spotify sounds better than lossless files through sb touch???

[m@ver1ck]

I've got the following system:

SB Touch -> Rega DAC -> Naim Nait XS -> Rega RS5 speakers.

 

I've never entirely been happy with the s/q of my system. Recently, I tried the dac with a laptop, and the system sounded a lot better, like a lot of noise disappeared. The system sounded a lot less shrill and more pleasant to listen to.

 

Enter spotify: When I listen to spotify through the sb touch -> Rega DAC etc, there is again this sense of calm, lowering of noise floor etc. The system sounds really really good. However, when it's playing lossless files, there is a little shrillness to it.

 

Any ideas?

 

I'm thinking of getting a gigabit router. Maybe the system is working hard pumping lots of bits, and less will make it happier?

 

[realhifi]

That could help with the perception of "shrillness". It's a moving target right now to determine what exactly does sound good these days and I have heard folks like you that are thrilled with the sound of both MOG and Spotify which makes me think they are doing something right with their 320kb streaming. Are you experiencing that same shrillness when playing hires files through the laptop?

 

[m@ver1ck]

It is hardwired, and I've applied soundcheck's mods already.

HiRes files through a laptop sound just great. There's a lot more bass to them, and quiteness/darkness to them.

Same when I brought a high quality cd player and plugged it into the dac.

 

[realhifi]

Sounds like the laptop wins.