My good friend, who also design's analog and digital products uses Tidal via hard-wired directly to his Innuos ZENith music-server from his internet-modem as well as via his house A/C line. Doesn't use it via WiFi. The music-server is connected via USB to his DAC. We have loaded exact copies of CD's into the music-server, then listened and compared to the exact same CD via streaming from Tidal, and there is a subtle, but noticeable difference. The loaded CD sounds a smidge quieter, possesses more micro-detail, and just sounds more-real than either from the direct internet connection, or the direct connection via the A/C wiring. I have also experienced the same results with my set-up too, and I use QoBuz. The quality between direct connection from the internet-modem is also slightly better than the A/C internet connection to the music-server, although less noticeable than listening from the loaded CD. This is all in CD-quality format. I have not tried this comparison with Hi-Res music down-loaded to the music-server versus streaming, however I believe it would have similar results. One other thing... In comparison to my dedicated PC with all solid-state memory running the latest JRiver software, the Innuos ZENith music-server beats the PC hands-down !
