If you need wireless, you need wireless, don't stress over it. A PC is not a great digital transport, needs help to sound good. I use an iFi LAN iSilencer, iDefender, iPower and iPurifier to bring the PC in my desktop system up to scratch.
It was formerly my opinion that locally stored files always sound better than streaming from the internet. If I directly compare the same file from my NAS or from Qobuz, it is likely that will favour the local file, but it's become so close that I don't even think about it any more, I just enjoy the music. If I walked into the room while the music was playing, I would have no clue whether it was from Qobuz or local. However, I did have to improve my streaming setup to get it up to snuff, with a linear power supply on the router and LAN Isolators before and after the router.
Finding the same file to compare locally and on the streamed service is not as easy as it sounds, because many of the recordings from the streaming services are remastered and/or hi-res. It is possible to prefer the internet version.
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Hi - 1st time posting here - am an ASR refugee...
Your comment: "I stream Apple Music via Chromecast and it's 44.1/16. Format isn't the problem, thank you for the idea though."
That statement has some logic issues when you're comparing Apple Music-via-Chromecast streaming to redbook CD - your "44.1/16" Chromecasted-Apple Music signal is acutally AAC 256 kbs when you Chromecast -- or even Airplay -- Not true lossless 16 Bit content...
Apple Music is the one of the most compromised high quality streaming formats -- IF -- you don't use Apple iOS or MacOS hardware with a USB DAC...
I use a Wiim Pro Plus and a Bluesound Node 130 -- using Amazon UHD and an external DAC the Node wipes the floor with the Wiim - but the Node uses the USB output vs. the SPDIF out of the Wiim Pro Plus -- all that being said, and if you still have the Wiim Pro - you might want to try the same music you've been listening to on AppleMusic (thru Chromecast) on a native Wiim app service - like Tidal/Qobuz or Amazon HD and see if it's a bit closer to your CD player thru your DAC...
As far as I know the best way to stream Apple Music today (if you don't want to use an iOS or MacOS device with a DAC) is the Eversolo or Fiio "Android" based streamers that can load Apple Music as a native platform -- they offer the convenience of a touchpanel and App based streamer -- and don't compromise the lossless 16 bit or 24 bit content from Apple Music...
Your comment: "I stream Apple Music via Chromecast and it's 44.1/16. Format isn't the problem, thank you for the idea though."
That statement has some logic issues when you're comparing Apple Music-via-Chromecast streaming to redbook CD - your "44.1/16" Chromecasted-Apple Music signal is acutally AAC 256 kbs when you Chromecast -- or even Airplay -- Not true lossless 16 Bit content...
Apple Music is the one of the most compromised high quality streaming formats -- IF -- you don't use Apple iOS or MacOS hardware with a USB DAC...
I use a Wiim Pro Plus and a Bluesound Node 130 -- using Amazon UHD and an external DAC the Node wipes the floor with the Wiim - but the Node uses the USB output vs. the SPDIF out of the Wiim Pro Plus -- all that being said, and if you still have the Wiim Pro - you might want to try the same music you've been listening to on AppleMusic (thru Chromecast) on a native Wiim app service - like Tidal/Qobuz or Amazon HD and see if it's a bit closer to your CD player thru your DAC...
As far as I know the best way to stream Apple Music today (if you don't want to use an iOS or MacOS device with a DAC) is the Eversolo or Fiio "Android" based streamers that can load Apple Music as a native platform -- they offer the convenience of a touchpanel and App based streamer -- and don't compromise the lossless 16 bit or 24 bit content from Apple Music...
Not sure where you got this information, but it false.
Chromecast supports up to 96/24.
https://support.google.com/chromeca...output High-resolution audio: 96 KHz / 24-bit
No logic issues here. Please check your facts before posting.
But it does NOT matter, as I have tried several other streaming plattforms and also I stream FLAC files from my NAS to the Wiim. Still the CD player is much better.
I will keep the Wiim anyways because it's magnificent, cheap and very convenient to use plus I can route my TV audio through it when I watch motives and control it via bluetooth remote.
As one of the first responds said, I am going to slowly invest money into my network architecture, but a LAN iSilencer and a better power supply for my router and see what this does. Some day I will probably get an Eversolo or Cambridge Audio streamer with a nice display.
Please do a bit of background on Chromecast (Not the long discontinued "Chromecast Audio" streamer) and what Apple allows for casting or Airplay of the Apple Music platform:
Your Chromecast link is for the long discontinued Chromecast Audio streamer from 2016-2018 (I have one) -- the specifications in this link do not apply to modern 3rd party devices (Wiim, etc.) that can use the "Chromecast" system software -- you're using the Wiim Pro which is not a "Chromecast Audio" streamer device...
https://darko.audio/2023/10/apple-musics-hi-res-plumbing-is-still-leaky/
https://darko.audio/2023/10/apple-airplay-isnt-always-lossless-sometimes-its-lossy/
The Chromecast Audio streamer from 2016-18 can support 96/24 natively - but not from Apple Music, and the Chrome software that is used for "casting" from a modern "Chromecast" capable device won't transfer 24 bit content, and Apple Music has locked down it's platform so if you want the lossless "ALAC" content natively you must use an iOS or MacOS device - or play the Apple Music App natively via an Android platform - either an Android phone or the Eversolo or Fiio streamer -- even the AppleTV device down converts to 48 khz
Your Chromecast link is for the long discontinued Chromecast Audio streamer from 2016-2018 (I have one) -- the specifications in this link do not apply to modern 3rd party devices (Wiim, etc.) that can use the "Chromecast" system software -- you're using the Wiim Pro which is not a "Chromecast Audio" streamer device...
https://darko.audio/2023/10/apple-musics-hi-res-plumbing-is-still-leaky/
https://darko.audio/2023/10/apple-airplay-isnt-always-lossless-sometimes-its-lossy/
The Chromecast Audio streamer from 2016-18 can support 96/24 natively - but not from Apple Music, and the Chrome software that is used for "casting" from a modern "Chromecast" capable device won't transfer 24 bit content, and Apple Music has locked down it's platform so if you want the lossless "ALAC" content natively you must use an iOS or MacOS device - or play the Apple Music App natively via an Android platform - either an Android phone or the Eversolo or Fiio streamer -- even the AppleTV device down converts to 48 khz
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