Is Pretty Good Good Enough? Listening Habits In The World Of Streaming Services.

Good Enough? That’s the rub right, or is it ever good enough? Is only when ringing the most absolute detail no matter the cost of equipment or convenience good enough? Can a recording only be enjoyed after every minute detail has been analyzed, optimized and finalized? What about the next recording? Were the optimizations for one tune be good enough for the a different recording or genera of music?

What is most important content, convenience or both? With unlimited funds and a staff robots you could probably recreate the digital streaming experience in vinyl. You would have to actually make pressings of those albums that were never released in vinyl but to be good enough cost is no option, right? If you wanted to search for how multiple versions of “Skylark” sound different it could be done with analog but would take a huge database of all your analog recordings and multiple turntables and a robot task force that can easily be done by any music server or streaming service.

To be Good Enough depends upon priorities and your budget. There is no right answer here but there is a truth. With enough money it can always be better but whether it’s ever good enough depends on you.

The best bots come from Russia no Chi bots for me.

How have your listening habits changed since the higher resolution services have arrived?
 

Absolutely. Is the quality as good as my albums and CDs? No, but the higher resolution recordings do come close. I like listen to streaming services because it has encouraged me to discover groups and music I never would have listened to before because I don’t have the access. I buy more music now because of the streaming services. 

My experiences mirror that of mitch4t.  I subscribe to Qobuz, Amazon HD Unlimited, and often listen to Radio Paradise (which is an excellent streaming service for a variety of genres).  RP is a free service but a small donation offers a big return on enjoyment. 

That said, I still very much enjoy listening to CD's, as on my system they are still more resolving, detailed and spacious.  Its just that I spend more 'convenient' time enjoying the music on the streaming services.

If the CD sounded better it was probably a different release mastered or produced differently than the source for the streamed version. Could also be a different DAC. There is no reason why streaming categorically would be inherently inferior to CD equivalent. It is true that most streaming services tend to lean towards more recent remasters that are probably mixed louder than in the past but same would be true if same version were played from CD. Streaming is a wonderful thing and it bugs me when people knock it categorically. Get with the program boomers! Ymmv always from release to release no matter what format the material is delivered in.

@mapman 

There is no reason why streaming categorically would be inherently inferior to CD equivalent.
 

I agree with you. It shouldn’t be inferior to CDs, but my internet service is awful (stuck with DSL) and the quality is hit and miss. Some days its great. Some days it’s terrible.