Streaming vs traditional

Like others I can hear no difference between identical files either from a CD or server or streaming. Provided you have good gear it should reliably play an identical file with the same quality whether it was from a CD, a sever or over the Internet.

I highly recommend Tidal for its excellent catalog and CD and greater quality of resolution.

I recommend Roon as the best interface for access and bit perfect playback of your music collection - it works seamlessly with Tidal

@willemj

CD is good enough - especially if upsampled and gentle filters are used. However 24 96KHz is usually a bit better quality and the modern DACs are approaching 21 bit resolution on the analog out which suggests you can benefit from 24 bits.

The biggest benefit from higher sample rates is that DAC non-linearities are randomized. Most DACs are rather non-linear between the different levels on an R2R or between the multitude of sigma delta converters on modern chips. This non-linearity is due to slight differences (order of 0.005 %)in the steps in the DAC. If you pass high sample rate music through these DACs then the inaudible high frequencies will help randomize distortion from non-linearity.

Of course, a well designed DAC will not care about sample rate as it will sound the same at all rates with the same source file (at least over the audible range)

@willemj 

Firstly, peer review is terrible these days as is the awfully poor quality of scientific "research". 

Secondly, If you believe lower resolution audio files will help save our planet against catastrophic global warming then you have really been heavily caught up in the current du jour end of the world quasi-religious fervour.

FWIW I have deep knowledge of atmospheric physics and I can assure you that our atmosphere is as healthy as it has ever been. Additions of atmospheric C02 are simply returning sequestered CO2 back to the atmosphere and it is an exceptionally good thing - it really helps nature and plant life that all thrive on CO2 and die of starvation when levels fall below 150ppm. Fortunately, the atmosphere is a complex system dominated by water vapour and convection and NOT measurably influenced by CO2 - albedo effect or cloud cover being the biggest variable factor which is water vapour related and another big factor being planetary motion.