CD or Streaming... am I missing out?

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.

p05129

It was proven over a dozen years ago that reading music from a hard drive sounded better than reading it from a cd.

It was? Who proved that? Where is the proof?

I can say this about comparing music from CDs vs SSD files.  On my system, which I feel is very resolving now, they sound very close to the same.  I am a bit chagrined about that considering I ripped all of my CDs using a $40 DVD/CD Reader/writer attached to my MacBook Pro using DBPowerAmp's CD ripper.  I got me a CD Transport that uses vacuum tubes on the output.  This transport has several output options:  BNC, Coaxial, optical and it also can upsample CDs to 128kHz DSD with output through either I2S or 3 BNC connectors (I think this output is SS).  My DAC also uses vacuum tubes on the output plus it has a vacuum tube regulated power supply.  It sounds very nice. The 3 BNC output/input sounds the best and the I2S is very nearly identical.  I was blown away with the sound of CDs on my new system.  I hear details in my CDs now that I had never heard before.  It dispelled all of my notions about the limitations of CDs.  Plus I can listen to my CDs all day long.  Not like before where after one disc or so I either switched to vinyl or walked away.  So after getting the music server I listened back and forth and I cannot really tell much difference between spinning the CD and playing the FLAC.  Still, I enjoy spinning the CDs but sitting in my chair with my iPad and getting the same and even better sound with hi res is going to make me lazy I think.

@tonywinga, DSotM is a remarkable recording ... great experience post.