No real hifi is without a streaming service

[tino]

Imho, if you buy a streamer, no matter if it is cheap or expensive, different services should support it otherwise it is compromised.

When this happens I would have less objections. High(er) resolution services would be another step in the right direction but Tidal hasn't yet delivered on that and Spotify (and others) should imo at the very least offer CD quality streaming.

You're asking for high quality universal support from every service provider for every device and/or protocol ... never going to happen, but at least with a generic PC you have a far higher chance of acheving that goal and have far more flexible music playing options.
Physical media has far more compromises than streaming imho.

 

[Al ears]

Imho, if you buy a streamer, no matter if it is cheap or expensive, different services should support it otherwise it is compromised.

When this happens I would have less objections. High(er) resolution services would be another step in the right direction but Tidal hasn't yet delivered on that and Spotify (and others) should imo at the very least offer CD quality streaming.

You're asking for high quality universal support from every service provider for every device and/or protocol ... never going to happen, but at least with a generic PC you have a far higher chance of acheving that goal and have far more flexible music playing options. Physical media has far more compromises than streaming imho.

At least my physical media never shuts up shop, and quality wise it's as good as or better than any streaming provision.

 

[steve_1979]

We'll come to that

I'm looking forward to the "No real hifi is without a big ass subwoofer or two" thread.

 

[Benedict_Arnold]

Looking forward to ''no real hi-fi should be without expensive cables!!!''

I would have said speakers, but then someone would come back with headphones.

No hifi is complete without a 13 amp plug (in the UK) or the equivalent in your country of residence.

Beat that.

Oh wait. Someone probably has a solar powered MP3 player....

 

[Benedict_Arnold]

No hifi is complete without ears to listen to it....

 

[Edbo2]

Even using a NAS for storing your music relies on a third party provider to supply the router. If in the future I decide against broadband how do I play my music? I am coming round to be self sufficient and to keep to a CD source. Also my wife does not understand streaming and finds Sonos not easy to use. She plays only CDs

 

[daveh75]

Even using a NAS for storing your music relies on a third party provider to supply the router.

No you're not, in many cases.

If in the future I decide against broadband how do I play my music? I am coming round to be self sufficient and to keep to a CD source.

Even if you 'decide against broadband' your router would continue to function perfectly well as a DHCP server, switch, Wireless AP etc etc...

 

[MrReaper182]

CD's and vinyl will all ways be my bread and butter when it comes to hi-fi. The probablem I have with Streaming servies is they don't pay the musicians nearly enough. I use them to find out about a new musician or band but I always buy their CD or vinyl. How would you like to be underpaid for the work you do?

 

[tino]

Even using a NAS for storing your music relies on a third party provider to supply the router. If in the future I decide against broadband how do I play my music? I am coming round to be self sufficient and to keep to a CD source.

You don't need a broadband internet connection to set up a LAN (Local Area Network) to share your music. You can set up your own network that is not reliant on a third party internet provider ... routers and network swtches can be bought in shops, or carry on using the one you were given free by your previous broadband provider. Also, you can play your music directly from a PC or media player with internal storage without relying on a network.

 

[daveh75]

CD's and vinyl will all ways be my bread and butter when it comes to hi-fi. The probablem I have with Streaming servies is they don't pay the musicians nearly enough. I use them to find out about a new musician or band but I always buy their CD or vinyl. How would you like to be underpaid for the work you do?

What percentage of the CD sale does an artist get?

I do feel the streaming services are to some extent used as a scapegoat by a music industry that's always shafted the artists.

If artists were smart they'd avoid record labels...

 

[MrReaper182]

CD's and vinyl will all ways be my bread and butter when it comes to hi-fi. The probablem I have with Streaming servies is they don't pay the musicians nearly enough. I use them to find out about a new musician or band but I always buy their CD or vinyl. How would you like to be underpaid for the work you do?

What percentage of the CD sale does an artist get?

I do feel the streaming services are to some extent used as a scapegoat by a music industry that's always shafted the artists.

If artists were smart they'd avoid record labels...

You could probably use Google to the find the right answer but it's a very low amount.

 

[knaithrover]

CD's and vinyl will all ways be my bread and butter when it comes to hi-fi. The probablem I have with Streaming servies is they don't pay the musicians nearly enough. I use them to find out about a new musician or band but I always buy their CD or vinyl. How would you like to be underpaid for the work you do?

If ever I've felt I've been underpaid in a job Ive gone and worked somewhere else. When you are going to watch live music do you enquire at the venue 1st to see how much the bass player is getting paid and if you deem it insufficient decide not to go? Most musicians play for the love of it, I know because I used to be one. As far as as streaming goes i'm a consumer and look to get the best quality I can for my money.

 

[MajorFubar]

Physical media has far more compromises than streaming imho.

None of them quite trump the risk that with streaming you're relying on countless factors outside your control to deliver the content to your home/mobile device. Having bought the CD, the record, or the download, you're relying on no one. But it remains a great way to experience new music. If I like something enough I'll go buy the CD (or the record sometimes)

 

[Benedict_Arnold]

Even using a NAS for storing your music relies on a third party provider to supply the router. If in the future I decide against broadband how do I play my music? I am coming round to be self sufficient and to keep to a CD source. Also my wife does not understand streaming and finds Sonos not easy to use. She plays only CDs

Yes but unless you're name is Sony or Samsung or some such like I expect you're relying on a third party to supply your CD player, DAC, software / firmware, etc.

If you went as far back as sheet music and your own personal orchestra, and unless your name is Mozart or something, you'd still be reliant on someone to write the music, make the instruments, train the musicians, etc.

Might as well say no hifi is complete without your local electricity company.

 

[Benedict_Arnold]

Physical media has far more compromises than streaming imho.

None of them quite trump the risk that with streaming you're relying on countless factors outside your control to deliver the content to your home/mobile device. Having bought the CD, the record, or the download, you're relying on no one. But it remains a great way to experience new music. If I like something enough I'll go buy the CD (or the record sometimes)

Way back when the World was black and white and peolpe walked funny, we had this thing called radio. The radio would play music from all sorts of different genres, bands, musicians, countries even, and if you liked a particular tune, you could pop down to Woolies or WH Smith or HMV even on payday and for a few shillings your could buy the gramaphone recording.

Now, where did I leave my pipe and slippers??

 

[drummerman]

Physical media has far more compromises than streaming imho.

None of them quite trump the risk that with streaming you're relying on countless factors outside your control to deliver the content to your home/mobile device. Having bought the CD, the record, or the download, you're relying on no one. But it remains a great way to experience new music. If I like something enough I'll go buy the CD (or the record sometimes)

Way back when the World was black and white and peolpe walked funny, we had this thing called radio. The radio would play music from all sorts of different genres, bands, musicians, countries even, and if you liked a particular tune, you could pop down to Woolies or WH Smith or HMV even on payday and for a few shillings your could buy the gramaphone recording.

Now, where did I leave my pipe and slippers??

Ok, I'm now building up to the 'no real hifi is without a good FM Tuner'.

Appearing soon in a thread near you

 

[Benedict_Arnold]

Physical media has far more compromises than streaming imho.

None of them quite trump the risk that with streaming you're relying on countless factors outside your control to deliver the content to your home/mobile device. Having bought the CD, the record, or the download, you're relying on no one. But it remains a great way to experience new music. If I like something enough I'll go buy the CD (or the record sometimes)

Way back when the World was black and white and peolpe walked funny, we had this thing called radio. The radio would play music from all sorts of different genres, bands, musicians, countries even, and if you liked a particular tune, you could pop down to Woolies or WH Smith or HMV even on payday and for a few shillings your could buy the gramaphone recording.

Now, where did I leave my pipe and slippers??

Ok, I'm now building up to the 'no real hifi is without a good FM Tuner'.

Appearing soon in a thread near you

The purist will be along shortly to say that should be a short wave "cat's whisker" made to fit inside an old tobacco tin (remember them?) and powered by a huge leaky Every-Ready battery (or for the ultra-purists, a "Leiden jar")....

 

[knaithrover]

No real hifi is complete without a middle aged man with more money than sense and large dollop of ocd....

 

[tino]

Way back when the World was black and white and peolpe walked funny, we had this thing called radio. The radio would play music from all sorts of different genres, bands, musicians, countries even, and if you liked a particular tune, you could pop down to Woolies or WH Smith or HMV even on payday and for a few shillings your could buy the gramaphone recording.

Now, where did I leave my pipe and slippers??

Ok, I'm now building up to the 'no real hifi is without a good FM Tuner'.

Appearing soon in a thread near you

No need for another thread ... the beauty of most streaming systems is that they do internet radio very well

I probably listen just as much to streamed radio channels as I do on-demand streaming services or listening to my own purchased music.

 

[nopiano]

My jury is out on this (if you get my drift), but I hope to rectify that soon as we are moving to a house where I'll be able to have Qobuz on my main system. At the moment I use it stand-alone in another place, only via my AirPlay speaker.

But I suppose I am still wedded to FM, LP, and cd.