Topping M50

[rarewolf]

Of course Apple don't play DLNA. Or it wouldn't work with any others.

That doesn’t make sense to me. After all, the HiBy app is telling the M50 to access DLNA, not the iOS device…

 

[FuzzTone]

That doesn’t make sense to me. After all, the HiBy app is telling the M50 to access DLNA, not the iOS device…

Lost in translation. What part of them having your dollars makes cents? Or was it scents?

 

[rarewolf]

Lost in translation. What part of them having your dollars makes cents? Or was it scents?

Please then explain the Neuton (for iOS, available from the Apple app store) media player’s access to my DLNA server…

 

[rarewolf]

As a follow-up… I just noticed that in using the HyBy app, the M50 manual implies using Airplay for the iOS app, and using DLNA for the Android app. That is, it never occurred to me the iOS app cannot be used for DLNA. Anyone know for sure?

To follow-up further, I’ve heard back from Shenzhen Audio, presumably in response to my questions regarding the HiByMusic app (iOS) support for DLNA submitted to Topping support. To quote…

Apple only supports Airplay

Android only supports DLNA

Which is a bit misleading because the Neutron player (available from the iOS app store) supports DLNA, and allows me to pull bitperfect high-res PCM from my NAS DLNA server.

However, I do understand this to mean that HiBy did include DLNA access/support in their Android version of HiByMusic, but not the iOS version.

Searching the internet, I cannot find where Airplay, even the latest version, supports delivering sound quality better than 16bit/48kHz. And, Airplay is conceptually different. With DLNA, bitperfect PCM data is pulled directly from file on the DLNA server. With Airplay, down-sampled PCM is streamed from the iOS device and is no longer bitperfect.

 

[FuzzTone]

Please then explain the Neuton (for iOS, available from the Apple app store) media player’s access to my DLNA server…

Not me. I don't do Apple.

 

[NexusOne]

Hello, actually I listen to music with the ATV, TV, Smsl D6 and Smsl SH9. I can switch the TV-Display off but I'd like to listen to music without using the TV. So i thing airplay could be the solution. But there is no DAC with Airplay so found the Topping M50. My questions are:

- Would you buy it for this scenario?
- Is the sound quality the same in comparison with Tidal on ATV & TV?
- Is the more expensive Smsl SD-9 better or is it a matter of taste?

 

[FuzzTone]

AllTerrainVehicle?

The M50 is a non network player. The S.M.S.L SD-9 is a network player. Apple and orange. The SD-9 only looks like a streamer without streaming. Stupid.

Yesterday the M50 played immediately. Ahh, music!! A streamer plugged into the same DAC took over an hour, I tried rebooting everything (streamer, DAC, switch, router node) and finally unplugging the USB-A output got it to work. Fuck networking. The only streamer that usually works here is a Magna Mano via i2s.
USB connections require a current "handshake." I will comment that on my M50 the coax sounds much better. Could be the cable.

Answers:
No
Don't know or care.
Doubt it

 

[rarewolf]

Hello, actually I listen to music with the ATV, TV, Smsl D6 and Smsl SH9. I can switch the TV-Display off but I'd like to listen to music without using the TV. So i thing airplay could be the solution. But there is no DAC with Airplay so found the Topping M50. My questions are:

- Would you buy it for this scenario?
- Is the sound quality the same in comparison with Tidal on ATV & TV?
- Is the more expensive Smsl SD-9 better or is it a matter of taste?

Airplay is still not going to send PCM to the DAC uncompressed, so it’s not likely to equal the quality of directly streaming uncompressed PCM from (e.g., DLNA) or the lossless music services.

I had to return the M50 because I wasn’t able to get the HiByMusic app for iOS to work for accessing DLNA. However, the HiBy app for Android may work.

In the end, I chose to purchase a used LG G8 smartphone solely for the purpose of connecting to DLNA servers, but what works better is JRiver’s proprietary app retrieving bitperfect PCM from the JRiver server (Windows).

(I thought I’d be able to keep the LG connected to the DX3P+ via USB, but it doesn’t want to wirelessly charge while connected. It doesn’t even want to charge wirelessly while streaming Bluetooth!)

 

[NexusOne]

Thx. So the M50 is a media player and the SD-9, too with network features. Do you know an airplay-only-adapter? So it makes no sense to buy the M50 only for airplay?

But what do you mean with "Airplay is not uncompressed"? In my case: Tidal on ATV --> 16 bit / 44.1 khz and with an iphone to the M50 it should have also 16 bit / 44.1 khz. So there is no compression in my use case?

 

[rarewolf]

…

But what do you mean with "Airplay is not uncompressed"? In my case: Tidal on ATV --> 16 bit / 44.1 khz and with an iphone to the M50 it should have also 16 bit / 44.1 khz. So there is no compression in my use case?

With Airplay, the compression is lossless up to CD quality (16bit/44.1), but 24bit high-res will compressed to 16/48. In that sense Airplay is similar to Bluetooth—that is, it doesn’t have the over-the-air bandwidth to stream high-res in real time. Even for CD quality PCM, there is always the question of Airplay delivering it bit-perfectly.

 

[navin]

AllTerrainVehicle?
The SD-9 only looks like a streamer without streaming. Stupid.

I did not understand this. I thought the SD-9 was a music streamer and server. In that it could be connected to both a USB hard drive and server local files from the local hard drive and could also be connected to the internet via LAN and Wifi and stream music files from the internet.

The only challenge with the SD-9 is that its software is extremely buggy.

S.M.S.L. SD-9 Set-Up and Basic Review

Hello friends! Has anyone updated the system from version 1.0 to 1.1 on SD-9. I found an update, but I hesitate to install, so as not to come to negative consequences.

www.audiosciencereview.com

 

[FuzzTone]

I did not understand this. I thought the SD-9 was a music streamer and server. In that it could be connected to both a USB hard drive and server local files from the local hard drive and could also be connected to the internet via LAN and Wifi and stream music files from the internet.

The only challenge with the SD-9 is that its software is extremely buggy.

S.M.S.L. SD-9 Set-Up and Basic Review

Hello friends! Has anyone updated the system from version 1.0 to 1.1 on SD-9. I found an update, but I hesitate to install, so as not to come to negative consequences.

www.audiosciencereview.com

Not the big elephant in the room, it requires a network. If your ISP goes down all hope is lost.

 

[FuzzTone]

Airplay is still not going to send PCM to the DAC uncompressed, so it’s not likely to equal the quality of directly streaming uncompressed PCM from (e.g., DLNA) or the lossless music services.

I had to return the M50 because I wasn’t able to get the HiByMusic app for iOS to work for accessing DLNA. However, the HiBy app for Android may work.

In the end, I chose to purchase a used LG G8 smartphone solely for the purpose of connecting to DLNA servers, but what works better is JRiver’s proprietary app retrieving bitperfect PCM from the JRiver server (Windows).

(I thought I’d be able to keep the LG connected to the DX3P+ via USB, but it doesn’t want to wirelessly charge while connected. It doesn’t even want to charge wirelessly while streaming Bluetooth!)

You bought it for the wrong reason. Feel smarter now?

 

[FuzzTone]

Thx. So the M50 is a media player and the SD-9, too with network features. Do you know an airplay-only-adapter? So it makes no sense to buy the M50 only for airplay?

But what do you mean with "Airplay is not uncompressed"? In my case: Tidal on ATV --> 16 bit / 44.1 khz and with an iphone to the M50 it should have also 16 bit / 44.1 khz. So there is no compression in my use case?

There is only one, count 'em, reason for buying the M50. To play local files without networking. All else is foolishness.

 

[navin]

Not the big elephant in the room, it requires a network. If your ISP goes down all hope is lost.

If your ISP goes down, can't you at least play files from a USB hard drive?

Besides, if your ISP goes down, wouldn't that affect all streamers that connect to Spotify, Amazon Music, Tidal etc? For example, streamers like the
Ifi Audio's Zen Stream would be similarly affected.

 

[rarewolf]

If your ISP goes down, can't you at least play files from a USB hard drive?

Besides, if your ISP goes down, wouldn't that affect all streamers that connect to Spotify, Amazon Music, Tidal etc? For example, streamers like the
Ifi Audio's Zen Stream would be similarly affected.

You’re correct. Sometimes @FuzzTone doesn’t consider all the angles…

… and there is no reason why the M50 will not work with DLNA via HiByLink with Andoid smartphone control. Topping’s marketing was just a bit misleading relative to what iOS would be capable of…

#jussayin

 

[navin]

You’re correct. Sometimes @FuzzTone doesn’t consider all the angles…

… and there is no reason why the M50 will not work with DLNA via HiByLink with Andoid smartphone control. Topping’s marketing was just a bit misleading relative to what iOS would be capable of…

#jussayin

I wish Topping introduced an "M70", which would be an M50 with LAN connectivity and maybe a linear power supply. From where I sit, all that the M50 is missing is LAN connectivity.

How reliable is the software when connecting with Spotify / Amazon Music / Tidal over Wifi?

 

[FuzzTone]

If your ISP goes down, can't you at least play files from a USB hard drive?

Besides, if your ISP goes down, wouldn't that affect all streamers that connect to Spotify, Amazon Music, Tidal etc? For example, streamers like the
Ifi Audio's Zen Stream would be similarly affected.

Try it. Just unplug your modem. The only streamers that might work will have on-board controls. None of my six do. All control apps require networking which requires internet. Surprise.

 

[rarewolf]

I wish Topping introduced an "M70", which would be an M50 with LAN connectivity and maybe a linear power supply. From where I sit, all that the M50 is missing is LAN connectivity.

How reliable is the software when connecting with Spotify / Amazon Music / Tidal over Wifi?

I had no problems with connecting the M50 to my LAN (except for entering my password on such a small screen). What the M50, or its successor, needs is its own in-house developed app for controlling access to DLNA. However, if Topping has any shortcomings it’s software access for controlling all of their devices…

 

[rarewolf]

Try it. Just unplug your modem. The only streamers that might work will have on-board controls. None of my six do. All control apps require networking which requires internet. Surprise.

Networking does not require internet or an ISP… all you need is a wifi router, and voila!… you have a LAN…