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Ok now I am frustrated with streaming

Help me out here please. I was really enjoying getting into streaming. Just purchased a Node 2i 2 weeks ago and have been enjoying it. Testing Tidal and Qobuz, leaning toward Qobuz. I was testing both wifi and ethernet connection. I seemed to pick up some noise and distortion on what I thought was the ethernet so I have been listening on wifi. I really enjoy finding new music on the streaming service. Tonight I was enjoying Sierra Hull because I listen to a lot of Alison Krauss. I was listening to Sierra Hull's new 25 Trips album and got to track 7 Escape and I heard a bunch of static/distortion, almost like a blown tube, except I have solid state equipment. I switched to Tidal to see if it was a problem with the Qobuz stream and same thing. Hooked up my MacBook pro to rule out a problem with the Node 2i, same thing. Now I am listening to Clapton's Unplugged and I hear the same thing. Is it my internet? I have a brand new modem, a Motorola MB7621, and a brand new Asus AC3100 router. I did a speed test and we are getting 237 mbps. My daughter was watching Netflix on a TV upstairs at the time, when she was finished I did a reboot of the cable modem and reboot of the Node 2i and then it was fine after that. I listened for about an hour after that. Is it my internet speed? Do I need to call Comcast/xfinity and up my speed package? Is it something else? Its getting frustrating and its not supposed to be like that, I am at the point where I may just send the Node back on the return policy and stick with CD's. 
128x128jmphotography
jmphotography's avatar
jmphotography OP
161 posts
 
@ajcrocker1 Awesome, thank you, so its not just me and my caps aren't going on my amp! Glad you heard the same thing.
mahler123
3,311 posts
 
New to thread.  In the fist post, the OP opines”I’m getting frustrated and it’s not suppose to be like this”.  Wanna bet?  Streaming is much harder to get right than popping in a CD or even cueing up vinyl.  Listen to some of the stories in this thread, people using multiple routers, etc.  streaming can be great, but those of us who are not IT experts, and even some who are, will hit many a bump in the road 
gumbedamit
109 posts
 
Have you tried using your phones as a hotspot to troubleshoot your problem? Just a thought...
lalitk's avatar
lalitk
5,435 posts
 
“Streaming is much harder to get right than popping in a CD or even cueing up vinyl.”

@mahler123,

Care to enlighten us on steps involved with a Vinyl setup (starting with unboxing a turntable) leading upto cueing Vinyl?
russbutton's avatar
russbutton
429 posts
 
The bandwidth requirement for streaming media, either TV or music, are surprisingly small.   If you read the linked page mentioned here earlier, the highest quality stream, 24 bit/192 khz, only required 10 mbs of bandwidth and you've got well over 200 mbs.   

The problem you describe isn't something in your router or home network.   Do a bandwidth test from any of the various bandwidth testing sites.  Chances are you'll see your expected 200+ mbs speed.

The data you're trying to stream isn't even coming directly from Tidal or whoever.  All of the Internet companies now use a planet wide caching service call Akamai.   So the network problems you're experiencing are something that is between your internet provider and Akamai, and you have no control over that.

I ripped all of my CDs to flac format to a hard drive.  I play everything from a laptop, connected to a USB DAC, to my preamp.  I also run my CD player through the DAC, but rarely use it as all of my stuff is on the hard drive.  I have all of my music data copied to two other machines in the house as well as an off-site backup service.  I have far more music than I have time to listen to, so I don't bother with streaming services.
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