CD transport vs.streaming


Many have stated on this forum that the SQ from their CDs is superior to the sound from streaming sources. Others have said the opposite. Weirdly, in side by side identical tracks the sound from my Cyrus CDt sounds identical to my Cambridge CXN v2 streamer. I wonder if anyone else has this experience.

128x128rvpiano

As I initiated in another post, my just bought Herbie’s Black Hole CD Mat has been a game changer.  With thus device CDs sound better than streaming on my system.

Suddenly CDs become more relevant to me.

@nitewulf 

Which is one reason I pay absolutely no attention to subjective reviews ... even for equipment where there could be audible differences.

No way would I ever go back to cd or vinyl after purchasing a very high end DAC (more than 5K), ethernet cabling, Roon Nucleus Plus, switch, etc. Streaming from Tidal, Qobuz and Files sounds so wonderful through my rig that I no longer have the desire to play cd anymore.  I'm enjoying the combination of convenience and the amazing sound quality of streaming so much so that I had to ask myself, where have you been all my life????!!!

After starting this thread several months ago, I concur with kennymacc above that streaming sounds so good and is so convenient that I find myself doing that much more than anything else. I still think CDs sound about identical, and that has to do more with the quality of the DAC than anything else.