Helping ASR member to start streaming

[Raindog123]

OK, tell me how to do it. I have a 2-ch system driven by a 10-year-old receiver with analog-only inputs. I'm typing this on an aging MacBook Air but its software is up to date. No possibility of a wired ethernet connection to any device close to the receiver. I also have an iphone 6 running iOS 12.5.3 (highest level it will run, per Apple).

I need detailed instructions, at the lowest possible level, in order to get anything computery to work.

I/we can definitely walk you through. But a few questions might narrow it down:

1) Do you use your iPhone 6 as a phone? Or can it be used as a dedicated WiFi streamer (does not need to be on broadband, just WiFi)?

2) Do you already have preference in music-streaming provider? If not, what kind of music do you prefer, in broadest terms?

3) Do you care about a ‘remote control’ - be able to select/control you music from your MacBook or iPhone while sitting in a comfy armchair away from your receiver? Or are you ok to walk to a screened device cabled to the receiver to chose your music?

4) Would you be interested in ripping your existing CDs to augment the streaming service? Eg, with something unique you might have in your current collection?

 

[MarkS]

I/we can definitely walk you through. But a few questions might narrow it down:

1) Do you use your iPhone 6 as a phone? Or can it be used as a dedicated WiFi streamer (does not need to be on broadband, just WiFi)?

When I'm listening to music, the phone is not being used, so I think I could use it, in practice, as a WiFi streamer.

2) Do you already have preference in music-streaming provider? If not, what kind of music do you prefer, in broadest terms?

I have no experience at all with streaming. I listen to classical almost exclusively.

3) Do you care about a ‘remote control’ - be able to select/control you music from your MacBook or iPhone while sitting in a comfy armchair away from your receiver? Or are you ok to walk to a screened device cabled to the receiver to chose your music?

Armchair control would be nice.

4) Would you be interested in ripping your existing CDs to augment the streaming service? Eg, with something unique you might have in your current collection?

Not sure. I have several hundred CDs. Ripping them all (and then backing it all up, and keeping the backups maintained) sure sounds time consuming.

Thanks for your help!

 

[Raindog123]

@MarkS As an absolute minimum, you can start with your iPhone6

1) The only missing hardware piece is >this<.
2) With the cable in, go to >Qobuz< and start free trial.
3) Install Qobuz app on your iPhone and give it a try - search for/store your favorites, follow recommendations...


After that (or in parallel), we'll figure out how to make it more comfortable and upgradable for you. By going through a few extra easy questions... Let us know when ready, together with your first impressions.

 

[Chazz6]

The Audioengine B-Fi is a small device that receives wifi - for example, from a smartphone or Macbook - and has an analog line output that will feed into a receiver.

 

[Guermantes]

Apple Music seems to have a decent classical catalogue and offers a 3 month trial. In fact with free trials for many providers you can see which service might be best for your listening habits.

 

[MarkS]

Wow, now I have my own thread! Cool!

@MarkS As an absolute minimum, you can start with your iPhone6

1) The only missing hardware piece is >this<.

Well I've got one (at least) of those in the Drawer of Forgotten Cables.

2) With the cable in, go to >Qobuz< and start free trial.
3) Install Qobuz app on your iPhone and give it a try - search for/store your favorites, follow recommendations...

OK, I will give it a shot.

 

[Raindog123]

Looks like we've scared @MarkS away. Or he is deep in enjoying newly-discovered music streaming...

Anyway, to finish the thread... There are a few simple and relatively inexpensive options to let a listener not to be tethered to the receiver while browsing the music catalog:

1) To use two iDevices. The said iPhone 6 (or a similar older iPhone/iPad/iPod) would be a 'dedicated end-node' wired to the receiver/amplifier. It has to be on a local wifi but does not need to be on the cellular network. The second iDevice - running the Qobuz (or Tidal/Apple music) app - would 'airplay' the music to the end-node. [This configuration immediately offers a decent-quality 3.5mm analog output, and can be upgraded to an external (up-to 24/198) USB DAC through the Lightning connector.]

2) Alternatively, one can purchase a Google Chromecast Audio ('CCA') device. [Originally was $35, currently discontinued but frequent on eBay at ~$90]. After a Chromecast app is installed on the source iPhone (MacBook?), the music is cast to the CCA from a Qobuz/Tidal app. [A CCA offers a 3.5mm analog output, and has an optical output for a future DAC upgrade.]

3) With some minimal effort, one can assemble a Raspberry Pi ('RPi') device, eg with RoPieee XL software. (<$100). Integrated with a good USB DAC (another ~$100), this tandem can receive apple airplay from a music-streaming app on an apple device.

4) A just announced Belkin SoundForm Connect ($100) is similar to the above Google CCA (while uses Apple's Airplay and not Google Chromecast, which would be preferred for Apple devices). [It too offers a 3.5mm analog output and optical out for future external DAC upgrade.] But being brand-new, little is known yet about its sound quality and overall behavior.

From the 'minimum effort', options (2) and (4) might be the the easiest. Now, either of the four options can be used as described or alternatively/later integrated into a larger Home Entertainment ecosystem, such as Roon. In this case, all but the last option (4) can offer further increase of the streaming quality to 'hi-res' (24/198).

 

[MarkS]

Looks like we've scared @MarkS away. Or he is deep in enjoying newly-discovered music streaming... .

Have not actually signed up yet, waiting for a decent block of listening time.

Anyway, to finish the thread... There are a few simple and relatively inexpensive options to let a listener not to be tethered to the receiver while browsing the music catalog:

Thanks for the detailed suggestions. In the other thread, the Audioengine wifi streamer was recommended:
https://www.amazon.com/Audioengine-Multiroom-Streamer-Receiver-Streaming/dp/B08B7YH7TM/

But there are some negative reviews at amazon from people who couldn't get it to work. There is also the bluetooth version:
https://www.amazon.com/Audioengine-B1-Premium-Bluetooth-Receiver/dp/B00MHTGZR4/

This gets more positive reviews (and many more). Audioengine claims sound quality is the same for booth. Is this true?

I lean towards the Audioengine bluetooth device. (Cost is not a significant factor when we're talking hundreds rather than thousands of dollars.)

Thanks again!

 

[Raindog123]

@MarkS I have no first-hand experience with either, but personally I would go the WiFi/Airplay (and not Bluetooth) route. If you have reliable WiFi at home, AirPlay will be more reliable over significantly longer distance. Though, if the Amazon description is right, they only support rather old 802.11b in 2.4GHz band, so make sure your WiFi router/access point does support it (2.4GHz)! Also, AirPlay transport offers slightly better quality compared to Bluetooth (but not by much). Based on the description - including the ES9023 DAC chip used - it should be a good streaming entry-point for you, comparable with the CD sound quality. In my opinion.

 

[MarkS]

Update!

I bought the WiFi/Airplay Audioengine steamer. It was easy to set up and seems to work well with both my laptop and iphone. Streaming from the phone is through the Audioengine app, which seems basic but fine. It seems to have built-in options for all the streaming services, but so far I've only streamed music already on the phone.

Concerning the laptop, I thought I would have to use the 2.4GHz network to connect, but it also works with my laptop on the 5G network. The Audioengine appears as an output option on the Sound menu either way.

But I do have to switch WiFi off then back on on the laptop before the Audioengine option appears (even though the Audioengine has declared that it's on the network). This appears to be an Apple problem; I have the same issue with a network printer (on both my old laptop and a newer iMac, both running up-to-date MacOS).

If anyone knows how to fix this (Apple computers not finding networked devices without a WiFi restart), please let me know!

Next I will investigate Qobuz!

 

[dkinric]

Congrats!
Reminder to check music quality settings on each new app and maximize it for your situation.
Idagio and Primephonic are lesser known classical music focused streaming services.

 

[MarkS]

Update!

I finally signed up for qobuz. It seems to work fine running from my mac laptop streaming over wifi/airplay to the Audioengine. I do have to set the sound output of the entire laptop to stream to the Audioengine; I can't find an airplay-out in the qobuz app.

I have the same problem with the iPhone: how do I get qobuz to stream via airplay?

This works with (for example) the youtube app: it has an airplay-out option within the app. I can't find any such thing with qobuz.

I have a tech-support inquiry into qobuz. Their FAQs were useless.

 

[MarkS]

Qobuz support gave me a wrong answer, but then I figured it out myself: airplay out can be set in control panel for the phone.

Listening to Les Siecles (a very interesting period-correct-instruments orchestra) playing Berlioz Symphonie Fantastique as I type!

 

[Raindog123]

Listening to Les Siecles … as I type!

What’s your first impression of Qobuz’ catalog?

 

[MarkS]

Still just getting started with it, but it seems quite extensive. No complaints so far on that score (no pun intended!)

 

[DimitryZ]

Have not actually signed up yet, waiting for a decent block of listening time.



Thanks for the detailed suggestions. In the other thread, the Audioengine wifi streamer was recommended:
https://www.amazon.com/Audioengine-Multiroom-Streamer-Receiver-Streaming/dp/B08B7YH7TM/

But there are some negative reviews at amazon from people who couldn't get it to work. There is also the bluetooth version:
https://www.amazon.com/Audioengine-B1-Premium-Bluetooth-Receiver/dp/B00MHTGZR4/

This gets more positive reviews (and many more). Audioengine claims sound quality is the same for booth. Is this true?

I lean towards the Audioengine bluetooth device. (Cost is not a significant factor when we're talking hundreds rather than thousands of dollars.)

Thanks again!

I just realized I have a dormant MicroRendu and a Topping D30 DAC - this could serve well as a streamer combo.

I used it in the simplest DLNA mode, with MCONNECT app on my phone streaming Qobuz, Tidal or any music I have available on the home network.

I will be happy to send them on free, if you like. DM if interested.

 

[MarkS]

I just realized I have a dormant MicroRendu and a Topping D30 DAC - this could serve well as a streamer combo.
...
I will be happy to send them on free, if you like. DM if interested.

Wow, that is an extremely generous offer, thank you!

I did buy the Audioengine wifi streamer though, and it seems to work fine once I get Airplay to work on whatever device I'm streaming from. This now seems to be solved on the iPhone, still issues on the MacBook Air (but that's a mac problem).

 

[DimitryZ]

Wow, that is an extremely generous offer, thank you!

I did buy the Audioengine wifi streamer though, and it seems to work fine once I get Airplay to work on whatever device I'm streaming from. This now seems to be solved on the iPhone, still issues on the MacBook Air (but that's a mac problem).

Excellent, you seem well on your way!

If anyone else wants the streaming bits, please let me know.

 

[Jas0_0]

If anyone else wants the streaming bits, please let me know.

Hi Dimitry, I would love them for a system I’m building for my father! Have sent you a PM.
Thanks,
James

 

[MarkS]

What’s your first impression of Qobuz’ catalog?

Still just getting started with it, but it seems quite extensive. No complaints so far on that score (no pun intended!)

Well, just hit my first big snag: I was VERY excited to find out that my favorite pianist, Jeremy Denk, has recorded the Ives sonatas 1 and 2. BUT on Qobuz, 3 of the 4 sonata #2 tracks are labeled "SAMPLE", and will only play for 30 seconds each!!!

SO disappointing! If this is common, I'm not going to like streaming very much ...