Personality

I now find myself streaming most of the time. Although the SQ is really good, I realize there’s something missing. When I pull out a record or CD, each one seems to have a uniqueness or personality of its own which reflects when I first bought it or played it. Also each one seems to have a sound signature which I associate with it, making it more personal. I don’t get that with streaming

Does anyone else feel this way?

rvpiano11-22-2025 9:07pm

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Post removed Nov 23, 2025
ghdprentice Details Discussions Posts This discussion Message User 9,397 posts 11-23-2025 at 01:50am Copy Comment URL Report Comment Edit Delete This is a system problem. My first thought was that the Benchmark DAC is on the detailed / analytical side, however, you are hearing it with CD and for the same mastering the bits are the same on streaming. However, I think you are using the USB connection for streaming and SPDIF for the CD player. Meaning the DAC is doing more of the processing. So, perhaps there is a difference between their. Depending on the degree, is it possible the interconnects between the Streamer and DAC. You might play with the interconnect and power cord on the Aurender to see if you can improve the sound. Alternatively, perhaps you need to upgrade your streamer. The Aurrender N20 is much better sounding, as well as supporting most connection types. As you know my streaming, stored files, CD and vinyl are all at the same level... although there is a lot of variability in vinyl dependent on the pressing number as the stampers wear out.
mahgister Details Discussions Posts This discussion Message User 15,042 posts 11-23-2025 at 02:05am Copy Comment URL Report Comment Edit Delete Owning a real book paper one about science can cost few hundred dollars each. I dont read novel since decades. I consult each weeks many very costly books in every fields...( this week semiotics as an example this book is "a bargain" and i need it for an article inside : http://https://www.amazon.ca/Quantum-Explanation-Whiteheads-Radical-Empiricism/dp/1138700169 Only billionnaires can buy science or philosophical books... The same is true for music, i listen right now Haydn Quatuor by Auryn quartet...There is 13 cd at 47 dollars each... I use only files... I cannot afford to read paper books or to buy cd ... I am retired not a billionnaire... my system value is 1000 bucks... My S.Q. is way over most 1000 bucks average system available on planet earth by the way then dont pity me... Then i listen music not my gear defects which do not exist too much evidently because all my system/room is balanced and well optimized... Perhaps some among you are able to afford 2 or 3 specialized books every week ( few hundred dollars) I cannot and i cannot on top of that buy 13 cd of Haydn at 47 dollars each... And each day i listen few hours of music between reading... Compute the price... Those who advocate to buy books dont read or study much and the same for music ... how do you think a specialised article about acoustics or any scientific matter can cost ? I own only files now... My personal library was once 3,000 books (no novels) only science and philosophy but i stop buying books after the computer boom, my wedding, and child births...( i use photocopy in these times, printing machine or bibilotheca borrowing... I studied set theory for example, the books i used cost few thousand dollars together ...I photocopied them... i sold all of my books few years ago and kept the core: 500 more important... Thats all ...( I sold my big house for a smaller one) It is meaningless for me to dream about vinyl, cd, or paper books... i consume too much of them to buy them in solid state form....I live in a smaller house ... By the way Haydn by the Auryn quartett on Tacet a Polish tubes only recording company i recommend, it is top sonicaly and in interpretation.. Just 600 hundred bucks... I cannot afford them in cd ...They dont exist in vinyl.... I like files... Guess why? I will never stream... A question for those who stream? Is there many Indian classical music and many classical Persian music on Tidal or Spotify ? I listen these too ... I doubt there is much of this music available to stream but i have no knowledge about this fact... Who knows ? I am curious... How many albums of Nikhil Banerjee are available from streamer ? «Capitalism is the greatest invention since fire claimed some but i beg to differ»-- Anonymus student «The greatest invention is yet to come and it was not communism either»-- Anonymus teacher
rvpiano OP Details Discussions Posts This discussion Message User 2,968 posts 11-23-2025 at 03:09am Copy Comment URL Report Comment Edit Delete @parkergetdean I’m sorry if you’re bored with my posts. Please feel free to not read them. @ghdprentice First of all there’s no problem with the sound of any format. I enjoy them all equally. Secondly, I’m not using a USB connector with the streamer. I found the SPDIF connector sounded better.
motown-l Details Discussions Posts This discussion Message User 340 posts 11-23-2025 at 10:41am Copy Comment URL Report Comment Edit Delete I recently purchased a moderately priced streamer. To me, it sounds about the same to me as other digital media. What I like about the streamer is the well organized native "Internet Radio" application. I am able to easily find Afro-Jazz from Senegal and electronic music from Paris. It was more difficult to do this via my computer and using TuneIn or similar services.