Streaming vs traditional

I ripped my entire (4,000+) CD collection in FLAC and store it on a network server so that it is accessible via software to stream to any system in the house.  I use a separate DA converter (which sounds significantly better than any I've heard in any streaming system - I use Sonos). 

I did some A/B testing between live CD play and ripped flac files run through the same DA conversion and system and we were unable to detect any significant difference.

Streaming amounts to a huge convenience - to be able to access all your music from a laptop or iPad without having to search for a disc.

If your music collection is sizeable, I recommend it.

I could not live without streaming. From being able to listen to great radio stations like Jazz.FM  from all over the world to having all of my music at the touch of a button or browser.

I buy CD's, but I cannot remember the last time I spun one. I don't even have a disk player attached to my DAC.

Tidal is available now on most streamers and has an AMAZING old school catalog. From Chet Baker to Prince, Led Zeppelin, completely worthwhile.

The newest streamers and DAC's have much better clocks than they did 15 years ago. The biggest gripe I have is software and Android compatibility.  For these reasons I am loathe to give up my Logitech Squeezebox Touch as the streaming infrastructure here.

Best,


E

Should also point out, with exceptions like DSD and https://referencerecordings.com/

it is very difficult to get high resolution music files. You are stuck with Redbook.  Truth be told though, modern (< 5 years) DAC's sound phenomenal with Redbook now.

Also, a plug for Blue Coast Records :

http://bluecoastrecords.com/

Best,

Erik

Like others I can hear no difference between identical files either from a CD or server or streaming. Provided you have good gear it should reliably play an identical file with the same quality whether it was from a CD, a sever or over the Internet.

I highly recommend Tidal for its excellent catalog and CD and greater quality of resolution.

I recommend Roon as the best interface for access and bit perfect playback of your music collection - it works seamlessly with Tidal

I think it is useful to distinguish between two kinds. The first is streaming from your own hardisk. This was the common way to do this: you rip (i.e. copy) your cds to you rown harddisk, or you buy downloads, and then access those from a device. The other is streaming from the internet, from services like Spotify, Tidal or Qobuz. If the latter are also full cd red book (losslessly compressed in e.g. FLAC) they will sound identical to cd's.  For now, Spotify only does 320 kbs (lightly) compressed, but Qobuz and Tidal also offer full red book cd quality. Whether you can hear the difference is a matter for debate (BBC research believe you cannot, and I am inclined to believe them). Anyhow, more bandwidth uses a lot more energy, and hence produces more pollution. However, in the footsteps of Qobuz and Tidal even Spotify is about to introduce full red book cd streams. My own preference is for streaming with a Chromecast Audio.