I desperately need some clarity.
I'm hearing I need to purchase a music server for better sound quality.
I use my smartphone, playing Amazon HD music, Bluetooth to my DAC. Wireless.
I can only assume, the advantage must be in the ability to hardwire the server to the dac, as a superior tranfer route?
I mean, the server is still receiving it's signal wirelessly, just as the phone is, correct?
I live in the mountains/woods. There isn't satellite or cable here. I use a Roku for TV internet.
Please educate me. Thank you 😊
I'm hearing I need to purchase a music server for better sound quality.
I use my smartphone, playing Amazon HD music, Bluetooth to my DAC. Wireless.
I can only assume, the advantage must be in the ability to hardwire the server to the dac, as a superior tranfer route?
I mean, the server is still receiving it's signal wirelessly, just as the phone is, correct?
I live in the mountains/woods. There isn't satellite or cable here. I use a Roku for TV internet.
Please educate me. Thank you 😊
I am using iPhone 6 and galaxy S10 sound quality is fantastic. IPhone somewhat better.
Your amp and speakers may need an update
Your amp and speakers may need an update
That makes zero sense. They both send a wireless signal, but one sounds better?
And I use extremely good equipment and speakers. AE, Aruum Cantus, and Accuton aren't too shabby.
The BEL amplifier is a reference.
Can we stick to what I asked please, where I can get the information I need?
And I use extremely good equipment and speakers. AE, Aruum Cantus, and Accuton aren't too shabby.
The BEL amplifier is a reference.
Can we stick to what I asked please, where I can get the information I need?
The signal is just data until it gets to the DAC circuit in whatever device - its the quality of that DAC and associately clocking circuitry that can determine ultimate audio quality.
However different services could operate with different bit-widths and/or sample rates of audio samples too, so that can also be a limiting factor (for instance 16 bit CD quality v. 24 bit 96kSPS).
Then comes the speakers/phones - the most crucial part of the chain often.
However different services could operate with different bit-widths and/or sample rates of audio samples too, so that can also be a limiting factor (for instance 16 bit CD quality v. 24 bit 96kSPS).
Then comes the speakers/phones - the most crucial part of the chain often.
It isn't quite clear what you've got there. Do you have wired internet coming into your home? Do you have wifi? Without those the only thing I can think of that would be better than what you already do is to dedicate a phone with a hard-wired USB connection to the DAC. It would use the cellular network to access Amazon and then you'd get true hi-res into your DAC. Bluetooth isn't the best way to go. Wifi is better. But if your DAC takes BT it may also take a wifi UPnP connection. I don't know if Amazon HD supports UPnP though. Even Apple Airplay is better than BT.
Another alternative, again assuming wifi, is a Raspberry Pi running Volumio, which has UPnP built in, also Airplay. This would then connect to your DAC via USB cable. There is also the WiiM streamers, an inexpensive device that supports UPnP and Airplay as well as a few other protocols. Actually that may be your best bet.
Another alternative, again assuming wifi, is a Raspberry Pi running Volumio, which has UPnP built in, also Airplay. This would then connect to your DAC via USB cable. There is also the WiiM streamers, an inexpensive device that supports UPnP and Airplay as well as a few other protocols. Actually that may be your best bet.
A lot of that technology is beyond my knowledge.
We can't get phone landlines, cable, or satellite.
I have my cell service.
Unless I am oversimplifying things, I just need to run a USB cable from phone to DAC, and stream Hi Rez music.
If the above sentence is correct, how could a dedicated streamer sound any better? THAT's where I get lost.
OR is it just the convenience of having to not use your phone?
We can't get phone landlines, cable, or satellite.
I have my cell service.
Unless I am oversimplifying things, I just need to run a USB cable from phone to DAC, and stream Hi Rez music.
If the above sentence is correct, how could a dedicated streamer sound any better? THAT's where I get lost.
OR is it just the convenience of having to not use your phone?
Assuming your dac will recognise your phone you will need a USB OTG cable. As I write this UAPP is sending a 192K flac file to a dac.
As to whether a streamer will sound better or not the same thing applies here as elsewhere. It might or might not. There are many options out there.
Unless there is a streamer with cell phone capability you will still need your phone.
As to whether a streamer will sound better or not the same thing applies here as elsewhere. It might or might not. There are many options out there.
Unless there is a streamer with cell phone capability you will still need your phone.
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With what you have, yes, the only thing that'll really work is to run a USB cable from your phone to your DAC. If it is an iPhone you'll need Apple's camera adapter to go from the Lightning port to USB. If it is an iPhone 15 or Android, a USB-C to USB-A or USB-B cable will do it. Usually DACs want a USB-B input, that's the squarish type. I've used this kind of setup in my car, my iPhone connected via the camera adapter to a Dragonfly DAC, and then my car had a hard-wired 3.5mm headphone type plug that went into the Dragonfly.
Streamers OTOH usually require both wifi and an internet connection. Some can access the internet directly and play Apple, Amazon, Qobuz, Tidal and Spotify. Others just act as an endpoint that you can stream to from your computer or phone. Many can do both. There might even be streamers that can connect to the internet via cellular.
A dedicated streamer won't sound better necessarily but it is much more convenient, especially if you have multiple systems around the house. You can then stream to any of them using the same computer. Also there are no wires to deal with. I have enough wires without that. What most people find is that their phones don't make great inputs to DACs because they are noisy. They pack a lot of circuitry into those things.
Nah. As mentioned above, the digital data is just the data. As long as the data is transmitted without lossy compression, you're good. Bluetooth may sometimes use some compression. With WiFi, ethernet, USB, etc. there is usually no data compression.
Again, the data is just the data. I don't see how that could be the case. The only exception would be the clock of the audio data stream (SPDIF, I2S). A cleaner clock will allow better sound. However, this will only make a difference if the DAC does not have it's own reclocker. These days, many high.end DACs have a built-in memory chip that buffers the incoming SPDIF/I2S signal, applies a new and clean clock to it, and then sends this to the DAC.
Most streamers use some sort of phone/tablet/computer to control things. Some may have a built-in screen or buttons to control things. What is more convenient comes down to personal taste and opinion.
Overall, I would not choose a streamer based on its advertised sound quality. For me, the streamer needs to just do its job, but otherwise go "out of the way". I am pretty happy with a Raspberry Pi + dedicated I2S output (HAT add-on), and RoPieee software.