Vote Your Ranking -If you have an opinion on this digital subject


There have been many statements made about this question here and on other forums stating differing opinions as which SQ is better :

 

1.-Red book CD

2.-Streamed High resolution files- i.e. Tidal/Qobuz

3.-Downloaded files purchased in Super Hi Res-Acoustic Sounds

4.-Red Book CDs ripped and stored for playback as files

 

Everyone may have an opinion on their preference

but is there any actual evidence of this? I suppose the only

way to produce evidence would be via blind testing and

survey results.

 

So please list in your preferred order the numbers

1,2,3,4  with the 1st being the best/ 4 the worst SQ 

 

Audiophiles may have an idea of their preference

but is there any actual evidence? I suppose the only

way to produce evidence would be via blind testing and

survey results. 

 

Does anyone have some hard facts as it relates to this query? 

 

Thank You.

 

chorus

@ghdprentice, I definitely have to agree with your assessment sir. Having bought and used every high end music reproduction format in the last fifty years plus, streaming is absolutely the way to go now in 2022. 

I do all 4 er 5 er 6...

 

*1 - Vinyl / turntable

1 - SACD player is so analogue, it is always my first choice

2 - Redbook CD is still, for me, the 2nd best

3 - 24/96 or better usually approaches my Redbook CD player, but not always

4 - As long as I have clean rip, software has to be perfect and the log without errors

(think 3 & 4 can sometimes switch positions with the same recording)

2 - always last, still pretty good, but definitely last, (never seems as clean)

 

that was fun... friends I have had over always want to know all of the above and the ubiquitous Vinyl comparison as well, so I set this comparison up a few years back. Ironically even with the pops and sometimes crackles most of the people I have over, even though they hear the vinyl problems, like what a lot of them describe as the smoother sound of the turntable.

2 with the proper streamer- Lumin u1

proper DAC - Denafrips 

a decent cable between the two- audioquest diamond usb 

 

Assuming the same master/mix

1, 3, and, 4 should sound identical and the best.

2 potentially the worst but it could also sound the same.

They should all sound better than vinyl.