Is there a difference in sound quality when streaming TIDAL Vs CD player

Would the sound quality have been better had I purchased a Parasound integrated amp as opposed to the ARCAM AVR550 I purchased.

To Mahler123;

Is there an additional port on my OPPO where I can connect a digital cable or is my HDMI cable good enough to use as a digital cable.  Also, when I was getting started in this hobby, I wanted a system where I could listen to both 2 channel and home theater.  The dealer I purchased my ARCAM told me an ARCAM was a lot better than others.  I originally wanted to buy a Parasound integrated amp.  Would the Parasound amp have sounded better.  In retrospect I wish I had purchased 2 channel preamp and amplifier and concentrated on just 2 channel.  However, had I done so I was not sure how I would have been able to use the room for both 2 channel and for home theater.  Just wish I was rich and had a wife would allow me to spend more money on this hobby.  Looks like once you are bit you get hooked on this hobby.

I wonder why the the dealer I purchased my ARCAM suggested I purchase an expensive RCA cable to listen to CD’s played on my OPPO U203?  I am guessing the DAC on the ARCAM to be better than the OPPO.  I did an A & B comparison with my HDMI cable and I thought it sounded better on the HDMI.

Since subscribing to TIDAL, I rarely play CD’s.

Another question.  Can you hear a significant difference using more expensive CD players?  If so, why?

surprised Wrench rated a turntable as number 1 for sound quality.  I was told digital has way more information to create detail then a turntable.  Plus, doesn’t tracking needle against the groove on vinyl create a lot of noise?

I agree with junzhang10.  I rarely listen to CD’s anymore since having TIDAL.  Can’t hear much difference.  Maybe that’s because I hard wired everything.

Clear clear think,

i have ave been told vinyl loses so much detail.  I think CD’s sound so much detail.  I like the crisp highs like cymbals.  Wonder the same about tube amps.  However, they do sound warm.

I was not aware there was loudness normalization setting on TIDAL.  Not sure where to find this.  Please let me know how to do this.

When I first began streaming TIDAL I tried streaming it wirelessly via my Apple TV.  This is what TIDAL diagrams on their website.  However, my signal kept breaking up and I solved this problem by hard wiring using  CAD6 from the modem in my family room to my Apple TV and from the Apple TV to port in the back of my ARCAM.

rhljazz, are you saying I should disable the loudness normalization function?  If so, why?  I thought this feature when engaged eliminates the volume differences you get from one album to another.  So, why would you disable this feature and choose to adjust the volume levels constantly between songs and albums?  Are you doing so because this increases the dynamic range?

I never heard of Qubuz.  Do you need to buy a decoder to use the studio version?

What does DSD stand for?  There are so many acronyms you all use that I do not understand.  Wonder if there is an acronym dictionary?

Never heard of Red Book CD.  Looked it up and it is confusing.  Is this a brand or a standard I should look for when purchasing CD's?

I have hard wired my motem using CAD6 cable to my Apple TV and hard wired using CAD6 cable from the Apple TV to my ARCAM.  Wouldn’t that be equal to a 16 bit CD recording.  So if that is the case wouldn’t that still sound the same as if I were playing a 16 bit CD on my OPPO 203?  I needed to hard wire in order to eliminate the signal from breaking up when I tried to stream wirelessly.  Wonder also if hardwiring improved the sound quality as well.

Thanks to all for the dialogue.  You all have such incredible knowledge.

I didn't realize a DAC can make such a SIGNIFICANT improvement in sound quality.  Can you really hear this difference with a blind test?

I have a difficult time believing you can hear a significant difference in speaker cable and interconnects.  

I think if I had a choice between spending $5,000 on expensive wire, I would benefit a great deal more if I purchased a new pair of speakers that cost $5,000 more than the ones I purchased.

Thanks for confirming my thought on speaker wire and interconnects.  I purchased a pair of Tara Labs for $240 and find them to be sufficient.  However, I have not heard the difference by comparing these to more expensive speaker wire.

Didn't realize a DAC can make such a difference.  I wonder what DAC's you would recommend and at what cost.  Again, would someone gain a lot more by investing in a more expensive pair of speakers?  I still we never forget how incredible the SALK Encore3 Song speakers sounded at the RMAF priced at $6,000.  Just wish I had been able to listen to them before I purchased mine.  They would have been well worth the wait.  I don't know if anyone knows Jim Salk, but he is the real deal.  However, the longer I am involved in this hobby, I cannot believe how many speaker manufacturers there are out there.  It still would be nice if dealers carried a full line of speakers so I could listen to all price ranges to hear the difference and then determine if the more expensive ones are worth the investment.  I also still think if speaker manufacturers chose a select number of dealers to carry their line, they would be able to sell their more expensive speakers if they consigned them.  Perhaps offer a 6 month consignment time line.  This in turn would motivate the dealers to sell them before the time runs out.

I personally would be scared to purchase used speakers.  How does a novice even know they are in perfect condition?  Why is the party selling them getting rid of them?  That would indicate they were not satisfied with the sound quality.

I wonder if anyone has ever heard a pair of SALK Song3 Encore speakers?  For $6,000 they were much better than a pair of $60,000 speakers I heard at the RMAF.  They are certainly better than any of the Focal speakers I have heard.  Obviously, no one in this discussion group thinks much of Focal otherwise you would constantly hear people bragging about how great they are.  They are also over priced.  However, I do like their tweeters and their mid voicing.  I think they are designed to hear classic music and vocals such as Diana Krall or choral music.

Someone just replied and said he thought the sound of TIDAL was better than a CD.  Glad I am not the only one who feels TIDAL quality is better.  I hard wired my router to my Apple TV and perhaps that makes a difference.  The same person told me prefers vinyl over everything.  I don't know how this is possible because there is more noise with vinyl and the needle is only able to make contact with so much area on the groove of the vinyl record.  This said, you must be losing a lot of information and as a result detail.

I just read a review on the Legacy Focus speakers.  They must be incredible.  I wonder how they sound compared to Jim Salk's Song3 Encore towers priced at $6,000.  To date I have not heard better.  I couldn't believe how they sounded compared to a pair of $60,000 speakers I hear at the RMAF in October.  I don't think anyone handles the Legacy Focus speakers in Denver, but I will be looking.

To change the subject, I wonder how people in this group feel about how important amperage/current is when buying an amplifier to create superior sound quality?  For example, Parasound has a 5 channel amplifier that delivers 180 watts and 67 amps per channel while Primare has a 5 channel amp delivers 150 watts and only 30 amps per channel.  I contacted Primare and the guy told me sound quality is not dependent on current.  He also told me the Primare would blow away the Parasound amp.  I think this guy was blowing smoke and mirrors.  I wonder what people in this group think.  This in itself would make for an interesting discussion.