Is using streaming services worthy of an audiophile?

It wouldn't destroy the illusion, but might impinge the narrative.

"... almost ALWAYS sound thin, wiry, bass shy, rolled off, tinny, electronic, lumpy, two dimensional, boring, synthetic, fake, congealed, and a lot like paper cache."

  I have both a decent vinyl rig and digital.  Broad generalizations like the above has just not been my experience.  For me it "almost ALWAYS" comes down to the individual recordings.  Sometimes vinyl sound better...sometimes digital.  I'm just happy to have the choices and do not feel the need to draw a line in the sand and take a stand for one or the other.  Same is true of streaming... just another choice. 

+1, randyhat

I too, have heard excellent examples  of both formats. Anyone that says that one format can always outdo the other is only fooling themselves. It's all about recording quality.

One format always outperforms the other? Are you hot dogging me? 🌭

Nobody said that. Obviously a good example of either format - and one that is tweaked to perfection - can outperform a bad example or a stock out of the box example of the other format. Hel-loo! Each format has it’s advantages. Well, potential advantages. You don't hear too many CDs that actually have a dynamic range of 90 dB, do you? Let’s bring the argument back down to Earth.

+2 randyhat. I am not sure I understand the analog vs. digital debate. I guess I could if I had to pick one or the other... but I don’t. I mean I can purchase a turntable, tonearm, cartridge, needle and phono preamp AND I can aquire a DAC, streamer or computer to play digital music. I can listen to either format. I think the debate is silly because if I were thinking one is better than the other I would be listening to that format and if I changed my mind switch back. What is the problem????
BTW I have two audio systems, in one I have a tube amp, the other a solid state amp.... again not a problem only more options.