2. digital
  3. 140561-89202

Sound Quality of red book CDs vs.streaming

I’ve found that the SQ of my red book CDs exceeds that of streaming using the identical recordings for comparison. (I’m not including hi res technology here.)
I would like to stop buying CDs, save money, and just stream, but I really find I enjoy the CDs more because of the better overall sonic performance.
 I stream with Chromecast Audio using  the same DAC (Schiit Gumby) as I play CDs through.
I’m wondering if others have had the same experience
128x128Ag insider logo xs@2xrvpiano
1markr
594 posts
 
So, lemme see if I got this right.... you are streaming a service from some device (iPhone, iPad, laptop??) to the Chromecast via Bluetooth (strike 1), then the Chromecast is connected to your Gumby via USB (strike 2). Now onto Redbook CDs - you are playing them thru some CD transport, outputting SPDIF (hopefully coax) to the Gumby.

If I got the above right, there is no doubt in my mind that Redbook would be superior to your streaming services (any of them). 

I finally got amazing "streaming" music quality once I took USB out of the direct loop using a DDC (in my case a Matrix SPDIF2, converting USB from my MacBook Pro laptop to AES/EBU for my DAC; even SPDIF coax sounded superior, but I like AES/EBU a little better). 

I don't think any streaming service will outperform Redbook in your setup, assuming I understand your setup correctly.
audioengr
3,282 posts
 

Results depend on the CD transport and the cables used. Chromecast Audio will sound better if you insert a reclocker inline with the DAC.  

Absolutely.  MP3 or ALAC streamed files will always lose a little depth and width over the .wav file (CD quality), but if you minimize the jitter from the Chromecast, the streamed files may be even better than the CD transport.  If you use a Synchro-Mesh to reclock with one of my excellent BNC-BNC cables, it will probably beat the transport.  I stream occasionally  using Amazon Prime music and it sounds wonderful.  Not as good as my Ethernet renderer, but really nice.  I don't use any transport by itself because the jitter is too high.  I only use my Oppo for movies now and reclock it with an iFi SPDIF iPurifier, which reduces jitter for Dolby Digital tracks.

Steve N.

Empirical Audio

georgehifi's avatar
georgehifi
10,312 posts
 
@georgehifi "Why is the Linn CD12 sounding better than their downloads?"
I didn't mean Linn's downloads, I meant the downloads the owner of the HD servers with downloaded music on them they bought to compare to my Linn CD12.

Cheers George   
nonoise's avatar
nonoise
10,891 posts
 
A lot of us are old enough to remember the good old days of radio, and the best part about it was that it was free. Now, we’re being convinced that being our own personal DJ is the way to go and to stream our music, but there’s a catch. All you have to do buy even more stuff that’s not ready for prime time as it’s continually being developed and refined. Then, you need to pay some HOA fees (the streaming service itself and your internet provider).

I’ll stay with my CDs. 😄

All the best,
Nonoise
rvpiano's avatar
Ag insider logo xs@2x
rvpiano OP
2,667 posts
 
I connect Chromecast to the Gumby with an optical cable.
i am using a coax to connect CD transport to Gumby.
What can I do to improve the streaming quality.
How do I minimize the jitter from the Chromecast?
I don’t know what a reclocker is or how it connects.
More to discover