Am I the only guy w little or no interest in streaming high resolution?

Not sure I understand this. When you stream - from the cloud, or from your local wifi-connected NAS - the software will buffer a considerable portion of the stream before initiating playback. The amount buffered will likely be in the order of a few megabytes, which doesn't take very long to transfer (in terms of human perception). This buffered "read ahead" gives protection against transient conditions like having to retransmit a packet. Only a prolonged period of receiving no data at all (eg. 60 seconds) will affect the playback device (and to be fair, it sounds like that might be happening occasionally for the dire wi-fi some people say they have). This isn't rocket science; the same buffering principle is used in CD players in cars to smooth out the inevitable skips and misreads caused by vibration.

 

For what’s its worth-Would only spend $ on physical product and to my ears CD is a lot better. I usually find the steaming shrill lacking warmth.
BUT I enjoy barking out a song or artist and it’s here.
Also I use it a sampler of potential buys and create hundreds of songs of box sets etc. that I would not buy on all likelihood but OK playing it in car or iPhone not expecting a real listening session more akin to furniture music.
The price is right and the commercials don’t bother me. I prefer Spotify.

 

Fully agree, you mention a critical piece of the puzzle, the software that implements jitter buffer, packet re-ordering and how well it does it when faced with impairments, which would occur much more often on busy 2.4Ghz WiFi. Those functionalities are hidden from us users and we have no idea what’s happening inside the Media Renderer. Hence how can we be sure the music we are listenning to isn’t subject to any additional processing delays when dealing with such impairments? A bit extreme, but isnt "audiophile" too

I’d like to continue the tech discussion, but I think I derailed enough this thread, sorry for that. I never wanted to imply that streaming over WiFi in a private network is bad, just saying there could be more “issues” to be dealt with by the Media Renderer compared to a wired network depending on the environment and equipment used. If I find any Media Renderer (network player) that supports 5GhZ , I personally would use wireless streaming with my eyes closed where I don’t have Ethernet.

PS: Those old mobile CD players even equipped with jitter buffers eventually ran out of memory and eventually start skipping

 

Not interested in hi rez streaming. I decided long ago to optimize for redbook quality which led me to a NOS Audio Note Dac. I couldn't be happier and glad I don't have to think about all the various formats coming and going.

I am sitting on about 60 SACD's. I don't know why I don't sell them, they're probably going to be worthless someday. I compared the AN DAC w an SACD player recently. Lots of variables but the results were overwhelmingly in favor of NOS. The SACD player was not really in the same league as the AN, so, not sure if its a conclusive "test' .

I guess the only hi rez that will get my attention will be if I record my LP's.

 

All the more reason to digitize your collection, create three or more backups (one in the cloud) and let your collection help finance your retirement.

This nonsense about streaming being oh so terrible is a load of crap. Listening to the Byrds "I Am A Pilgrim" from Sweethearts of the Rodeo on Google Play Music on my Sonos Play:5 as I type. Sounds fine. And I have access to so much music it's stupefying. I've learned about new and older acts I wasn't aware of by listening to radio stations based on artists I like. In short, it's never been a better time to be a music fan.

 

If you wanted to optimize redbook quality, you shouldn't have bought a NOS DAC, never mind a Audio Note DAC.

 

I use Tidal hifi and Roon via wifi and am very pleased. I had Deezer before that but did not find it to my liking.

To get the best possible wifi experience in my home for hi res I upgraded my modem and router, and I bought a dedicated laptop (asus quad core i7) as a streamer. I also upgrade my DAC (PS Audio NuWave DSD) because it had native Roon support.

I don’t have a sizeable music collection like some folks here do. It would cost me a fortune the size of a small country to collect all the music I want to listen to and even if I had the financial means to do it I don’t have the room to store it all.

Also, Roon works with my Sonos system which was another reason I chose it. I work from home and I have it on all day in my home office, kitchen and family room. I cannot say enough good things about Roon, even if I didn’t have Tidal I would still keep Roon as it works great with my digital music library.

I still prefer vinyl for critical listening, however, today’s digital comes pretty darn close and I enjoy it immensely.

 

I already own more than enough music to last me the rest of my life. That said, I want more.

The only streaming I do is with Gizmo and JRiver from my own servers. I also listen to iHeart Radio and XM/Sirius if those count as streaming. Mainly I listen to these when I'm walking, riding my bike or out and about, and usually with Bluetooth headphones.

In my vehicles, I have 4Tb drives which contains the bulk of my digital collection, but often I'll listen to XM or iHeart Radio for talk, news and sporting events.

Sometimes I'll play a game, where I'll hear a song on XM, and then see how quickly I can get a better sounding version of it playing from my collection.

 

Nope sorry... my music collection is for listening, not for selling & certainly not for wasting time digitising something I already have.

 

Can you point me in the direction of some of them?

As for streaming, I'm sort of interested, but count me among those who haven't a clue as to what I need in order to go about it. And when I read about it, it seems there are several entirely different approaches, leaving me nowhere. The only solution (if I wanted to pursue it) would be to go to an audio store and throw myself on their mercy. But even then I'm not sure I could operate whatever they sold me.

Also...I have pretty reliable internet. But it does "go down" sometimes. It would make me crazy not to be able to listen to music just because my wi-fi wasn't working.

 

Last week I added two more servers to my home network - one of which is used exclusively for streaming DSF files. Both of my Sony X800s are connected to that home network via Ethernet. (While the X800's manual says "The player may not play this file format on a Home Network server" I have not experienced any with Ethernet streaming.)

So the sound quality of SACD (stereo and multichannel) without having to walk to the physical media library to retrieve a disc, or ten. Plus all of the covers, booklets, etc. are scanned at high res and stored with the music files - in case I want to display them on screen.

Jeff

 

You can stream your own digital music stored on a dedicated PC, Mac, or NAS. And/or you can use HiFi subscription based Streaming services such as Tidal, Qobuz, HighResAudio,...

There are many ways to bridge the HiFi streaming services into your system:
- Use a PC/MAC based software that provides access to those services, I use Audirvana Audirvana Plus – The Sound of your Dreams that acts as a Media Server and provides access to all mentionned streaming service as well as your local music lib. Connect the PC/Mac via USB , Optical, ..., or UPnP to your Media Renderer/DAC and enjoy!
- Use a network streamer, and the choices are many, that provides support for those subscription based streaming services (e.g. CXN (V2) ,...)

Regarding your comment about intermittent Internet connection, I like Tidal, because it allows you to download in HighRes all the songs and albums you choose and have them available for offline mode without needing an Internet Connection! As far as usability, if you know how to use an iPad, then you’re good to go, as most of these streaming services have mobile apps that are super easy and fun to use!

PS: A very unknown NOS DAC w tube buffer is Mhdt Pagoda MHDT Lab Pagoda: A review ...

 

If it doesn't come in a plastic box or a cardboard cover I'm not interested.

 

I basically view streaming as glorified radio - but you have to pay whereas with radio it was free.

I prefer to listen to the song I want when I want it and so I was never much of a radio listener unless on the way to work in the car. But at home - never.

So here is how I have my set-up which is so easy that if I can do it anyone can do it.

1) PC with music stored on hard drives (if you are anal get SSD drives and a PC that is quiet)
2)Then all you need is a USB cable out from PC to something like my Audio Note DAC 0.1X ($1450 non oversampling - Audio Note IMO is the best and they were the first on NOS DACs). The cable is USB to a smaller size end - I forget at the moment as I am at work). But they're cheap and easy to get.
3) then on your PC you just go to volume control and select the output to the DAC.

Now if you play a youtube video or music oir movies on your PC it will all go out through the DAC to your stereo.
And the AN requires no discs or anything - it automatically works instantly.

Now for music (better quality) download the free open source software called Foobar2000. It's boring as anything to look at - BUT it is dead simple to use and dead stable - it never hickups or does anything crappy to the sound. And it is customisable. You just add files from your computer and you're set to go. You really don't need to pay anything for any other music server - they are NOT better sounding though they are better looking and GUI so they look better. But start with Foobar2000. And then once you are used to it then look at the other ones as they usually have free trials. I went back to foobar though.

Also - you can buy a USB to SPDIF converter - M2Tech for example. You plus this into a USB out on your computer and then buy SPDIF cables to the AN DAC. This is usually said to be much better sounding than the USB input on most DA Converters - the M2Tech (or something like it) is usually under $200. M2Tech hiFace Two Hi-End USB to S/PDIF digitalInterface w/RCA output HIFACE2R | eBay

And you can still do internet radio - your computer should access numerous free radio stations that you can select and play without subscribing to pricey services.

And if you want to save money you could look at ANKits which is a kit company that makes Audio Note products - they will build the kits for you for a nominal fee - designed by AN but may have less expensive options. I am currently reviewing the DAC 0.1x.

 

All I can say is, you non streamers are missing out big time. I resisted for a long time, then tried Tidal hifi, my system is pretty good, if it’s a bad recording, you’ll know it, but Tidal sounds brilliant, and the amount of new artists I’ve discovered , get the free trial before you bag it !

 

For my main system, if someone would rip all my CDs to FLAC on a network drive, catalogue them beautifully, and installed some equipment for me to access and stream them by a phone/tablet, that would be nice, and the convenience might be enough for me to pack the CDs away... if the rips sounded as good (which I'm not convinced they would tbh... another can of worms)

Cannot be bothered doing that myself though - time and cost.

Streaming Spotify is fantastic for kitchen radio type use and also for browsing through stuff via a Bluetooth device for the main system, but can't see it ever becoming a main listening source. Not enough quality, and choice of provenance etc.

 

No. I'm with you.

 

Sorry but you make me feel just a little smug that I did that ten years ago

Seriously, the results can justify the effort. It's only two minute job to rip any new CDs. Potentially, it sounds a lot better than a CD player but that is gear dependent.

Doing the same with vinyl now but that gives slightly inferior SQ than original. I've lived for ten years without a CD player but I'm not sure I can bear to part with my turntable yet.

 

Ha, glad to be of service!

Am sure you're right. Also, it's not as if I'm not tech-savvy as such, but I did look in to the network streaming thing a couple of years ago, saw issues people were having with glitchy connections, drop-out, etc, and thought it's just the kind of thing I could without having to get my head around or live with. Part of the reason I wouldn't also want to have to use a laptop for it - have enough computer/software type use in my work and it's a nice thing to get away from with my music. Keep it as its own entity. Still, as you say could all seem worth it in the end.

 

There may be 10,000 by the end of 2018 or by sometime early in 2019, but not now.

 

Given the aged sausage fest this place is replies like this don't surprise me. Think old, grow old. Here's the thing though, not every thing that's old is useless. Hell I use a double-edged safety razor, badger brush, and non-aerosol shaving cream because the double, triple, quadruple, cinco blades are a ruse. But conversely, not every thing that's new is crap and I like not having to stumble through a large library, how many times do we see threads here were folks have bought duplicates, is liberating.

And there's the concept of you get what you pay for and I'm currently listening to Love's Andmoreagain on Gene Clark Radio on Google Play Music. What's the likelihood of my hearing that on terrestrial radio? No ads, or obnoxious DJs. Hell that's well worth the average of $2/week it costs me.

I know for some of you I'm wasting my time, but I'll make a deal with you. If you refrain from poo pooing in streaming threads, I'll stay out of the threads where you moan about the flaws in your newly acquired, precious "vinyls".

 

AFAIK even now there is no official way to know how many MQA titles were released on the Tidal platform. Someone posted on the Roon forum a link that is updated regularly and has now about 10,500 lines. The problem here is that the list has many duplicates so the actual number may be drastically lower.

 

Most of the content there is 24/192 though none of it is lower than 16/44.1. Regardless, the site may be a good way to find out if your system can even handle hi-resolution audio streaming as it will adjust the data rate to your current conditions.

 

After reading this post I downloaded the Amazon Music app to my iphone, as we've had prime for years, and gave it a try. The sound was very promising with everything I listened to. A world better than Spotify. I did an A/B test and the difference was not subtle.
Thanks to @Doctor Fine for the suggestion.

 

I have no interest at this time to stream music. I have a large collection of CD, Blu-ray Audio, DVD-Audio and SACD discs to listen to for years to come. I prefer the physical disc than a digital collection on my computer. I'd like to have my music collection on hard drive for back up purposes though. But that would take a huge amount of time and at this time it's not going to happen.