2. digital
  3. 165087-110341

More Detail From a CD?

So I think by most accounts here I'm a pretty entry-level audiophile. I've only gotten serious about my equipment over the last 4 years as budget allowed. But I've finally got a simple system I'll be happy with for a while. I have a Pass Labs XA30.5, a PS Audio Directstream DAC w/bridge, and Tekton Pendragon speakers. I've ripped (AIFF) my entire CD collection to a Drobo NAS and I stream through Tidal. Both of those go through Roon for convenience. But along the way I also picked up an NAD 516BEE CD player that I only used a couple of times before getting the Directstream DAC. I pulled it out the other day and played a few CDs and thought I was hearing more than from ripped or streaming. So I did A/B comparisons and to my ears there was definitely more detail. I really did not expect any difference as "digital is digital" but it was there. Would that be the consensus? I'd say I spent countless hours ripping for nothing but playlists are very convenient.
128x128ratboysr

Showing 2 responses by georgehifi

georgehifi's avatar
georgehifi
10,312 posts
 


mkgus
Your experience doesn’t surprise me. I’ve had the same experience over and over. CD sounds better than streaming when comparing apples to apples

I agree totally, we have had A/B’s with pro streamers in attendance at our meetings, and the outcome was unanimous for CD replay sounding better.

This "could" be put down to this.
Streaming/download usually has later versions of the same album. (which are more compressed)

EG:
http://dr.loudness-war.info/album/list?artist=The+Traveling+Wilburys&album
(scroll down)

Or the streaming/download process is compressed itself.

Cheers George

georgehifi's avatar
georgehifi
10,312 posts
 



ratboysr
NAD 516BEE CD player that I only used a couple of times before getting the Directstream DAC. I pulled it out the other day and played a few CDs and thought I was hearing more.
So I did A/B comparisons and to my ears there was definitely more detail.
I really did not expect any difference as "digital is digital" but it was there.


BTW way, your system is far far better than entry level.

There’s usually better dynamic range from original first release CD’s because of less compression, which gives your brain/ear more space to hear around individual notes (hence better detail), because the loud and quiet notes are not the compressed to a similar level "wall of sound" as I call it.
I’m sure compression was developed for the "ipod/earbud brigade" so they don’t blow their eardrums or earbuds out with the louder dynamic passages if is NOT compressed, because they would have to turn the volume up louder during quiet passages if not compress to hear it, THEN BANG goes their eardrums on the loud notes.

The streamed/downloaded ones are more likely to be later releases which are more compressed, especially the remastered ones.
EG: The The "Infected" (green squares good dynamic range)
http://dr.loudness-war.info/album/list?artist=The+The&album=%09Infected

Cheers George

More to discover