Live Demo - Streaming music vs CD playback !

I think Streaming services are there to compliment others services like CD, etc.

Dude what's with new subs?

All very close but my comment is about altering the streaming sound from Tidal. I actually run Tidal on my iMac (I have one of the older models with digital Toslink out). I use the mac because I've found the Tidal desktop application to be superior to other apps by far. I turn everything off in Tidal and manually set the sampling rate using the MIDI Audio app that comes with OS-X. Sometimes I'll actually oversample. So in your example, I set the digital out to 2 channel, 32 bit, 88.2kHz. And boy does that ever change the sound. It almost sounds like a warmer tube sound but with solid state overtones. So maybe this sound is more like your super expensive CD/DAC that's coloring the sound (which may be why perceived to be better sounding). And another advantage of Tidal is that you can get it for a mere 20 bucks or so a month. No need to shell out 10K for crazy expensive equipment (which I would dearly love to have if I could afford it in my mind). Bottom line. High-Res streaming audio is really really really good. What a time to be an audiophile!

Sorry, if I missed this - What speakers are you using to do the comparison? - Watched many or your vids (not all) and I do not recognize them. Thanks

The cd player is tops, BUT is the library version in FLAC or WAV? I found that WAV sounds way better than flac. I ended up unfolding all my flac library into hardcoded wav.
Ps. Love that album ' Love is Space'

Hi Mike,
Tidal is good, but one need to be mindful that the servers are outside and the file will be transported with some noise - the only thing one can do is to improve the transport from router to the HiFi system. Think the Tidal does bring a overly done base, but good clarity. Playing the file from Server seems to be really close to the CD, form you position Mike was the 3D image better on the CD or from the server?

Streaming is all about timing ... I suspect that your system is so good that it 'reveals' the timing issue, maybe have a look at the UPtone Audio EtherREGEN - Thanks

cd is better

All sound pretty much identical. Thanks for sharing.

Very interesting demo. I agree with everyone else about the cd. I would be curious to know how the cd compares through your rig vs the upsampled version streaming from tidal or qobuz. Either their own higher rate files or just using the roon upsample version. I think that the diminishing returns also has to take into account convenience. I have thought that cds were better for quite a while but it's very hard to not enjoy any music you want from tidal anderson qobuz at your fingertips from sitting in your listening position and using your phone or tablet. I look forward to seeing what you do next. Hopefully a cd vs streamed upsampled comparison. Keep up the good work.

What's in the system?

Is it I2S from CDP or XLR?

Ok yeah your nuts. But my theory is everyone thinks everyone else is crazy and their right... the water. I never really heard it on earbuds with streaming until later in the song. With the local and cd it was much better, I heard it right away. Between local and streaming very noticeable. Harder to tell with my earbuds between cd hd or other . Great track thanks for the tip I’ll look for it... bickering yoga?

Is the musix streaming out of the Roon server being upsampled to at least 176.4kHz (an even multiple of the source sample rate) to avoid the brick wall filter required on 44.1/48kHz sources? The Romulus Transport/DAC may do this automatically on CDs as a matter of course...

I started doing this with my JRiver Media Server and it’s made a huge improvement. Roon has this ability, too. 💯

Man, those subs sound fine... Available in 2-12 and 3-12 and there is a stackable kit with bigger amp available also. 6-12s per side in the same amount of floor space. 😳

You can never hide from artifical digital sound from pc or streaming devices..

That's becouse magic begins at cd transport itself, - not in dac and not in cables or speakers, but in transport!
You can just bring any oldest philips with CDM0 or CDM1 and with low price dac - they beat any digital shit)) even if you run PC with MSB select or DCS Vivaldi.

Cd had more nuance & depth

1. CD
2. Server
3. The rest
Mike, loving the cables I received from you 👍

There's a lot we don't know here. How's your Roon server setup, How is the USB input from the Romulus vs the SPDIF/Coax input... Is there a FIFO and reclocking done on the USB side? USB is quite noisy by default. Aside this, you have great gears to play with, enjoy!

They all sounded equally good on my laptop speakers. No joke.

C.D.

It would be far more interesting if you didn't tell what is from what and ask the people to guess. Then say what is from what in the end, or in the next video. Somewhat of a blind test for us.

The lights are killing my eyes. Can you make it a little darker so that nothing is visible?

A good old (not very old) cd player is superior ...now with remastered cds and better recordings the output is excellent... i have a north star design sapphire cd player which sounds better than flac files or streaming music to my system

First off cd sounds great! Can't find anywhere you state the name of the artist? Love the water sounds and the vocals!

Cd is way better!

I just watched this video and was curious if you remember if the Romulus was the base model, Signature or Eclipse. I just ordered the Signature so I am curious. Thanks! Oh, by the way, another great video.

Tight battle between spotify and cd at my home

I am listening to this on a realme x2, Dolby is on and with the cheapest sony headphone, I can still hear the difference. 👍 CD it is for me.

cd seems to have more "air" and musicality. I'm getting back into cd before all the vinyl hipsters decide the same and push the prices up!

your impression ?

Hi, do you ever use a digital to digital interface? From USB to I2S, then to DAC, Preamp etc. Do these kind of interface do any good?

CD

Internet version is more open and musical space around her vocally and the space within the bass. It’s not as controlled as through Roon, the sound is more layered but too controlled. Cd is 2nd it lost the ambiance compared to the internet.
Depends on what you want, I always find one gains but looses in other areas. You cannot win win, it’s all about the sound staging and what sounds more musical, for me the internet has more boogie factor more musical open. The small items you talk about you cannot pick up on the video

I totally agree with your better ears. CD was WAY better with much more presence and realism. To my ears, it was a BIG difference. Cheers - Luther

CD’s help tweeter alot and base. Sounds really good i have always told people CDs have better quality than streaming.

CD "s sound more Fuller in sound to me.

Cd player sound more fluidity.

I've been using a 23 year old Pioneer cd player/recorder and Tidal. Guess what? The cd player sounds better 😂

The best way to do this comparison is to use an oscilloscope to see the amplitude, frequency and noises.
But even without the oscilloscope, CD is dominant than the streams and servers.
Streams are cheap!!
I use Yamaha Receiver, Yamaha CD transport, and Yamaha Speakers.
The evil lurking behind the stream musics are revealed even more. Haha!! Streams are garbage. It is only created for convenience but theres no art nor love nor respect to the soul of the music itself.

CD is king! More resolution and transparency.

I use a top reference level DAC, some of the best ethernet cables available, a high quality switch and a Roon Nucleus Plus as the main source in my rig. No more vinyl or cd's for me. I have been able to achieve top notch cd and beyond SQ with my rig. The key to greater SQ when streaming is with all the associated equipment used to do the streaming, which is crucial. The DAC being the absolute most crucial element in the equation. It took proper time, effort, experimentation and $$$$ to get to that plateau, though. But, once I reached that plateau, I was able to just lay back with my entire music library (including ripped cd's to my Roon hard drive), with my lovely iPad, with all the lovey metadata, and enjoy my music and the experience like never before. Beautiful sound, convenience, and exposure to a wealth and a sea of music via Tidal and Qobuz, all in the palms of my hot little hands. Ain't life grand!!!

Give it away now. The CD sounded better to me. I want to try streaming. My rig is right at 7g. I'd spend 1g,2g for streaming gear.

Great Music!

😂😂😂😂

You are trying to get us to hear the difference of CD and streaming audio on YT which means we have to stream the video which means it is going to be compressed. In person I can absolutely hear a difference in quality and CD is better. You can’t avoid compression with streaming regardless of what you do.

CD was definitely better to my ears.