Anyone else feel like it’s the Wild Wild West?

You can count on the ageless debate…Analog (Vinyl) vs Digital (CD/Streaming)
 

@lalitk No doubt.  But analog is a mature technology relegated to relatively incremental improvements in products/technology while digital — and streaming in particular — is in its infancy by comparison and improving seemingly exponentially in both products and technology, hence my fascination and excitement where digital will be in 10 years.  Even today there are some members here with very nice analog and streaming setups who say the sound they’re getting from streaming now matches or even beats that from their analog gear, so if streaming is getting this close now…

@soix 

I agree for the most part. It’s only going to get better. I have been streaming for over 10 years and for me, my streaming is equally enjoyable as my analog and CD/SACD setups. I am now more focused on optimizing or extracting the most out of my system. 

soix..."So have at it — let’s empower this community in this noble task and help everyone realize the amazing potential of this magic gift to audiophiles.  What say you?"

This is generous lead-in that so typifies, in my humble opinion, my longtime experiences with our audiophile community in general.  Risking some duplication (which might simply reinforce experiences,) I'm electing NOT to read other commentary before posting my 2 cents. 

"Perfection is God's" to quote my 'music-is-for-dancing' wife Mary.  However, streaming music comes pretty damn close.  Living in the wilds of Maine, I'm a reader of the journals in our hobby.  A primary use for them is finding music both gleaned from gear reviews and the music reviews.  Finding this music on the streaming services runs well above 50% in my experience, including the new releases.  I elect to stream music and play-back my ripped lossless files at a bitrate setting of 24/48.  This is set-up by my computer Tech in San Jose who travels deep and wide in the world of digital audio...and vinyl. 

My PC source is delivered to a Focusrite Clarett Pro4 DAC via USB, passed through an Intona galvanized grounding device which aids in creating a darker noise background, gently improving the overall sound.  I'm using a Shunyata Venom USB 2 meter cable to the Intona. 

Last week, I received a built-to-order 1/2 meter Cardas A to C USB cable, replacing a well-built generic cable...something I'd planned to upgrade for a few months now.  For a time, I assisted in testing ANALOG cables with a local friend in the late 90's who's builds went up against the well know high end brands.  Overall, I had very little expectation for the shortie USB upgrade.  I was dead wrong.  The improvement is such that I've ordered a Cardas Clear High Speed Serial Bus replacement for the Shunyata.  Also, after doing a lot of research, I've decided to replace my excellent copper Verastarr Grand Illusion Series ribbon speaker cables with Cardas, creating a loom.  I'm a bit nervous around the experiment, but the speaker cables are used, so I'll have choices without much financial risk.  Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

soix...as to "naysayers who say bits are just bits."  I'm a longtime active member in the Audio Asylum chatroom and have music loving computer Tech friends who do eyerolls around upgrading digital cables to improve audio quality.  I use The Cable Company to feel secure in my purchases for cables and Furutech products.  In mentioning my friend's opinions to Jason, the Cable Co's Tech, he responded with, "Next time you find yourself speaking to your "Tech" buddies, please remind them that digital isn't actually 1s and 0s.
Those digits are merely symbols used to represent pulses of voltage (on and off) traveling along a metal medium. Shockingly, that description describes an analog cable, too; digital cables simply operate at vastly higher frequencies. Technically, the shape of the wave is different too, but that's not the point."  Not having a science background, I found the response interesting, given my long experience.

I'm a bit (intended) of a romantic around our hobby, a pastime made increasingly vital by these challenging times.  We all a drawn by our personal flavor of sound, hence so many products.  My flavor is a wide stage and depth of field, well defined, holographic, moving imagery...all having fleshed out, rounded solidity as in life.  Abundance of detail and believable timbre plus the"aaahhhh" of musicality, first and foremost. 

The past 25 years have been spent removing resonances created by gear, room and wire in my dedicated studio.  My hobby is ever fluid, a process of betterment and evolution, taking greatness forward.  Always.  

Hoping all you and yours have a great holiday weekend!  More Peace...Pin

I'm a bit (intended) of a romantic around our hobby, a pastime made increasingly vital by these challenging times.

If one is not living in the Ukraine, Afghanistan, parts of Africa, etc, or hungry and homeless, then the “challenging times” of what audiophile cable to select seems to be a bit “first world“?

holmz...a fair retort, indeed.  We married late, Mary and I, and a close friend gave us a book depicting photos of people around the world placing the entire contents of their possessions in front of their dwellings, as a wedding present.  We indeed are abundantly wealthy within that context.  Further, as members of the Baha'i Faith with tenets of justice, fairness and equity, we consider ourselves global citizens.  

ON that note, The Cable Company just completed their 27th year of contributing to Summer Against Hunger, another reason for my personal choice.  My deeper point was the abundance of obvious added stressors today for kids, families, friends and our leaders.  The importance of music and the arts in helping us maintain our mental balance, for ourselves and for others. 

I work Customer Service for a longtime outdoor outfitter and my wife is a language arts teacher.  My audio budget is extremely limited and away from our family needs, which should speak to just how important music is to me.  The top tier of TIDAL streaming with a military discount is $12.65 monthly, a huge savings, considering how we accessed music over the years.  The enormous value streaming poses for those on a limited budget is what prompted me to respond in depth to the topic. 

Digital cable swaps are controversial, so I thought I'd share some of that experience towards the topic as well.  Elaborating was simply sharing in our hobby experiences, not sounding boastful, I hope.  

Having an "Audio Tech" assist might sound a bit rich, however, Mike has become a personal friend and we barter goods for services.  I bring it up in here because of the low-cost of streaming from a computer for those on a limited budget.  Many of our Peers are older, and like me, may not be tech savvy.  Seek help maybe from your computer company or local college students.  Almost all the software required is free...add a good DAC and your streaming great sound.

Thanks for the feedback, holmz              More Peace, Pin