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Does a streamer sound better than a CD player?

Are you talking new as sold today prices? Hard to do a fair comparison as many CDs no longer in production. Always hard to assess new and used the amount some things drop by is scary
 
Does it really matter?

Playing my files using Roon to serve them from the NAS to the dCS is so convenient that I can't be bothered to check out the difference (if there is any) even though the system will often reveal differences between FLAC, WAV and AIFF (can't be bothered to go into that one i depth either). I'm in it for the music :)

Besides CDs can always be ripped tot he NAS but I don't see myself committing downloaded files to CD (more and more of my downloads are in resolutions higher than 44/16 anyway).

No intention of renting my music and seeing my favorite albums disappear overnight because some accountant deems them unprofitable.
 
I have a vintage Rotel 965BX and a fettled Pi that uses my Yamaha’s internal Sabre Dac. I enjoy both. They have different sounds really.The Rotel is warm, wide and chunky like a Shetland knit and the Pi is airy, subtle and immediate. I love the sound of both.Neither is better than the other. They are just different. Oh, and I love the sound of the vintage Thorens and it’s vintage Ortofon cartridge. Great to have so many lovely sources.
 
We all know what sounds best - streamer + DAC, cd + DAC, cd, streamer, lp, radio fm, radio dab, 8 track , compact cassette, mini disc, radio am …. We just disagree on the order. Trust your own ears , except if we’re talking about network cables as they do all sound the same. There you go , hornets nest stirred on a Friday night.
 
uncl_nigel said:
Does it really matter?

Playing my files using Roon to serve them from the NAS to the dCS is so convenient that I can't be bothered to check out the difference (if there is any) even though the system will often reveal differences between FLAC, WAV and AIFF (can't be bothered to go into that one i depth either). I'm in it for the music :)
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I gave up vinyl collected since 1970... couldnt be bothered with all the shagging around.

I gave up silver discs collected since 1985...couldnt be bothered with all the shagging around.

My box count has gone way done... oh how much money I would have saved if I was a new audiophile starting out today. $xxxx across 3 devices means better overall quality than $xxxx across 10 or more.

All I "have" now are my ripped CD's plus digital downloads (44.1 and higher)... dont need to obsess about VTA, overhang, arm/cartridge compliance. DAC's are basically a done deal.. when even $100 devices measure at -140db we have reached the zenith.

So like you, I gave up the obsessions, the cults and the fetishes (well, in the audio domain at least) and have finger tip access to my music, with glorious cover art and related data that was never possible with vinyl or CD's and can supplement my physical files with streaming.

Music that is badly mastered sounds crap on any format and well mastered stuff MIGHT sound a fraction different between a CD release, a download and a stream but why waste your cycles buggering around wondering why and ugrading gear to another false dawn.

Biggest bang for buck: move your speaker around, use room treatments and/or DSP to get the "house" sound you like.

Peter
 
Cd vs streamer in the same price range?
This years model vs last years? External DAC or internal? Separate psu or internal? Streaming from internet or local server? Wired or wifi?
 
When I purchased my NDX, I test ripped a few CDs and played them via the NDX, to my ears I preferred it to playing the disc on my CDX/XPS.
 
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