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Help with streaming Tidal's Master tracks

Hi folks, new guy here so please bear with me. 

I would like some advice about what exactly I would need hardware wise to enable Tidals master music. Right now I am streaming their cd quality with either apple airplay from my airport express output or from dish music through dish hopper output.

I realize I must use my computer to get the master tracks but am a little confused as to what additional hardware I need. My IMac is in a different room but I can run cables if need be. My equipment right now is a Jolida 3502p amp and a Schitt Freya preamp, my speakers are Paradigm studio 60'sv3. So as you see not real high end stuff but what I can afford. I'm pleased with the sound quality but would like to try the master tracks from Tidal. I don't have a dac. Would you folks explain to me what I would need to do to use Tidal at its full potential. I appreciate any advice you can offer. Thanks, erik

petware
kalali's avatar
kalali
1,977 posts
 
"will the tidal masters really sound much better?"

Not a can of worms at all...They definitely sound better as long as the streamer/DAC can support MQA. Simple answer.
As for the set up, sorry but computer sourced audio is a big hassle. Unless you have lot of hi-rez files dowloaded on your machine. For streaming high quality music, I strongly recommend looking into a Bluesound Node or another streaming/DAC device in your budget. Don’t go down the rabbit hole trying to get a better sound from USB or your computer. MHO.
petware OP
26 posts
 
Thanks Kalali for your thoughts. One question if I may. To make Tidal master tracks available do you hook up an Ethernet cable between the blue sound node and the computer or does the blue sound node not need to be hooked up to a computer? This is where my confusion comes in regarding the various solutions available. 
ghosthouse's avatar
ghosthouse
4,306 posts
 
https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/how-is-mqa-fareing/post?highlight=MQA%2Bworth%2Bit&postid...

As per the above thread (and a number of others), I’ll have to disagree, respectfully, with Kalili’s remarks. MQA does not always sound better, it isn’t a slam dunk and there’s no consensus about the benefit of the "format" (hence my facetious reference to can o’ worms).

petware OP
26 posts
 
Being a new member, I wasn't aware of wildly conflicting opinions regarding mqa. I guess it comes with territory and proves how subjective this hobby is. I do appreciate all opinions as I haven't formed one yet...
jond's avatar
jond
5,789 posts
 
I also would agree with ghosthouse, not that MQA encoded recordings can’t sound better but that the initial recording quality and subsequent mastering matter vastly more than the sampling rate.

And to answer the question on the Bluesound, it doesn’t need to be hooked up to a computer. It can stream wireless from Tidal directly and also stream files from your computer or other networked device. Auralic makes the Aries and Aries Mini which do the same that is what ghosthouse and I both use.
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