Tidal vs Cd vs Vinyl

DrH

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Since purchasing some new Kef R3 speakers I have been keen to try out Tidal to see if it could match my current CD and Vinyl set up

Vinyl Set up
Rega Planar 3 with Elys 2 cartridge, Rega Neo PSU going through A Rega MM phono stage
CD set up
Panasonic DP-UB9000 player connected out through its AKM AK4493 32-bit DAC 2 channel analogue output

Both CD and vinyl are connected to My Marantz SR6013 AVR.
speakers are Kef R3

To try out Tidal I have used an IPad and IPhone 7 to stream to me AVR using WiFi.
So listening to Tidal it sounds pretty good. If I had not heard better elsewhere it would be ok. The soundstage seems to be ok. The bass both lower and upper sounds weak though.

Listening To e few tracks from Pink Floyd And Dire Straights across all 3 formats.
CD The sound is full and 3 dimensional, all the instruments are where they should be, excellent sound.
Vinyl The sound is very similar to the CD, a bit brighter on the top end but very enjoyable.
Tidal, Ah where has the soundstage gone, where has the clean bass gone.

So I have come to a couple of conclusions through this experiment.
It is possible to get very good sound quality through the Marantz AVR.
Only if it is feed a good signal from outside Dac or phono stage.
To listen to Tidal or any streaming I would have to take a similar route as with CD and Vinyl.
That would have to be through an external streamer and Dac.
 
Sounds about right. Not a huge fan of modern Rega TT's, but unless you you go second hand, there's not much else at that price. A phones DAC will never produce what you want, and to be fair was never meant to. Streaming from phones is okay for parties, post pub annoying of the neighbours, but for quality listening, no. Streamers are, as a well known hifi reviewer on these forums has mentioned, are pretty uniform in terms of sound quality, but a quick read around will show who prefers what and why. Being very lazy, I have a Synology NAS hooked up to an Arcam CDS27 and that sounds (to me that is) as good as its going to get. The Arcam supports Tidal (and others) should I want to use it.
 
If you want to make a difference to the audio then add a stereo amp with HT by-pass into your system. Every medium you play through it is going to sound a lot better than your receiver.
 
If you want to make a difference to the audio then add a stereo amp with HT by-pass into your system. Every medium you play through it is going to sound a lot better than your receiver.

Might be the next thing I try, however I use my sub which is controlled with an antimode which is connected to the sub out on my AVR. I would definitely have to try one with a good return policy?

I would like to try a Rega to see how it sounds?
I would be quite happy to have a separate amp and a speaker switch, using the Marantz as it is now.
 
I would be quite happy to have a separate amp and a speaker switch, using the Marantz as it is now.
You'll not go far wrong with the Beresford 7220 which is a great solution to a non by-pass amp.

 
An unfair comparison. I had tidal masters. SQ was way behind streamed vinyl at dsd 128 or 24/192
Go back to the source and take it from there. Tidal mainly upscales a 16/44 digital stream for classic Rock.
Many won't like the analogue sound esp if used to digital. Just as those used to digitally shot movies with its subdued pallate prefer it to the much richer celluloid. Its what you are used to.
I would never expect tidal masters to sound as good as vinyl. As for Cd, it depends on your player. The vast majority of tidal streams are taken from the Cd source anyway.
Tidal is good for what it does. But it's not top quality in my experience.
 
Cos today’s p3 is radically different to 30 years ago 😉
Indeed it is. http://www.rega.co.uk/planar-3-2016.html According to Rega at least. ;) As ever with sound it's also a matter of taste & value for money. I found the original Planer 3/RB300 a great budget platform, with an 'okay' sound that suited many budget carts. I find the new P3 far too edgy for my liking, and as its moved into 'mid market' from Budget, yes it is very different, and no I don't like it.
 
I don't have a record player but I tell you what listening to yello on tidal in master audio on my firestick sounds absolutely fantastic. If that doesn't hold a candle to vinyl then I need to get a record player because honestly to me it master audio on tidal sounds superb
 
A phones DAC will never produce what you want, and to be fair was never meant to. Streaming from phones is okay for parties, post pub annoying of the neighbours, but for quality listening, no. Streamers are, as a well known hifi reviewer on these forums has mentioned, are pretty uniform in terms of sound quality, but a quick read around will show who prefers what and why.

I have to disagree. I have an LG G8S with a dedicated DAC in certificated for MQA and it sounds good. You have to be very careful what you choose: in my case, to be sure it sounds good I use USB Audio Player PRO(to tap right into the DAC and pass the Android limitations) and use good Pioneer headphones.
 
Since purchasing some new Kef R3 speakers I have been keen to try out Tidal to see if it could match my current CD and Vinyl set up

Vinyl Set up
Rega Planar 3 with Elys 2 cartridge, Rega Neo PSU going through A Rega MM phono stage
CD set up
Panasonic DP-UB9000 player connected out through its AKM AK4493 32-bit DAC 2 channel analogue output

Both CD and vinyl are connected to My Marantz SR6013 AVR.
speakers are Kef R3

To try out Tidal I have used an IPad and IPhone 7 to stream to me AVR using WiFi.
So listening to Tidal it sounds pretty good. If I had not heard better elsewhere it would be ok. The soundstage seems to be ok. The bass both lower and upper sounds weak though.

Listening To e few tracks from Pink Floyd And Dire Straights across all 3 formats.
CD The sound is full and 3 dimensional, all the instruments are where they should be, excellent sound.
Vinyl The sound is very similar to the CD, a bit brighter on the top end but very enjoyable.
Tidal, Ah where has the soundstage gone, where has the clean bass gone.

So I have come to a couple of conclusions through this experiment.
It is possible to get very good sound quality through the Marantz AVR.
Only if it is feed a good signal from outside Dac or phono stage.
To listen to Tidal or any streaming I would have to take a similar route as with CD and Vinyl.
That would have to be through an external streamer and Dac.
I have an NAD 328 C, Bluetoothooth, DAC, Phono pre amp Built in
The Blue tooth, DAC and Phono Pre Amp play Nicely Together since they are Built in From NAD
Streaming Tidal Hi Fi Plus, 9216 Kbps, 3 Months Free, 20$ a month.
NAD C538 CD with NAD built in DAC
The CD Signal goes through 2 NAD dacs built into each device
The Tidal Signal one NAD DAC
The Truntable no DAC, NAD Stereo Pre Amp Built in.. clean signal path, pure analog
Class D Amp, 40 Wpch
JBL Studio L 890 Spreakers
JBL Subwoofer
Amazon 10inch Fire Tablet, Tidal App. Blue Tooth out. or
headphone Jack out into RCA jacks into Schiit Vali 2 or Schiit Lyr 3 + Headphone Tube Amps
The Fire Tablet is Designed to stream aamazon HD or Tidal Hi fi plus.. High Quality Blue tooth circuits
Fire Tablet can sent Youtube, Tidal, Spotify, Amazon prime music HD or just about any source on the internet

Grado 225e Headphones, Sennheiser HD 660, Audeze LCD 2
Schiit Vali 2, Western Electric 396 A Vacuum Tube
Pro - ject Debut Carbon
Ortofon Blue Cartridge/ stylus
I enjoy the Tidal Hi Fi Plus..
Tidal sounds Great Streaming Blue tooth through the NAD onboard DAC into The JBLs or the Schiit Vali 2 and Grado's
Vinyl sounds Great too, Subtle difference, might not tell Blind folded A/B
CD sounds Awesome through the NAD 328C and JBL's
Its too close to tell.
I have listened to All the Beatles albums I dont have on Vinyl or CD on Tidal
Grateful Dead live Recordings Tidal Master Hi fi are better than CD
Tidal Hi Fi plus =9,612 kbps
CD =1,411 Kbps
Spotify 320kbps
Amazon music 3,730 kbps
Pro ject Debut + Ortofon Blue= Analog
I enjoy the Tidal with the Vali 2 Tube pre amp, plus 9,612 kbps, No DAC.
Buffs the Tidal Hi fi plus into Analog with the Vacuum Tiube,
They are all Amazing.. after 8pm its Headphones til 10am.
I can only play the NAD JBL loud 8am to 8pm.
 
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If you want to make a difference to the audio then add a stereo amp with HT by-pass into your system. Every medium you play through it is going to sound a lot better than your receiver.
Hi Gibbsey,

I am in the process of doing this. Ordered an Atoll IN200 and really anxious to see what that will do to my set up. It will be powering my MA silver 300's.

I'm planning to compare 3 scenario's: [all level matched, speakers carefully placed in room etc]

A: Denon 3800h powers LR straight.
B: Denon in the by-pass of the Atol to power LR
C: hook up an Argon Audio Solo streamer/DAC to the Atoll and stream directly to that.

First I hope B will make a big diff to A

Second: really anxious to see if the DAC in the Argon A Solo improves the sound compared to the stereo image of the Denon [with Dirac live full version] or in other words: How good is the pre amp and dac of the Denon

What do you think?
 
Hi Gibbsey,

I am in the process of doing this. Ordered an Atoll IN200 and really anxious to see what that will do to my set up. It will be powering my MA silver 300's.

I'm planning to compare 3 scenario's: [all level matched, speakers carefully placed in room etc]

A: Denon 3800h powers LR straight.
B: Denon in the by-pass of the Atol to power LR
C: hook up an Argon Audio Solo streamer/DAC to the Atoll and stream directly to that.

First I hope B will make a big diff to A

Second: really anxious to see if the DAC in the Argon A Solo improves the sound compared to the stereo image of the Denon [with Dirac live full version] or in other words: How good is the pre amp and dac of the Denon

What do you think?
Your connection will be Denon front left and right pre-outs to the by-pass RCA on the Atoll. You then connect the front speakers to the Atoll, remaining surrounds and centre to the Denon as normal. All your music sources direct to the Atoll.

Once you have connected the amps up then turn both on and run Audyssey to integrate the Atoll into the circuit. There is nothing to do on either the Denon as the pre-outs are live, this will be confirmed by the onscreen graphics when running Audyssey. All that's needed on the Atoll is to select the by-pass mode.

When you want to listen in surround sound then both the Denon and the Atoll will need to be fired up. For music you just fire up the Atoll and use as a normal integrated stereo amp. Sit back and enjoy.
 
Your connection will be Denon front left and right pre-outs to the by-pass RCA on the Atoll. You then connect the front speakers to the Atoll, remaining surrounds and centre to the Denon as normal. All your music sources direct to the Atoll.

Once you have connected the amps up then turn both on and run Audyssey to integrate the Atoll into the circuit. There is nothing to do on either the Denon as the pre-outs are live, this will be confirmed by the onscreen graphics when running Audyssey. All that's needed on the Atoll is to select the by-pass mode.

When you want to listen in surround sound then both the Denon and the Atoll will need to be fired up. For music you just fire up the Atoll and use as a normal integrated stereo amp. Sit back and enjoy.
Yeah, exactly.

I know this.

But am keen to check if the Denon on pre outs to Atoll with dirac and in pure direct mode sounds different/better/worse than Agon Audio Solo directly into the Atoll. The DAC from the Solo gets really good reviews.

This way I can test if the DAC and pre out section of the Denon is up to snuff.
 
Yeah, exactly.

I know this.

But am keen to check if the Denon on pre outs to Atoll with dirac and in pure direct mode sounds different/better/worse than Agon Audio Solo directly into the Atoll. The DAC from the Solo gets really good reviews.

This way I can test if the DAC and pre out section of the Denon is up to snuff.
I can't tell you that but personally I would have no music at all going through the Denon. If you plug into the Denon then the Denon's pre-outs are going to have an impact on the music. This is what you try to avoid when using an amp with HT by-pass. You need to keep the surround sound for film and TV away from the stereo music.
 
We are 100% likeminded.

This is the set up I am going for (no music through the Denon), but I want to test it so I know sure that the quality difference is there.
 

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