John Phillips
pfm Member
Pointless? I don't think so if the point of the discussion is to enjoy (online) dispute and conversation with other enthusiasts. There does not have to be a resolution and the question certainly is too general for there to be one answer. But it's precisely that vagueness which leads to interesting discussion.It's an utterly pointless argument. Unless you have a fundamentally broken device of either type they are essentially perfect. All you are listening to are your filter choice, the output stage design and the vagaries of mastering.
For my part I agree with you that my objective is to make the same file, whether hosted on a CD or hosted on a streaming service sound the same. That's what I enjoy and I think I achieve that through good enough engineering. I have been called names for that way of enjoying the hobby and it's rather clear that others have different relationships with technology, objectives, expectations and experiences. It would be a dull world if this were not so.