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This article provides an accurate overview of the streaming experience these days I would say:To me ripping from CD transport to HD, then playing/streaming from it to your dac, is far better than than streaming from a steaming service live or stored to a HD the to your dac. Cheers George |
I do have a rack for Digital Transport, self modded NOS TDA1541A DAC, tube phono EQ amp + tube integrated amp. It is just too big for bedroom. Instead, I have a small inexpensive Soundberry Audio's all-in-one music streamer which I bought from soundberryaudio.com during its promotional sales last November. It has class-D output stage which is powerful enough for difficult-to-drive bookshelf size loudspeakers. The amplifier's DAC chip is delta-sigma type. For my understanding, delta-sigma DAC is just a silicon implementation of the "difference-sumation" mathematics functions. So, the sonic signature of the DAC chip really depends on the output amplifier circuits. The other important factor affects the sound quality is the clock jitters. According to the picture of its circuit board posted on its website, this DAC is driven by two high precision digital oscillators for 44.1kHz and 48kHz base sampling rates. This all-in-one network music streamer sounds better than my self modded (using OPA627 as IV stage and post-filter/buffer amp) Rotel RCD-990 which does not have a high precision crystal oscillator. I am using a pair of Tang Bang W8-1772 8" full range drivers in Dayton Audio's furniture grade cabinets. The size of cabinet is too small for this driver; but is great for bedroom. However, I can use the build-in parametric EQ software to run in its build-in Raspberry Pi4 to increase bass as well as attenuate mid to high frequency bands. The parametric EQ is simple to set up in the amplifier's build-in webapp (moOde Player). The resulting sound image is awesome. I am using Qobuz to stream HD music as well as the amplifier's webapp (moOde player) to stream music from my music library which I have created from my CD collection and stored in an USB3 SSD network shared drive. I have a Norah Jones CD "Come with me" ripped into ALAC album by using iTune. I compared the same album with 24-bit/192kHz streaming from Qobuz. There is not much difference in listening experience. |
Can't all music sources just peacefully co-exist. As a newcomer to vinyl (rediscovering from childhood) I have been totally shocked at the range of quality in the pressings. I got a new vinyl release as a Christmas present and its is borderline unlistenable out of the sleeve - BUT the MQA version from TIDAL is stunning in my room. I got a Pink Floyd DSOM album as well - the SQ is stunning and while I cannot say it is better than MQA per say, I enjoy the process (re ritual) of putting it on my turntable, sitting down, and listening. I sat down on Christmas eve to listen to show off Roon to my older father and had internet/streaming issues - I spent 45 minutes running around restarting modems and generally being pissed off. I listened to a new Brittish artist last night on TIDAL (Holly Humberstone) that doesn't have a full album out yet - never mind vinyl. For me - both have their place. |
