OK, streaming music uses basically two different formats. The most common is WMA which is windows media audio. That one is the poorest of all medias out there, because the compression of the files is about twice the compression of MP3. Sirus XM radio uses that format, and it's very crappy. I can only sum it up somewhat like this-- Over periods of time, the human ear gets used to or desensitized to certain frequencies. Mid range frequencies from 1k to 4k is the most irritating to the human ear. That's why the alert tone on weather radios, the test tones for audio and TV the test tones for setting up mixing boards before recording are set at 1k. A 1k tone is the most irritating frequency to the human ear. Most of your general frequencies are in the 1k to 4k range---meaning the mid level frequencies are more pronounced to the human ear. If you can ever find one, get a test record of frequencies for vinyl, CD, analog tape and digital. Have a dog nearby, and you will discover that the dog will react more to vinyl records, or analog reel to reel tape, versus digital. Why is that?? The digital on CD cannot reproduce the highest frequencies, while analog (vinyl and tape) can and will. Human hearing on a normal person ranges from 20 Htz to about 15k in general. People who have taken care of their hearing can hear far higher frequencies up to about 18k on average. Vinyl and analog tape can record and reproduce up to 20k.
So why the craze??? the newer generations grew up with CD, digital, etc. Their ears don't know any better. Then,,,,suddenly they hear something from analog tape or a vinyl record. It's like discovering a new world for their ears. Put the pops and cracks to the side--and really listen to the quality.
Speaking of various groups, etc going back to the old amplifiers, etc. The basis is the same. The chips can't handle the voltages required to reproduce or amplify the sound. Although America doesn't have that much avaliable in a tube format anymore, The tubes will outlast chips at least 7 to 1 There's only one place that still manufactures tubes. Guess what country???? Believe it or not--it's Russia. And their quality of the product is very high.
So why the craze??? the newer generations grew up with CD, digital, etc. Their ears don't know any better. Then,,,,suddenly they hear something from analog tape or a vinyl record. It's like discovering a new world for their ears. Put the pops and cracks to the side--and really listen to the quality.
Speaking of various groups, etc going back to the old amplifiers, etc. The basis is the same. The chips can't handle the voltages required to reproduce or amplify the sound. Although America doesn't have that much avaliable in a tube format anymore, The tubes will outlast chips at least 7 to 1 There's only one place that still manufactures tubes. Guess what country???? Believe it or not--it's Russia. And their quality of the product is very high.