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Streaming for beginner

I have a PS Audio front end-- DMP disc player and DirectSteam DAC. Very happy with the resolution and performance, especially from my redbook cd collection. For those familiar with the DSD, it is upgradable via a network bridge card to become a dedicated streamer. When I bought this DAC, I was looking ahead to an eventual migration to streaming.
I also have a Spotify account, that currently only serves me as a companion to my iPhone during walks and exercise.

My question: assume my goal is to stream for convenience, simplicity, and achieve audio quality that equals or surpasses that of redbook cd’s. I am not looking to purchase music or download it for storage. What am I missing? I also have a dedicated iPad that can serve as the interface to the DAC/Streamer. Spotify also claims that streaming in high resolution is available on my account. Do I need anything else? Am I oversimplifying this?

I am a beginner when it comes to streaming, so please answer in simple terms since I will not be familiar with a lot of the services and components mentioned elsewhere in these forums. In fact, confusing enough for me that it is forcing me to ask here.


mbiondo
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cleeds
5,921 posts
 
vtvmtodvm
Re. sound quality, current redbook CD is as good as it gets ... Higher resolution programming sources are not going to provide any audible advantage, although the power of expectation bias can be very persuasive.
Actually, blind testing has shown your opinion-stated-as-fact to be mistaken. There is some background info here, if you’re interested.

I’m not necessarily a fan of blind testing. But it’s the gold standard for measurementalists, who oddly sometimes reject it when it doesn’t suit their own "expectation bias."
coppy777
136 posts
 
No one seems to have mentioned it but the biggest difference for me between Qobuz/Hi Res and Tidal/MQA are their respective music catalogs.  Tidal is more focused on contemporary Rock, etc, while Qobuz has the best Jazz and Classical selections.  I have both and Roon as well.  My DAC is dCS Bartok streamer.  I personally prefer Qobuz for sound quality and catalog.   
Roon is handy for combining the favorites of both services and a some downloaded or ripped owned albums and their Radio feature along with piping music to other sources in the house. And lots of cool metadata if you're into that.  But it only works at home.  dCS has their own streaming ap called Mosaic that goes directly to the streaming sites and eliminates all programs and equipment in between.  It provides best sound.  Get Roon on a trial to see if you like it before subscribing.  Good Listening!
discopants
149 posts
 
I'm with Bobby , streaming is actually not as easy as you would think and getting sound quality to be as good as a decent CD player is not easy. 

I reccomend an Etherregen from Uptone Audio, about $670 your side of the pond if you want to feed your system with Ethernet. This is a better investment than high end Ethernet cables with filters.  Computer equipment is noisy on the whole but there are audio engineers getting in to better design of this kit now.

You can improve the system further by ditching switched power supplies for linear ones. Then power conditioning, vibration control, room correction. You can even reclock the Etherregen switch down the line.  Available on 30 day try or return , you are on the hook for the return postage. 

Thank me later.
discopants
149 posts
 
Oh, and for me in my system Spotify sounds fantastic , as does you tube. I also have Qobuz and it's marginally better on some recordings vs Spotify. Spotify is the better streaming service all round though IMO. It's much better user experience for making play lists and suggestions as to what you may like and the library is huge. I listen (and watch) you tube about 40% of the time and Spotify and qobuz about 30% of the time. It's all down to how good the the material is produced and mixed but there is some seriously fine sounding stuff on you tube lots of great live sets you tube algorithms are also excellent for discovery. 

I'm running a Lyngdorf TDAI3400 (everything converts to 24 bit 96k) , I run a Cisco 2960 switch in front of the Etherregen and my apple TV goes to the cisco. Chaining the switches like this further improves sound quality even for content from the apple TV.


vtvmtodvm
66 posts
 
cleeds—Thanks for the reference. That's relatively new data; I hadn't seen it before. No time to review now, but will get to it soon.

Previous blind studies (all relatively old) had always indicated no statistically valid distinction between redbook and higher rez. And the general consensus is that redbook has only improved in the recent decade, as DACs have progressed. It may be (?) that rebook represents the point of perception, so that aural judgement is in a sort of "knife's edge" balance at that point.
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