Thoughts and suggestions please

audphile1

Physical media is a very niche market at this point targeting old school audiophiles. It’s the reality ...

Intuitively, that would seem true. But if you go visit a record store or two you'll likely find younger people outnumber "old school audiophiles." Further, if you consider that brand new record pressing machines are back in production, and pressing plants have been acquiring them and adding capacity, it seems unlikely they'd commit to such an expense for a customer base that's dying.

Vinyl album costs are in double and triple digits.

So?

If you are a serious collector and add up your yearly spend it will begin to look like one hell of a streaming front end if you spent this money on components.

But it isn't an either/or proposition. An audiophile can buy physical media. And stream. And enjoy both at very high fidelity. And talk and chew gum at the same time.

Not telling anyone what to do here @cleeds 

and not advocating for any type of source  

If you want yo stream and buy CDs and vinyl please go ahead. I no longer buy vinyl but I still buy a CD once in a while. 

@audphile1 

i understand your point, but what i was addressing was owning and paying/supporting the artists we all enjoy so much.  I’m not an old school audiophile per se, I just think owning and interacting with the media is an important side to this hobby, a very niche hobby it is.

Everything nowadays is instant, push a button etc…and like I said I do stream but ultimately will purchase the music and I understand that is a choice to own the music.  

As to getting my streaming up to snuff, oh it’s up to task :) I’ve spent a ton on getting all my front end gear optimized the best I can, from gear, to isolation to power, to fiber etc… everything from switch to DAC.  

anyway appreciate the discussion and different perspectives.  Happy listening all!

Nice system @redlenses03

former pass labs preamp/amp owner myself. Used to have XP-22 into X260.8 monos driving my Wilson Sabrina. Simplified my system and no longer have the Pass stuff but have fond memories of it all. 

@ronboco 

"...I find the same song on tidal sounds different from the same song on Qobuz and I prefer the Qobuz song. "

The difference in sound between the two has been noticed by many people for a while. "..Qobuz sounds better.."  no one that I've seen/read can explain it, but it seems to be the case.  I use Qobuz and have never used Tidal so..