Rediscovery

All of my CD's are ripped and are on a network drive and backup locations.  I play the ripped CD's and stream music via Qobuz through Roon.  I listen to my music through Roon in multiple rooms so CD's don't make much sense for me anymore.  I don't miss the clutter of hundreds of CD in my living room.

I still purchase music. I prefer to purchase high resolution or CD quality downloads if they are available.The music that I purchase is mostly new releases.  Older music that I don't own is usually streamed.  Lately I have been purchasing a lot downloads from Band Camp.  When I buy CD's, I immediately rip them onto the network and the CD's go into bins in my basement.  I won't be going back to physical media.

@tomic601 

I appreciate the suggestion. My sound system(s) and computers have never been allowed to touch to each other, no matter by how frail the tether. I have inculcated hatred, jealousy, and distrust to help keep them apart.

The cd racks are as enjoyable to look at as neatly-stacked artbooks are to me. I keep cd's as far away from the listening room as our current, vast estate will allow. I want to see them all just before I turn out the bedstand light, and again each morning at the crack of 9.

When thinking about what to play, I peruse my alpha database and choose. Then I am forced to get up off of my ancient arse and go fetch it (them.) It also keeps my orthopedists happier, as did swapping out my changer(s) for single-players.

I used to be a museum curator. I love being around tons of old things on shelves, (as long as they're all cataloged and ordered by me), even though I am permitted to touch and move only one thing at a time, with both (cotton-gloved) hands, or possibly lose my accreditation. Rules are rules.

B.S. (BobSeventy) 

@bob70 Makes perfect sense although 9 seems dreadful early except for an early morning flood fishing tide. 

Just one question “ them “ seems plural… ? Hate for that valuable accreditation to slip away on a slip of …. well you know…..

Anyway ….you seem to have a vise like grip on 70…. but these things come one at a time, until they don’t… best you

Similar to RV, I took the plunge with streaming (Aurender150) and Qobuz. I have been blown away by the quality of the stream even when comparing to my own cd with LPS.

Much better channel separation bass and detail . It is obvious to me, the difference.

Im wondering if there is something else going on like upsampling or perhaps even some AI doctoring of the stream. Theoretically AI could enhance music adding qualities that appeal to people : decay, reverb, harmonic IDK

I'm re-discovering many favorite CDs, and buying some used CDs (even though I have too many), they sound better than ever because of this combo:

1. I got a Sony xa5400 SACD/CD player, sounds better than any player I had.

2. I bought Sound Pressure Meter and very patiently adjusted my speaker's level controls, they sound their best ever.