I agree with most people here but want to add a very overlooked point. In my experience with streaming - is that the quality of the recording makes a very, very significant difference. Take streaming out of the equation and place a quality turntable in. Some record albums were recorded very well and produced very well. As such they sound spectacular. Think Chicago, Steely Dan, Diana Krall, and many others when the producers and the players wanted a good sounding album. Now taking a poorly recorded album and play it on your quality turntable. It sounds thin, no tonal range, the dynamic range is narrow, etc. Now back to digital streaming. If the streamer is good, the power supply is stable and the unit is quiet…paired with a very good external DAC you will hear tremendous sound from a quality recording. If you spend significantly more money on the streamer and the DAC….. the sound gets better. As with all audio equipment for the most part. But crappy recordings are also a critical part of good sound. It doesn’t get discussed much, but I would guess those individuals in the recording industry…. can attest to this. At audio shows, the dealers and vendors find the best recordings to showcase their audio equipment, especially speakers.
