It is my opinion thus far, based on these limited experiments, that it is easier to get good sound from a modest DAC fed by a cheap CD player than it is to get good sound from that same DAC fed by a cheap streamer. (And CD certainly is easier to set up in the sense that one does not have to learn anything about computer networking and switches and stuff, which is anathema to me.)
I would say there’s a lot of truth in the above. Firstly the CDP uses a source component (the CD) to generate a data stream that goes straight into the DAC…..noise is going to come from the ‘built-for-audio’ CD transport, but that’s it, more or less. The cheap streaming is connected to the Internet and Network World and all its noise. There are multiple components each generating and transmitting their own noise, there’s network traffic, ground plane interference, plenty of network related interrupts and conflicts, parcel losses and the necessary error correction and re transmissions, inaccurate clocks, poor, noisy, non-audio optimised power supplies, loads of vibrational losses, the works.
Streaming is a ubiquitously noisy environment that was never developed, optimised or even tested for audio use. Having a poor, untreated streaming system connected to your hi-fi is so noisy and detrimental that it can even affect non-streaming media like vinyl, simply due to the amount of noise brought into the hi-fi. So pretty damning for streaming.
I hope you sensed a BUT coming?
But the main BENEFIT of streaming only comes when the user decides to do something about all that noise and inaccurate timing. In essence, that IS the benefit of streaming. The fact that it allows nearly ALL that noise and mis-timing to be addressed, by isolation, filtration and avoidance measures. And whenever that noise is removed, as long as its not repeated later on in the chain, the SQ improves. Predictably, musically, appreciably.
Imagine that at the end of your garden there’s a stinking bog. You can leave it, with its mosquitoes, weeds, mud, frogs, newts and snakes and simply stay away, OR you can decide to do something about it. And the more you do, the more beautiful it gets, until one day that bog is a beautiful reserve for rare reptiles, with a fresh water spring, exotic plants, maybe some fish and pathways so you can wander around and enjoy it. Instead of ruining the rest of your environment, it becomes an exotic asset and the highlight of your garden
So, bottom line. Streaming, like any other part of hi-fi needs work to make it sound good. The great thing is, the more work you do, the better it sounds. Ask head gardener Emile Bok, who despite achieving Extreme levels of SQ has yet to discover the SQ limits of improving local and remote streaming.
