More Consensus That Streaming Is An Inferior Format & Not High End?

[Powerman]

I find the this to be a rather silly subject, even ridiculous question. SoTA means just that for any given medium. It's the highest end for that. That alone makes it high end. Every since the CD killed the record (because tape didn't) not only has the question been around, but there have been significant efforts made to make digital as good as vinyl. Today digital is streamed... OK... So what? To think that streaming bits is somehow inferior by default is silly. Just because the majority of those that stream are not audiophiles does not diminish what streaming is.

So what is "high end"? I will suggest that there is much more to it than simply a SoTA needle on vinyl, or SoTA bits converted to same. There is definitely rituals involved. Psychoacoustics. There is absolutely a subjective arrogance and vanity to it. Exclusivity, status. I will never be able to afford what some on this forum have. I have a lot of friends that will never afford what I have. I have many friends that can afford it, but would never waste money on something so frivolous. This is a very small and niche hobby, yet I need a $50k dac just to qualify for high end? I do need a $50k DAC to claim bleeding edge SoTA King of the Hill, yes. But how are we going to objectively rate streaming digital thru that lens? Why in the world would anyone rain on their own subjective exclusivity parade? High end streaming is high end streaming, it's just that simple.

 

[stnsw]

But that's what I don't like... If I use a client, it goes into that service, and not the streaming service. I stream away from home as well and it is irritating to have to go into the streaming service to save something I found listening to music at home. They all do it so it is what it is... I only stream so clearly I can get over it. I do purchase music, but only stuff I have to have on my drive.

My friend loaned me his turntable. I haven't spun records since high school. And I wore a few out... Ummm... Ya, certainly over that. He even had some 78 pressings... So even more work to listen to a couple songs. It does sound different, not really better. Hi res digital is really that good now. At least to me.

I detest Roon Radio. I discovered it the first time I used Roon. I played Bach's St Matthew's Passion and afterward, when I thought it had stopped, the thing launched all by itself into what it thought was similar. I was appalled. Then I spent time trying to figure out how to turn it off. I can understand liking it but not everyone will.

 

[Powerman]

I detest Roon Radio. I discovered it the first time I used Roon. I played Bach's St Matthew's Passion and afterward, when I thought it had stopped, the thing launched all by itself into what it thought was similar. I was appalled. Then I spent time trying to figure out how to turn it off. I can understand liking it but not everyone will.

Right!... Takes a bit to figure out how to turn that crap off. They hide it well.

 

[PYP]

I detest Roon Radio. I discovered it the first time I used Roon. I played Bach's St Matthew's Passion and afterward, when I thought it had stopped, the thing launched all by itself into what it thought was similar. I was appalled. Then I spent time trying to figure out how to turn it off. I can understand liking it but not everyone will.

Not trying to convince anyone when I say that Roon Radio has been improved over the last year and it might be worth trying again. Of course, if the whole concept is unappealing, then improvements won't make a difference. I can understand someone avoiding this in their music experience, perhaps especially during a time when AI will become pervasive and intrusive.

 

[jbrrp1]

Roon Radio is a feature I dearly miss now that I'm using Taiko Audio's XDMS. Sure, there are times one needs to turn it off (which was the great majority of the time for me), but when I wanted it on, I found it to take me on pretty interesting tours, riffing off of the playlist I started with. If I weren't hearing significant SQ improvements with XDMS I would be back to Roon in a heartbeat, and Roon Radio would be an important reason in that.

 

[PeterA]

Pretty interesting view from Jay and OCD Mikey (member @Verastarr): vinyl vs streaming

 

[Gregadd]

Nice chaairs.

 

[montesquieu]

Pretty interesting view from Jay and OCD Mikey (member @Verastarr): vinyl vs streaming

Statement of the obvious.

Of course it's not an 'either or'. Very little of the Early Music I like to buy these days is available on vinyl. So I have to buy on CD. (I wouldn't buy the file - the ergonomics of streaming just irritate me and I'm not a believer in hi-res anyway).

 

[PeterA]

Nice chaairs.

Nice is 985 views in 3 hours.

 

[bryans]

Everyone has a format they like. If listening to CDs and LPs are your thing, great.

Honestly I never understand all the noise around formats, etc. If one doesn't like a certain format don't use it. There is a lot of music in all kinds formats for everyone.

 

[audiobomber]

Everyone has a format they like. If listening to CDs and LPs are your thing, great.

Honestly I never understand all the noise around formats, etc. If one doesn't like a certain format don't use it. There is a lot of music in all kinds formats for everyone.

And customize the sound of your system to suit your preferences.

 

[hopkins]

Pretty interesting view from Jay and OCD Mikey (member @Verastarr): vinyl vs streaming

Sorry to ask, but what exactly do you find interesting about this ? The "debate" here is just a veiled excuse for one guy (OCD) to tell the other that his system sucks! These two need to get a life

 

[Lagonda]

Nice chaairs.

For watching movies maybe ! Head rest in reflective material is not great for audio !

 

[Al M.]

Entertaining and interesting video.

Jay says (around 8:25): "And I think the thinness that you are referring to, is actually the fault of the streaming services".

This can indeed be an issue! A reason why I tend to prefer physical CD playback.

On the other hand, the MSB streaming implementation should be very good.

The file was MQA, which could be a problem.

 

[Al M.]

Sorry to ask, but what exactly do you find interesting about this ? The "debate" here is just a veiled excuse for one guy (OCD) to tell the other that his system sucks! These two need to get a life

Hehe, one way to look at it.

 

[tima]

The "debate" here is just a veiled excuse for one guy (OCD) to tell the other that his system sucks!

Not quite -- that part is just to draw the ambulance chasers. It is really just advertising.

 

[Audire]

Sorry to ask, but what exactly do you find interesting about this ? The "debate" here is just a veiled excuse for one guy (OCD) to tell the other that his system sucks! These two need to get a life

I find it interesting because a digital junkie (OCD) admits analogue sounds better. This said, IMO there’s a lot of misinformation coming from both parties - such as Playback Designs is the best - I’ve heard it - it’s NOT!

 

[PeterA]

Sorry to ask, but what exactly do you find interesting about this ? The "debate" here is just a veiled excuse for one guy (OCD) to tell the other that his system sucks! These two need to get a life

Hopkins, the reason I find the video interesting is that OCD tells his listeners not to buy vinyl and that he prefers digital. Jay jumps on the latest greatest bandwagon of main stream high-end audio. That is streaming. Here we have a video where these two guys actually make a comparison and say that in this system they prefer the sound of the vinyl and they explain why.

People may not agree with their opinion, but they give their opinion contrary to what I was expecting.

OCD has been invited by member Mike L to come out and listen to a system. They will be listening to Mike’s various sources, three of which are vinyl record players plus his WADAX DAC. OCD might also bring one of his Playback products.

It is one thing for all of us here on WBF to have opinions about formats and quality and so forth, but here are two guys who have a moderate number of followers on YouTube discussing what we discuss here. That to me is unexpected and welcome. The seriousness with which they present their opinions and the outcome is what I find interesting.

I understand that some of you this is merely advertising for Playback. I find it more a discussion about the formats and what they are hearing. Not a lot of mention of the turntable or the digital and no long camera shots about the products. Jay is not a vinyl guy and here he is saying that he prefers the sound of vinyl in his system.

 

[Al M.]

This said, IMO there’s a lot of misinformation coming from both parties - such as Playback Designs is the best - I’ve heard it - it’s NOT!

How DARE you say that?????

I'm shocked.

 

[PeterA]

I find it interesting because a digital junkie (OCD) admits analogue sounds better. This said, IMO there’s a lot of misinformation coming from both parties - such as Playback Designs is the best - I’ve heard it - it’s NOT!

Joe, what is the misinformation? OCD simply stated his opinion that he thinks the best DAC is Playback. He does not like MSB. They think part of the problem is the technology with streaming. Is that misinformation? Do you have other examples from each of them?