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Sound quality issues streaming from Tidal vs CD

I am hoping someone familiar with streaming from Tidal might be able to help.

I have recently installed the Pro-Ject Streambox S2 Ultra, which is a small Raspberry Pi based network bridge. I connect this to my router via ethernet cable and to my Vitus DAC (which is part of the CD player) via USB. My CD player obviously outputs through the same DAC.

The sound quality from CD is so much better than the sound quality from Tidal (I am a Tidal Hifi subscriber).

So my questions are:

1. Is this just a feature of streaming via the internet, it simply is not as good as a good quality CD transport?
2. Or is it an issue with the Pro-Ject - would something like the Autralic Aries G2 (also a network bridge with no DAC) which costs 6 times the price of the Pro-Ject, improve the Tidal stream?
3. Or is it the fact that the USB cable I am using is an entry-level £10 cable?
4. Or is it Tidal? - would Qobuz sound better?

Any advice or knowledge would be welcome.
128x128duckworp
tom8999
151 posts
 
Please simplify your life - get a LUMIN ASAP. I bought the LUMIN D1 four years ago - connect it to your Router via an Ethernet cable. My house is hard wired with Ethernet in all major rooms. Hard wire from the LUMIN into your Stereo input on your Preamp. LUMIN has two outputs - balanced and unbalanced. I feed both of my systems from one LUMIN - the TIDAL feed (especially MQA ) is amazingly good!! I do not use my turntable or CD player any more. The LUMIN interface via my I Pad Mini works great - the sound is the best I have ever heard out of my system!!

your usb feed is your weak link

Please simplify and just go buy the best Streamer/DAC on the market, and get back to enjoying the music!
larry5729's avatar
larry5729
1,008 posts
 
I had issues when trying to stream Tidal wirelessly.  The signal kept breaking up.  I fixed the problem by hard wiring my modem to my Apple TV using CAD5 cable and ran CAD6 to my receiver.  I can’t tell the difference in sound quality compared to CD.  I would imagine using a PS Audio streamer would sound nicer.  However, how much better after dropping $6,000x
loconut71
7 posts
 
The Tidal issues I have experienced was not using the digital input on my preamp. Later when I upgraded to the hifi subscription Tidal told me the master quality had to be done from pc. Now I use my pc for Tidal and Qobuz. Huge difference and that is using a USB cable.
duckworp's avatar
duckworp OP
257 posts
 
Thanks for all your very informative replies. I will certainly try some of the ideas you put forward. Fortunately I don’t get drop out problems with Tidal, the issues are just in sound quality: compared to the CD the music has grit, the top end is not clean, the bass less defined, the music is flatter with no depth. Hopefully with some of your suggestions I can improve this. If not I may have to invest in a better quality network bridge streamer. The DAC I have in the Vitus is very very good, so I will continue to use that, but perhaps I will need to investigate what alternatives there are in the streamers that have no DAC.
kehonkahill
13 posts
 
I stream Tidal and CD’s using the same Oppo 105 player and there is no question that CD’s
sound much better. I would love to be able to stream with the same results as playing CD’s and would have no problem paying for that service if that was the case but still debating whether to continue paying. I like the ability to explore new music and listen to music I probably would not buy otherwise. When it's time for serious listening, it’s playing the disc, whether SA or standard disc, which by the way I think the quality from your standard CD on the Oppo is overlooked
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