bits is bits


Being a retired IT tech, Iʻm a "bits is bits" guy. I keep seeing people rank different  streaming services against each other and I have to say, Iʻm mystified. Modern recordings are all digital masters and remastered. If two different hi-res streaming services, say Qobuz and Tidal, have the same track available, why would one sound different from the other, let alone better?

 

The stream is being fed over TCP/IP from the source, and I see no reason that it you were to do a cksum on the same file/track being delivered by either streaming service, that they would exactly match.  So why do people claim better sound from one streaming source over the other.  Iʻm assuming they are both full resolution sources, not mp3.

russbutton

It seems that you’ve visited this topic before - link.    Apparently, you weren’t satisfied with those responses either.   Good luck in your quest.

@russbutton 

Great question. I have no clue. Myself and many experienced audiophiles pretty much unanimously agree that Qobuz sounds best from listening comparisons. I switched from Tidal years ago. 

@steakster The earlier topic I was involved in had to do with the discussion of data transmission over USB cable.  

This question is really quite different.  Sorry my description didnʻt make sense to you.

@goleksiak +1

 

More audiofooleri...

I am using Amazon Music and it sounds exactly like Tidal and Qobuz. Same bit rates, same resolution, same files, same sound. If you think it sounds different please do a double blind statistically relevant test and show me the results. Oh, maybe Qobuz adds some additional "great" sounding information that other platforms can't.  

Thankfully I'm immune to all this as I simply play/listen to "records" and "CD's" that I physically place on the TT and in the CD tray.

 

DeKay