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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
4afsanakhan OP
140 posts
 
Hi Limomangus,

A good vinyl system is very addictive, but yes a lot of work to keep. Its worth it if the setup is good though. A lot of great LPs out there in thrift shops at $1 - $2 ea. I like house music too and there are many superb collections out there. Dependent on recording, a CD will sound very high quality on a good player and system. Streaming can sound amazing too, but the reason I started this thread, was to share my concern with spotty streaming quality from services such as Tidal. I listen sometimes to Soundcloud, and I have found so much great music, really superb, on there. Soundcloud is a the platform where so many young talented musicians, djs and amateurs offering to share their music. I’ve found much music including house music on vinyl and converted and streamable on Soundcloud.
arcticdeth's avatar
arcticdeth
1,572 posts
 
CD player all day every day. 
 A nice CD player, descent cables, 
and the toughest is the recording, some CDs are horrible, some sound flawless, that is the factor.
it don’t matter the CD player, cables, amp, speakers, a bad recording will sound bad regardless of quality of components. 

georgehifi's avatar
georgehifi
10,312 posts
 
CD player all day every day.
A nice CD player, descent cables,
and the toughest is the recording, some CDs are horrible, some sound flawless, that is the factor.
Just make sure you get the (used) earlier non-compressed cd issue and not the usually "horrible" compressed later issue.
Check here for the cat. no.
EG:
https://dr.loudness-war.info/album/list?artist=the+traveling+wilburys&album=

Remember "If there’s no quite there’s no loud" (dynamic range)
Listen/watch this
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Gmex_4hreQ&ab_channel=MattMayfieldMusic

Cheers George
cd318
2,636 posts
 
Yes, this is something a growing number of music fans are showing increasing  concern with.

Perhaps if the headphone enthusiasts lend their voice against this deplorable practice then something might eventually happen to rescue us.

It's quite telling that hardly any of the mainstream audio reviewers are going out on a limb against the use of dynamic compression.

How can this be so when they appear to seem to be advocating the best possible sound quality?

Could it be that they are really very little more than equipment shills, whoring their column inches carefully as to not offend their paymasters?

The nerdy pen pushing eunuch 
advertising wing of an industry trying to keep its head above water whilst in the middle of some strange global changing of the guards experiment?

For sure, audio playback might be small potatoes in comparison to what's happening elsewhere, but for anyone with any interest in music, surely life-like dynamic range is up there with things to be concerned about?

Ok, the artists themselves want to sell more product, make more money, and that often means making it sound comparitively louder, and that's fair enough.

Therefore it's up to us, the consumers, to refuse to buy any more music that has had its dynamics deliberately reduced.

It's not good, and it's not High Fidelity.


"Now, you see this one-eyed midget shouting the word "Now"
And you say, "For what reason?" and he says, "How"
And you say, "What does this mean?" and he screams back, "You're a cow!Give me some milk or else go home"
And you know something's happening but you don't know what it isDo you, Mr. Jones?"
jasonbourne52's avatar
jasonbourne52
2,863 posts
 
99% of the population want convenience over sound quality. The future of "true-to-the-source" music recordings is bleak!
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