Dr Tone
Banned
More often than not, it was the other way around for me, Tidal had the crappy remaster.
No CD's??
- Thread starter Mr Peabody
- Start date
More often than not, it was the other way around for me, Tidal had the crappy remaster.
My experience with WiFi has been that it either works or it does not.
When it works I cannot tell a difference in sound as compared to wired.
When it does not work, the music stops half way or stutters. There is no in between.
The are various reasons why WiFi can sound bad. It Could be a result of weak wifi signal (for example, due to location of router or the number of users accessing wifi), or a combination of large files (say large DSD file) and weak WiFi signal.
I primarily use FLAC files which are ideal for streaming due to being smaller sizes. The music player does the FLAC to PCM conversion.
CPP
Active member
I have to give an agree on that as well. Who knows what master/re-master/re-masters of a remaster/download/CD/tape/LP Tidal is using. Its a crap shoot of listening and comparing with the media you either own or someone else does. .Sometimes you get a good one and that's "COOL"
I use Roon with Tidal and the metadata from Roon helps me identify date when the recording was released, if it is a remaster, etc. Unfortunately that data is not always available. Ultimately, one has to listen to the different versions and pick the one that sounds better to your ears. Then one can use the Roon feature that allows you to chose that version as "primary" in your library and hide the other versions. Using Tidal alone, I don't think I could do that.
Randy Myers
Well-known member
Yea, I am familiar with Wifi. I do believe that cabling is important. There are so many variables in the wifi signal that I do not consider it an audio quality source. After all, I think we all agree that digital music is a whole lot more than just 1's and 0's.
I also play a lot of high resolution, 192 Flac, DSD64, DSD128, and DSD256. These work wonderful from my music server into my Recovery and then my DAC. Fairly certain that streaming across Wi-fi might be more of a challenge.
When I purchase a download I either buy the DSD is available or Flac. I know for a fact that HD Tracks, for example, stores the music in their store in Flac, and any other format that is downloaded is converted on the fly. So my view is, why not simply buy the version that is stored on their servers.
CPP
Active member
My main router is a Netgear which resides in another room and my Lumin resides in my office and its Ethernet is connected to a Netgear extender. I've yet to have any Wifi issues unless my internet provider takes a dump and that is far a few between. I thought about upgrading to 100Mbps service but I've had no issues with my 60mbps service and I stream daily for hours on end.
still-one
Active member
As I posted in a previous thread I had absolutely no issues with dropouts running Roon Core wirelessly for almost a year. I didn't believe it when a couple of parties (not selling any devices) indicated I would get improved SQ by moving to a hardwired ethernet connection. I purchased a dedicated sonicTransporter and was surprised that going hardwired did in fact make a slight improvement in SQ versus a wireless connection.
KeithR
Active member
All of my non-audiophile friends are 45 or under - not a single one spins CDs anymore. In fact, they used to laugh at me for doing so until I stopped 2 years ago. I used to bring CDs to audio shows, but stopped two years ago as well - as there are no spinners in rooms now. I now bring vinyl which is much easier to demo. There hardly are any discs for sale either at the show emporium now.
I also used to bring them to dealers - what the dealer would do would be rip them to server and stream them instead as they didn't have a spinner in their demo system. One other dealer had to bring in a 10 year old Rega CDP for me to use. Now I've created a Tidal playlist that I can use anywhere.
So articles like this are clueless imo. I'd love to know from dealers how many people under the age of 40 bring in CDs in this day and age - I'd casually guess one per year.
KeithR
Active member
Jim, I just bought a similar Innuous and the effect was rather dramatic. I don't think its just the ethernet connection, but the silence of the server/power supply/etc.
Sharp 2160
New member
The dealers have to push new products such as streaming and servers. Makes sense of course they won't promote CD as that isn't making a profit for them. I remember the same doomsday about vinyl. It made a resurgence.
still-one
Active member
I believe you are correct. Getting the core away from relatively noisy laptop environment helps along with the Linux OS.
LostnAmerica
New member
No CD's? Oh my. What am I going to do with the new Primare CD32 I just bought? I guess I'll just muddle my way through my collection and go to discogs for further possible purchases. I am sure that they will eventually be gone, but hopefully not in my lifetime. Thanks joeinid for the update, keep us posted!
Cheers
Cheers
Mr Peabody
Well-known member
- Thread Author
- #57
LOL, as long as the vinyl renaissance took, I should live as long to see the one for CD.
Jozua
New member
My biggest concern with streaming and ripped music is that I do not know whether it is still in it's original form as when it was mixed in the original studio. Unknown to me it could have been subsequently up sampled, down sampled or compressed by some backyard "sound engineer".
When I buy music I work on the assumption that the music is in an pristine state and has not been fiddled with. With buying CD/SACD's I know for certain it is still in the original format unless stated otherwise on the cover.
I have been told that a major contributing factor to the sound differences with streamed music compared to disk sourced music is the multiple digital interfaces between the various equipment which do not always function optimally. Maybe if the digital interfaces can be sorted out - then disk and streamed might sound the same?
In my subjective experience I can hear a difference between streamed/ripped and disk/SACD. Why I do not know? I suspect it has something to do with a simpler simpler digital signal chain within the disk player compared to the multiple interfaces required by the other formats?
Take care.
When I buy music I work on the assumption that the music is in an pristine state and has not been fiddled with. With buying CD/SACD's I know for certain it is still in the original format unless stated otherwise on the cover.
I have been told that a major contributing factor to the sound differences with streamed music compared to disk sourced music is the multiple digital interfaces between the various equipment which do not always function optimally. Maybe if the digital interfaces can be sorted out - then disk and streamed might sound the same?
In my subjective experience I can hear a difference between streamed/ripped and disk/SACD. Why I do not know? I suspect it has something to do with a simpler simpler digital signal chain within the disk player compared to the multiple interfaces required by the other formats?
Take care.
There is also the problem of watermarking of streamed files. Here is a pretty audible watermark:
http://www.mattmontag.com/music/universals-audible-watermark
So we buy expensive high-end gear only to be treated to this?
Here are other discussions:
https://hydrogenaud.io/index.php/topic,111198/topicseen.html
https://www.audioasylum.com/cgi/vt.mpl?f=pcaudio&m=156004
If that's the streaming world I'm out, at least for serious listening (I can pick my music to buy on YouTube too).
Like you, I am spinning CDs.
Jozua
New member
AI M
The problem is that as you upgrade to higher resolution systems- the emphasis on buying top notch recordings becomes more important.
Upgrade your system and you might easily find a much loved disk suddenly becoming un-listenable ! 60% of my CD collection of 30 years, cannot be listened to on my current system.
I just want to enjoy my music but I am now forced (!!!) to use two systems - one for top notch recordings and a much more forgiving system for older recordings....
The problem is that as you upgrade to higher resolution systems- the emphasis on buying top notch recordings becomes more important.
Upgrade your system and you might easily find a much loved disk suddenly becoming un-listenable ! 60% of my CD collection of 30 years, cannot be listened to on my current system.
I just want to enjoy my music but I am now forced (!!!) to use two systems - one for top notch recordings and a much more forgiving system for older recordings....