CD v Streamed

It’s complicated. My experience with regards to digital is downloaded hi res files are tops followed by CD.  FLAC files from CDs on my server SSD are pretty much indistinguishable from CD.  I have a very good CD transport and DAC.  I use Qobuz. Streaming 44.1,16 bit is not even close to CD or FLAC.  24 bit files on Qobuz sound as good as CD, sometimes slightly better.  I enjoy streaming Qobuz for quantity although quality is oftentimes on par if in hi res.  I downloaded a hi res file last week that was recorded at 11.5MHz it said.  It is very good.  The cymbals were like liquid.  The highs were the closest to vinyl that I have heard yet.  

I’ll clarify what I mean about the differences between streaming 44.1/16 bit and FLAC on my SSD. The most notable difference is the soundstage. CDs already have a smaller, less holographic soundstage compared to vinyl- in general. Some CDs are surprisingly good. Streaming leaves them flat. 16 bit streaming generally has a 2D soundstage and the images are flat. If I compare the same CD song to the streaming version I hear weaker bass on the streaming version. The highs can be more brittle sounding too. But hi res streaming can have a holographic sound stage and good sound at both ends. It would seem to me that hi res streaming is more demanding of the internet and my server. Makes me think it is not a streaming issue for 16 bit files. What some of you are saying is making sense to me- it’s more to do with the source.

I tried out an Optical Media Converter today. After reading threads about this being an effective improvement I thought I would try it. Some months ago I put a network switch between my ROON server and the router which improved the sound. Still, 44.1kHz/16bit streaming was not quite as good as CD or the Ripped CD FLAC files on my server. The Optical Media Converter consists of two boxes with an Ethernet cable going in box A and fiber cable going out to Box B and then an ethernet cable going out of box B and into my server. The sound was noticeably better right away. Wow! This is an effective tweak. I did an A/B comparison with a couple of CDs to streaming 44.1/16 and I could no longer discern a difference. I was rocking for a few hours until the music stopped suddenly. Box B appears to be defective. The TX indicator light went out on both boxes indicating fiber failure. I did some troubleshooting and using my cellphone camera I can see a red light in the port of box A but no red light in box B. My fiber cable appears to be fine. I noticed after repacking these items that the seals were already broken on the ESD bags. I didn’t catch that when I took them out of the box. What’s up with Amazon these days?

Part of the fun of vinyl is that it shouldn't work so well.  It's just not possible, it would seem, for vinyl to sound so good.  The stereo 33 1/3 LP concept was sketched out by two engineers on a cocktail napkin.  With those auspicious beginnings, I think it is a testament to the ingenuity of not just manufacturers but also the contributions of hobbyists alike that made the LP what it is.  The same goes for CDs too.  

I received my replacement optical converters today.  It appears the problem may have been in the fiber optic cable.  The old cable does not work at all.  The replacement cable works but one connector is a bit flaky. I had to manipulate the connector going into one converter box to make the connection.  An hour or so later the connection dropped and I had to reinsert the fiber cable.  I need a better solution for the fiber- perhaps I'll try multimode.  Perhaps those connectors are more robust.  Sound is excellent.  I have a CD transport that upsamples to DSD and sends the signal to the DAC via 3 BNC cables.  This Transport/DAC combo works very well with more resolution and a larger 3D soundstage than I ever thought possible with CDs.  So now, I played a CD back to back with streaming 44/1/16k again.  They are very very close.  Next I plan to fire up my analog rig and compare it to streaming.  I almost don't want to know.  Right now, my analog rig has a slight edge over CD with some records.  I guess I will not be able to post my comparison of streaming to vinyl here since this post is titled CD vs Streaming.  What an exciting time for audio.

I know all the technical data and comparison between vinyl and analog.  Similar to the SS and Tube amp discussions in the 1980s, SS amps looked great on paper with their great S/N and low distortion but tubes still had the advantage in listening.  With my previous CD player, which was quite good, vinyl still had a clear lead in sound.  With this new DAC/Transport combo and music server I see quite a bit of overlap between Digital songs and records.  Hi res files have the holographic imaging of vinyl w/o the noise so hi res is tops to me now but some records still beat out CD to me with a larger stage and more body to the voices and instruments.  A lot of CDs, and this is not the player's fault since this is not always the case now, make the voices and instruments seem like cardboard cutouts.  I grew up on records, so I can tolerate some background noise in the music.  In fact, for a long time CD was too clean sounding if you get what I mean.  Better turntables and cartridges eliminate a lot of groove noise too.  Speed control of turntable platters is also critical to compete with digital, I think.  Overall, it takes more dollars, more effort and perseverance to get vinyl to a level to compete with good digital.

I see hi end or hifi streaming as still a cottage industry.  I imagine a lot of people have and will continue to make contributions to this technology.  For now, this technology at least for hi end hifi is still very much in development without a lot of clear paths to all of the hardware needed.  I hung onto my previous CD player for 15 years because hi res digital and streaming- at least something beyond iTunes was bewildering.  I spent about 4 months last winter studying and trying to learn and understand hi end streaming technology.  I visited some shops and listened to various digital rigs.  I finally settled on a DAC and Transport that just blew me away with the sound upgrade from my old CD player.  But I had a few setbacks with my attempts at streaming.  Where I am today I have learned a lot and I can look back and think, "Gee, I could almost live without a record player and CD transport with how good my music server and streamer sound today."  (Not that I'm ready to give up my analog rig).

Hi George, this review is for you.  I found an album that rocks on Qobuz. KD Lang's Makeover track 3, Keep on Moving.  It is in 44.1/16 format on Qobuz.  I bought the record.  It came as a 33 1/3 two record set (14 tracks) in an unusual turquoise vinyl.  Keep in mind that my stereo system consists of a digital side with two sources and an analog side- CD transport, RS9 Music Server with ROCK running Roon and a Sota Star/SME/Soundsmith.  For reference only, the investment into the analog side is a few thousand more than the digital side.  So close to even.  I have listened to other records and their digital counterparts but I will focus on this album, Makeover because it has accentuated bass and highs with vocals and also, Keep on Moving really jams.  
In summary, vinyl is king.  The sound is close between both formats but when I played the vinyl I got goosebumps.  That seals the deal right there.
The digital:  Bass is just ever so slightly crisper.  The vinyl:  The highs are sweeter.  Soundstage- I could tell no difference.  Dynamic Range- Seemed the same.
Cool factor:  Goes to the vinyl because watching the grooves spin on that semitransparent vinyl is mind blowing.  Playing music with an iPad is cool too.
Please feel free to come audition my stereo when you are in the mood to come to sunny, hot, sticky, plenty of gnats middle Georgia.  Don't worry the listening room is air conditioned although when the whole system is powered up with 1400 Watts of heat dissipation and 95 degrees outside the A/C is a bit taxed.

Wow tough crowd.  Suum cuique.