Streaming Is To Audio What Red Plastic Cups Are To Wine

@mahgister wrote: 

I concur with this opinion about the OP ..

Vous êtes trop aimable, cher ami! 

This analogy may not work outside the UK, but is streaming not like the dependable but boring brands of beer produced by huge national or multi-national drinks companies? These are available everywhere including supermarkets and always of a good standard. 

On the other hand, vinyl is like the craft and specialist beers produced by micro breweries. These are generally available in pubs which have facilities to ensure they can reach the high standards required by discerning drinkers. They can excel in these circumstances but may fall flat if not looked after properly.

@newton_john 

Your beer analogy translates to the US, with the difference that our mass-market beers are cheap swill that certainly would not meet any kind of good standard, therefore comparing music streaming to Miller, Coors and Bud wouldn’t be entirely fair.

In the northwestern US we have myriad craft brewers, but the alternative low-brow brew is Rainier. It is unapologetically cheap, yet manages to taste quite a bit better than the industrial swill it completes against. Plus, it’s actually kind of cool. Dollar pints of Rainier used to be a happy hour staple at everyone’s neighborhood tavern.

Sadly, Pabst bought Rainier back around 2000 and moved production to California. To their credit, they haven’t messed much with it otherwise.

I find that audio stubbornly defies analogy though. Doesn’t it? Not sure why.

@devinplombier 

I find that audio stubbornly defies analogy though. Doesn’t it? Not sure why.

It certainly does.

I am now thinking that my preference for vinyl might in part be due to my ageing loudspeakers and power amplifiers being designed with a turntable as the reference source. AI agrees that this is most likely true. 

Digital is great as long as you don't leave any weak links 

From router a must ,trash the wall wart get a good linear power supply, then at minimum a Lhy sw6 Ethernet hub  2 Ethernet cables .best one goes to your end point  $1k minimum for 2  , your dac you need something of quality

$5k on up digital cable over $1k minimum  then quality power cords 

Streamer too must be at least $5k $20k is solid  mid grade digital setup