Streamer Shoot Out

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Mr Peabody

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I've never tried the streaming section of my N05xd so today I gave it a listen to see how it compares to my ACS10 streaming function.

I downloaded the Soundstream app as well tried Tidal Connect. The app was easy to get up and running, firmware updated. I didn't like the app as well as the Conductor app but I had plenty of practice with the Conductor. Although I've had the Tidal app for years even that took some getting used to in more of a home listening session. I have to say getting the Soundstream app up and signing into Tidal was much easier compared to Conductor.

As for me I preferred the ACS10. It was a more full bodied sound providing more musical textures. What I mean by that piano had more body sounding, horns had more texture to them. The N05xd was a more open and airy type of sound. Others may prefer that. The ACS10 had more bottom end. N05xd had bass it was just different, measured without bloom. Streaming from the N05xd the sound stage seemed to be a bit more forward as well which led me to feel the ACS10 had a bit more depth. The N05xd had more top end emphasis, cymbals drew more attention. I didn't know what to expect but both have quite different presentations.

Another note this was the first time the N05xd network was engaged. I wouldn't think it to need much break-in if any but who knows.
 
Just for clarification to my original post the comparison I made was just streaming Tidal from Conductor and with the N05xd I tried the app and Tidal Connect. I used the same tracks.

Often times playing from the ACS10 HD it does sound some better than streaming from the internet but it's small and depending on the album the internet can sound better due to the version of the album. As one example the remaster of America's Greatest Hits sounds better from Tidal than my ripped CD because it's, remastered. :)
 
Mr Peabody said:
From memory the ACS10 doesload the song into RAM before playing. I believe that is both from HD and internet.
Click to expand...
All computer based players play from memory, that's how computers and networks work, nothing isn't running straight from the network's or your SSD's, its always buffered in memory before played.
 
exupgh12 said:
All computer based players play from memory, that's how computers and networks work, nothing isn't running straight from the network's or your SSD's, its always buffered in memory before played.
Click to expand...
Which was my point. From a local drive (SSD, NAS, etc) one can load an entire album (or several) into RAM prior to play; doing this may result in slightly better sound than streaming, where the player typically can only buffer one song into RAM at a time and thus is frequently both buffering and playing rather than just playing.

However, the sound from an album loaded into RAM should sound the same whether the storage was originally directly attached SSD or NAS, unless one's home network is so noisy that loading from NAS into RAM changes the data slightly, which seems unlikely; in a typical setup once the album is loaded into RAM from any local source every aspect of the digital data, and the sound, will be the same.
 
Take in consideration that a normal nas still isn‘t made for audio, like almost every computer does introduce alot of noise, have bad shielding, a cheap clock and a power supply that causes alot of distortion.

Something else, if you have to store it locally: the music files have to be bought: Either from online stores like Qobuz sublime, or ripped from your own cd‘s. It costs money and life duration of your ssd is limited, so it cost alot of time to put all these files on it, and maintain the expensive Nas. What is the additional value of streaming, If direct streaming sound quality isn‘t good enough anymore? Isn‘t it better to have a physical copy in house on cd or vinyl?
 
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