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Playing CDs sounds better than Qobuz — dammit

I’ve built a decent HeadFi rig over the past few months and am quite happy with it streaming Qobuz as a source via my iPad/iPhone.  I recently brought my CD player into the rig as there are some reference CDs I need that aren’t available on Qobuz.  Well, I made the mistake of playing some CDs and compared them to Qobuz, and in every case the CD sounds better — specifically a quieter background and more transparency overall.  I’ve got good cables from the dongle out of my iPad to the USB cable that runs to my DAC for streaming, so let’s leave cables out of the discussion for now because I think this goes deeper than that.  Needless to say I’m pretty disappointed right now because I’ve enjoyed not spinning discs over the past year or so and certainly don’t wanna go back to buying CDs again.  Ugh.

So, what I’m thinking is that streaming over WiFi through my iDevices may be the bottleneck.  IF that’s the case and I need to up my streaming game, what would be the cheapest way to go to overcome the bottleneck?  My thought is going hardwired (which I can do) to something like an iFi Stream or maybe a ProJect Streambox, but just wondering if that’d get it done?  Something else?  I need something pre-made and won’t wrestle with doing a Raspberry Pi with hats, etc. as I have no patience for configuring/troubleshooting tech.  Thanks for any advice/thoughts. 

soix
ja_kub_sz's avatar
ja_kub_sz
254 posts
 

@oldschool1948 ​​​​​@jafant ​​​​​​agree with both of you.

I go back and forth with streaming from Tidal MQA and listening to stored content on my Innuos Zenith3+Phoenix USB and I’m still feeling like my stored content sounds better (ever so slightly deeper, and fuller/dynamic).

I’ve been downloading all that I can HiRes off Bandcamp and ripping tons of CD’s because of it.

My SU-R1000 MC Phono Stage and DSP is otherworldly and makes me just laugh spinning vinyl (Ortofon MC Blue on my Teac TT XLR out).

Source is always the key, and everything falls after.

System:

Innuos Zenith 3/Phoenix USB (cat8)

Musetec MH-D005

Technics SU-R1000

Parasound JC5 (soon to be JC1+ Mono’s!!!)

JBL L100 75’s

Dual KEF 12b Kubes

Teac TN-5BB TT

kletter1mann's avatar
kletter1mann
20 posts
 

@soix Well, I upgraded the Lightening cable from the Apple Camera Adapter and it improved the sound significantly so thought I was ok until I brought my CD transport up from my big rig.  I think it’s pretty clear from you and others I need to go with a hardwired, dedicated streamer so now just need to decide which one.  I’m happy with my DAC so I’m just looking for a pure streamer.  Thanks for the feedback.

FWIW, I got a Lumin u1 Mini on its way right now.  Bye bye Node 2i.  Seems like a good balance of features, performance and $$$.  And  no annoying onboard DAC.  Good luck!

 

soix OP
8,729 posts
 

@kletter1mann I’d be interested in your findings in the performance differences between the Lumin and Node.  Lumin is on my radar too. 

fittebd
101 posts
 

Streaming is probably the first time I started looking at all what some call snake oil. After I put the Sonore Rendu and decoupled the network from the system and added a really good DAC wow.   There is noise out there. I have not dove into the $2000 usb and hdmi (for I2S) cables as I really have never noticed big things there. But streaming both from streaming service and ripped CDs and SACDs is absolutely amazing with an incredibly low noise floor. Just super clean music.  And so much more fun jumping around to different music with just your finger. Done right streaming is just as good as discs. 

nottmkid
13 posts
 

Hi, I use Wolf Audio and couldn’t be happier, it is linked to my T+A DAC 8 which is is a fabulous dual channel DAC. Check them out, link below.

 

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