Please Help!! looking to get into computer audio.

I am not a Tidal expert by any means, nor an Apple expert, but here is what I know.

I think Web app means browser based apps. If you access Tidal through a Web browser, you have to use Chrome for CD quality.

The desktop app for Windows does HIFI, I believe.When I go into Settings - Streaming it lets me choose the quality of the output. On the desktop app, HIFI is an option. HIFI means CD quality. When I use Firefox to access the Web application, it says I cannot choose HIFI and only gives me Normal and Hi, which are not CD quality.

The problem with the Tidal app for me is that the app then uses the WIndows audio system, which is not bit perfect. I am not sure how that works on Apple. Give it a try and see if it gives you the HIFI option in Settings - Streaming.

The issue with using the tablet or phone apps is getting the output to your stereo setup without using the DAC in the phone or tablet. The Android Tidal app does not let me send the HIFI signal to another system. So,  I use UPnP on an Android device since it can pass Tidal CD quality files to a DLNA renderer for playback, in my case the JRiver renderer on my PC.

Unfortunately, I do not know how to use an Apple tablet or phone to send that signal to an Apple system. However, the latest Tidal app for tablets and phones says it supports Chromecast. So, if you buy a Chromecast Audio device, you should be able to stream a HIFI signal to it and use the Chromecast Audio optical out to send the signal to a DAC, if you DAC has an optical input. Otherwise, I do not know how to send the HIFI digital signal to from the phone to an Apple desktop or laptop.

Again, I am no expert, but that is what I understand.

@dtc - I think you gave me what I needed. What I was not understanding was pretty basic..."web player" vs the alternative : "desktop app".  Since I’m using a MacBook, I’m fairly certain TIDAL for Mac will give me the HiFi option in their desktop install. I’m not real worried about portability/web-based access. Thanks for your time.

(btw - I agreed with your response to mensch about "small steps when getting started".)

sbank: "One of the benefits is getting a full PC or Mac computer and its associated noise out of the listening room and galvanically isolated from the dac."

Yes, with microRendu, the computer as server or the NAS, whichever you choose, does not need to be in the same room as the music system -- it just needs to be on the same network, which can be anywhere else in your home.

So isolation has nothing to do with choosing computer or NAS as server.

dtc

Upsampling is no panacea. Its much better to get an outboard asynch USB converter than to rely on upsampling. 

PCs are not real time systems.  synchronous usb is very high in jitter which can be made a little better by Asynch. Sample Rate Conversion, and heavy buffering.  The reviews for the BDA1 and how much better it sounds with the Bryston Player make me worry this is the case.

Asynch Usb however can resolve these issues.

Yes Im aware of the difference between a 103 and 105.  I was just offering options.

Best

Erik

@sun-warrior "So isolation has nothing to do with choosing computer or NAS as server."  

I see your point, but for the benefit of others, let's clarify that if your attach either 1) a computer and any attached hard drives or 2) a NAS to a router(usually in a different room on a different electrical circuit!) thus isolating the device from the DAC you've still got to get the signal to the DAC by ethernet, wifi or a power line adapter solution.
For my money, that's where the microRendu does a superior job vs. anything me and many others have heard.

For those who prefer to keep the PC or Mac located in the listening room, receive the music from on that computer and connect directly to the dac, they are in some ways fighting an uphill struggle regardless of which cable type or USB/SPDIF adapter they use.  Cheers,
Spencer