Streaming vs. CD

I stream on my bedroom system via Tidal using a a Node2 into a Benchmark DAC3. I also play cd rips off a NAS drive. To me, the ripped files sound better than the Tidal stream, MQA included. I’m wondering if something is wrong with my Node2 settings. Or???

peters,

You certainly seem to have some pretty hot gear.

A well recorded CD wil knock the u no what of a stream sound.
And better yet, it will always play once inserted.

I am dumping my Roon Nucleus. What a cluster!! Product, Service, support  they both tanked it.
In a couple years if new players move and do it right
I may return. For now it simply unreliable, 3rd level sound.

Antipodes DX3 server/Roon core into Metrum Ambre Roon endpoint then Metrum Adagio DAC, etc....
Usually hear no significant difference between ripped/stored CDs and (non-MQA) Tidal streaming but when I do, Tidal is almost always better sounding.  Either sound better to me than a CD player.  Would rather see Tidal adopt a hi-res format (even at a higher price), or for Qobuz to expand selections equal to Tidal, than to have to pay for a second streaming service so sticking with Tidal for now to get the best selection of the music I listen to.  Whatever they don’t have, I can rip and store on the DX.

I have spent some time getting Qobuz and Tidal to sound as good as my high-end CD transport.  To start with CD was much better.  Now there is nothing in it.

 It took some time and each of these changes made an improvement:
- turning WiFi and Bluetooth off on the streamer 
- using shortest possible usb cable from streamer to DAC
- trying different usb cables - some did sound different. 
- introducing a Cisco network switch between the router and the streamer
- changing the Ethernet cable from Cat 5 to Cat 7 from router to switch and switch to streamer
- locating the network switch as close to the streamer so that the cable length is reduced in this section of the set up. 

Each improved the SQ.  

three_easy_payments382 posts06-11-2019 1:15pmstreaming services like Qobuz offer three levels of audio quality:

- MP3 320 KBPS (compressed like Spotify)
- FLAC 16-BIT / 44.1 KHZ (this is CD quality)
- FLAC 24-BIT UP TO 192 KHZ (hi-res, better than CD)
............................................................

I'm an old dog, have stayed away from streaming, so I 'know nothing'. my friend, another old dog, loves streaming.

a few questions:

1. what is the source of these oversampled 24 bit files?

2. if not 24 bit 192khz master, isn't it 44 boosted for a marketing numbers game?

3. I have many regular and SACD versions of music, i.e. Oscar Peterson, created from higher rez masters. ... My focused listening conclusion is the difference is not the signal but the lower noise floor, especially quiet passages. (an argument can be made that it is an unnatural quiet). Is this lower noise floor what people are reacting to?