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What is you TIDAL setup?

A lot of audiophiles are waxing lyrical about this new HD streaming technology, proclaiming that this may be the best thing that happened to audio since the dawn of CDs. Positive reviews abound everywhere online. I succumbed and ordered a subscription. I'm glad I did, because TIDAL is freaking awesome! For a meager 20 clams a month, you suddenly have a 25 million CD collection at your fingertips! That alone is mind boggling and unthinkable a decade or so ago. I have been a SPOTIFY subscriber for a long time and can confidently say that TIDAL's streaming service is significantly better sounding and worth the extra subscription fee. I still kept SPOTIFY because, simply put, it has more selections. If SPOTIFY will offer HD streaming in the future, I will be in sonic nirvana! Pardon me for burying the leade. How did you incorporate TIDAL into your system? Here's my setup:

My system is composed of:

Shelter 7000
Well Tempered Amadeus
OPPO 103D - Transport and Blu ray Player
MAC MINI - upgraded SSD w/ 16GB RAM. Loaded with Amarra software
Auralic VEGA
Hovland HP100MC
Symphonic Line RG7 MK4
ISOCLEAN 80A3
Gemme Audio Tanto Karbon V3
iPAD Gen 2 with Retina Display
Wireworld Silver Eclipse Cables

I did not want to go through the hassle of moving my tricked-out MAC MINi from the computer nook to the listening room so I figured out a way to use my iPAD as the source. You cannot plug your iPAD directly into the VEGA. You need an interface. This is where the OPPO comes in where it also serves as a CD and Blu Ray discs transport. You have to buy an iPAD HDMI adapter. Plug in the iPAD using the adapter to the back of the OPPO and you're in business. Did I mention that the OPPO can also play whatever music file you throw at it?! Be it AIFF, FLAC, DSD, etc.. For the price, it's one amazing technologically-packed piece of gadgetry. Let's move on. Ensure you have the TIDAL app downloaded to the iPAD. Connect OPPO to the VEGA via toslink or COAX and Vega to the preamp, receiver or amp and you're ready to play!

In my setup, I plugged the VEGA straight to the amp using ENDLER attenuators. I found the resultant sound much more transparent and dynamic than going through a preamp. For additional info, using the VEGA's built in volume control is not as sonically satisfying. I found the frequency extremes truncated and the overall sound dynamically constricted. This is especially true at lower listening levels.

So there! In the end, I believe I was able to save some money by buying the OPPO vice the Auralic Aries. Plus I now have a very capable transport that can also play my old CD and Blu Ray collections. I'm immensely enjoying TIDAL. I haven't touched my turntable or played any CDs for almost a month. Well..., gotta go! I still have 24,999,824 CDs to listen to.
aisip
Post removed 
btw22
80 posts
 
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. 
randyhat
156 posts
 
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.
nycjlee
286 posts
 
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. 
randyhat
156 posts
 
" 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.
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