Streaming vs CD transport direct comparison



Yesterday we had a day at a friends comparing the title to this thread.
System consisted of:
  • Speakers — Wilson Alexia series 2
  • Amplifier — Gryphon Audio Antileon EVO
  • Preamplifier — Supratek Cortese or Lightspeed Attenuator LDR passive or source direct (we used the Supratek for instant a/b ability)
  • Sources — Digital: 432Evo Music Server Roon Core (owner has found Roon to be the best)
  • Yamaha CD-S2100 as transport,
  • Totaldac d1-core DAC.

We A/B both (levels matched) CD to 432Evo (streamed, saved and/or to H/D) with a number of albums same versions, classical, jazz, soft rock, hard rock.
The overwhelming consensus of all 5 listeners (some that "were" originally very pro streaming) was that the CD was firstly clearly more dynamic, had better separation and was blacker background between notes and it was also clearer through the vocals that were hard to hear what was being said, than what came out of the 432Evo.
This is the third time I’ve sat in on this kind of A/B on different systems all were similar on how the differences came out.
I can say the streamer would be a slightly better late night low volume level system to play, as it’s dynamics wouldn’t wake other people in the same building. Where the CD you’d be running for the volume every time there was a big dynamic passage.

Cheers George
128x128georgehifi

Bet the only streamed version of this is the 2001 version.
  https://forum.audiogon.com/posts/2065688  
And not the far better 1995 version, which has one less track, and has differently arranged track no. compared to the 2001 one.

Cheers George

I liked the sound quality of streaming to my DAC from my NAS better than from my CD transport which is why I converted my CDs to flac or wav. I don’t subscribe to any of the streaming services like Qobuz or Tidal.
I tend to agree with OP that SACD or Redbook sounds better in my setup than streaming. Esoteric P-02X/D-02X combo. Aurender streamer. Only exception is that I’ve found recently that I like some of the quad and dual rate dsd downloads even better than SACD but it not an apples to apples comparison. 
George