CD transport vs.streaming

@ghdprentice Thank you, couldn't have said it better. Over time fewer and fewer releases will be available on cd, streaming and vinyl are the future.

My internet has gone down exactly zero times while streaming, this over perhaps four years. I can still play vinyl if web did go down. See, I can appreciate and embrace new technology and the  old. This is about maximizing exposure to music, the tools are secondary, I love music first and foremost.

I have no problem accepting physical cd playback, fine with co-existing. The problem is those who claim streaming is only for convenience, can't be high resolution solution. Also, some have strong sense of anger towards it, claiming its destroying our attachment to artists and music, like somehow the physical possession creates attachment a file can't. Seems something like religious symbolism to me.

And yes, we need to add cd rips to the equation, it too is played over a network so can be considered streaming to some degree. So, I do have over 2500 cds stored away, they hold no meaning for me, just clutter. Vinyl jackets on the other hand are wonderful, relatively large format. Cd's and their containers also bad for the environment, lots of oil to make all that plastic.

If one wants to read in depth about issues with cd playback, here goes.https://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threads/debunking-the-its-the-error-correction-kicking-in-cd-fallacy.255665/

Another issue that drove me from physical cd playback is the consumable nature of transports. My last wonderful transport was Mark Lenvinson #37, this had Phillips Pro mechanism and much  proprietary mounting and logic. When it died repair was going to be well over $750. I tried other transports, none could replicate the performance, I tried diy modding on one, no dice, as a result I entered cd rips and streaming realm. I've also had a few other cheaper transports die on me over the years, recently junked an Emotiva I was using in bedroom system. I tried self repair, $13 Sanyo transport mechanism, problem was logic related instead. You'd be surprised how many pretty costly transports use $15-$20 mechanisms! Not to say there are some some good ones still being made such as the ProJect.

Those judging streaming as poor sounding simply haven't heard a proper setup. Getting high quality sound out of streaming is not cheap or easy, expecting it to is a fools errand.

@larryi Your experience between the two servers not surprising. Hearing a single or multiple streaming setups doesn't give one much insight into how another streaming setup may sound.

Streaming setups are at least as unique as vinyl setups, probably more. There are so many options available, optimizing any particular setup requires much effort.

@charles1dad  Charles, the complexity of streaming has renewed my interest in audio experimentation. I'm at end game components for much of my system, this is one of the two areas left to me for that experimentation, the other being vinyl setup.

Different components can make for substantial changes in streaming quality. Lots of innovation in this realm at the moment, I'm having a lot of fun and enjoying very high sound quality.

That's the beauty of streaming, you can make it simple or complex, both can work. I just happen to like complexity, I'm one to change out capacitors, resistors, etc., this may sound like work to some, for me this is fun.

@densely You must have been reading some posts from Georgehifi, he would constantly post about a few streams vs cd that measured slightly different then made generalizations about streaming compression. I want to see proof of mass compression of streams, otherwise only anecdotal evidence based on .000001% of recordings.

@nitewulf Agree mastering most important variable. By the way, what is your conclusion as to cd transport vs. streaming?

Bottom line for me is while I haven't listened with transport in a long time, I don't doubt cd playing has a rightful place in top flight sound reproduction. Streaming also has it's place up there as well, those who claim it doesn't need to hear optimized steaming setup.