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If Bits are Bits

Takaya

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We hear from folks that bits are bits. Why does a CD redbook player sound better than a Streamer at 44.1/16, or even DSD.
 

fpitas

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goat76

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Streaming sites always manipulate the data. They just can't help themselves. Shifting the gain, removing the Metadata, sometimes using lossy file compression, etc.

Where did you get that information, or have you done some comparisons yourself?
 

GXAlan

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We hear from folks that bits are bits. Why does a CD redbook player sound better than a Streamer at 44.1/16, or even DSD.

Ignore everyone who says you are wrong. There is still an issue of output voltage. A CD redbook player may output higher voltage than a DAC.

If you look at the Marantz SA-11s2, the voltage is extra high which can translate into louder volumes and higher SNR
 

DonR

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Ignore everyone who says you are wrong. There is still an issue of output voltage. A CD redbook player may output higher voltage than a DAC.

If you look at the Marantz SA-11s2, the voltage is extra high which can translate into louder volumes and higher SNR
A CD player is simply a transport and a DAC combined. Surely, if there is an output difference it could go either way.
 

fpitas

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Oh come on, this is very formulaic trolling. I am sure you can do better.
The trolling has been off lately. Perhaps we're too mean to them.
 

DVDdoug

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The CD and the "CD quality" stream should sound identical, ASSUMING they are level matched, from the same source, and that there are no defects or "glitches" in the data.

The DSD may have different mastering. If not, there ARE still differences in the "bits" but it's highly unlikely that there audible differences in a proper blind ABX test,
 

Philbo King

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Where did you get that information, or have you done some comparisons yourself?
Metadata removal - I got it from the manager of the streaming site I use to publish previews of my music releases.

Gain changes - From Apple, YouTube, Spotify and others own documentation. Perhaps you've heard of the -14 integrated LUFS standard they have adopted...

Data compression - MP3 and various other compression types as used by Sirius satellite radio and no-frills Spotify, and judging from what I hear, quite a few others.

Once gain is changed or data compression is used, it is no longer 'bit-perfect' by any stretch of optimism.
 

fpitas

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One thing about this place; even the troll threads are informative.
 

threni

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Ignore everyone who says you are wrong. There is still an issue of output voltage. A CD redbook player may output higher voltage than a DAC.

If you look at the Marantz SA-11s2, the voltage is extra high which can translate into louder volumes and higher SNR
Ignore everyone who says you are not wrong. The voltage is irrelevant - you're dealing with binary ones and zeros. You could print them onto paper and read back. Some people would say black dots are louder than grey dots. Ignore those people. As long as the bits get from a to b without issue they're identical, always.
 

goat76

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Metadata removal - I got it from the manager of the streaming site I use to publish previews of my music releases.

Gain changes - From Apple, YouTube, Spotify and others own documentation. Perhaps you've heard of the -14 integrated LUFS standard they have adopted...

Data compression - MP3 and various other compression types as used by Sirius satellite radio and no-frills Spotify, and judging from what I hear, quite a few others.

Once gain is changed or data compression is used, it is no longer 'bit-perfect' by any stretch of optimism.

Metadata removal - have no effect on sound quality.

The gain changes - that are done for normalization don't have any effect on sound quality as long as no "positive gain" is applied. The only one of the main music streaming sites that I know of that did that but has stopped doing it was Spotify.

Data compression - Yes, but OP is not talking about that. According to him: "A CD redbook player sound better than a Streamer at 44.1/16, or even DSD."
 

NiagaraPete

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We hear from folks that bits are bits. Why does a CD redbook player sound better than a Streamer at 44.1/16, or even DSD.
I'd have to say it doesn't.
 

fpitas

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The OP is strangely absent from this conversation.
 
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