Sound Quality of red book CDs vs.streaming

Reubent,

As I said above, I’m not talking about hi res files.
it doesn’t matter what platform I use — Tidal,, Qubuz, Spotify,  the result’s the same.
Actual Red book CDs were compared 

Kalali,

Could you you explain what a reclocker is, and how to install it?

Thank you.

I always choose the  CD quality option.

I connect using an iPad.

Never mind my questions.  I think I found the reclocker device I need and how to hook it up.

Forgive my ignorance.

I connect Chromecast to the Gumby with an optical cable.
i am using a coax to connect CD transport to Gumby.
What can I do to improve the streaming quality.
How do I minimize the jitter from the Chromecast?
I don’t know what a reclocker is or how it connects.

Audioengr,

Thanks a lot for your input.

After investigating, I can see that Ethernet/Roon may well be the wave of the near future for audiophiles.
 But, in general, I’m wondering.  If CDs become obsolete, what will happen to the structure and incentive for performers to record.  Where is the profit motive for them if streaming, at $10-$20 per month for consumers, is their only source of revenue? This is the cart leading the horse. Without recordings being created, where will the music come from?  If current trends continue, Streaming Subscription prices are inevitably going to rise precipitously to much, much higher rates in order to support the creators.

After re-reading what I wrote, I realize this scenario may already be upon us.
But it still seems to me that the cost to the consumer is inevitably going to rise.

Brayeagle,

The good news is most streaming services I looked at amazingly carry multi performances of the same work. If you’re into classical, there’s one that’s far above the rest:  IDAGIO.  It has numerous search engines to find anything you want, and is devoted solely to classical. Only $10 a month!
Another good one is Qubuz, but it’s not just for classical and it’s more expensive.

Brayeagle,

If you try IDAGIO let me know how you like it.

What’s an R2R?

Well, I got and ((after much difficulty) I installed a reclocker.
Defitinely much improved sound from before!
A preliminary comparison shows the transport/DAC  and streaming/DAC  sound very close, with maybe a slight advantage to the transport.
I have a lot more listening to do before I have an informed opinion.
Question:  Does a reclocker have to “break in” like everything else?

Another point:  The quality of the transport has a definite bearing on  the ultimate  sound produced when we’re comparing.
Different transports have different qualities.
In the comparison between transport and stream there are variables.

I also got an Ifi audio reclocker.

What does LPS stand for?

At this point my Cyrus CD transport is clearly outperforming streaming, but I guess it may take a while for the reclocker to settle in.

Cycles2,

You may be right on about artists and streaming.  But do you really think streaming will not be much more expensive in the future?

Mahler123,

Have you tried IDAGIO?  It’s exclusively for classical.  Wonderful search engines designed for the music lover.  Only $10 per month.

Whart,

In streaming services you can’t determine what mastering is used.  What’s worse, most times, there’s no indication of what year a particular CD was released. In classical music there may be multiple performances of the same work by a performer from different years and there’s no way of determining which versions are earlier or later.

The SQ with IDAGIO is CD quality and as good as any other service but hi res not available.

Lalitk,

I downloaded the app.  How do I play it?
Do I have to have Tidal?

Lalitk,

Thank you for the info.

Once you get Tidal, the Aurender app will work?

I signed up for the free trial on Tidal.
Ive been trying for an hour to get hooked up to Aurender Conductor 
to no avail.  I downloaded the Aurender app but can’t get it to work.

Lalitk,

Now you tell me! LOL
No wonder I went crazy trying to squeeze blood out of a stone.
Sounds like a great device, though.

In a head to head comparison between Tidal, Qobuz, IDAGIO and Spotify, Tidal does have the best SQ.  Which creates a dilemma for the classical music lover.  The search engine stinks vs. IDAGIO.  Very hard to find a specific performance. Very easy on IDAGIO.

Even on my Chromecast Audio, Tidal sounds fantastic!

If I knew Tidal streaming was so great I  wouldn’t have ordered my new (non returnable) streamer.  But I guess it’ll have more features.

Well, after obtaining a streamer (Arcam,)  and dumping Chromecast Audio, I still find CDs superior sonically to streaming when comparing identical tracks.
 The streamer is close though.

Just found “loudness normalization” in Tidal and disabled it:  immediate improvement! 

I have a Cyrus transport.  Both the Arcam and Cyrus are run the a Schiit Gumby DAC.
  I’m actually streaming Tidal, IDAGIO, Qobuz, and Spotify at different times.
(All But IDAGIO are trials.) Tidal seems to be the best.
I don’t know about loudness compensation.  I never implemented it.

Some observations about the different streaming services for classical music:

The best of course is IDAGIO because it is designed for classical.
In classical works oftentimes there is no gap in between the tracks.
Idagio, Qobuz and Spotify don’t insert any gaps, Tidal does.  That ruins the continuity of the music.  On Tidal, also, it is very difficult  to find specific works by composers.  Their search engine just doesn’t do that job well.   Again, the best is IDAGIO, as it has many search engines.  The other two services do a fair job.
 I, at first thought SQ was the best in Tidal, but in classical music anyway, they all seem pretty equal.

I have to amend my assessment of pauses between tracks in the various streaming services.
Upon further listening, I found that all the services had the pauses in varying degrees, unfortunately.

Jafant,

Thanks for your acknowledgement.

Question.

 Do streamers have to break in the way everything else does?

Audioengr,

When you say “commercially available,”.  In what form?
Hard drive? CD?

Just to get back to the original post of this thread for a moment.
Does anyone know what source is being used for streaming tracks?
Do record companies allow their master tapes to be used?

Wtf,
  regarding Bo +1

Audioengr,

My question is do the streaming companies buy the tracks from the record companies directly, and if they do is it via hard drive transfer or software?
Or is there a distributor (middle man?)

Thanks!

jafant,

Thanks for asking.  Aside from the new Arcam streamer which Is a big improvement over Chromecast, I’m getting a new power cable for my DAC and new speaker cables from Morrow.
Interestingly, now that I have been extensively streaming, I have gone back to my original assessment that, on my system,  CDs sound better: more detail and life.

How about you?  Any new stuff?

Whoever said once you start streaming you’ll never go back, was right.
 I hardly play CDs or records anymore, unfortunately.

Even though they sound better!

As I said to a friend recently, the world of music open to you through streaming is akin to the era of free sex in the sixties and seventies prior to AIDS.

I don’t listen to a whole selection as much while streaming as I do with a CD or record.

jafant,

Thanks for asking!
I’m not sure if I mentioned it before, but I bought a Benchmark DAC3, and a GeerFab digital extractor.  Both units made a big difference.
How about you?