Playing CDs sounds better than Qobuz — dammit

@soix 

So, let’s drill down a bit here.  I realize I need to go hard-wired to a good streamer, and it also makes sense I should upgrade my switch.  Can’t do both right now, so I’m guessing I should go with hardwired streamer first and then upgrade switch?  Or Optical Rendu?  Thoughts?

That's what I do now. Ripped all my discs to NAS and use wired ethernet to opticalRendu. That beats the microRendu I had previously by eliminating a lot of noise as described in many posts below. Even the microRendu crushed my MacMini w/Audirvana+ or Amarra because a low power specialized device with a good LPS is SO much quieter than a PC/Mac running many processes unrelated to audio playback. 

You don't have to go nuts ripping all disks at once...just start with your most frequently played and do a few each week while you're watching movies, etc. 

The mastering of what you've got on disc vs. what services stream is a mystery and huge rabbit hole. Your findings are no shocker. With rips to a NAS or SSD, clean wired ethernet and a decent streamer you should well be on your way. FWIW, Andrew at SGC recommended a $20 TP-Link switch that sounds very good at nominal cost. Just don't skimp on the power supply for your streamer/renderer; they make a huge difference in SQ. Cheers,

Spencer 

Optimizing streaming is not easily achieved. I'm discovering the most experienced streamers are going to completely discreet solutions. This entails something like Roon library on stock or modded pc, server running proprietary OS, endpoint/streamer able to run that server OS. This system will also need to have high quality ethernet cable, LPS for all components, fiber conversion.

Of course we have streaming at all levels from beginner to the above optimal setup. With almost unlimited streaming solutions and a number of different cd transports available each situation could bring about differing favored digital solution.

I can only speak for myself, cd rips long ago defeated my Mark Levinson #37 transport, used Phillips Pro mechanism, long considered one of the best. It took a couple years more of network upgrades for streams to challenge rips as best. These days I couldn't reliably tell the difference. While I still have room for improvement in cd rip playback, much more room for streaming improvement. Streaming will soon become de facto means for optimal digital playback, if not already there.

Try listening to SACDs and Blu-ray Audio discs with a GeerFab Audio D.BOB extracting DSD64 and up to 24/192 PCM, then out over coax/Toslink (DoP for DSD) to an external DAC, and then compare that to streaming.

About four years ago, I ripped my 1000 CDs to a Zenith MK2 streamer and haven’t looked back.  I use Roon on a Mac mini for whole house stereo to powered speakers.  In my listening room, I use Innuos Sense, which sounds a LOT better than Roon.  

In my system, Tidal MQA and Qobuz HiRes sound about the same, with a slight edge to Qobuz on most tracks.  MP3s sound pretty good in my main system.  I think vinyl sounds better than CDs and anything streamed. 

I’ll be 74 in a few weeks.  For me it’s time to settle down and just enjoy the music.   Towards that end, I sold my McIntosh CD player (and my Mac preamp, power amp, and tuner) and plan to sell my Technics 1200G TT and the rest of my analog stuff.  With the proceeds, I plan to buy a better streamer and DAC, or a streamer/DAC combo - something in the 10-15K range.

When it comes to SQ, vinyl will always be my first love, but, for convenience and simplicity, I plan to spend the rest of my years streaming. My son has always wanted my 1500 albums; it’s time he gets them.

I think iphone is the bottleneck. If you had an external DAC, buy a lighting to USB (e.g. type B) adapter and hook up the iphone to the DAC. Or you could invest a portable DAC such as Audioquest Dragonfly Cobalt connected with an lighting to USB type A adapter. That will allow you play hi-res music through iphone. If you want to charge your iphone while playing music for a longer time period, buy a aforementioned lighting to USB adapter that also has a splitter from lighting to charger (also USB).