• WANTED: Happy members who like to discuss audio and other topics related to our interest. Desire to learn and share knowledge of science required. There are many reviews of audio hardware and expert members to help answer your questions. Click here to have your audio equipment measured for free!

Good way to stream Amazon Music HD to DAC

RoyB

Active Member
Forum Donor
Joined
Feb 12, 2021
Messages
186
Likes
189
Location
South of Boston
For $150 with a built in DAC and a great APP.......It fantastic...Specs aside.
 

Taddpole

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 15, 2020
Messages
334
Likes
453
I use an old Chromecast Audio via optical out to optical in on the DAC. Most don't realize the Chromecast Audio 1/8" Jack is a dual output analog and optical out. Streams to 24/96.
It is capable of that but not on Amazon music. Amazon music only works at standard quality not HD on Chromecast.
 

Taddpole

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 15, 2020
Messages
334
Likes
453
For $150 with a built in DAC and a great APP.......It fantastic...Specs aside.
Given it doesn't reach CD quality it's more... Measurements aside.

 
  • Like
Reactions: BN1

BN1

Active Member
Joined
Feb 9, 2020
Messages
121
Likes
66
Given it doesn't reach CD quality it's more... Measurements aside.

You must read the fine print these days. Compatibility with the latest/greatest isn't necessarily clear.
 

Sukram

Member
Joined
Sep 12, 2020
Messages
50
Likes
31
Curious. Are you getting LMS to stream to the AFTV stick in 24-bit? Or are you using a RPi or some other solution?
I have currently Tidal Qobuz and Amazon HD.
Tidal has the worst sound quality but the best software.
Qobuz and Amazon are nearly identical.
I have Volumio primo (Tidal direct, Qobuz) on Gustard X16 and Play-fi for Amazon HD.
Audiolab 6000N on Gustard X16 for Amazon Music HD,
Tidal and Qobuz.
Heos didn't work for me, I had no access to my playlists.
 

Sukram

Member
Joined
Sep 12, 2020
Messages
50
Likes
31
I have currently Tidal Qobuz and Amazon HD.
Tidal has the worst sound quality but the best software.
Qobuz and Amazon are nearly identical.
I have Volumio primo (Tidal direct, Qobuz) on Gustard X16 and Play-fi for Amazon HD.
Audiolab 6000N on Gustard X16 for Amazon Music HD,
Tidal and Qobuz.
Heos didn't work for me, I had no access to my playlists.
Play-fi after multiple updates and having strong internet works well with High Res files.
The cheapest streamer with a digital coax out I found,
is the Polk Omni-Pi ($170). Works great with an external DAC
and is cheaper than BLUOS.
Without external DAC I recommend Amazon Music HD with Audiolab 6000N (better DAC, than BLUOS).
For the other streaming services Volumio. The Volumio primo built-in DAC is as good as the Gustard x16 (it transfers MQA too). I'm not a fan of MQA.
 

fuzzy_logic

Member
Joined
Oct 7, 2021
Messages
39
Likes
17
I can't get the Amazon Music desktop app to stream HD from Windows. I have my pc output to my DAC (Pro_ject Pre Box S2 Digital) via USB, but the sample rate on the display never changes from 48k, even if i enable exclusive mode. If i go via USB from Android to the same DAC and play from Amazon Music, the sample rate automatically changes to 192k when playing HD tracks, so i know it's not the DAC. Is it just me?
 

Sukram

Member
Joined
Sep 12, 2020
Messages
50
Likes
31
Did you change the sound settings (Windows to 24/192)?
To bypass the computers mixer etc., normally the DAC manufacturer provides you with a special driver (XMOS driver)
 

fuzzy_logic

Member
Joined
Oct 7, 2021
Messages
39
Likes
17
Yes, i know you can do that, but my understanding is that you shouldn't have to. Would that also mean everything else gets up-sampled to 192k?
 

Bamyasi

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 19, 2019
Messages
487
Likes
354
everything gets played at the native sampling rate up to 192K
Everything gets resampled to 192 kHz. There was some rumors they have fixed it in the latest app iteration but I have just checked and AM player still outputs all tracks at fixed 24bit/192kHz rate via USB on my Samsung Galaxy S10e phone (Android) as well as on my Samsung S6 tablet. Same goes for my Amazon FireStick 4K and Fire tablets. PC app also works as before, which means it is resampling to a fixed rate set in Windows audio settings for the device.
 

Sukram

Member
Joined
Sep 12, 2020
Messages
50
Likes
31
You have to install the Pro_ject Pre Box S2 driver, that will solve the problem
 

thejck

Member
Joined
Oct 1, 2019
Messages
47
Likes
9
I can't get the Amazon Music desktop app to stream HD from Windows. I have my pc output to my DAC (Pro_ject Pre Box S2 Digital) via USB, but the sample rate on the display never changes from 48k, even if i enable exclusive mode. If i go via USB from Android to the same DAC and play from Amazon Music, the sample rate automatically changes to 192k when playing HD tracks, so i know it's not the DAC. Is it just me?
i had this issue using windows a year ago. I was hoping they had this fixed but it doesnt sound like it.
The sample rate will stay at whatever you set your sound card too. So if you set it to 192 in windows then the dac will always show 192.
As opposed to Tidal and Roon and even Foobar.. that will switch the bitrate to match what is playing and the dac displays the right Hz.


I tested this morning on my Yamaha AVR that got an update in Feb for Amazon Music HD. and it DOES switch the bit rate. Played 44.1 48 96 192 24 bit etc and the receiver displays the right bit rate that matches the song playing in the yamaha music cast app.
 

ClassicGuy

Active Member
Joined
Dec 3, 2020
Messages
145
Likes
102
Everything gets resampled to 192 kHz. There was some rumors they have fixed it in the latest app iteration but I have just checked and AM player still outputs all tracks at fixed 24bit/192kHz rate via USB on my Samsung Galaxy S10e phone (Android) as well as on my Samsung S6 tablet. Same goes for my Amazon FireStick 4K and Fire tablets. PC app also works as before, which means it is resampling to a fixed rate set in Windows audio settings for the device.

Thanks for your posts. I got the Cable Matters extractor and have been scratching my head why I am not getting 44.1kHz. The Cable Matters extractor does have pretty good aux sound quality. But for optical out, I've found most Prozor HDMI switches/extractors can do 192/16 or 192/24. I only got Cable Matters because I thought I was going to get 44.1/16 from AMHD.
 

Poultrygeist

Active Member
Joined
Dec 3, 2018
Messages
270
Likes
231
I'm streaming AMHD at 24/192 from the 4K Fire Stick and Cables Matter extractor. My DAC not shown in the picture confirms it. To my ears 24/192 sounds better than the CD redbook standard of 16/44.1.

P1010005.jpeg
 

ClassicGuy

Active Member
Joined
Dec 3, 2020
Messages
145
Likes
102
I'm streaming AMHD at 24/192 from the 4K Fire Stick and Cables Matter extractor. My DAC not shown in the picture confirms it. To my ears 24/192 sounds better than the CD redbook standard of 16/44.1.

Thanks for the reply. The type of music I listen to, most of the tracks are in 44.1/16 only, that's why I was looking for a solution that does not resample the music. I've since figured out that some of the sound quality issues I was experiencing were not related to the up-sampling, and I am happy with my Prozor extractor now.
 

Piedrinche

New Member
Joined
Jan 14, 2022
Messages
3
Likes
0
Thanks for the reply. The type of music I listen to, most of the tracks are in 44.1/16 only, that's why I was looking for a solution that does not resample the music. I've since figured out that some of the sound quality issues I was experiencing were not related to the up-sampling, and I am happy with my Prozor extractor now.
 

Piedrinche

New Member
Joined
Jan 14, 2022
Messages
3
Likes
0
Firstly, I connect my Amazon stick Fire tv to my TV ;
Secondly I connect HDMI ARC(TV) to HDMI ARC EXTRACTOR - Prozor that sends the digital signal to my DAC Tone board I from Khadas.

Best regards
 

Poultrygeist

Active Member
Joined
Dec 3, 2018
Messages
270
Likes
231
Firstly, I connect my Amazon stick Fire tv to my TV ;
Secondly I connect HDMI ARC(TV) to HDMI ARC EXTRACTOR - Prozor that sends the digital signal to my DAC Tone board I from Khadas.

Best regards

No. The 4K Fire Stick plugs into the HDMI extractor and the extractor's HDMI output is then connected to the TV via an HDMI cable. The optical or coax output from the HDMI extractor is connected to the DAC with the appropriate cable. There are I believe 3 positions on the extractor switch and only one works for stereo but I can't remember which one. I would check mine but it's hidden behind lots of stuff.
 
Top Bottom