The problem with streaming

@reubent, That Rickie Lee Jones is one of the albums that make vinyl worthwhile! Unbelievable sonics on the US pressing! Avoid the Brazil pressing. I played RLJ Pirates tonight and it’s also recorded extremely well!

I listened to a couple of Doobie Brothers albums tonight that blew me away with their sonics.

Some albums are done so well, it’s truly amazing!

I listen to new music on YouTube. I also have a local group of audiophile friends who turn all of us on to new music. Facebook groups are another source.

@big_greg, I didn't say that it is easy. Obviously, you know quite the contrary! But as @jerryg123 said, good vinyl, given everything else set up well, "sounds way better through my system as do CDs." 

I did a shoot-out last night between a German pressing of CSNY Deja vu and a 1970 US Presswell pressing. A buddy dropped off the German pressing, they have a reputation of being very good. The German pressing sounded compressed compared to my US copy. Then I looked at the dead wax. There was almost twice as much dead wax in the German press than the US pressing. Had I not played them I wouldn't have needed to consult the matrix numbers to predict which one would sound better.

@dadork said he's getting great hi res. I don't doubt that. However, you're still at the mercy of whatever source they used to record it to digital. You just can't be sure and that's the point I was making. 

Music sounds great when you're listening to it but, when you have something to compare it to you can really determine which sounds better or worse.

Perhaps someday I'll decide to pursue a dedicated streaming setup? Currently, If it isn't vinyl, I'm warming up the vintage tube tuner and letting the NPR classical station play.

"Erstwhile, there is a reason vinyl has enjoyed such a massive resurgence. It just feels good. There are many sensual reasons why we enjoy music. They all don't fit neatly into the "It just sounds better camp". Tactile, visual, pride of ownership and collection, and nostalgia all play a role."

@ricmci, you nailed it! 

Why do we buy killer stereo equipment? Surely there's more to it than only trying to obtain the best sonics we can? For me, that's the driving purpose. However, pride of ownership also plays a role to varying degrees. That extends to ownership of a collection be it vinyl, CDs, tapes, or others. 

I take pride in owning a really great pressing and trying to preserve it. For me, nostalgia is a sentiment that I'm not able to shake when it comes to playing vinyl, it enhances my overall listening experience.

Financial resources also play a role in deciding which sources we choose to use. At the moment, vinyl is the primary source in my system. Resources are directed to improving components in the chain to attain the sonics I desire.

Along the way, I’ve bought or been given albums.

Since resurrecting my system three years ago, every component has been replaced. I’ve also started my vinyl collection over again from zero during that time. I don’t envision acquiring thousands of albums. Several hundred is a round number that I think I’ll be content with.

The second source I use is an FM tuner. The dial stays on the NPR classical channel.

Technically, I do stream a little. I have a line that plugs into my laptop earphone jack and connects to the preamp. Occasionally, I’ve listened to music from YouTube.

@sns, we definitely can all get along. When I said "The problem with streaming" it wasn’t meant as a putdown.

I’m sure you’re aware that there can be a huge difference in sound quality between pressings of albums since you have a very nice collection. The better your system, the more dramatic the difference in sonics between those pressings. You can probably tell the difference between vinyl and CD of the same release. If you have the best vinyl pressing of a particular release, I’m sure you know that it kills your CD version if your analog rig is set up perfectly. We spend a good deal of money on our systems, room set-ups, treatments, etc.

Because of all these factors, it is very important to me to listen to the best available source material regarding vinyl. A great pressing maximizes the potential of our components. The couple of hours I spend listening each time, hearing great sonics of releases that I love make for an amazing listening session.

All I was saying about streaming, is there’s really no way that you can be sure you’re hearing the best version because in most cases you don’t know the source material that was converted to digital.

We all have different details that matter to us when listening to music and that’s cool. It’s nice to live in the first world where there are multiple source options that best fit our preferences.

After reading all of the comments on this thread, I decided to dive into the streaming world. I bought an Audio Quest Dragonfly Cobalt with a nice cord and I'm using my laptop with Qobuz and Audirvana.

I have to say that I'm blown away with the sonics while streaming! About 70% of what I play sounds better than my vinyl. Not a ton better but there's a noticeable improvement.

I still love my vinyl. The 30% of my vinyl that sounds better than what I've been able to find streaming gives me a sense of pride. I'll be upgrading my cartridge next to try and improve my analog setup. Streaming doesn't give me the joy of playing, holding and looking at the special pressings of my albums.

Someday I'll buy a real DAC and I know the sonics will improve even more.