Almost equality

elliottbnewcombjr,

it’s taken about three or four years.

audioguy85,

I do have the CDt. It’s an excellent transport, and a very good value.

It really benefitted from the addition of a $300 Audioquest power cord.

eccyn,

is that Mahler 3rd recording on Nonesuch by any chance with Jasha Horenstein?

mijostyn,

Yes, my system just blossomed when I added Benchmark.

it’s amazing how good hi res files from Qobuz sound.

bayliner,

“it basically comes down to the quality of the recording now”

Exactly. 
 

Tuberist,

I completely agree with you.  it IS amazing how far digital has come. 
I, too now mostly listen to Qobuz and Idagio even though I have many thousands of CDs and records.  It’s gotten so good I don’t feel I’m compromising. 
 

Thank you very much.

Dinov,

Thank you!

curiousjim,

Thank you.

You’ll  find streaming to be a whole new world of enjoyment.

The Benchmark DAC is anything but harsh. Both the Benchmark DAC and amp are extremely tonally accurate.  Coupled with a tubed Conrad-Johnson preamp the sound is very sweet yet finely detailed. 
As a classical musician, I know what real music sounds like, and that’s what I’m hearing with my set.

stevewharton,

Good question.
The transport and streaming sound virtually the same, with maybe sometimes a slightly better definition with the transport. But it’s very close on most tracks.

I’ll try. 
But it’s difficult. LOL