Sound Quality of red book CDs vs.streaming

I often compare a vinyl track against MQA, ripped CD, and Tidal High Res. To 70 year old ears, vinyl sounds the most natural and the best.  

I rate DSD straight through to my MyTek Liberty DAC second, and in some cases first. Tidal MQA through a NAD M12 BluOS module third, with Tidal High Res, CDs ripped to FLAC to my Zenith MKII, and MQA converted to PCM on my MyTek DAC last and a toss up.   

When it comes to digital music files, I’ve found sound quality and volume levels vary widely regardless of file type or source.  But to answer the OP’s question, I’ll take Tidal streaming over Redbook CDs any day.

I use a WireWorld Cat-8 Ethernet cable to the Zenith, WireWorld USB from the Zenith to the MyTek DAC, and AudioQuest RCA cables to the M12.  Ortofon Phono cable to M12 Phone jack.  And a mix of VooDoo and WireWorld power cables.

@ astewart8944334 BTW I believe @audioengr Steve N. has noted elsewhere that WAV files sound better than FLAC files.

I'll have to re-rip a couple of my CDs to WAV and give it listen.  I hope I can't hear a difference because I dread the thought of re-ripping my entire CD library :-).

+1  @richer31 All different - non bad 

When comparing vinyl against different streaming sources and different playing sources with the volume set at -25 db, I've found that Tidal Masters play much louder some more than others. The same goes for Tidal High Res, MQA converted to PCM, FLAC, and ripped CDs.  I have to decrease volume to about -35 db or more, and I already have the DAC input gain set -9 db lower.

DSD generally plays lower, so I have to increase the volume to around -10 db.  As I increase volume, the sound is smooth and gets richer as I go higher; and I hear everything!  I've also found the change in sound to be more controlled with DSD.  I'm guessing that's a function of my pre-amp, since changes are in .5 db increments, and the SQ of the DSD file.

Regardless, all of it sounds good to me.