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I Sold my CD Player!!! Streaming sounds so incredible!!!

Several years ago, was the very first time I had the opportunity to hear a very high end, high quality, streaming audio system.  Once I heard it, I was smitten, and I knew right then and there that this was me all the way!!!  I was absolutely blown away by the handy convenience of the little iPad (or cell phone) used as remotes to control the otherworldly access to a virtual ocean of music via Tidal, Qobuz or downloads.  I immediately recognized this new technology as the future of my own audio system, especially with all the new hi rez stuff out there that was now made available. I gave up vinyl when CD came on the scene (yes, I'm an old guy), and, now, perhaps, it would be finally time to retire my beloved CD player.  Long story short:  What put my streaming audio system over the top, as far as sound quality is concerned, was the assemblage of these core streaming devices-----( #1) A superb DAC, by Ayre Acoustics QX-5 Twenty streaming DAC  (#2)  An outstanding music server, by Roon Nucleus Plus  (#3) An outstanding Audio Switch, by Pakedge Devices   (#4) Excellent Ethernet Cables, by Shunyata Sigma.  I also utilize numerous other tweaks and filters that further purify the streaming audio signal within my room and audio system.  At this juncture in life, I am just mesmerized by the combination of sound quality and convenience that I get through my streaming audio system.  I'm also happy and pleased to report that, I don't miss my old beloved CD player one bit.  Happy listening.              

kennymacc
oddiofyl's avatar
oddiofyl
3,790 posts
 

I think a lot has to do with the source of the recording.  When it was mastered , who mastered it…. Etc.   There are many copies of the “same” album when you search. Some are phenomenal, some are pretty bad.  
 

I have a lot of CDs that were AAD recordings and they don’t have compression like many recording today.  Some sound really good .  
 

I love streaming , don’t get me wrong , it totally changed the was I consume new music.  But I like the ritual of CDs and records.   

audioman58's avatar
audioman58
4,130 posts
 

Just imagine if you go up to the next level say $12k+ on digital 

This is roughly the sweet spot  in price thsts a Big jump up in sound quality one thing not mentioned much ,your network switch using a upgraded power cord 

and from your Router- modem  get rid of all wall warts from router or anywhere else 

they are $5  and just add to the noise floor ,on your router it tells the voltage ,modt are about 12v around 4 amps . I use the Linear Tube Audio LPS it can be bought for $50 off on Audiogon  for $700.

the best under $1200 LPS I have found and has a very well made DC cable to the router ,I use this with a decent Pangea sig mk2 Thst  is plenty good for That

this makes a nice increase in fidelity ,for digital streaming is not grounded and noise travels house to house a LPS at your router eliminate the noise from the start

pin the audio chain. 

kennymacc OP
387 posts
 

Hello all.  Thanks for all your insightful responses to my post.  I just want to emphasize the fact that, I didn't sell my CD player because I didn't think it sounded excellent, I sold it because I found something else I liked better.  Happy listening.

  

brauser
525 posts
 

Streaming is awesome and so are CDs for me. There is...one thing that can make it better...and in some cases much better. You do need a CD player and a low-cost disc.  Ayre, which is a respected high-end company, came out with a System Enhancement Disc some years ago dubbed 'Irrational but Efficacious'. Ayre doesn't know exactly why it improves system performance but was so impressed with the results that they made the disc available to the public. Since then, several other companies have come out with similar products. 

I rarely listen to CDs these days on my main system, but the idea came to mind to use Track # 7 to see if it made a difference even though the CD player had been turned off for several weeks/months. After playing the Ayre disc, everything in the system improved...and not just a little bit.

Conclusion...Don't ditch the CD player, if for no other reason than to tune up the system occasionally so I can better enjoy the very excellent streaming results I am getting through Qobuz.

wolf_garcia
6,695 posts
 

My streaming sounds great, but there's no way to play my large collection of CDs without a CD player (also no way to play my vinyl without an analog rig...it would just sit there)...my current system for that is a Schiit URD into a Schiit Bifrost 2/64 (utilizing their "Nexus" USB connection...well done Mr. Moffat) and that combo yields astonishingly superb results. All these options sound too good to exclude anything...I'm amazed that analog works at all...dragging a tiny MC stylus through some plastic...amazing.

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