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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
128x128rvpiano
georgehifi's avatar
georgehifi
10,312 posts
 
same or better if higher rez files.
If your talking DSD, it sucks just like sacd did, compared to PCM/Redbook 16/44 or 24/96 and if it ever pulls it’s finger out DXD.

Cheers George
audioengr
3,282 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.

This is simple. The Synchro-Mesh reclocker connects in-line with the digital coax cable. Cable in and cable out, so you need a second cable. All coax cables should be 1.25-1.5m in length, not shorter. You can connect your sources to the Synchro-Mesh input using Toslink or coax and the output to your DAC using either Toslink or coax. You can actually connect two sources, both the CD Transport and the Chromecast to the input of the Synchro-Mesh and switch between them, one Toslink and one coax. They can both have lower jitter going to your DAC.

The Synchro-Mesh in addition to lowering jitter also provides galvanic isolation, so the ground of the sources are not connected to the DAC. This eliminates ground-loops and the noise that these produce. The Synchro-Mesh also upsamples the data from 16/44.1kHz to 24/96kHz, which is beneficial because your DAC will select a better sounding digital filter that has minimal artifacts in the audio range.

The risk of trying this is low because the SM and BNC cables have 30-day money-back guarantee, less shipping.

BTW, I highly recommend this Toslink cable:

https://btpa.com/TOSLINK-XXX.html

Steve N.

Empirical Audio

rvpiano's avatar
rvpiano OP
2,656 posts
 
Audioengr,

Thanks a lot for your input.
djones51
4,947 posts
 
To me Tidal CD or MQA streamed through my node2i using the dac on my integrated sounds as good as cd on CDP through the same dac. Maybe my ears aren’t good enough to notice.
jond's avatar
jond
5,807 posts
 
@georgehifi You misunderstood me I was simply saying a CD player of the exalted quality of your Linn CD12 would sound better than any download not to mention many other CD players.
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