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CD Quality Versus Streaming Quality

I realize this will be a contentious subject, and far be it from me to challenge any of the many expert opinions on this forum, but if I may offer my feedback vis-a-vis what I am hearing, and gain some knowledge in the process.

i will begin saying that my digital front end setup is not state of the art, but i have had the good fortune to listen to a number of really high-end systems. I guess the number one deficit in my digital front end is a streamer server, and no question about it that will improve the sound.

My CD player is a universal player; Pioneer BDP-09fd. It uses Wolfson DACs. It has been modified to a degree. I have bought and sold other players, but kept this one, because it has a beautiful sound that serves the music well.

Recently, i ventured over to my son’s place and we hooked up my player (he doesn’t have one and rely’s on streaming only) We compared tracks / albums of CD quality and master quality streamed on Tidal with ‘redbook’ CDs I have. For example, some Lee Ritenaur CDs and some Indian classical and the wonderful Mozart and Chopin.
His system is highly resolving.

we were both very surprised to find the CDs played on the player to be the better sound. And not just by a little. The sound was clearly superior, with higher resolution and definition, spatial ques, much better and clearer imaging. Very surprising indeed. Shouldn’t there be no difference? This would suggest the streaming service is throttling the bandwidth or compressing the signal?

i am most interested to hear others’ observations, and suggestions as to why this might be? I do love the convenience aspect of streaming, but it IS expensive for a chap like me of fairly modest means. The Tidal HiFi topline service is $30 per month I believe, something the good lady is not too thrilled about. God forbid I should suggest Roon on top of that I may likely get my walking papers. I jest, but only partially LoL. My point is, if I pay this sort of money, isn’t it fair to expect sound to equal the digital stream from the CD player and silver disc?
Thoughts?

AK





4afsanakhan
4afsanakhan OP
147 posts
 
Quote RIAA_award..

“OP,

If you think an OPPO 205 has a good dac (I have one) your mind would be blown by a Really good dac (Esoteric/MSB/Luxman/DCS/Mola Mola). An Oppo should only be used as a Transport.”


Yes I do realize there are better. I would have to contest your statement that the 205 should just be used as a transport. Please do keep in mind that the DACs you list are very expensive, and out of the reach of perhaps 90 percent of folks out there. The DAC in my son’s Devialet Expert Pro 220 is right up there with the best. I’ve heard a number of very high priced DACs. I would say the MSB is the best I’ve heard. I still maintain that the Oppo UDP-205 has a good dac (two actually). Yes other DACs such as the Expert are more capable but the UDP-205 does not embarrass itself by any means and serves the music well. I would suggest you give it a listen if you have a chance. Running the CD player in the 205 via its balanced outputs straight into an amp, will surprise you just how good the DACs are. How? 1. The (mid-large) room is filled with sound - Less capable DACs I have heard struggle with this to some degree. 2. Resolution of detail through the frequency range is incredible especially high frequency detail retrieval 3. Sound is balanced and natural, although not quite on the same level as the Expert. 4. Sound has dynamic vitality and musical energy 5. Sound is very clean and pure - not that far behind the Expert. 5. Imaging is decent although the Expert is in a different class here.


riaa_award_collectors_on_facebook's avatar
riaa_award_collectors_on_facebook
1,020 posts
 
Ive got 6 or 7 Oppo’s. Ive heard em as is...not even close..not even in the same state let alone the same ballpark. Wish I had your ears cause I would save a ton of cash. Sucks to be me!! Good for you thou...Congrats
georgehifi's avatar
georgehifi
10,312 posts
 


Here’s another one for you, my most loved classical piece Rimsky Korsakov's  "Scheherazade"
Look what happens to the two streamed/download ones, squashed like a pancake, only one H/D Tracks used a "semi squashed" one.
It’s criminal as this classic piece has the most amazing dynamics of any music ever written.
https://dr.loudness-war.info/album/list?artist=&album=scheherazade

Cheers George
pindac's avatar
pindac
3,978 posts
 
I don't Stream music, I do have FLAC Stored Files and a CDT > DAC.
In relation to Digital Sources used in my HiFi System, I only started to seriously consider the media in recent years.

With that as a History I am keen to pick up on experiences and suggestions for the uses of ancillaries and the media source.

With the questions raised over the provenance of the media and the DR.
It does seem there may be a opportunity to have this addressed with a Similar Marketing Model as used by the Vinyl and CD Markets.

Vinyl media has a small selection of Specialised Companies that are producing Pressings that are in general recognised as much improved over the mass produced copies.
 
CD media has the same type of Specialised Companies offering a similar service for the CD as the one that is on offer to Vinyl.

Streamed Media 'could end up' with the same type of offering.
There is no reason why a Streaming Service 'could not invite' a recognised Brand to produce a Steaming Package,  or create their own
Off Shoot Package.
Where the content to be streamed is meeting a criteria that is wanted by the audiophile communities across the globe.
There must be a viable Marketing Model that makes such an option on a service worthy of incorporating into a existing structure of packages of offered services.      
sd40
40 posts
 
I have a correction to a make (the hazards of writing stuff without checking my notes): The problem with the 1994 Genesis "Definitive Edition" remasters was excessive use of noise reduction.  Their dynamic range was actually pretty respectable.  The heavy-handedness of the noise reduction varied from album to album, with Wind and Wuthering being one of the least affected.
It was the 2007-2008 remasters found on CD and SACD that are generally reviled for their excessive compression and loudness, plus the fact that they are remixed as well.  Circa 2017 releases by Rhino apparently use the 2007-08 mastering.
I replaced the 1994 remasters with mid-1980s releases by Atlantic/Atco and Virgin/Charisma.  An exception is the DCC gold CD of "From Genesis to Revelation."
Phil Collins' "Testify" CD (Atlantic, 2002) has the dubious distinction of the worst dynamic range in my collection--average DR5, ranging from DR4 to DR6.  Five of twelve tracks clip.  Here is an artist who clearly is gunning for the earbud market.



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