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Bluesound Node or WXC-50 or Cambridge CXN V2 or…. a cable?

toxotis70

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I have my ipad pro connected to my dac/amp via usb c , everything sounds nice…. But how can i use it from my couch?


I cant find a way to control ipad from my iphone with apple music
 
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Eventhorizon010
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Been down this road; if you're using the Yamaha DAC and want plug/play convenience, easy to use interface with self updating software, very good customer support, excellent resale, and access to EVERY source known to man just get the Node or used Node 2i and be done with it. Focus on speakers/room where a much more substantive change is possible.
Haha I like this response… however if there was a never ending stream of $$$ this would be easy. But with the cable it is a nice cheap solution, until I’m eventually indirectly persuaded to upgrade!
 
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Eventhorizon010
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I have my ipad pro connected to my dac/amp via usb c , everything sounds nice…. But how can i use it from my couch?


I cant find a way to control ipad from my iphone with apple music
Must be poossible.. or just get a longass cable. That’s why I wanted to know if a 3m cable is retarded.
 
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Eventhorizon010
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Yes, with the caveats that the source device (tablet/ phone / streamer) isnt doing anything to the file before passing it on. Which is by no means guaranteed with Android (and possibly Apple- but check the threads on here about that) devices.

But lets say and Android phone with UAPP (the app I mentioned last post) set to "bit perfect" output, connected by USB to a DAC should be no different to any of the streamers mentioned in your OP in terms of what goes into the DAC. when playing the same source file.

That doesnt mean functionality, user experience etc are comparable - but the digital stream should be the same
Makes sense. Do you have any thoughts on cable types and length. This is where the cable game can get me. Through I’d never pay such ridiculous prices for cables, but because I can’t find support on whether a 3m cable is gonna lose me quality, it makes me now dependent spending more money in hopes to accomplish a good signal…
 

Tangband

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So I’m not sure what to go for between these streamers, or if I should simply stick with a cable for now.

So it seems the WXC-50 is better than the Bluesound in terms of sound quality, however I won’t need to use the internal DAC, as I can just use my A-S801 DAC. So pass through is important. The Bluesound supports a HDD whereas the Yamaha only supports a USB stick. Being able to connect a HDD is much more ideal. Other than that, I would like to use Airplay (1). The Cambridge is in the list because i like the idea that I could use the internal DAC instead of my A-erhalten DAC, if It is better. Inside the a-s801 is ES9010K2M. So if the Cambridge has a better audio quality then I like that option.

Finally, I’m tempted to cut all this out and get a usb c to usb b cable. My source would be my Samsung s8 plus and a iPad Pro 2021 tablet. But of course, I need to know if I can play the source and bypass the internal DAC of the phone and also the tablet. Is that possible?

And if I get a cable I’d maybe want one that is 2 or 3 meters long. Is that gonna be an issue? And could you recommend a good one that isn’t unnecessarily priced? I see audio quest cables, but are they over priced?


Any comments welcomed. Just want to get through this, so I can actually just listen to the sound as opposed to being rationally submerged in it.
First, Yamaha wxc 50 in preamp mode does SRC to 48 KHz with everything . It does that both analog out and digital out, - and with AirPlay .
This SRC is good but not stellar . If listening critical , you can hear that the sound isnt quite as dynamic as the Yamaha wxc50 in ” player mode ” .
The Blusound is soundwise on pair with the Yamaha wxc50 in player mode . Good , but using a separate USB bridge with good isolation and low noise clocking can bring further improvements .
 
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Jimbob54

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Makes sense. Do you have any thoughts on cable types and length. This is where the cable game can get me. Through I’d never pay such ridiculous prices for cables, but because I can’t find support on whether a 3m cable is gonna lose me quality, it makes me now dependent spending more money in hopes to accomplish a good signal…
I'm probably recalling it badly but I think the USB spec is 3m (or maybe 5). Personally, I'd get an Amazon Basics or Ugreen that meets your requirements for terminations and length and give it a go.

If it works without glitching, great that's as good as it gets.

Post again if it glitches
 
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Eventhorizon010
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I'm probably recalling it badly but I think the USB spec is 3m (or maybe 5). Personally, I'd get an Amazon Basics or Ugreen that meets your requirements for terminations and length and give it a go.

If it works without glitching, great that's as good as it gets.

Post again if it glitches
Like it… just ‘live n learn’….haha.. I’m the type who tends to absolute. Just want to finish everything in one go. Fortunately life kicks reality into us.
 
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Eventhorizon010
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First, Yamaha wxc 50 in preamp mode does SRC to 48 KHz with everything . It does that both analog out and digital out, - and with AirPlay .
This SRC is good but not stellar . If listening critical , you can hear that the sound isnt quite as dynamic as the Yamaha wxc50 in ” player mode ” .
The Blusound is soundwise on pair with the Yamaha wxc50 in player mode . Good , but using a separate USB bridge with good isolation and low noise clocking can bring further improvements .
Absorbed, thanks.
 

NiagaraPete

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Have you checked the review index? If I recall correctly the Node 2 did not test well. Also in my humble opinion spending BIG bucks on a streamer is a waste when you can get a PI streamer with Roon, AirPlay2, and DNLA support for next to nothing.
 
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Eventhorizon010
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Certainly got a point Seeker-smith,i was on the other side of this before, drooling over these big streamers, but then I’m even considering just a cable. How’s that for humble? BUT…. Then I got thinking… the money I would spend on a streamer.. I think I’d much rather get a portable DAP with a good DAC, and use that over a cable connection. That way I could have all the internal storage, and quality sound signal… maybe a Fiio x7 or so…
 

Jimbob54

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Certainly got a point Seeker-smith,i was on the other side of this before, drooling over these big streamers, but then I’m even considering just a cable. How’s that for humble? BUT…. Then I got thinking… the money I would spend on a streamer.. I think I’d much rather get a portable DAP with a good DAC, and use that over a cable connection. That way I could have all the internal storage, and quality sound signal… maybe a Fiio x7 or so…
You would be better off with a cheap phone /tablet and an e1da 9038D or other uber dongle.
 

Mindhead1

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Yeah no to be clear, the DAC I want to use is in the A-S801 amplifier. So I want a clean signal from a source to be internalised with that DAC. So I know if I get a streamer and hook-up a hard drive to my files then I know I’ll get clean source if I bypass the streamer’s DAC, however what I’m trying to find out, is that if I skip the streamer and directly go from USB-B on the A-S801, through an appropriate cable, and straight into a tablet or phone, HOW to bypass the internal processing of the tablet or phone, so it can send a direct signal to the cable and onto my A-S801. I mean, why would anyone want the internal DAC limiting the sound, then sending it on to a better DAC? Do you know what I mean?
I don’t think you have to worry about an iPad doing anything to the signal via a USB connection. It’s going to send the signal to the DAC at the bit rate of the file. I stream from Qobuz from an iPad Air into my Element II and have also used it into my CXA81 it sounds as good as my RPi w/ a Hifiberry Digi+ Pro, RPi via USB, or my Chromecast Audio via optical. The slight differences I might think I hear in audio quality probably has more to do with connection type optical, coax, or USB than the source iPad vs RPi vs CCA.

 

Mindhead1

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Been down this road; if you're using the Yamaha DAC and want plug/play convenience, easy to use interface with self updating software, very good customer support, excellent resale, and access to EVERY source known to man just get the Node or used Node 2i and be done with it. Focus on speakers/room where a much more substantive change is possible.
This is the easy button.
 
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Eventhorizon010
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So I decided on getting a cable, and I wanted a mid-range quality cable, so decided on the usb b>c and spends days looking for this cable to find out that they don’t do that size? Audioquest said they don’t do that size but on their product sheet they state they do, I’ve checked all over the internet and found some odd shops that do, but are too far for Germany. Crazy. So what solutioN do I have?

I could get their usb b>a at 3 meters, but then add a small adapter for a>c, but I’m concerned that the adapter quality will just make my cable pointless, as a good clear wave of energy will come upto this point.

Annoying situation, and I don’t want to buy a cheap cable, especially not at 3m length.
 

MCH

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Hm, lets see what others have to say, but i think any random long usb a to b (there were plenty because of the printers) + an adapter to whatever usb you need should be more than fine.
 

diddley

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My 2 cents; Buy the CXN v2 it's such a pleasure.the app works really quick and the quality is more then good. and you got the option to use an external dac.
 
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Eventhorizon010
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Hm, lets see what others have to say, but i think any random long usb a to b (there were plenty because of the printers) + an adapter to whatever usb you need should be more than fine.
Just wish I knew more to inform my decision, but I do believe a quality conductor will make a difference. Whether it’s audible I don’t know. But take the Audioquest cable for example, they state that with silver coating around copper strands, that the high frequencies ‘’almost exclusively’’ go along the silver in the cable. Don’t know much about this, but with an option to go with a 10 euro cable 100 euro or a 1000 euro cable, it seems the 100 euro cable is still a modest compromise. But yes, the A>C adapter, not sure if that will make the cable choice almost pointless.
 
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Eventhorizon010
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My 2 cents; Buy the CXN v2 it's such a pleasure.the app works really quick and the quality is more then good. and you got the option to use an external dac.
I’m passed this point of temptation for now, but I’ve decided I’ll just buy it either next year or if there is a great deal.
 

Jimbob54

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Hm, lets see what others have to say, but i think any random long usb a to b (there were plenty because of the printers) + an adapter to whatever usb you need should be more than fine.
Agreed. Amazon basics usb a to usb B plus a ugreen USB c to USB a adapter. £10 or so from amazon. Will work fine.
 

Snoopy

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I’m passed this point of temptation for now, but I’ve decided I’ll just buy it either next year or if there is a great deal.

Want to recommend you the Cxn V2 as well. I have it since April and it works flawlessly.

If there was a smaller version of the Cxn V2, I would buy a second unit for my bedroom
 
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