CD or Streaming... am I missing out?

Def CD.  My wife, occasionally, actually pays attention to what I’m playing. I was listening to my newly received Japanese recorded CD of Days of Future Passed when, from the bedroom around the corner, I heard “wow, that was so clear . . it sounded great.”  She did have a basis of comparison as every morning for about 3 weeks before it was DOFP on Spotify streamed through a Mac MB50 to a Mac MA252 to SF Olympica llls. And for me sitting in the sweet spot,  the richness and timbre of voices were definitely clearer and fuller on the CD.  But, Spotify has given me a universe of music for 10/month.  Best of both worlds. And my CD player is a Sony 300 disc changer. Makes me sad to think how much better the CD might sound with a “real” CD player.  

This is how I relate using streaming (either reading from a hard drive or from the internet): ‘Some people still think that using pen and paper is better than using computers.’
It was proven over a dozen years ago that reading music from a hard drive sounded better than reading it from a cd.
Also with hi-res source material: SACD, dsd, and MQA, these formats exceed vinyl.

mglik

... analog has an infinite sample and bit rate

Were that true, analog would have infinite resolution which, of course, it doesn't. You probably hold the mistaken notion that digital "chops" the sound into discontinuous bits, but that's not how digital works. You might want to watch this.

I am relatively new to streaming.  I tried a few different paths before settling on my music server running Roon with an internal 2TB SSD.  I ripped my CD collection to FLAC files.  I found adding a $20 network switch between my Router and Music Server improved the sound of CD quality (44.1kHz, 16 bit) streaming music (Everything else in the house uses WiFi).  I added an LPS to the network switch mostly to feel better but I think it helped a little too.  Streaming CD quality is still a little less than playing FLAC files on the SSD.  The bass is better with the SSD files.  Hi res music (anything 24 bit) didn't seem to change much with the network switch.  Hi res streaming and playing SSD hi res files seem pretty close.  They sound great either way.  Hi res audio creates a nice large soundstage.  The big step up is downloaded MQA files stored on the SSD.  MQA files create a holographic soundstage that fills the front half of the room rivaling the best vinyl that I have.

I'll share something not digital related to put into context my previous entry.  Since retiring recently, I have revamped my stereo system.  I replaced my preamp of 22 years, my CD player of 15 years with a DAC and CD Transport, and my amp of 21 years.  I replaced my turntable of 27 years last year.  I also replaced all of my cabling from my tonearm to my power cords.  After all that I put on my 40 year old vinyl copy of Mobile Fidelity Labs, Dark Side of the Moon.  Near the end of the 2nd side the "voice" was actually laughing inside my head.  It was like I had on headphones.  I nearly jumped out of my chair.  That was the first time the imaging extended all of the way to my listening chair.  I don't know how they did that but that type of experience makes it all worth it.