affinity for the flavor of vinyl.