Can Streaming from Qobuz or Tidal equal CD Playback?

Audio Systems
#1

Many times I have read that good CD playback using a well engineered CD transport is the way to go for the best sound quality from digital.

What’s your experience?

Is the dCS Network Bridge while streaming from the likes of Qobuz good enough to compete with a good quality CD transport?

What convinced “you” (if indeed you were convinced) to finally move away from CDs because something like the dCS NB was finally good enough to match CD replay (as opposed to other streamers which did not cut the mustard).

I’m not talking about enjoying the convenience of streaming - I’m talking about pure sound quality alone.

#2

Hi,

Some time ago, Tidal or Qobuz could equal cd playback…no longer…Qobuz and Tidal easily surpass CD playback :wink:

(I had a NB connected to a Vivaldi DAC, it was already much better than a cd player, now I have the Upsampler, it is better, but the NB is a great streamer, my son can tell you :slight_smile: )

#3

Chris - I think that the NB may be the exception to the audiophile rule if that is the case!

Many others will refute this (including perhaps dCS themselves) and conclude that the CD transport is still king of the hill.

#4

I compared a selection of CDs to locally-stored FLAC rips of the same CDs and could hear no difference.

I could feel the difference though. The CDs were a pain in the arse :slight_smile:

System at the time was a Rossini Player, Vivaldi Clock, T+A amplification and Von Schweikert speakers.

1 Like
#5

… do you feel the same is true for streaming direct from Qobuz or Tidal, instead of locally stored FLAC files?

Sound quality wise, not convenience of course.

#6

Anyway while I am here I will refer you to this website: https://www.jays-audio.com/

… read further down and you will find the following:

*Today, despite the advancement, and evolution of the computer music playback, the convenience of music streaming via PC/streamer, Jacky still believe in the standalone digital CD transports are the best way to reproduce music. *

Redbook CD at 16bit, 44.1kHz is all one needs.

#7

I’ve never compared them, because I couldn’t be sure I was comparing the same recording from each source.

Either way, Qobuz, Tidal and local FLACs all sound delicious, so I’m happy. This also means I have access to all the music I’ve ever bought, and the entirety of the Qobuz and Tidal libraries. Happy days!

1 Like
#8

Sounding delicious resonates well with me … I bet you have a dCS DAC too (I don’t btw - it’s not financially attainable for me over other pressing priorities).

Perhaps as a starter for 10 you can recommend a good used dCS DAC to work with a dCS bridge so I get a flavour of the ring DAC sound (perhaps then I will never look back).

It has to work well with streaming of course.