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Post by fbczar on Feb 21, 2018 14:51:17 GMT -5
I use a microrendu to my dac and control Tidal from my iPad mini. Simple and amazing sound! Total spent is under $1,000. I use an iMac with a microRendu, but my music software is Audirvana. Audirvana works with Tidal. Audirvana is capable of the first MQA unfold. It is also capable of upsampling after the MQA unfold, if MQA interests you. If you are not interested in MQA, Audirvana is still capable of playing both PCM and DSD. It can also upsample PCM to higher rates including DSD. Audirvana has a very nice iPad app. The app allows you to control music files from a connected hard drive or NAS and it works seamlessly with Tidal so you can bounce between Tidal and the files on your NAS with ease. Audirvana also sounds exceptionally good and is very inexpensive. |
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Post by kybourbon on Feb 21, 2018 14:54:40 GMT -5
You said "best"... not "cheapest".
Therefore, I vote for Roon through a Raspberry Pi running Ropieee.
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Post by pedrocols on Feb 21, 2018 14:55:41 GMT -5
I use a microrendu to my dac and control Tidal from my iPad mini. Simple and amazing sound! Total spent is under $1,000. I use an iMac with a microRendu, but my music software is Audirvana. Audirvana works with Tidal. Audirvana is capable of the first MQA unfold. It is also capable of upsampling after the MQA unfold, if MQA interests you. If you are not interested in MQA, Audirvana is still capable of playing both PCM and DSD. It can also upsample PCM to higher rates including DSD. Audirvana has a very nice iPad app. The app allows you to control music files from a connected hard drive or NAS and it works seamlessly with Tidal so you can bounce between Tidal and the files on your NAS with ease. Audirvana also sounds exceptionally good and is very inexpensive. I do occasionally stream Tidal from my pc to the microrendu using Airfoil. |
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Post by novisnick on Feb 21, 2018 15:01:53 GMT -5
No. The Jitterbug does not alter the signal meaning the Zero and Ones,,. just the power My investigation of MQA and the Jitterbug (which alters packets of information) does away with any benefits of MAA as they claim that ANY alteration of the signal corrupts the MQA structure and thus sends just a standard CD quality signal. This is the best of my understanding of how these two would work together. Higher sources may be required to answer This definitively. But I may be wrong. 😲 |
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Post by davidl81 on Feb 21, 2018 15:08:35 GMT -5
Man I knew this was not going to be as easy as “just plug your Apple TV into your pre/pro and you are good to go” lol. But I am really enjoying all of the different ideas and set ups you guys are using.
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Post by fbczar on Feb 21, 2018 15:20:31 GMT -5
I have an Intel NUC with both XMC-1 and Oppo 205 connected via USB cable. I am using Audioquest JitterBug for USB Data & Power Noise Filter. Can't have the cheap power supply in the NUC compromise the DACs'. This setup allows me to enjoy MQA or "Master" as Tidal calls it.   Question goodfellas27. Was the noise that apparent? In other words did you physically hear a difference before the Jitterbug and what you are listening to now? Just wondering . I am connected mini toslink to toslink using the Mac mini for TIDAL. bluemeanies, I do not use a Jitterbug, but I recently began using a microRendu and a Schiit Eitr with my XMC-1 which, like the Jitterbug, are designed to cleanup USB noise, among other things. Since both devices I use act to reclock the USB data and cleanup the "dirty" USB power I think the best way to describe the change in the system is not so much that you hear less obvious "noise", even though I do believe the background is blacker, it is that what you hear through the system sounds more realistic, detailed , dynamic, etc. The combo of the microRendu and Eitr was actually pretty dramatic in my system. Oh, and the Eitr works really well with my Theta Gen. 5A. |
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Post by davidl81 on Feb 21, 2018 15:20:50 GMT -5
Man I knew this was not going to be as easy as “just plug your Apple TV into your pre/pro and you are good to go” lol. But I am really enjoying all of the different ideas and set ups you guys are using. So let's say I get the upgrade to the RMC-1 (assuming it has a pretty good DAC) what would be the SQ benefit to running say a Mac Mini through a DAC to the Analog inputs of the RMC? Would it be that the external DAC is better than the RMC one, or is it more of a limitation on the digital output from HDMI of the Apple TV? I am just curious as there must be a benefit since I see all of these different set ups. I do realize that from the Apple TV I cannot get the MQA. |
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Post by creimes on Feb 21, 2018 17:06:11 GMT -5
Man I knew this was not going to be as easy as “just plug your Apple TV into your pre/pro and you are good to go” lol. But I am really enjoying all of the different ideas and set ups you guys are using. It is really easy you just can't overthink it like many here are haha, I just want to listen to the music but all these devices upon devices are making it more complex than it needs to be sheesh  Chad |
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andyo
Minor Hero
Posts: 21 
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Post by andyo on Feb 22, 2018 0:25:32 GMT -5
I use Emotiva DC-1 with BluSound Node 2 streamer. The streamer has MQA first unfolding when used with an external DAC. The internal DAC is not nearly as good as the DC-1, even with full MQA unfolding. Both can be had for ~$1000.
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Post by andyman on Feb 22, 2018 0:50:14 GMT -5
Hi Guys
Am I doing something wrong here ? I subscribe to the tidal with the higher end audio playback.
I have my laptop plugged into my Xmc via USB out into the USB stream on the back of my Xmc, thought the sound was good. Can I do better ?
Thanks
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Post by creimes on Feb 22, 2018 0:56:11 GMT -5
Hi Guys Am I doing something wrong here ? I subscribe to the tidal with the higher end audio playback. I have my laptop plugged into my Xmc via USB out into the USB stream on the back of my Xmc, thought the sound was good. Can I do better ? Thanks Does it sound bad ? did you check your streaming settings and make sure you have it set to the highest setting called "Master" Chad |
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Post by andyman on Feb 22, 2018 1:00:22 GMT -5
Hi Guys Am I doing something wrong here ? I subscribe to the tidal with the higher end audio playback. I have my laptop plugged into my Xmc via USB out into the USB stream on the back of my Xmc, thought the sound was good. Can I do better ? Thanks Does it sound bad ? did you check your streaming settings and make sure you have it set to the highest setting called "Master" Chad No , it’s sounds good. Yes I’m almost positive it’s set to Master . |
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Post by creimes on Feb 22, 2018 1:03:43 GMT -5
Does it sound bad ? did you check your streaming settings and make sure you have it set to the highest setting called "Master" Chad No , it’s sounds good. Yes I’m almost positive it’s set to Master . I'd say your set then, if your laptop has the Toslink digital out you could always try that to see if there is a difference compared to USB, it's usually the headphone jack that doubles as a toslink output and you would need a Mini Toslink to Toslink cable to do so.  |
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Post by andyman on Feb 22, 2018 1:28:35 GMT -5
Thanks Chad I’ll give it a whirl.
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Post by bluemeanies on Feb 22, 2018 6:49:50 GMT -5
No , it’s sounds good. Yes I’m almost positive it’s set to Master . I'd say your set then, if your laptop has the Toslink digital out you could always try that to see if there is a difference compared to USB, it's usually the headphone jack that doubles as a toslink output and you would need a Mini Toslink to Toslink cable to do so. For what it's worth I think the idea of having a second processor for two channel...an entirely separate platform would serve you better. I have an OUTLAW processor 990/7700 combo and it is strictly for HT. It is indeed old but serves me well after all of these years for HT and IMO that was the main purpose of of the EMOTIVA XMC-1. The investment of the GRACE m920 pre monitoring system/dac for my 2channel makes the difference with 2channel. Of course this is MO MY theory is two systems two processors. |
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Post by wilburthegoose on Feb 22, 2018 7:48:52 GMT -5
Another vote for Roon. Works and sounds great.
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Post by goodfellas27 on Feb 22, 2018 10:10:16 GMT -5
Let me know where you say this, cuz I have it at home and it sure doesn't. No. The Jitterbug does not alter the signal meaning the Zero and Ones,,. just the power My investigation of MQA and the Jitterbug (which alters packets of information) does away with any benefits of MAA as they claim that ANY alteration of the signal corrupts the MQA structure and thus sends just a standard CD quality signal. This is the best of my understanding of how these two would work together. Higher sources may be required to answer This definitively. But I may be wrong. 😲 |
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Post by creimes on Feb 22, 2018 13:03:21 GMT -5
I'd say your set then, if your laptop has the Toslink digital out you could always try that to see if there is a difference compared to USB, it's usually the headphone jack that doubles as a toslink output and you would need a Mini Toslink to Toslink cable to do so. For what it's worth I think the idea of having a second processor for two channel...an entirely separate platform would serve you better. I have an OUTLAW processor 990/7700 combo and it is strictly for HT. It is indeed old but serves me well after all of these years for HT and IMO that was the main purpose of of the EMOTIVA XMC-1. The investment of the GRACE m920 pre monitoring system/dac for my 2channel makes the difference with 2channel. Of course this is MO MY theory is two systems two processors. For many of us this isn't financially possible and\or are also limited to space haha, I would love to have a separate 2ch system and room but my income doesn't allow it. Chad |
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Post by novisnick on Feb 22, 2018 15:13:06 GMT -5
For what it's worth I think the idea of having a second processor for two channel...an entirely separate platform would serve you better. I have an OUTLAW processor 990/7700 combo and it is strictly for HT. It is indeed old but serves me well after all of these years for HT and IMO that was the main purpose of of the EMOTIVA XMC-1. The investment of the GRACE m920 pre monitoring system/dac for my 2channel makes the difference with 2channel. Of course this is MO MY theory is two systems two processors. For many of us this isn't financially possible and\or are also limited to space haha, I would love to have a separate 2ch system and room but my income doesn't allow it. Chad My friend, I honestly believe every last one of us has been in your boat and the paddle is still familiar to us. God bless ya my friend. |
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Post by rommel on Feb 22, 2018 20:21:45 GMT -5
I listen using the Tidal2 add-on with Kodi running on a Nvidia Shield TV then into my Marantz SR7005. I prefer the SQ thru the Kodi add-on compared to the official Tidal play store app.
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