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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
jeffbij
272 posts
 

@parkergetdean 

Not necessarily bad pixels, more like having the image being drawn in a jerky and inconsistant speed.  

parkergetdean
1,082 posts
 

cool. So it can't be fixed with more buffering?

jeffbij
272 posts
 

While better buffering can help, better control on the stages after the initial connection to the streamer to reduce or filter out the jitter and superior timing/clocking circuitry has the biggest effect.  (at least in my opinion)

 

parkergetdean
1,082 posts
 

ok so a bad streamer would be bad at sending data consistently to the DAC?

I am starting to understand it. I can especially see it with video streaming. I am still puzzled that this should be a basic function of any streamer and not cost 20K to do it well. But again, I am learning....

steakster
2,184 posts
 

 

@jeffbij 

And thus the design of the streamer, components used, etc. can effect sound quality regardless if the 1s and 0s are the same.

+1   Excellent explanation.  Eg:  My first generation streamer.

My Auralic Aries was introduced in 2014. It came with its own stock 16 vdc LPS.  It sounded terrible when compared to playing the same song via Tidal vs on my CD transport - using the same DAC. 

Being a tweaker, my 1st mod was to swap out the flimsy cheap stock DC umbilical cord (to the stock LPS) with a DIY version of 20 awg pure copper OCC solid core wire.  The improvement in SQ was a substantial - and I mean substantial.  My 2nd mod was to replace the stock Auralic 16vdc LPS with a better quality one.  Again, another big jump in SQ.  My 3rd mod was to add a USBe Perfect signal regenerator to the output of the Auralic streamer.  Another big jump in SQ.  The music was even more refined - with a blacker background.  The 4th mod was to add a DDC between the streamer and DAC.    With these 4 minor mods, the same streamer now outperformed my CD transport - by far - using the same DAC.  The other components in the system remained the same.

A high-quality streamer will have all of these improvements built-in - plus much, much more.  Better design, better firmware, better parts, quieter circuitry, better power supply, better EMI protection, etc.   In other words, a high-quality streamer will address all of the factors that @jeffbij addressed in his post.  

- - - 

Over the years, my entire digital streaming chain has been substantially upgraded.  I stream only.  I don’t miss my CD’s.  A 96 piece orchestra sounds magnificent.

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