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A different world

For decades I have struggled to get digital even close to comparable to analog. Then finally a couple years ago after lots of upgrading and experimentation I succeeded. Streaming is equally satisfying with analog, very, very comparable. The full soundstage, instruments suspended in space, tonal balance, dead silent background, and details of brass cymbals … etc. Red Book CDs through my CD player are bested by my streamer with Qobuz or Tidal with hi-Rez versions.

 

A new world. It takes a while to get it. No longer confined to music you “own” to play over and over. Replay is supplanted by exploration. You love an new (or old album) and hit, “add to library”. It is yours.

So, HiFi+ magazine has an article on building a European 21st Century Jazz Library. I just start with the first album in the list and listen (add to library), the 2nd album (add to library), the third… the forth, fifth… a whole new category of incredible music to sit along side Miles Davis and Hank Moberly. Just a couple days in the life of a audiophile streamer. I could have never predicted this as a possibility ten years ago.

 

You love music? The goal of having an infinite audiophile library is now possible. It is possible at any high end level… just requires knowledge that it can be done… and I guess give up the idea that there is something special about your CD collection, or players.

 

I have a 2,000 vinyl albums, play them, usually one a day. They are fun, occasionally sound ever slightly better… but not significantly, I like them for nostalgic reasons.

ghdprentice
lalitk's avatar
lalitk
5,419 posts
 

@dadork

That’s great that you’re using a direct ‘wired’ connection between router and Node 2i. I would recommend adding a passive filter like upcoming Muon Streaming Filter from Network Acoustics. I have not heard it yet, but as per my conversation with Rich at Network Acoustics it’s a definite improvement upon already excellent ENO Filter. So I would wait to buy anything else until Muon is available. And then there are additional benefits of adding a Ethernet switch but I defer this upgrade until you get a high quality player like LinQ. The Ethernet switch improvements are mixed bag, some hear positive results and others do not.

I have upgraded from ENO filter to Telegartner M12 switch (you can read further about it in my virtual system) but a straight forward passive filter like Muon should be your next step until you’re ready to upgrade your Streaming player. Then we can talk about adding a high quality Ethernet switch in your ethernet signal path. Hope this helps!

dweller's avatar
dweller
3,781 posts
 

I remember a commercial on TV about 20 years ago. A customer is sitting at the counter in a diner with a juke box menu in front of him. The waitress says "every song ever recorded". I thought "whoa!". Guess it has come to pass...

ghdprentice OP
6,945 posts
 

@dweller . 
 

It took a long time. But incredibly worth it. Like the gap between the promise of Windows and the reality, like 25+ years. I was in IT. My job was to separate the marketing hype from reality… it is so great when at long last it becomes reality. I am simply awed every day.

ghdprentice OP
6,945 posts
 

@dadork 

 

Yes, very true. High end streaming is like all other aspects of high end audio, getting outstanding sound requires all components to be of the highest quality and all the little stuff matters. It takes little wrong to collapse the magic bubble… but when you have it… it is breathtaking. 

mapman's avatar
mapman
22,152 posts
 

The streaming components don’t all have to be of highest quality. It just has to be done well, which most modern streamers and DACs are, for outstanding sound.  The end result will depend on the entire system as always.  

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