How Good a CD Transport is Required to Sound Better than Streaming?

Al M.

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There is no reason why a properly curated streaming audio playback system can't be as good as a high end disc transport.

Correct. It all depends on implementation.
 

skinnyfla

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And, as far as format comparisons go, unless you’re comparing the same mastering, it’s pretty meaningless.
… well, i was expecting that when comparing a CD to a lossless rip pf the same CD it would be obvious, that we‘re talking about the same mastering…
 
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Blackmorec

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… well, i was expecting that when comparing a CD to a lossless rip pf the same CD it would be obvious, that we‘re talking about the same mastering…
Just an observation that in my system rips made on an Innuos Statement sounded superior to rips made with a PC and dBpoweramp
 

sbo6

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… picking up on this - just out of curiosity, do you guys hear a difference between spinning a cd via cd transport and the same cd ripped to lossless wav and locally served to the same dac?

Theoretically the lossless rip should be superior as source, from what i understand…

cheers,

Christoph
It depends on the music server and CD player's output quality.
 
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skinnyfla

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... just curious as I don`t know whether to invest in a CDT or rather optimize local file based playback via server/streamer...
 

Al M.

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... just curious as I don`t know whether to invest in a CDT or rather optimize local file based playback via server/streamer...

I have seen too much drama in friends' systems trying to get computer audio right, so honestly, I feel kinda burned ;). And when I'm reading about the complexities of it on forums, my head starts to spin, frankly. I just don't want to go through the hoops and hassles of all of it. Apart from the expense.

So I chose the "easy way out", which of course entails physically changing CDs rather than being able to change music motionless on a iPad. But it also fits my habits of music listening. My CD playback is a bit more involved than just using a CD transport, see my signature, but it's still a rather simple solution.

My streaming is limited to laptop computer and $ 30 headphones, where sound quality is not my primary concern. High-end streaming can be done right, but it's just not for me.

But obviously, it's your personal choice. Everyone is different.
 

skinnyfla

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I have seen too much drama in friends' systems trying to get computer audio right, so honestly, I feel kinda burned ;). And when I'm reading about the complexities of it on forums, my head starts to spin, frankly. I just don't want to go through the hoops and hassles of all of it. Apart from the expense.

So I chose the "easy way out", which of course entails physically changing CDs rather than being able to change music motionless on a iPad. But it also fits my habits of music listening. My CD playback is a bit more involved than just using a CD transport, see my signature, but it's still a rather simple solution.

My streaming is limited to laptop computer and $ 30 headphones, where sound quality is not my primary concern. High-end streaming can be done right, but it's just not for me.

But obviously, it's your personal choice. Everyone is different.
... well, I suppose the central question is, how much effort do you have to put into local file/computer based playback to equal a good CDT/CDP... if it`s easy you get there you have the benefit of having your ripped CDs in equal quality than with a CDT/CDP and streaming on top... but if it`s a hassle, why not go the easy road and buy a CDP... I don`t care much for streaming services, I only use them to explore new music and when I like it, I always end up buying, vinyl if possible, if not CD...
 

skinnyfla

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... or, put otherwise, if you can`t get it to sound significantly better than CD at a reasonable "higher" expense or only get it to equal CD playback at a higher expense and significantly more hassle, then why bother...? On the other hand, if you can get it to rival CD or sound better at the same expense, then I get the advantages, as you get "streaming" on top in one box...
 

Blackmorec

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... or, put otherwise, if you can`t get it to sound significantly better than CD at a reasonable "higher" expense or only get it to equal CD playback at a higher expense and significantly more hassle, then why bother...? On the other hand, if you can get it to rival CD or sound better at the same expense, then I get the advantages, as you get "streaming" on top in one box...
In general, the more you spend on local and remote streaming and the more carefully you optimize what you bought and its network, the better it will sound. With over 50 years in hi-fi I owned several top-flight turntables, arms, MC cartridges, phono-stages and TT platforms. I spent the previous 5 years setting up and optimizing a dedicated local and remote streaming system that as far as sound quality goes eventually exceeded anything that i achieved in the previous 50 years with vinyl. By comparison the streaming system showed that vinyl has a particular sound very much associated with dragging a crystal along a plastic groove.
I would guess that I applied very similar budgets to both vinyl and streaming. Like any hi-fi it’s not just how much you spend, but also how you spend it that matters. To get great results from streaming requires a reasonable budget and a lot of optimization, mainly in removing all types of noise from the system.

My hobby breaks down into 2 parts…. A. Improving sound quality and b. Listening to and enjoying great music. I enjoy both parts. I found far more ways of improving the sound quality from streaming than I ever did with either vinyl or CD And I ultimately enjoyed the music far more with my eventual steaming set up than with any other system I’d previously owned
 

Brucemck2

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IME, optimizing a digital front end is not more complex or involved than optimizing an analog front end, but it is different.

With my prior turntable I had to pay attention to quality power (dedicated line with isolation transformer), isolating the SUT, turntable, three power supplies, and vacuum pump from vibrations and ham radio interference, getting complementary cabling all the way into the preamp, cartridge alignment, cartridge loading, and wet-vac vinyl cleaning. That’s not nothing!
 
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sbo6

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In general, the more you spend on local and remote streaming and the more carefully you optimize what you bought and its network, the better it will sound. With over 50 years in hi-fi I owned several top-flight turntables, arms, MC cartridges, phono-stages and TT platforms. I spent the previous 5 years setting up and optimizing a dedicated local and remote streaming system that as far as sound quality goes eventually exceeded anything that i achieved in the previous 50 years with vinyl. By comparison the streaming system showed that vinyl has a particular sound very much associated with dragging a crystal along a plastic groove.
I would guess that I applied very similar budgets to both vinyl and streaming. Like any hi-fi it’s not just how much you spend, but also how you spend it that matters. To get great results from streaming requires a reasonable budget and a lot of optimization, mainly in removing all types of noise from the system.

My hobby breaks down into 2 parts…. A. Improving sound quality and b. Listening to and enjoying great music. I enjoy both parts. I found far more ways of improving the sound quality from streaming than I ever did with either vinyl or CD And I ultimately enjoyed the music far more with my eventual steaming set up than with any other system I’d previously owned
You left out one major attraction to vinyl that drew me back as of recent - the flood of exemplary remasters, many (most?) of which are not being made available on digital. So if you want the best sounding version of Miles Davis, Stan Getz, Duke Ellington, etc. along with a great deal of rock, classical and other jazz recordings, it doesn't matter how good your digital is, the top - notch media is not available. And yes, I have what I'd consider reference caliber analog and digital sources and the vinyl wins 9.5 / 10x.
 
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Blackmorec

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You left out one major attraction to vinyl that drew me back as of recent - the flood of exemplary remasters, many (most?) of which are not being made available on digital. So if you want the best sounding version of Miles Davis, Stan Getz, Duke Ellington, etc. along with a great deal of rock, classical and other jazz recordings, it doesn't matter how good your digital is, the top - notch media is not available. And yes, I have what I'd consider reference caliber analog and digital sources and the vinyl wins 9.5 / 10x.
Hi sbo6,

Ah yes, thanks for reminding me about those top-notch remasters. At the same time i was ordering the initial parts of my streaming system I treated myself to about 170 of my favorite rock, jazz and classical LPs. The ones that were available I bought new on 180G vinyl and the rest I purchased my favorite conductors and orchestras from a dealer on mint or near-mint used vinyl from Decca, EMI and other classics labels

I still have all those albums, now without a TT, indeed without a hi-fi if anyone is interested In some very fine music on vinyl.
 
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pk_LA

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Ron,

You probably do not recall but you listened to an A|B as follows.
A: dCS Vivaldi Apex streaming Qobuz
B: Mark Levinson 390S as transport -> dCS Vivaldi Apex dac

You preferred (A). Strongly.
 

Ron Resnick

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Ron,

You probably do not recall but you listened to an A|B as follows.
A: dCS Vivaldi Apex streaming Qobuz
B: Mark Levinson 390S as transport -> dCS Vivaldi Apex dac

You preferred (A). Strongly.
Hi Pat!

You are correct. I don't remember that comparison. That is interesting.

It's puzzling, because I take as a matter of faith, all else being equal, that in a comparison of the same exact recording and mastering a physical CD generally will sound better than streaming. For this proposition I cite Lucasz Fikus.

In that comparison was "all else equal" in terms of wires and ethernet switches and other digital doo-dads?
 

Al M.

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