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
rvpiano's avatar
rvpiano OP
2,654 posts
 
jafant,

Thanks for asking.  Aside from the new Arcam streamer which Is a big improvement over Chromecast, I’m getting a new power cable for my DAC and new speaker cables from Morrow.
Interestingly, now that I have been extensively streaming, I have gone back to my original assessment that, on my system,  CDs sound better: more detail and life.

How about you?  Any new stuff?
rvpiano's avatar
rvpiano OP
2,654 posts
 
Whoever said once you start streaming you’ll never go back, was right.
 I hardly play CDs or records anymore, unfortunately.
rvpiano's avatar
rvpiano OP
2,654 posts
 
Even though they sound better!
rvpiano's avatar
rvpiano OP
2,654 posts
 
As I said to a friend recently, the world of music open to you through streaming is akin to the era of free sex in the sixties and seventies prior to AIDS.
donjr
1,335 posts
 
@rvpiano, did you listen to CD's and vinyl recordings in their entirety? If so I wonder i you do the same while streaming. One of the things I like about CD's and vinyl is that when I put one on, I always listen to the entire record. 

More to discover