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
128x128rvpiano
audioengr
3,282 posts
 

I agree that practically every device on the market can benefit from mods.  Empirical Audio modded 40 different components for about 10 years.  Very lucrative business and lots of happy customers.  However, I got to the point that I could not get the ultimate performance from other companies products with mods in them.  I had to design my own components. My customers begged me to do this.

I still mod components, but only my own.  Every component I make has gone through at least 3 improvements, most of them inexpensive upgrades. It's a vestige from many years at Intel, where continuous improvement is part of the culture.

I also agree that 2- dimensional sound is pervasive, and even sound that resides only between the speakers.  It requires some expenditure to achieve wide and deep soundstage and 3-dimensionality.  It also requires every single thing in the system to be optimized.  Even one poor cable can screw the pooch.

Steve N.

Empirical Audio

fleschler
1,993 posts
 
Yet, 50% of the sound is attributable to the room.  Room acoustics are more important on a percentage basis than a modified Lumin1.  The totality of the audio system equipment, media and tweaks is half the sound.  I'd like to know how your sound room was constructed to meet the 50% portion of the absolute best sound in the world?
geoffkait's avatar
geoffkait
23,365 posts
 
An excellent selling point for headphones. 
bo1972's avatar
bo1972
2,789 posts
 
And yes the acoustic has the biggest influence on sound and stage. In the Tru-Fi world acoustic limitations are gone. When we visit a new client or we go to an audio show we go back in time for 20 years of time.

It looks like they all have been sleeping. We will share our Statement Audio Pro-measurement with different manufacturers in 2019. In the last 8 years I have spend by far the most time regarding research in the acoustic influences of rooms.

Statement Audio Pro-measurement is by far the most influantial tool in audio available. And it will bring audio to a much higher level than what is possible at this moment.

Beside the acoustic. We have done a lot of research since 2015 regarding smog, highfrequent noise and magnetism. And also in these parts we made huge steps in using many different accessoires. And we evfn use it in our modifications.

It creates a superior level in effectiveness. The cost are lower than what can be achieved by other tools for the same money.

I have contact a few times a week with a person who owns the biggest technical support company in my country.

They do technical support for: Lumin, Pass Labs, Marantz, Onkyo, Denon Primare, Mark Levinson, Audio Research and many more.

We talk a lot about the parts they use these days inside their amps, sources etc. The parts are getting cheaper each single year. And these are the facts and they count. This is why audio doesn’t get any better.

2psyop's avatar
Ag insider logo xs@2x
2psyop
1,546 posts
 
I think system variations and opinions on this matter will vary greatly. I have two CD players in two audio systems and have compared the sound of those to my Node 2 streaming ripped CDs. Most often the ripped versions sound slightly better, but maybe the noise of the CD spinner or something else is a factor. My NAS is in another room from my audio room. When I stream via the Node 2, I think Tidal albums sound as good as my CD players, but with Tidal MQA albums, it edges out my CD player with about 80% of the content I find. I cannot argue with Bo1972 (poster above) since he is some kinda audio god and knows everything about Tru-fi.
More to discover