What is you TIDAL setup?
@shadorne - Thanks for the reply. I'm not limiting myself to your config., just trying to find the relative performance you have on hand. I've heard that Roon takes a bit of power and wanted to know what you were using. A 2.6G i5 is not a powerhouse by any stretch. Do you also run Tidal on the MAC Mini at the same time? No performance issues? I may hit you up for some additional information as the year progresses and I get closer to setting up the music stream. Thanks and Happy New Year! |
@reubent Mac Mini 2.8 GHz i5 running Roon Server (headless) connected to Benchmark DAC3 via both optical and USB. I have the lossless music in a variety of formats on a 6TB drive connected to the Mac via USB - FLAC, AAC, AIFF, DSD etc. Roon controls everything from iPad or iPhone. I have Roon setup so it passes bit perfect files to the DAC. It only does conversion for files that my DAC cannot handle which is DSD128 and higher or reducing sample rate of hi-res files to 96KHz for optical. The DAC does all upsampling. I can’t hear a difference between optical or USB or cables or Singxer SU-1, so I am reasonably confident the DAC performs as claimed - it rejects all incoming jitter. There will be some intrinsic jitter in the DAC itself but Stereophile measurements suggest it is well below audibility. Roon handles access to a Tidal. No MQA first unfold yet implemented in Roon but it is in the works. MQA is not a big deal to me as it is a lossy format anyway. Roon works on almost any platform. So by no means should you limit yourself to my hardware setup. Good Luck! |
@shadorne - Happy New Year! A few quick question about your Roon setup. Do you have Roon Core running on your MacMini? Which MAC Mini hardware configuration? Is your MAC Mini connected directly to your DAC, on your audio rack? Or are you using some other type of streaming device, as well as your iPad as a controller? Also, is your MAC Mini connected to your network via direct ethernet or are you using WiFi? Where are your ripped music files? On the MAC Mini? External Disk? NAS connected via ethernet or WiFi? Lastly, if you have Roon Core running on the MAC Mini, can you stream via Roon to other streaming devices in you home, via WiFi? I'm hoping to add a music streaming service to my system and whole house during the coming year. I'm just trying to get my ducks lined up....... Thanks for any comments...... |
Tidal is not HiRez but just CD quality (i.e. 16/44), but that may be all you will ever need in any case. Your Hegel has a usb input, so all you will need is a simple standard usb cable from the usb ouput of the laptop to the usb input of the Hegel. If you do not want to tie up your laptop for this purpose, you can also use a simple streamer like the Apple Airport Express or the Chromecast Audio (I prefer the latter because it does not tie up your phone/tablet). Both have digital optical outputs (get the right mini optical cable) so they can easily be connected to the digital optical input of the Hegel. |
randyhat, The best player I had was a tricked out APL modded 3910 Denon that produced glorious analog like SQ. It was unreal buy I sold it. I can't say I miss the sound because the A10 really holds its own and then some. Add internet radio, (much, much better SQ than I expected) Tidal intergration and it's a no-brainer for me. I understand the dilemma with the built-in dac but the A10's dac is very good. You'd probably have to spend around $4k to better it. And don't forget about the A10's 4 completely independent power supplies, each with its own transformer and a fully balanced/differential configuration. |
" I suggest you consider getting a model without the DAC builtin into the player/streamer and keep the DAC separate. " Well now, that is exactly the dilemma I am in. For simplicity the A10 its appealing; like a integrated amp is appealing as opposed to separates. I understand the advantage of having different DACs but I am just not sure I want another component, and another cable(s). I do understand the advantages of separating out these functions but if I could find a competent all in one unit I would probably go with that option. I am guessing either way it will probably be about the same money. |
I can't comment about the DAC built into the A10 but I suggest you consider getting a model without the DAC builtin into the player/streamer and keep the DAC separate. This will give you the flexibility to change DACs if you don't like the sound of the builtin DAC. The Aurender players themselves are excellent. I can't be happier feeding the the Aurender into an Ayre DAC. I heard that the Aurender and Chord DAC is also a great combo. |
Thank you for your input about the A10. The simplicity of having a "one box" streamer/dac/storage component certainly is appealing. I do read the Computer Audiophile forum. While there was a review a while back and there is a lot of discussion around Aurender products there seems to be little about the A10 and specifically from owners of the A10. How does the A10 sound vs some of your high end CD players? I currently have a Sony XA5400ES SACD player and am auditioning a Bryston BCD-3 CD player. |
randyhat, I went from several combinations of dacs/ transports/hi-end CD players many years ago to Mac mini/audirvana which I thought would do it for me, and it just didn't. I've actually gone extended periods in which I didn't listen to music just because it wasn't the same anymore with the mini. Purchased the A10 2 months ago and I couldn't be happier. It's an all in one box that simplifies my system. Build quality and Aurender support is first class. Ease of use and Tidal intergration is flawless and SQ is excellent. I don't know how tidal does it, but I prefer their files over my counterpart ripped cds about 70% of the time, and that's just the standard 16 bit/44.1 albums. MQA is whole other thing. Check out the Aurender discussion thread at Computeraudiophile.com. |
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I’m using a router via ethernet > Simaudio Moon Neo Ace w/ MiND module > Emotiva XPA Gen 3 two channel amp via the Moon pre-out > Monitor Audio Silver 8 speakers > controlled w/ iPad 3 using the MiND app. To date, the sound has been superb, with zero dropouts or connection failures. I had originally planned to use a CD transport or NAS with ripped CD’s, but am finding it hard to spend the time or effort involved to rip the discs, considering the sound quality that I am getting streaming Tidal. |
I have a very nice Dell laptop, quad core I7, 16 gigs of memory, 1tb internal hard drive, 4tb external hard drive, Windows10 Pro. I have the Windows Tidal app installed, as well as iTunes, storing CDs I record as 44.1/16 AIFF files (plus some hi-res albums from HD Tracks), using the USB output into the DAC, then analog from the DAC to my pre-amp. I also have Roon running on the Dell, using an iPad to control. I used to access Tidal via the app in my music server, but find having this all on a Windows laptop means I can upgrade with changes as they occur. |
Modified Wyred Sonos Connect>Wywires coax digital cable>Dodson DAC 217IID>Pathos Twin Towers > Controlled by either android phone or Ipad mini. I have a very good transport and honestly tidal streaming in my above setup sounds nearly identical to cd's playing through my transport so I am very happy. The modified wyred sonos connect is a very good value as it significantly cleans up the digital audio output compared to the stock connect. I also added an aftermarket powercord to the sonos connect which is plugged into a ps audio p300 power regenerator. |
It's been a while since I visited this thread. A lot has changed since then! Oppo now has the Tidal app incorporated in its menu. No need for an Pad, iPhone or a computer. Tidal's music selection and interface have also immensely improved. Another interesting development is the addition of MQA files to their growing roster; though for now these can be played only via laptop or computer. I've also heard through the audio grapevine that Spotify is now testing the field and will also, in the very near future, stream lossless audio. Wunderbar! The only fly in the ointment is that Oppo, in the future release of the UDP 103 4K player, will no longer have the capability to directly stream Tidal nor Pandora. WTH are you thinking Oppo?! Now the obvious question is: When Spotify goes lossless, which one are you keeping? Tidal or Spotify? He-he! |
Bubble UpNP on an Android tablet outputing to JRiver on a PC via DLNA. PC connects to a Chord Hugo via usb. This allows CD quality Tidal through JRiver even though JRiver does not support Tidal directly. Bubble UpNP GUI is not as pretty as the Tidal app, but is fine on the tablet. You can always search and add to playlists on your PC. |
I play Tidal either through Logitech Media Server or the Oppo 103. I haven't done direct comparisons, but since LMS is USB 2.0 I expect it will be the most jitter-free of the two solutions, but I find the Mytek is a pretty consistent player regardless of source, unlike my previous DAC. The Oppo Media app has by far the nicer interface. Logitech is fine if you have added music to your collection, or know what you are searching for. I use LMS mostly for my PCM/DSD tracks I've purchased, listening to Jazz FM 91 (fabulous station!!) or the local KDFC classical |
Very simple setup for me. Ethernet cable from my network to a Hegel H160 integrated amp and Apple Airplay from an iPod Touch with the TIDAL app. Works beautifully. Had been using a Hegel H300 previously, but I really like having the Ethernet input on the H160. Definitely looking forward to the new Hegel H360 that's coming out late this summer as it will make significant improvements on the H300 and have an Ethernet input like the H160. |
Interesting article, Jon. Thanks for posting the link. It certainly provides some good insight into the complexities of the music business and JayZ, in particular. On the other hand, I don't think it documents that Tidal is currently a complete disaster. Tidal certainly faces some serious challenges. While myself no fan of hip hop or the stars of that music genera, it did seem to me the author had an axe to grind. |
Mateored - Would this work? http://www.audioadvisor.com/prodinfo.asp?number=AQMUSBFOR Re Tidal, I haven't tried it yet. Very happy with Spotify. You comments about limitations on the Tidal streaming rate make me think I'll be staying with the Spot. |
Ghosthouse - you can check your streaming rate by clicking on the "Settings" tab on the left side of the browser, and then clicking the "Streaming" tab. I was listening last night in bed using MBP --> Wireworld Ultraviolet USB cable --> Centrance DACport --> B&O H6 headphones. It sounded nice. I need a new USB to USB mini cable though. this one isn't flexible enough. Any recommendations? There aren't many out there. |
I just started my trial period of TIDAL. I like it, but I probably won't continue it because I already have a Beats Music plan that covers our whole family for $15/month. The TIDAL sound is definitely a little bit better, though. Note that you have to run it using the Chrome browser to get the lossless stream. If you run it through Safari or another browser, it only streams at 320kbs. My office system is: MacBook Pro (15" Retina) --> Wadia 121 DAC/Digital Preamp --> Bel Canto Ref 500S power amp --> Linn Majik 140 speakers. Cables are Pangea USB, Kimber Hero XLR interconnects, Hovland Nine Lines speaker cables. I need a power conditioner, I think, though. My office building has pretty shoddy, old electric wiring, I think. |
A word of CAUTION. I have just been charged the full amount during the trial period without my knowledge. I get constant dropouts with the track stopping entirely within 30 seconds. Now I can't even log in to manage my account to cancel. I get a server error message. Does anyone else have this problem? |
I'm using ickStream, iPeng, a Squeezebox Touch, and an Auralic Vega DAC. There's a big downside to this in that the Tidal library is not at all browsable using ickStream. There's no ability to "drill down" beyond the 100 items listed for a genre (and "Classical" is an extremely broad categorization, as are some of the other genres). You have to know what you are looking for and then find the search string that will locate it. Search just gives you a limited listing of the results. Search on "haydn", for example, and you only get a list of 100 items, most of them crap. If you search on "haydn creation", you do get a good selection of recordings of that work. I've only been evaluating Tidal for a few days. Some problems I've run into: * Some dropouts a few days ago. Streaming has been smooth since. * A few times, the stream spontaneously skipped to the next track. * Tracks from the label MDG won't play. The primitive search engine and lack of browsability are the most troublesome issues, though. |
