Is using streaming services worthy of an audiophile?


I read that a lot of people on this forum use Tidal etc. Is this ok from audiophile perspective? I mean, do people who use such services actually know what quality is streamed? Don’t you lose all control over your music when you surrender to streaming services?
defiantboomerang
As a newly converted believer in streaming music I have to say Tidal must be hard to beat.
I am playing a lot of their masters albums which my bluesound vault manages to run at the full 192 via its own internal dac which I output via single ended analog outs to my Mcintosh c48.
I was able to directly compare this with the digital out from the Vault going into the c48 which is limited to 96.
The album I used for a 7 way comparo( read on) was crime of the century by supertramp.
The Tidal MQA at full 192 sounded slightly fuller, more lively than the mcintosh limited 96 version although both knocked the ripped flac files at 44.1 into next week for depth and realism.
Next up came a test of my original cd played via digital out and balanced xlr to the c48, here the xlr was a clear winner but I still feel the Tidal MQA was richer.
Finally I gave my vinyl copy a spin...well as you all know vinyl is just well VINYL and it is just so hard to compare it to anything else imho.
For $20 a month I am sticking with Tidal for a while and as it seems they are adding MQA albums daily I am quite content right now, I mean Uriah Heep at 192? Heaven! 










if it's not worthy of audiophile, it's definitely worthy of music lover regardless of quality.
It’s certainly has a respectable position on the audiophile spectrum if you ask me when you consider what modern technology components can do these days. Use your high dollar transport, TT and a fine bottle of scotch to deliver the full on pleasure palace.
Don’t let people tell you that Tidal is inferior to vinyl. Not all vinyl is perfect or always sound the best. I have heard Tidal MQA 192 that sounds better that the vinyl equivalent and I have some vinyl that sounds better than MQA. 

Also, if you like newer releases music, you are more likely to find it on Tidal than on vinyl. For example, there are only a couple of Joe Bonamassa on vinyl and if you like Fourplay, nothing is vinyl.
@czarivey 

Audiophiles and music lovers have almost nothing in common. Ordinary music lovers usually find despicable Apple earbuds perfectly acceptable, for example. I am 100% certain that audiogon members enjoy music on a much deeper level than music lovers.