Is using streaming services worthy of an audiophile?

danvignau - Tidal is essentially CD quality, so it has the typical digital challenges to beating vinyl.  Even redbook can beat vinyl, but it requires the right low-jitter interface and a really good DAC.  A CD transport will usually not cut-it, unless its uber-expensive.

The best digital IME now is over Ethernet/WIFI and coming from a Roon interface or DLNA interface and driven by a computer. This will deliver the lowest jitter and have the least effects from the playback software and computer used.

The thing to understand about all digital playback is that Jitter is the #1 obstacle, followed by the digital filter in the DAC, and then the analog stages, I/V conversion and power delivery system in the DAC.  And this is assuming that you use .wav files, not compressed.

Unfortunately, Tidal uses FLAC and ALAC rather then uncompressed .wav files.  I predict that for most DAC's, the playback sound quality will be slightly lower than for a .wav file played directly from a computer.  They are close however, and in most systems you will not hear the difference.

Steve N.

Empirical Audio