Forums https://www.decware.com/cgi-bin/yabb22/YaBB.pl AUDIO FORUMS >> General Discussion and Support >> Streaming Woes https://www.decware.com/cgi-bin/yabb22/YaBB.pl?num=1674825907 Message started by Palomino on 01/27/23 at 13:25:07

Title: Streaming Woes Post by Palomino on 01/27/23 at 13:25:07 Well, I now have a streaming issue. I have a mac mini that I have updated with RAM, SS drives, power supply, etc.  So I have some money invested.  I think it sounds pretty good - at least with Audirvana. But Audirvana switched to a subscription model and dropped support for their hybrid (on disk / online) player.  The issue is it skips and sometimes cuts the song short by 5 seconds or so.  I've read all the threads on the issue and it is what it is.  Audirvana won't even respond about the issue anymore. So I say I'll see if using the Tidal player will work.  I click on it and it says it will not work on my version of the Mac OS I'm on.  I try to update and I'm at the end of the road so no go.  I try the Tidal Web player and it constantly glitches out. Audirvana has the ability to stream other services, but while I have firsthand heard the sound quality difference between Qobuz and Tidal, it still doesn't seem to have all the music I want to listen to.   I think my best option is to leave the Mac platform (my use dates back to early iTunes) and go to a streamer. I like, but don't love my DAC so I could get by with a streamer only unit.  I liked what I heard with the Cambridge at DecFest so a combo unit is an option. Anyway, can you guys recommend what you like so I can begin my research with a little direction? Thanks

Title: Re: Streaming Woes Post by Sam V on 01/27/23 at 13:59:01 I've used Volumio as a Spotify Connect endpoint. It also supports Tidal and a bunch of others. My setup is a Raspberry Pi 4 with the USB out running to a RME ADI-2 DAC. Volumio also makes their own streaming boxes if you don't want to fiddle with a Raspberry Pi, but it's very easy to do the Pi setup if you do go that route. Since I'm using USB out and there's no analog conversion or even SPIDF timing to worry about on the Pi, it sounds totally great when you run it into a proper DAC. https://volumio.com/en/get-started/

Title: Re: Streaming Woes Post by Palomino on 01/27/23 at 14:02:09 Thanks.  I tried a Pi setup with Volumio and didn't have any luck and I gave it to my daughter to use in her robot build.  That was a few years ago. Maybe I take it back and give it another try.  Certainly budget friendly.

Title: Re: Streaming Woes Post by Palomino on 01/27/23 at 14:03:32 BTW, another issue I have with Tidal is no remote via your phone unless you have the right hardware that supports Tidal Connect.  I'm spoiled by the remote ap in Audirvana.

Title: Re: Streaming Woes Post by Mannytheseacow on 01/27/23 at 14:40:17 I feel your pain, Palomino. I went through the same thing last year. The PC I was using was experiencing planned obsolescence and the whole configuration in my hifi was so complicated I was the only one that could listen to music on it. I posed a similar question elsewhere in the forum and ended up settling on the CXNv2. I couldn’t be happier. I love the sound. I love the remote. I love the simplicity. I love that I can run it in preamp mode to control my front end. And it has all the input options that I need which allows me to turn my zkit essentially into an integrated amp. I primarily stream Spotify and Qobuz. I’ve had one issue with the Cambridge ap that controls it from your phone and their tech support was great. I doubt it was just me but literally after they worked with me for a couple days on the problem a new ap version and firmware update was released that solved the problem. Just my two cents.

Title: Re: Streaming Woes Post by Palomino on 01/27/23 at 14:42:39 Thanks.  I should have bought during the holidays.  Price on the Cambridge is higher now.  They had them for a grand or $1100.

Title: Re: Streaming Woes Post by Ghostship on 01/27/23 at 14:49:49 Maybe I can help... Other than the inexpensive Raspberry Pi options, there are: iFi Streamer for $399 – Thomas & Stereo review said it was better than the Bluesound Node which sells for $599. I am currently using the iFi, it's great and will certainly tide me over until I'm ready to spend much more for an upgrade. Holo Audio of May DAC fame has their RED Network Streamer for $798 – I haven’t heard it, but others I know claim it is a step up from the iFi. Small Green Computer has their Sonore Rendu line, with the UltraRendu selling for $999. They specialize in networking audio fidelity, and the top-of-the-line Rendu complete with optical fiber modules and linear power supplies will run over $2k, but are worth the money. PS Audio has their new AirLens streamer due to be available any day for $2000. This is fully galvanically isolated with an extremely low noise floor...but lacks MQA support. I believe you can use Roon with all of these, which gives you remote control. And, the iFi allows Bluetooth remote as well. Michael

Title: Re: Streaming Woes Post by Palomino on 01/27/23 at 14:54:55 Thanks for the suggestions.  I will check them out. I've started my research and have come up with a few must haves so far: - ethernet input - USB output (although coax is probably an option as well) - iphone/ipad ap for control - MQA support (if I stick with Tidal) - Under $1500 (closer to $1K would be better)

Title: Re: Streaming Woes Post by GroovySauce on 01/27/23 at 15:06:13 That’s a bummer! Good suggestions from folks. I’m familiar with the Cambridge unit it’s a good unit.   2 more options for consideration. SMSL SD9 $400 I’m skeptical about this one. People seem to really like this little guy. This would need some research to see if it will work for you.  Innuos PulseMini $1,300. Like the Cambridge it’s a streamer and DAC. Not sure the level of performance, worth looking into. Edit: removed over budget suggestion.

Title: Re: Streaming Woes Post by Tony on 01/27/23 at 15:21:54 + re Cambridge CXNv2.  I have two: upstairs and downstairs.   The streamer is my major focus. The DAC and pre-amp are unremarkable. Not comparable to the Denefrips Aris II or Pontus II.  Still, if one did not have a DAC, the Cambridge would serve you well until you added that component. On the other hand, if you have a good DAC, you will bypass the one in Cambridge. My streaming experience is limited to Qobuz (excellent sound quality) and Spotify (excellent playlist build tools.)

Title: Re: Streaming Woes Post by Palomino on 01/27/23 at 16:48:36 Thanks.  Yes, I would bypass the DAC unless I liked it more.  It sounded good to me at Decfest.  I also heard you could modify it to take it to the next level.

Title: Re: Streaming Woes Post by Sam V on 01/27/23 at 17:28:43 Only other thing I'd add is you want the newer Pi 4 with more ram in it, the Pi 3 doesn't quite have the horsepower... They've released a newer version of Volumio this year too, maybe worth a second look since the whole deal is well under $100... Volumio themselves also sell a streamer which I think is more than just a Pi in a nice box but who knows.

Title: Re: Streaming Woes Post by Dominick on 01/27/23 at 17:35:03 Pal, I started out with Audirvāna and did like it.  Like yourself I saw some glitches a while back, and decided to moved away from it.  To keep me busy in the interim, I bought a Google Chromecast Audio that has a combo 3.5/micro spdif out.  It’s output is limited to 96/24 lossless.  For about $120 it kept me busy for a long time. I still use it now if I don’t want to fire up my laptop. Now I run a Raspberry Pi4 utilizing Ropiee which ties into my laptop running Roon.  The Pi has an Ethernet, USB, and HDMI output.  I use the Ethernet port because I hate WiFi for the signal.  The HDMI feed ties into my laptop for sending a signal to my Google Chromecast TV which allows for a nice visual experience for album cover,  track playback, and Karaoke ques for songs embedded with that information.  The USB output goes to my Schiit Bifrost Gen 2 Dac.  Their unison USB input is truly remarkable, and totally aces the optical input.  Roon is the only higher ticket item….but I can say that the more I use…the more I am temped to bite the bullet and buy the lifetime subscription.  With the ability to combine Tidal and Qobuz under one platform is a great feature.  I just wish Spotify would climb on board, but I’m sure it’s their ego getting in the way.   If I were to change my setup now…..I would jump into the Small Green computer ASAP…probably with the Ultrarendu and fiber module.   I don’t think you can get much better than a purpose built computer.  You can find a used MicroRendu on the used market as an affordable option.   Hope this helps. Dom

Title: Re: Streaming Woes Post by HockessinKid on 01/27/23 at 18:00:00 Palomino, Regarding the CXN V2, I have one and enjoy it immensely. Dan Wright at Modwright offers a 6922 tube based modification with Lundahl transformers. It provides a very holographic soundstage streaming Qobuz via Roon. I was looking for a one box solution for my set up and this provided a great solution. If you have an interest, give Dan a call and he can answer any questions you might have. Good luck. HK

Title: Re: Streaming Woes Post by Kamran on 01/27/23 at 18:32:00 Tom, +1 for Innuos I have their new mid-tier Pulse, which I’m really happy with but their line does start with the Pulse Mini ($1249). I also agree that you may also want to look in to the new Holo Audio Red streamer. You also can’t go wrong with ifi and Bluesound Node.  I also have a latest gen Bluesound Node 130 on sale.  My only concern with ifi is that their software platform may not be as rock solid as Bluesound. Here’s what I can offer.  I have a (latest gen) Bluesound Node for sale. I can take off the listing and lend it to you to test out.  If you don’t like it, just send it back.

Title: Re: Streaming Woes Post by Dana on 01/27/23 at 20:16:31 I'm a PC user so my suggestion may be a no go but with the latest Windows it's pretty darn easy to setup.  I've been the Raspberry PI route and used it for years but my experience showed a small I5 fanless PC worked much better for less than a "dedicated streamer" (but still more $ than the PI).  Microsoft includes a free app in windows called RemotePC.  I can control my server using my laptop or even my phone using it.  I'm able to stream any service using their native app and also use Foobar2000 as my local player all controlled remotely. It's stable and customizable.  The best tweak sound wise was to block the power out of the USB port with a dongle and then use a powered USB hub to put it back. The computer power input is 12V so you can easily run it off a LiFePO4 battery.  (there's even one with a USB port to run the hub) or a non switching power supply if you wanted.

Title: Re: Streaming Woes Post by Sam S on 01/27/23 at 21:15:24 I bought my Cambridge CXN-V2 from their official eBay store for $750 plus tax. Same warranty as new - I've had mine for about a year and half - no problems so far - completed the latest firmware update yesterday https://www.ebay.com/str/cambridgeaudiousa Sam

Title: Re: Streaming Woes Post by Palomino on 01/27/23 at 22:49:09 Thanks Kamran, Let's go to PM to discuss. I have also been looking at used M1 or M2 mac mini's.  They would run Tidal and I'm thinking I could swap out my linear power supply and SSDs from my existing mini.  The M1s are pretty cheap. That leaves me in the Mac universe which I'll eventually end up in the same place but might be a reasonable stop gap till I find what I want.

Title: Re: Streaming Woes Post by JBzen on 01/28/23 at 00:01:55 HK, Don't count on Modwright's mod. He told me that he had issues getting parts from the manufacturer for repairs. Cambridge will not honor warranties with the mod. Dan carried that obligation with his mod. Dan said he is not offering the mod anymore because of this. Sucks! John

Title: Re: Streaming Woes Post by Tony on 01/28/23 at 00:25:03 Sam said: I bought my Cambridge CXN-V2 from their official eBay store for $750 plus tax. Same warranty as new - I've had mine for about a year and half - no problems so far - completed the latest firmware update yesterday I did the same thing, no problems, a good buy.

Title: Re: Streaming Woes Post by MrDerrick on 01/28/23 at 16:37:18 I've had a Holo Audio Red Streamer in the house for over a week now. You may want to look into it for your needs. The manual is available on the Kitsune website. Or visit the Holo Red thread on Head-Fi.org . I am running it as an NAA up against my Signature Rendu SE optical. I have a clocked EtherREGEN feeding it. So far its a keeper.

Title: Re: Streaming Woes Post by Palomino on 01/28/23 at 16:41:50 Looks pretty nice.  Reasonable price.  Lists Tidal, I assume it can pass MQA files to my DAC?

Title: Re: Streaming Woes Post by MrDerrick on 01/28/23 at 16:50:03 I do not know if it is MQA compliant, I have no issues with 1.4/1.5 MHz PCM  via USB.

Title: Re: Streaming Woes Post by Chester on 01/28/23 at 16:55:00 +1 on the iFi streamer.  Besides sounding really good, I enjoy being able to adjust the volume remotely and even play with the gain on some songs that are too “punchy” (if that makes sense) - balancing them out by turning down the iFi a few notches and increasing the amp volume. Best of luck! -Stephen

Title: Re: Streaming Woes Post by Palomino on 01/28/23 at 17:06:09 Interesting that the core of the Holo Red is the Pi4.  I checked my Pi and it is not a 4. Weirdly enough, I made a few tweaks to my Audirvana settings and it played perfectly last night for a few hours.  Could have been a fluke.  I'll try again today.

Title: Re: Streaming Woes Post by MrDerrick on 01/28/23 at 20:19:15 Holo Audio Red review by Head-Fi member, you will need to translate from Russian to English. https://dzen.ru/a/Y9Vn4UK8pnQDxkej?share_to=link

Title: Re: Streaming Woes Post by kulafu on 01/28/23 at 23:33:18 Pal, I have a spare PI2AES you can have.  The only drawback is it not wifi.  Just pay for shipping. Bob

Title: Re: Streaming Woes Post by MrDerrick on 02/13/23 at 23:53:42 FYI https://goldensound.audio/2023/02/09/holo-red-streamer-ddc-measurements/

Title: Re: Streaming Woes Post by Tal on 02/14/23 at 18:32:36 I've been satisfied with my Bluesound Node as streamer only. The Node is connected to a Denfrips DAC. It has most of the features you are looking for. For what its worth , Cambridge Audio recently released two entry level streamer/DAC for $499 and $599. Also, Pi 2 Design has their Mercury V2 for $800, which is a streamer only with no internal DAC.

Title: Re: Streaming Woes Post by Palomino on 02/14/23 at 19:03:33 Thanks for the suggestions.  Those seem pretty reasonable. What's been going on with me is the Tidal/Audirvana glitch has stopped so I am coasting without making a purchase for now.  I have no idea why it stopped.  I did do a Mac OS update and that is the only thing that changed.  Why that would make a difference is beyond me. Anyway, I will probably do something eventually, but for now, I am paying real estate taxes, federal income taxes and a few medical bills rather than anything fun.

Title: Re: Streaming Woes Post by effluviography on 02/14/23 at 23:46:00 I have an older Mac mini running Roon. I was also using Audirvana for several years before it changed to the subscription model. Didn't like it after the 3.5 version. I'd recommend trying Roon. I was skeptical before, but it is so much nicer to use and you can use a phone, iPad or Macbook as a remote to control it too. I stream Qobuz through it and it manages my ripped media well - much more seamlessly than Audirvana. Cheers - Scott

Title: Re: Streaming Woes Post by kulafu on 02/17/23 at 16:25:59 Pal, my offer still stands with the PI2AES which incluedes a PI.

Title: Re: Streaming Woes Post by Paul2 on 02/17/23 at 21:02:43 Just an FYI for anyone wanting to get into streaming. Two days ago my CXNv2 preamp/DAC section went South on me.  Terror struck as I  only stream.  Went on Amazon and ordered a Wiim Pro as a replacement.  Package arrived yesterday evening.  Hooked it up this morning only to find that the sound quality was inferior to the CXN.  Returned it this afternoon. The good news is that I tried the glass optical cable to the Teac DAC and the CXN is back to normal.

Title: Re: Streaming Woes Post by effluviography on 02/18/23 at 02:56:54 I have a Cambridge Audio CXU - the universal disc player - with a similar DAC to the CXN. The preamp and DAC died on that too, but it works fine as a disc player to another dac. It's funny I had the same parts die, on a similar, but not the same kind of unit from Cambridge Audio. I use the Coax out to a DAC when I want to play a disc. It made me a little reticent to buy Cambridge Audio again.

Title: Re: Streaming Woes Post by Paul2 on 02/18/23 at 18:04:26 Very interesting that a similar product has the same issue.  Your experience gives me a little comfort. This CXN has given great service for three years at least.  It is all good right now. Fingers crossed!

Title: Re: Streaming Woes Post by ginny on 04/03/23 at 18:33:51 I came to the Decware site looking for one of Steve’s music streamers. I currently have an Oppo Sonica for streaming using Tidal. Four days ago when I opened the Sonica app, it asked for my username and password… After entering it it said it was invalid. The username and password are good because I can stream Tidal on my iphone with no problem. I am thinking it is an issue within the Sonica app, but unfortunately I have struck out on any tech support from Oppo regarding this issue. I’ve tried everything I can think of to resolve this issue including  reinstalling the Sonica app, but unfortunately my setup is streaming only and I’m now dead in the water. Is there a hi res music streamer out there to suit my needs (Tidal streaming)? Any help would be appreciated!!! 1 optical input 1 coaxial input 1 Ethernet input 1 pair of L/R output

Title: Re: Streaming Woes Post by JOMAN on 04/03/23 at 21:39:11 Streamer only, no DAC: Lumin U2 Mini.  Simply put... OUTSTANDING! Caveat:  If it already has not been mentioned, make sure you have a good ethernet filter or filtering system!

Title: Re: Streaming Woes Post by ginny on 04/05/23 at 12:24:31 JOMAN, Thx for the suggestion. I read a bit about it and that sounds like a great streamer. Just last night I installed an app called mconnect lite (free app) that supports Tidal, and I’m able to stream again.

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