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CD Quality Versus Streaming Quality

I realize this will be a contentious subject, and far be it from me to challenge any of the many expert opinions on this forum, but if I may offer my feedback vis-a-vis what I am hearing, and gain some knowledge in the process.

i will begin saying that my digital front end setup is not state of the art, but i have had the good fortune to listen to a number of really high-end systems. I guess the number one deficit in my digital front end is a streamer server, and no question about it that will improve the sound.

My CD player is a universal player; Pioneer BDP-09fd. It uses Wolfson DACs. It has been modified to a degree. I have bought and sold other players, but kept this one, because it has a beautiful sound that serves the music well.

Recently, i ventured over to my son’s place and we hooked up my player (he doesn’t have one and rely’s on streaming only) We compared tracks / albums of CD quality and master quality streamed on Tidal with ‘redbook’ CDs I have. For example, some Lee Ritenaur CDs and some Indian classical and the wonderful Mozart and Chopin.
His system is highly resolving.

we were both very surprised to find the CDs played on the player to be the better sound. And not just by a little. The sound was clearly superior, with higher resolution and definition, spatial ques, much better and clearer imaging. Very surprising indeed. Shouldn’t there be no difference? This would suggest the streaming service is throttling the bandwidth or compressing the signal?

i am most interested to hear others’ observations, and suggestions as to why this might be? I do love the convenience aspect of streaming, but it IS expensive for a chap like me of fairly modest means. The Tidal HiFi topline service is $30 per month I believe, something the good lady is not too thrilled about. God forbid I should suggest Roon on top of that I may likely get my walking papers. I jest, but only partially LoL. My point is, if I pay this sort of money, isn’t it fair to expect sound to equal the digital stream from the CD player and silver disc?
Thoughts?

AK





4afsanakhan
Post removed 
georgehifi's avatar
georgehifi
10,312 posts
 
“I predict you’ll all be listening and likely loving streaming at some point.”
Yes we will, but let make sure it’s the way we want it, untouched/uncompressed, not butchered for listening to in the car/ear phones/ipods/tv/background dinner music. We need the provenance of the recording given before purchase, so you know what your getting. (otherwise hiend audio equipment as we know it will die) 

It won’t happen for close-minded folks like georgehifi. No matter what anyone else says, he will show up shortly with a post outlining another compressed recording link
Like I did say before, there are the odd ones that come through unscathed, but mostly they’ve had the **** squashed (compressed) out of them "fully" and "partially", only a few have been left untouched (all green). This is just a few of the Qobuz
https://dr.loudness-war.info/album/list/dr/1?album=Qobuz
edcyn
1,876 posts
 
As sns sez. I especially agree with his opinions on Springsteen and Genesis recordings. At that time, I was buying first edition vinyl straight off the presses, and the classic Springsteen & Genesis records sounded like they were made to sound good only on AM radio.
georgehifi's avatar
georgehifi
10,312 posts
 
I’m one of those tone deaf doofuses who actually often prefers streamed versions of selections over my original

Actually compression is good for that, it’s also done purposely with the higher end earing aids.

Cheers George
4afsanakhan OP
138 posts
 
Listened to some CDs last night on the Oppo UDP-203. It has AKM ‘Velvet’ DACs as opposed to the UDP-205’s ESS Sabre DACs. Its interesting how they sound different. The 205 sounds a bit more detailed in the higher frequencies. The 203 has a really lovely sound. Those AKM DACs have a certain ‘give’, a certain very slight pillowy softness that makes the sound so listenable and enjoyable. 
Streaming has its place. But I still think, for many recordings - not all, that CDs sound great.
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