• WANTED: Happy members who like to discuss audio and other topics related to our interest. Desire to learn and share knowledge of science required. There are many reviews of audio hardware and expert members to help answer your questions. Click here to have your audio equipment measured for free!

How to stream cd?

Audiojim

Member
Joined
Oct 8, 2018
Messages
67
Likes
10
I am new to streaming audio. How do I stream my cds to a receiver from lets say a laptop? Are there different levels of quality or is it always cd quality?
Whats spotify, tidal etc
Is a laptop or a dedicated cd ripping machine best?
 

Blumlein 88

Grand Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Feb 23, 2016
Messages
20,521
Likes
37,049
First off you need to tell us which streamer. There are differences in what kind of broadcast they work with. And do you literally mean stream an actual CD disc in your laptop over to your streaming player?

And there are different levels of quality yes. Most off internet streaming is some variation of MP3 or other data compressed formats. Tidal streams at CD quality. I think there are a couple others that have recently started CD quality streaming.

As for ripping, it doesn't really take anything special. A laptop would be fine if it has a CD disc drive in it. There are a few softwares that will give you a bit perfect rip without any real problem. You may wish to rip to either FLAC or ALAC as these store associated files like the cover art while the wav format isn't really good for this.
 
OP
A

Audiojim

Member
Joined
Oct 8, 2018
Messages
67
Likes
10
Are there two kinds of streaming? Streaming from the internet and streaming as in wirelessly transmitting audio within your home from one device to another? Thats the part I am interested in learning about. Is bluetooth cd quality?

is there anything that will stream a cd in real time or does it have to be ripped first onto some form of memory?
 
OP
A

Audiojim

Member
Joined
Oct 8, 2018
Messages
67
Likes
10
Can I connect my laptop via ethernet to the router and then allow the amplifier or receiver to pick up the signal? How does that differ from bluetooth?
 

Blumlein 88

Grand Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Feb 23, 2016
Messages
20,521
Likes
37,049
Are there two kinds of streaming? Streaming from the internet and streaming as in wirelessly transmitting audio within your home from one device to another? Thats the part I am interested in learning about. Is bluetooth cd quality?

is there anything that will stream a cd in real time or does it have to be ripped first onto some form of memory?

Yes, two kinds. I can have a Network storage drive in my home network (NAS) from which I can stream media files to PC's, TV, dedicated playback streamers etc. You can also over your home network using wifi or ethernet cabling stream from a laptop, desktop PC or even phone media files. So everything is from one device in your home to another device in your home.

The other kind of streaming is like movies from Amazon or Netflix or music from Tidal, Spotify, Qobuz etc. They exist outside your home and can be streamed via internet to devices in your home. This works best with a wired ethernet connection, but also can usually work fine over wifi.

Bluetooth is streaming directly form one device to another without using your home wifi network. It is not CD quality. Though newer versions aren't bad.

I'm pretty sure you can stream a CD real time without ripping it. I've not done it, but pretty sure it can be done. Ripping it certainly makes it more convenient.
 

Blumlein 88

Grand Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Feb 23, 2016
Messages
20,521
Likes
37,049
Can I connect my laptop via ethernet to the router and then allow the amplifier or receiver to pick up the signal? How does that differ from bluetooth?
It differs in that bluetooth is its own thing. It sends out a radio signal and another device recieves, pairs up with it and communicates that way. Doesn't need wifi or any other network.

You can connect your laptop via ethernet to the router and let some amplifiers or receivers pick up the signal. But not all do that.
 

Blumlein 88

Grand Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Feb 23, 2016
Messages
20,521
Likes
37,049
This is a dedicated network streamer. It includes a built in DAC, pre-amp, networking capability, and some internal software to automatically stream from many services like Spotify, it can use UPnP which allows you to connect between many devices like a NAS (network addressable storage). In addition it can take SPDIF digital inputs from other devices over coax and Toslink or USB allowing you to play from a computer. In addition though separate from all this it has a more recent version of Bluetooth. It also allows you control from a phone app or tablet app. As a for instance you could connect a CD, DVD or Bluray player to the SPDIF inputs and play a spinning CD.

You might find out more here:

https://www.cambridgeaudio.com/usa/en/products/cx/cxn

Now things have moved swiftly in this market, and that device is nearing 4 years old. For instance I don't see that it is capable of being a Roon end point. Roon is a popular music playback software. It can run on a computer, and you select various end points on your network to which you can play files. There are some other softwares that can be used this way.

Still this device is something of an all purpose streaming from any source type of product. It might do what you need.

Also, some receivers (AVRs, even some TV's have some of this streaming capability built right in).

I know this sounds complicated and like it isn't getting you anywhere. If you have a receiver already tell us what it is or check if it has UPnP, or DNLA capability or the ability to connect via ethernet.
 
OP
A

Audiojim

Member
Joined
Oct 8, 2018
Messages
67
Likes
10
It does sound complicated as there seems to be all kinds of methods and devices.

All I want for now is something basic but at least cd quality to stream my cds to a receiver such as an active speaker.

Couldn't I just rip cds to an iphone and then stream from the iphone using airplay?

That raises the question of which of the ways is the highest quality out of the ones discussed? wifi, bluetooth, airplay etc
 

Blumlein 88

Grand Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Feb 23, 2016
Messages
20,521
Likes
37,049
It does sound complicated as there seems to be all kinds of methods and devices.

All I want for now is something basic but at least cd quality to stream my cds to a receiver such as an active speaker.

Couldn't I just rip cds to an iphone and then stream from the iphone using airplay?

That raises the question of which of the ways is the highest quality out of the ones discussed? wifi, bluetooth, airplay etc

Yes, there are all kinds of methods and devices currently. It might settle down one day. So yes, you can stream using airplay from the iphone.
Wifi can be bit perfect and of the highest possible quality. Bluetooth is like a MP3 fine for some purposes, but not highest quality. I'm not an airplay user, so not sure about that. At one time it was data compressed lossy audio. Like MP3 somewhat.

How do you control music to your active speaker? Or have you not gotten any speakers yet?
 
OP
A

Audiojim

Member
Joined
Oct 8, 2018
Messages
67
Likes
10
no not yet. Just looking at possibilities. So are you saying wifi streaming is the best for audio? What about speakers like the kef ls50w how do you get the best quality into that?
 

Blumlein 88

Grand Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Feb 23, 2016
Messages
20,521
Likes
37,049
no not yet. Just looking at possibilities. So are you saying wifi streaming is the best for audio? What about speakers like the kef ls50w how do you get the best quality into that?

Wifi streaming or direct connection via USB or SPDIF is best quality yes.

The LS50 has almost all the possible inputs. It has built in Wifi, wired ethernet, USB, Toslink optical, and bluetooth. It also is already setup to work with Spotify Connect, Tidal, and as a Roon end point. It can be controlled over Android or Iphone. So it would be one of the easiest things to set up. If I'm not mistaken, you can stream music directly off your phone or tablet to the LS50 with these apps.
 

Grabby

New Member
Joined
Aug 16, 2022
Messages
3
Likes
0
I would like to stream from my cd player through the network to other music systems on the network. I am running LMS and have other squeezebox touch and a sonos ht system installed. I was hoping to somehow stream the cd live (not ripping) directly to other squeezebox touch and/or the sonos ht. At the moment I can stream the nas files to the sonos using the DLNA on LMS accessed via the browser. I know you can connect a cd to wiim and play to other wiims but i am hoping to do the same on the squeezeboxes/sonos. Thanks. I hope this makes sense.
 
Top Bottom