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Streaming vs CD transport direct comparison


Yesterday we had a day at a friends comparing the title to this thread.
System consisted of:
  • Speakers — Wilson Alexia series 2
  • Amplifier — Gryphon Audio Antileon EVO
  • Preamplifier — Supratek Cortese or Lightspeed Attenuator LDR passive or source direct (we used the Supratek for instant a/b ability)
  • Sources — Digital: 432Evo Music Server Roon Core (owner has found Roon to be the best)
  • Yamaha CD-S2100 as transport,
  • Totaldac d1-core DAC.

We A/B both (levels matched) CD to 432Evo (streamed, saved and/or to H/D) with a number of albums same versions, classical, jazz, soft rock, hard rock.
The overwhelming consensus of all 5 listeners (some that "were" originally very pro streaming) was that the CD was firstly clearly more dynamic, had better separation and was blacker background between notes and it was also clearer through the vocals that were hard to hear what was being said, than what came out of the 432Evo.
This is the third time I’ve sat in on this kind of A/B on different systems all were similar on how the differences came out.
I can say the streamer would be a slightly better late night low volume level system to play, as it’s dynamics wouldn’t wake other people in the same building. Where the CD you’d be running for the volume every time there was a big dynamic passage.

Cheers George
128x128georgehifi
georgehifi's avatar
georgehifi OP
10,312 posts
 
Even so I bought my first and only high end CD transport this year.
However if not A B ing the difference is not really noticeable
Yes I would go along with that day to day not A/B'ed, but I think the listening sessions with the streamer would be shorter as the wow! factor would be less.

That tells me very little, other than they probably were influencing one another (or it wouldn't be unanimous).
Before we started it wasn't going to be an A/B between the 2 formats, just get together for a listening session between buddies.
But the 2 "pro streamers" were adamant when the subject was mentioned that streaming was better if not at least equal, to CD. We only up till then were listening to the streamer up till lunch. That's what led to the A/B'ing of the two after lunch, and when they then even quietly conceded and agreed on the difference.
Mind you I'm sure in their minds there were probably excuses to why, but they didn't or couldn't bring them up.
BTW And no there wasn't any MQA played

Cheers George  
milpai's avatar
milpai
2,420 posts
 
Well, there is NOT a single system on audigon or for that matter I bet anywhere on planet earth that would match any other person's system. So what the OP heard and experienced in his friend's system is valid and true. Now how would the same music source (that exact CD and the exact streaming service) sound on a different system, is out of OP or anyone's hand.In my system, based on the comparison I did, I liked the quality of streaming slightly better than the CD. But again, it is not a dedicated player. It is a universal player. But the DAC remains the same for the CD and the streaming (FLAC/DSF files). So opinions will be different based on our own experiences. Nothing to fret about or claim dominance of one over the other.
georgehifi's avatar
georgehifi OP
10,312 posts
 

Bet the only streamed version of this is the 2001 version.
  https://forum.audiogon.com/posts/2065688  
And not the far better 1995 version, which has one less track, and has differently arranged track no. compared to the 2001 one.

Cheers George

bsme85
151 posts
 
I liked the sound quality of streaming to my DAC from my NAS better than from my CD transport which is why I converted my CDs to flac or wav. I don’t subscribe to any of the streaming services like Qobuz or Tidal.
gadawg58
43 posts
 
I tend to agree with OP that SACD or Redbook sounds better in my setup than streaming. Esoteric P-02X/D-02X combo. Aurender streamer. Only exception is that I’ve found recently that I like some of the quad and dual rate dsd downloads even better than SACD but it not an apples to apples comparison. 
George
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