I can’t speak to Atmos, as I have two 5.1 systems in my home. However I lately was streaming a pair of shows while awaiting the second hand Blue Rays that I had ordered. When the Blue Raysarrived they were definitely fuller and more immersive than the Netflix stream |
Interesting and I'm not surprised, just kinda disappointed. I want streaming to be better.
So I guess it's like this:
Streaming music = 90% to 105% better than CD depending on a lot.
Streaming movies = 80% picture and sound quality.
I'm pulling those figures from thin air, but it seems that music streaming has come farther and streaming from Vudu, Netflix, etc. is just not there.
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I don’t see why music streaming has to be better than CD, if you are using the same DAC and comparing equivalently priced streamer vs CD transport. Both CD and streamers are sending 1s and 0s to a DAC. And then there is the variable of Internet quality, such as your router, your local bandwidth, etc, not an issue with physical media.
The latter is even more important with video. With everyone streaming Netflix, the ISP tend to limit the content down the pike, so it shouldn’t surprise you that a Blu Ray will best streaming |
It doesn't really surprise me I guess. But still, when my picture says 4k and the audio badge says Atmos, I kinda do expect them to be on a level playing field. |
I am not sure that is a reasonable expectation currently. I am not a IT person but I would think that it has to be harder to incorporate information in a stream, and have it successfully decoded at the other end, than with physical media. Especially with the pandemic, with everyone getting their entertainment at home, with Zoom being the means of communication for all schools and workplaces, the demands on the ISP must have increased several fold in the past year unexpectedly, and it wouldn't surprise me if all providers have throttled back a bit on bandwidth.
Physical media still have the edge, imo, but can't beat streaming for ease of use |
I still think CDs sound way better than streaming, even hi-res Qobuz and Tidal. |
I tend to stream music that I don't have on CD, so it's hard to make direct comparisons, and then there are the equipment variables--are your streamer and CD transport roughly comparable in price? are you using the same DAC for both?--so who knows? Qobuz can sound very good, but at least with CDs there aren't issues with ISP controlling bandwidth, and recordings suddenly becoming unavailable, as one of my Qobuz favorites has suddenly disappeared |
My post was strictly about video (Netflix, Hulu, Amazon, Vudu, etc.) Atmos streaming vs DVD bluray... But I don't see how or why a CD could sound better than streaming.. After all, isn't CD also streaming? If you're going to say CD sounds better/different, don't you have to also agree that streamers matter? That's contentious topic here for sure.. Many say bits are bits and it doesn't matter where they come from.
Either way, I just wanted to see if there was a definitive consensus that Bluray is better than streaming movies for both sound and video.
Sounds like it's definitely better. I just didn't want to buy more discs. |
I try to get as many discs from our library as possible. That can mean a wait of a few weeks which doesn't work for impulse buying. And there are other disc rental options such as Redbox, and the used lp stores here have video sections as well. Does Netflix still offer the streaming plan combined with disc rental? |
btw, your whole question about CDs..you didn't address the bandwidth issue in my previous post. At least with your own CDs you control whether or not compression is being added, etc. And no, CDs aren't streaming. A CDP extracts 1s and 0s from aspiring disc and sends them to a DAC. Streaming is getting content from a third party that then uses your ISP to send those bits to your device. If the third party or the ISP alters that stream, intentionally or otherwise, not much the user can do about it |
I do both. I stream from Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Apple TV+ and HBO Max. I find the quality to be excellent on my 5.1.4 Atmos system.
I started renting 4K Atmos DVD's and the sound quality and Picture quality is a level better than streaming although if I didn't have a source of DVD rentals I would be more than happy streaming |
It gets better yet with Blu Ray vs DVD. Your point is taken, though that the convenience of streaming and the relatively good quality will satisfy most people |
I have no issues with streaming. I stream everything and find it excellent. Maybe it's my processor. I also have some blue ray atmos disk (sony 700 blue ray player). There probably is a difference but I feel my streaming experience is excellent. I am also hardwired to my roku with cat 7 cert cable (6 bucks for 6 foot on Amazon). Also I'm using the latest 4k roku 2020 model.
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Streaming in Atmos for Netflix, HBOMax and Disney+ sucks for me. I have a 5.1.2 setup, and on Netflix the Atmos dialogue is in my right front speaker, and for HBOMax and Disney+ it can't decode. I have a Samsung Q900TS, running through a Pioneer VSX-LX503, all firmware has been updated, but I can't get it to work. Frustrated.
That said, physical media has much fuller, more robust sound than streaming. Watching Batman Begins on HBOMax and then popping in my 4K disc they dialogue and sound effects are much louder and clearer on the disc. |
@gdog04 funny, I just started Batman Begins on Vudu a little while ago! Working from home ya know?
Sounds like you have other problems somewhere in your system if you're not decoding Atmos properly though.
Atmos works great for me on Netflix, HBOmax, Disney+, Vudu, Amazon etc. This is through a Marantz av7705 processor and Samsung Frame tv. |
So I'm considering the Marantz SR7015, any chance that might fix my issues?
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@dtximages...yes the joys of working from home! Just got the remastered version of Batman v Superman so I’m going to throw that on. I just upgraded my speakers to B&W 600 series in ceiling (my wife wanted clean sight lines in our living room), with the Anniversary series center channel and subwoofer. I didn’t upgrade my receiver and now I’m sorry I didn’t. I get a popping sound inside of Netflix and HBOMax when moving through the menus, very annoying. |
I stream and I also rent 4K Atmos disks. I currently have a high quality 5.1.4 system that I will soon upgrade. Streaming Atmos from Apple TV+, HBO Max, Netflix and Prime, Disney is excellent. I have a fiber optic ethernet connection so speed is not an issue. When I know a movie has a very high quality Atmos sound track I will rent the disk and disks are better but it does not mean that streaming is not excellent |
With my upgraded Oppo 205 the audio is way better from disc’s than streaming. Much fuller sounding, surround, Atmos, bass etc.
Actually, I am using a Apple 4K TV playing through my Oppo HDMI input. First off, I was unable to find much 7.1 or Atmos content on either Netflix or Prime. And, the few titles that are listed as Atmos didn’t sound like it.
ozzy |
@ozzy Thanks for your input. I agree the Atmos titles on Netflix are few and I've heard good and bad Atmos titles on there. However, sometimes I also wonder if it's even playing in Atmos on Netflix. It's like my Marantz processor fails to kick on Atmos. I just wonder how much better it would be using an actual dvd player or if streaming Atmos is "darn near the same".... I see the strong consensus is that streaming is definitely inferior.
On a side note, is anyone else frustrated with Marantz receivers/processors and how hard it is to tell exactly what mix it's playing? I have to open the front door to see.. I wish there was a good on-screen display available. |
dtximages,
Sound wise, definitely better with playing discs- 4K, Blue Ray.
I actually don’t believe that Netflix or Prime is actually passing Atmos and or 7.1. I think they once did but in the last year they have reduced their bandwidth in order to pass 4K.
ozzy |
@ozzy Yeah... But sometimes my receiver will say "Atmos" when playing a Netflix atmos title. But sometimes it doesn't. |
But, can you actually tell that it is playing the Atmos sound?
ozzy |
@ozzy sometimes. Often it's hard to hear without unhooking the other speakers. |
