Does a high end CD player provide better sound than a lossless rip?

If only there was a similar to product to use on my hard drive. Image the sound quality improvement when playing back ripped cds.

 

In all seriousness I cannot tell the difference playing a physical cd in my Oppo 105 vs playing a ripped file of the same cd played through the Oppo.

 

For me, it's always more fun to playback music with tangible media. Thus it will sound better also. Psychosomatic? Prolly. But having a lovely musical CDP with a tubed stage is always a nice plus.. (Line Magnetic LM-215CD)

 

Big difference when I first did that test - never used the 105 again to play CDs. Then got a better DAC and just out of curiosity tried playing CDs from the Oppo to the new dac via coaxial - same deal: there was MUCH less detail than when playing computer files from the same CDs straight into the dac (via usb). [Speakers used in all cases: pair of Geithain RL906.]

 

Common sense says playing on PC should sound better other things being equal because of the CDs' constant need to do error correction, reading disc with a laser beam, using moving mechanical parts, etc.

In reality it comes down to the DAC, the analogue stage, the interface (coax > toslink >>> usb), the playback software, etc.

 

If one doesn't have a dedicated listening space to really hear 3D imaging 2 channel sound stage....all of this subjective stuff is kinda moot.

 

Same camp too

 

SHM -SACD says hi.

 

Funny...on a related note...I initially thought SHM = "Steve Hoffman Mastered" when first using this forum!

 

Yeah! Apparently, there were many claims SHM discs sounding better after good break-in. I was breaking-in my first purchased SHM SACD of Steely Dan "Aja" for days. Trying to get it to sound like Steve Hoffman Mastered CD.

 

Personally, lossless rips fed to my DAC from the PC* have never sounded quite so good as the original CDs being played to the same DAC from a CDP/transport.

... Not a popular view I know... well it's not even a view, just what I've found!

*PC (Foobar) > Musical Fidelity V-link II > DAC via coax. Maybe there's a better way via computer but it's not a main source so no real concern. And/or maybe it's better through a server...

 

Try painting your computer green.

 

I A/B'd a Cambridge 740c (as a transport) into a Rega DAC-r vs Mac Mini (Roon) -> SoTM sms-200 -> Rega DAC-r. Damned if I could hear any difference.

I did prefer the the CD player as a transport compared to the Mac Mini USB -> Rega DAC-r however.

 

1's and 0's are 1's and 0's. It won't make a difference if you're running the signal through the same DAC. Stick with the rips.

 

Is Foobar outputting via WASAPI? Without a WASAPI type driver Windows will mess with your sound.

 

Don't laugh at the Bremen markers or the cd black light mat! I heard the differences on the Genisis 1 speakers and ARC reference 600 watt amp at the Genisis factory testing room. They do affect sound, for better or worse is a matter of opinion!

 

I think people prefer cd vs pc because their pc aren't optimized for music listening.
You have to stop Windows services you don't need.
Have you ever tried Fidelizer?
You can download the free version and test by yourself.

 

My CD player has a tubed output, so it wouldn't really be a fair comparison.

Plus my computer isn't in any way hooked into my system, so cassette dubs on the stereo would sound better than lossless files played through my built in computer speakers!

 

Says who?

Archimago's Musings: MEASUREMENTS: Audiophile Sound and Operating Systems. (Windows 8.1, Windows 10, Fidelizer & JPLAY again!)

 

Of course it will sound better (DACs being the same). But you can imagine that a really good transport can bridge the gap and sound the same.

 

No good can come of this.

 

Lols. Yet another _________ vs. _________ format war.

Infinitely subjective and tiresome. Buy (or don't buy) whatever you want AKA Live and Let Live.
I love owning CDs and LPs and think they sound awesome on my awesome gear in my awesome dedicated listening room! No need for validation from anyone. Lols.

 

The transport/interface makes a huge difference in ripped files. Depending on the setup, a rip can sound worse, similar, or better than a cd via a transport in my experience. Plus rips can be done right for a lot less money.

 

It is - thank you.

 

And you shouldn't!

A digital file is a digital file. If both files contain the same o's and 1's, then they both sound the same, the only differences are the DAC's and the preamps.

There was no reason for me to spend more money on a CD player, just to use it as a digital transport.

For under $400, I have both a CD player and a Blu-Ray player for my HT.

When using the Oppo for HT, I take the two front channels out from my processor as a digital output, to my DAC, same as I do with my CD's.