UM, they can be better especially with MQA in my opinion. However, a high res version of a compressed and harsh CD recording still sounds that way. When it's right, its like the ultimate vinyl without the flaws.
I prefer Spotify over Pandora and recently Tidal over Spotify. I went with Tidal Hi-Res for MQA capability. I seem to find more good music on Tidal. My son is a student so it's Hi Res for $10 a month. I think the Auralic Mini is probably the best sounding unit from my research. I bought the Bluesound Node 2 but wish I had tried the Auralic. The bottom end on the Node 2 is astounding. Some MQA stuff sounds incredible and some recordings sound a more 2 dimensional. Poor recordings still sound like compressed CD.
Welcome, we already a an OTD (old Texas dog) (older than dirt) so dirty John??
Be sure to guard your funds, you may end up with a lot of Carver gear hanging around here.
Welcome, Great guidance is always available. Please study up here in the library a bit so the dialog is more fruitful. Good luck and glad to have you here.
Time to resurrect this thread, one of my favorite albums is an artist I don't care for most the time, Boz Skaggs. His album DIG is fantastic and will exercise your Woofers something fierce. There are plenary of low sustained notes.
The last song is a fantastic demo piece. Be careful. Xmax here we come. ?
Well buddy, I just lucked out. I happened upon a thread where somebody mentioned a tour by Roger. I hit the site for tickets and saw $200 tickets and snagged them. 4 th row floor almost center. Get this, the stage production was crazy and one third(!) of the main floor was computer controllers and other hardware. Sound was in quad or similar. Sound from all around. Crazy good. Audiophile orgasm.