Good way to stream Amazon Music HD to DAC

[Bamyasi]

I'm using the Paradigm PW-LINK to my RME DAC via the Amazon app on the phone. Limited to 24/48 but otherwise fine.

Paradigm PW-LINK, AFAIK, uses Alexa and Alexa cast does not support streaming in HD/UHD quality, only SD one (lossy). It does not matter if your DAC's display shows 16/48, it's decoded lossy stream anyway.

 

[Taddpole]

Paradigm PW-LINK, AFAIK, uses Alexa and Alexa cast does not support streaming in HD/UHD quality, only SD one (lossy). It does not matter if your DAC's display shows 16/48, it's decoded lossy stream anyway.

Amazon really have made this difficult.

 

[misteracng]

I'm using amazon HD as well. I can stream 16bit/44.1 from iphone/ipad through airplay or direct usb connection. The only way to get higher than that would be a direct usb connection, using a pc/mac or ipad usb connector for iphone or ipad. Im not sure about android. I don't see any way wirelessly to do it yet. I bought the bluesound node2i initially but the native amazon control in it does not do the HD 24bit stuff and the interface is spotty so I returned it. It really seems right now you need the use the native amazon app and a direct wire connection to the dac.

 

[Jmudrick]

Paradigm PW-LINK, AFAIK, uses Alexa and Alexa cast does not support streaming in HD/UHD quality, only SD one (lossy). It does not matter if your DAC's display shows 16/48, it's decoded lossy stream anyway.

The Play-Fi site suggests otherwise -- at least in terms of Critical Listening Mode in Play-Fi-- and the RME displays 24/48 , that's what I know. The Play-Fi app acts independent of the Amazon app and Alexa in Critical Listening Mode it appears to me (if you start playback in Play Fi CLM then load the Amazon app, the Amazon Music app doesn't show what's being played in Play-Fi..

 

[Bamyasi]

The Play-Fi site suggests otherwise and the RME displays 24/48 , that's what I know.

So does PW-LINK use Play-Fi then and not Alexa? Play-Fi is basically a non-Apple version of Airplay-type protocol, so it should work since it streams from the app on your phone/tablet and not from the Amazon server directly. Play-Fi, however is rather buggy, as they say. I haven't tried it myself but I had eventually dismissed it in my own search for a possible streaming solution for Amazon Music HD, based on reports I was able to find on the net and also upon e-mail exchange with a DTS support tech. I will be very interested in your experience, can you share more details about your setup?

 

[Jmudrick]

So does PW-LINK use Play-Fi then and not Alexa? Play-Fi is basically a non-Apple version of Airplay-type protocol, so it should work since it streams from the app on your phone/tablet and not from the Amazon server directly. Play-Fi, however is rather buggy, as they say. I haven't tried it myself but I had eventually dismissed it in my own search for a possible streaming solution for Amazon Music HD, based on reports I was able to find on the net and also upon e-mail exchange with a DTS support tech. I will be very interested in your experience, can you share more details about your setup?

See my amended post above. Critical Listening Mode in Play-Fi- is purported to be lossless and exists separately from the Amazon/Alexa app best I can tell. I'm connected to PW-Link via WiFi from my LG V30+ mobile. Optical connect between PW Link and RME DAC.

Gets complicated because with ARC enabled it seems 16 bit content is resampled to 24/48.

Bamyasi may be correct about playback initiated in the Amazon or Alexa apps, or in Play-Fi outside Critical Listening Mode..

Play-Fi is a crappy app (so is Amazon Music) but I haven't found it buggy except in DLNA mode.

 

[Tatteredmidnight]

When I cast to play-fi through the amazon app it shows up to 24/96 on the app itself, not sure what the amp is seeing.

 

[Silver1omo]

I know someone that got a Denon heos link (2) just for this, feeding his DAC.

 

[valerianf]

Yesterday I received the new Amazon Fire Tv 4K stick that I plugged into the AVR.
Amazon Music HD is available included Ultra HD files.
As my AVR has a hdmi 1.3 input only the format is limited to 2.0 DD+ at 48 kHz.
Sound track are delivered in a quality similar to CD.
The sound quality is good and my next step will be to change the AVR.
I will keep the Amazon Fire 4k stick just for streaming Amazon Music HD.
It is the cheapest solution for now.

 

[TabCam]

Unfortunately it will most likely be 48kHz instead of 44.1 KlHz as most Android OS-es convert all audio to a multiple of 48 kHz. I still consider that a problem as most music files are likely 44.1 kHz.

 

[watchnerd]

Unfortunately it will most likely be 48kHz instead of 44.1 KlHz as most Android OS-es convert all audio to a multiple of 48 kHz. I still consider that a problem as most music files are likely 44.1 kHz.

Why do you consider that a problem?

SRC can be transparent.

 

[TabCam]

A transport should not alter sample rates of the data provided in the file or stream.

 

[Bamyasi]

It looks like upsampling is actually done by the AMHD app, not by the OS. Of course, there is no way to know for sure since the app is closed source but my research suggests AMHD app resamples all incoming streams to fixed rate, highest one supported by the OS, and this is done within the Amazon software itself. That said, OS audio mixer and stack could of course intervene downstream as well, no guarantee this would never happen.

The reason for this design, I assume, is to simplify maintenance of the portable code that is required to run across numerous versions of several very different operating systems, by unifying its API as much as possible. It is clear that bit-perfect reproduction never was a priority for Amazon developers, in which case performing fixed rate upsampling in the app does make sense.

I doubt this type of upsampling introduces audible artifacts anyway. Actually, the effect is most likely unmeasurable.

 

[TabCam]

Real time sample rate conversion is unfortunately much more complicated than asynchrynous sample rate conversion.

 

[carnagymelton]

I believe jury is still out on what exactly Jeff was smoking when he decided to roll out the AMHD service. Who knows?

I heard it was his new girlfriend's idea.

 

[Enriquesurf]

I sadly found it is hard to buy Chromecast Audio.
I just found the Bose SoundTouch Wireless Link adapter might helpful which plays the same role but relatively expensive.
(I have not tried it)

 

[Poultrygeist]

I really enjoy the HD and Ultra HD content from Amazon HD Music streaming from my Node 2i into my DAC. I do wish I could experience the same sound quality with my HT without having to buy a HEOS AVR. That great sound with the album graphics and lyrics on the big screen has got to be a wonderful experience.

On another forum one Amazon Music HD subscriber who streams to his HT says that in early Nov. 2020 he started getting HD and Ultra HD content from his latest generation Fire TV Cube. Says he can hear the improvement and his DAC display shows 192. Anyone else with a similar experience or information that perhaps Amazon might be allowing affordable access options for their hi rez streaming service?

 

[Modellbobby]

Get a cheap used android phone and connect it directly to your DAC.

Do same with iPhone usb to dac

 

[Modellbobby]

Super easy. Used lightning USB adapter iPad iPhone dir3ctly to usb dac. Amazon hd full qualty. I think this works with a lot of dacs. tested with topping d70 and d30 loxjie

 

[dezfowler]

I always suggest the humble, discontinued Chromecast Audio puck using optical... They are going for @$50 or so...

Gives great flexibility.

The Chromecast Audio is a great device for rejuvenating and old stereo with some streaming smarts but I would never recommend it to someone who has a dedicated DAC because it's internal clock is not good and so the digital stream you get out of it is super jittery so the results are not good even for CD quality audio.