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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
wswright20
85 posts
 

I have both Tidal and Qobuz and in my experience there is not a consistent SQ advantage of one or the other.  For the same indicated resolution, some tracks sound better on Tidal and others better on Qobuz.  In some cases, CD quality sounds better that "hi res" versions.  This might point to earlier comments that the master quality/version for the uploads may be cause of any difference that exists?  Clearly the streamer/DAC quality and the downstream system make a difference but that was not the OP's question.

tubeguy76
233 posts
 

Sure, the data may be all the same but how the hardware and software handle that data before passing it on to the DAC may differ.  Same with DACs, the digital part may all be the same but the analog conversion may differ.  Saying "bits is bits" is just a cope.

kennymacc
724 posts
 

I had both Tidal and Qobuz and after spending some time comparing, A/B, the two in my audio system, I ended up cancelling my subscription with Tidal, simply because I preferred the "OVERALL" sound characteristics of Qobuz over Tidal.  Some may prefer Tidal over Qobuz, which is solely a matter of preference.  Similar to digital  coming from different CD players (different DACs/sources), digital coming from different streaming services sound different from each other simply because they come from different sources, which effects their sound.  In some cases, the differences may be ever so slight, but yet different. The differences I heard in my audio system were not just a figment of my imagination.  I have over 30 years of experience as an audiophile, and I am fully capable or hearing the most minute differences in sound in my audio system.  There's a reason why so many experienced audiophiles are constantly pointing out how they all can hear differences in sound quality from one streaming service to another.  No, it's not just their imaginations either.  Happy listening

parkergetdean
1,082 posts
 

how the hardware and software handle that data before passing it on to the DAC may differ

HOW?

grunge1000
118 posts
 

@kennymacc 

 

If it's the EXACT same file, how can there be a sound difference? 

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