CD or Streaming... am I missing out?

The streaming process is prone to loss that CD's dont have, because it involves a more complicated delivery chain to get the bytes to the DAC - which involves traveling through your network EQ that introduces noise and bit-timing issues to the DAC.

The streaming process is prone to loss that CD’s dont have, because it involves a more complicated delivery chain to get the bytes to the DAC - which involves traveling through your network EQ that introduces noise and bit-timing issues to the DAC.

The  jitter figures will be higher, has anyone seen any measured data on this??

Cheers George

Hi,

Really depends at what level of the audio spectrum you are looking, if mobile is one thing then streaming is ok. If High End then CDT + DAC may be the safest.

Has you may know in Audio is timing critical, and on a CD player or a CDT + DAC you get a controlled environment, where all the aspects of the implementations have been thought through.

On streaming, if using an external provider there is a part of the signal path that you will never control (basically all that comes before your home router) and can affect timing and other variables. If you use a in house streaming like Roon or HQ player then you probably can get very good results. But in both situations and on the side that you control, you need to pay attention to the implementation detail.

I still have CD's because they help me:
1. Compare the SQ of the external streaming services
2. Compare the SQ of my in house streaming
3. Spin CD's just for fun of it :-D

All routers generate noise and  RFI. This can be passed to the audio system. The amount of RFI thru the service provider is very high. 
A linear power supply can lower the noise floor by replacing the very cheap supplied wall-wart. My router is plugged into a Brick Wall PC and the increased clarity through my CAT8 is without a doubt audible. 

Streaming only...Qobuz Hi-Rez/Node2i/ARC Dac7...No added expense of buying transport and hundreds of cd’s, no storage worries...I’m like a kid in a candy store, couldn’t be happier!