I only play flac from a usb stick on my system. It sounds better than streaming.
Sound Quality of red book CDs vs.streaming
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
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This was a mess of unintelligible stuff, but I can see that you don't have the equipment that is up to the task, just as I suspected. If you are using USB and many different software playback apps, the results will be poor. The devil is in the details. This is a system and every part of the system must be optimized to get stellar results, including the playback app, the interfaces, the computer, the cables, the ripping, and the DAC. Steve N. Empirical Audio |
And your point is? There are a lot of BS articles out there from people that don't know Shiit from Shinola. I don't take stock in sources with no credibility. I know what I measure and I know what I hear. My customers agree with what I hear. Steve N. Empirical Audio |
Finally, something true, although FLAC from Tidal is not compressed on playback, so it could possibly match CD playback given the right playback equipment. I can play MP3 from Amazon Prime music with my newest XMOS USB converter, Wireworld Platinum USB cable and one of these: https://sotm-usa.com/collections/sotm-ultra/products/copy-of-tx-usbultra-regenerator-1 The SQ from this beats the CD digital output from my Oppo by a country mile, even though it's compressed. This is because reducing jitter is more important than MP3 compression. Steve N. Empirical Audio |
I have found that redbook sounds better than those same CDs ripped to FLAC files and streamed through the exact same system the CD player goes through. Both the streaming (ROON) and CD player use the same DAC (TEAC NT-505). Streaming when I am not critically listening is fun though due to the ease and how one can free associate with your music and mood switching to different bands and songs with just a few clicks and not having to get up. Now I do not have true hi rez files to compare the CDs with, so I cannot speak to that comparison. |
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