Big source improvement using CD player

stereo5

I, too, enjoy a dedicated cd/sacd player compared to a music server/streamer. More musical to my ears.

Happy Listening!

I also prefer the sound of discs and do not like having to get into a menu on my phone to play music. But I do enjoy streaming at times 

stereo5,

"The music server is a Sony HAP-Z1ES which Stereophile rated an A+ and it received a very high rating from TAS.  The Esoteric player is better, not by that much but it is more enjoyable sound."

My observations, except that it is a Luxman SACD player, are similar. Even when using Luxman player as a DAC for SONY (with SSD). Differences are not that big, but I think they are consistent (no, I never did any kind of real test except  "try this, switch to that").

Thankfully, I take it only as an interesting observation and it is the end of my involvement. Convenience prevails and I virtually never play CDs. And, to emphasize, difference may really be down to my preference and not to "better than...".

I find if I use the Sony server, I don't listen to the entire album.  I am always skipping around.  With the CD player, I listen to the entire disk.  That in itself is much more relaxing to me.

It's one of the reasons I listen to radio during the day. If I stream, I am too easily distracted to change the song.