Music server vs. external hard drive to DAC

It should equal CDs but I never compared Prime LL to CDs while I tried it. Happier with Qobuz because it plays on most streamers while few have be embraced Amazon. I listened most often with my PC which might be why I dropped it.

Why not save and step it up like a Innuos SS HD streamer 

and exceptional dac like the T+A200 dac + excellent active preamp 

that’s what I am buying next $7200 retail I have seen demo models $6200 

and as good or better then Any dac at $15k ,I have heard many at audio get togethers all in the same systems over 10 top dacs some over$20 k that was not as well balanced . Do a demo , and check out the reviews.

Assuming we compare the red book CD, vs stored file, versus streaming. Assuming the same quality of the equipment feeding the DAC, then they would be all the same.

However, Qobuz has over half a million albums of higher resolution. So, this is where you may have heard this.

As far as components… they all make a difference in the sound quality… so the better the streamer, the better the sound… just like the DAC, preamp… etc. to find an appropriate streamer, I would start by researching in the same price category as your DAC. Better streamers sound better. I have owned best of class streamers from $1K to $23K… and the latter is simply stunning and provides sound quality equal to my extremely good vinyl leg.

Streamer is not going to give you better sound if you ripped your files using Windows Media Pro or Lossless. If your files are 24/192 and you have a quality DAC, you are far better off financially with using local files for play.

A laptop with hard drive capable of multiple gigs is all you will ever need for your music and can be had for $150 to use as a dedicated jukebox.

A streamer comes at a fair cost and Quobuz is around $200 a year for as long as you use your streamer. So if your purchase of a streamer comes in at $750 and if you use it for 3 years, you have spent $1,350 to play. You can get a nice DAC, laptop and AQ USB cord for that price. 

I have a Schiit Yggy and while the rest of my system may not be top tier, I cannot hear the difference between 24/192 and lossless files. I have no experience with MQA music files. I use the remote for volume on my Rogue Preamp and while I cannot change music files, I can easily create a playlist on Windows Media Player to play what I want to hear. 

Just my two cents.