Streaming vs. CD

I second Rvpiano. I use a node2i and with an upgraded powercord and cabling I can't tell the difference between Tidal or Qobuz at 44.1 and the same mix played over my transport through a Doge 7 tube dac. Hires up to 192 can sound a little crisper and clearer then 44.1 but the same bit rates sound exactly the same from either service (although only Quobuz goes to 192 with my dac, tidal limited to 96k). Sounds almost comparable to dsd in fact but nothing beats SACD surround (ex. EJ Tumbleweed Connection through low jitter connection direct to AV is best I've ever heard). Surprisingly, the XM app sounds excellent and a little different than other service although only cd quality. It has a bassier more powerfull sound and I suspect either maybe some smiley face eq happening. I like smiley eq and need it in my car otherwise my Focals sound way too bright and I can't crank them. I still like to buy SACD for the surround content but see no reason to buy CDs with my current setup and all these services. We are living in a golden age for music selection AND quality!

Once again it needs to be said.
All this A/B’ing means nothing, if you’re not listening to the same issue of the album in both a/b’s. Are you listening to the compressed re-issues v the non compressed original release.
Give us which one in your opening before saying anything on which sound better, and chances are you can’t because you can’t get the provenance with anything streamed or downloaded.

EG:
https://dr.loudness-war.info/album/list?artist=the+traveling+wilburys&album=

Remember "If there’s no quite there’s no loud" (dynamic range)
Listen/watch this
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Gmex_4hreQ&ab_channel=MattMayfieldMusic

Cheers George

According to GoldenSound over at YouTube, you will never know if what you're hearing via Tidal is HighRes or upsampled Redbook. His investigation goes into great depth on the MQA rip off and Tidal doesn't come out looking all that good as a result.
https://www.realhd-audio.com/?p=7258
The video is almost 40 minutes but once you start, you won't be able to stop listening. 

All the best,
Nonoise

Yeah, and P. McGowen (PS Audio) also bought into it at first probably because the $$$ signs were flashing. Then later when this got out even before this vid, he quickly pulled out.
Now the same is happening with these mega dollar boutique ac mains fuses, some that have around 1000% mark up.
There’s a moto with these guys "follow the $$$"

Cheers George

I have read the articles on MQA but Tidal sounds good to me and my non-mqa dac shows 96k which is pretty high resution. The Doge 7 dac I use makes more difference in sound then getting the full unfold on my node's MQA dac. As far as provenance its not too hard to tell for many artists that my cd is same mix as the one online because there is only one mix.(ex. Van Hunt debut cd)
I do curate my cd collection and seek out the best mixes when there have been multiple issues over the years. Some hi res remasters are really good as aging rockstars finally dust off the true original masters and put out their best sounding cataloug yet uncompressed in hi res glory (led Zep comes to mind). Don't like licensing schemes but can't argue with great sound. Tidal or Quobuz through a good dac can be very engaging and indistinguishable from a transport playing the cd through the same dac when doing A,B comparisons in my experince