Streaming vs Physical Media


I have a decent digital front end with a Lumin U1 Mini (w/ external power supply) and a Border Patrol SE dac.  Have some CDs, but no transport.  Would a CD transport sound better than a streamer of similar quality/price?  

mdonda

@tomcy6

Good point and I think this is precisely what all out efforts like Taiko Audio with their Extreme music server is an example of addressing the noise and power supply issues. By all accounts its sound quality is sublime.It seems to eliminate the need for multiple digital streaming component/parts signal path add ons.

https://taikoaudio.com/taiko-2020/

Charles

@retiredfarmer

It would be really interesting to see your systems. There is a place under your user ID to place photos and identify your components.

 

Up until recently vinyl ruled at all price categories… CDplayers have slowly gained ground (simply a transport + DAC). But in the last few years good quality streamers have made tremendous advancements and now can perform better than CD players (equal on red book CDs and better on high resolution files). This is possible at different price categories. So, I currently have a system where vinyl, CD player, files, and streaming have equally outstanding audiophile sound. Putting together such a system can be done at different cost levels… although I think it is still a bit more challenging at low investment levels.

 

Achieving truly high end sound quality remains challenging. But for those up to the challenge, the effort is most worthwhile by investing in streaming. CD players certainly can sound fantastic, but they do not categorically sound better and they limit you to the physical disks you have in hand. While streaming is available in equal or better sound quality with a nearly infinite library for nearly no cost $14.99 / month… like one CD per month or 1/2 vinyl album.

@ghdprentice  hit the wrong thing and have to start again. The front end has the sonic frontier transport and DAC three with reflector 6922s wired with furutech 55 powercord s and there top of the line plugs and IEC ends. A furutech evolution balanced interconnects.  A Linn lp12 with a xlo reference ten powercord wire into it and a Linn kylde cartridge Linn interconnect a itok Valhalla table. The clear audio base table that is going to be the 78 playback system with a rega78 cartridge. That is balanced and will hook up to the Ayre k1xe phono stage and the Linn will hook up to the audio research reference one phono stage AP's with a set of reflector 6922 tubes.  An Mr 71 McIntosh Turner With a st2 antenna. The Ayre k1xe has a transparent super power cord second generation with the three boxes the top of the line in that series cut the plugs off and installed furutech gold 48 plugs and IEC ends on it there are three dedicated 20amp circuit s that the front end plugs into. There are two with the top of the line furutech receptacle rodium plated and the other one is the top gold plated receptical. The Ayre is hooked via second generation transparent reference xl balanced interconnects to a pair of mark Levinson 33h mono blocks that have been recapped. Those amps have the top of the line furutech plugs wires on to them three more dedicated 20 amp circuit s on that wall one for each amp and one other the dedicated circuits are all on the same leg of the box they are all the same length the room is 16x23x7.5. the monoblocks are hooked up to the harbeth slh5 speakers via transparent generation three speaker wire. The speaker wire and s raised off the floor on powerline insulators. The speakers are on foundation stands. And all equipment is on thick blocks of dense hardwood purple heart and rosewood.  They have brass points under them each has its own board. All are two inches thick or more. 

 

System two is am Canary audio system. A pair of ca160 mono blocks with a ca 801 two box preamplifier and the Krell 20i cd player.  Wired with a set of first generation transparent reference speaker wire. Furutech RCA interconnects and furutech 55 powercord and two more transparent super three box interconnect s with the furutech gold plated plugs. The Krell has a xlo reference power cord with the best furutech plugs and there furutech receptacles one gold two rodium the ones.  The speakers are a set of equation 25 s.

 

The bedroom system has the Wadia 6 cd player with a melody h88 integrated amplifier that has been modified with oilers and it is an early made in Australia one with RCA tubes  and a pair poison  two  dome phase speakers. Speaker wires are transparent ultra xl second generation. That also has transparent super interconnects and two box transparent plus powercords. Stock ends thinking I should sell them and buy some furutech powercords. Also a McIntosh mr73 tuner. 

 

Home theater system four speakers is all neat stand mounts as rear surround and small front towers MIT terminator 2 speaker wires  furutech HDMI cables and a Sony es blue ray player and a nad receiver. Same two box transparent power cords including the TV. A cheap 75 inch sharp tv lol the furutech HDMI cables were more money than the TV. 

 

Bathroom system lol a set of kef in wall speakers and an aa001 integrated amplifier with a cheap Sony blue ray. More two box transparent power cords.a 32 in h sharp tv mounted on the wall I can watch a movie while relaxing in the jet tub. 

 

 Lol the garage system I have to get in from the farm a pair of beat klipsh Cornwall speakers and an old Kenwood integrated with a tube Sherwood tuner. That was a second hand store buy less than a hundred dollars on that one! Took about five years to find the pieces for it. Lol. 

 

I will see if I can post a few pictures for you. Regards 

As an individual, who has a short history with using a CD Source in my System, and have been very impressed with using the method as a Source. I have been positively influenced through the use of Digital Stored Information a Hard Medium being used for musical replays.

The good impression made on myself, has also been instrumental in my developing an interest in learning about other Sources 'used' or 'shortlisted to be used' for Digital Replays, at present, it is quite a broad interest in devices, CDT's, DAC's Streaming via Laptop or Dedicated Streaming Devices.

A Thread with such content as this does present Source Equipment, with user assessment to back up the suggestions, that enables a shortlist of devices to be produced and investigated further.