Is Pretty Good Good Enough? Listening Habits In The World Of Streaming Services.

Just some advice. If Tidal at FLAC, or better yet, kinda-sorta-HD (MQA sans 2nd unfold) is not better than the same CD, you don't have something set up right.

Long ago i concluded that ripped to my laptop and played back bitpperfect >> he same CD, and then that streaming was  identical to he ripped CD.  With a better server and the isolation of a bridge - its better.  Now factor in the remasters and MQA that are so often available through Tidal and its regularly much better, if only because the master is better.  Spend some more time.

'later

CD, SACD, SHM-CD, SHM-SACD, DVD audio, etc etc. 

  dedicated CD player, descent cables, quality preamp, power amp(s)

Way above and beyond downloading, streaming, Amazon, apple downloads , etc etc. 

bought a handful of Apple Music, and songs,through,Amazon, etc,….there is no comparison in quality, CD, and hard copies wreck streaming, downloads, the music I’ve downloaded, bought highest quality available, will burn to cd, it is filled with audible hiss, sometimes a slight loss in some Freq’s compared to playing the same song on cd. Not bad if your not listening for it, we have a very revealing and accurate system, and shows flaws in audio sometimes. 
 

I did run the songs through audiolab 3.0, lower the high freq’s and upper midrange freq’s just a “dab”. Then burn again with 96K on a taiyo yuden cd-r. 
 

  Much better, but I should not have to do so when spending money on “air” or buying “nothing”. 
don’t buy much music this way, only a handful of download only bonus stuff, or bonus tracks from a,specific album on apple or Amazon. So when I add the downloaded song to the hard copy rip to iTunes, there is a fairly noticeable dip or increase in volume, or audio quality. 
 

It is all about the music any way I can get it. Yes I prefer and enjoy my reference system but that does no stop me from listening to music in my car, on the plane, or in my office through wireless bluetooth speakers. I will take music any way I can get it and the fringe delivery systems only make me appreciate and enjoy my reference system that much more. I stream Qobuz and it sounds really good and it has allowed for me to discover new artists I would have never found before.  Just shut down the echo and noise in your head and enjoy the music.

lg1 This post of yours sounds exactly as if I wrote it. I tried Tidal but found Qobuz more to my taste. Glad to see I am not alone in these thoughts and actions.

The Grace Digital Link provides "Good Enough" and maybe more. Anyone spending more than the $179 asking price to stream is tossing away money imo. If you want hi-res, as MC pointed out, listen to an LP....its where it's at if you want all your "inner detail". Streaming is a convenience, that's it! It is not for critical listening.