Networked NAS and Qobuz/Tidal connectivity via Enet to Mid/Higher Pre-Pro/AVR

[kyuu]

It seems much more sensible to me to just pick an AVP/AVR that handles Tidal/Quboz Connect natively. Is there anything in particular about the Anthem that makes you want to get it over other options despite its poor support for streaming services?

 

[Fritzjr]

Europe has standards, we have the wild west where service is low, profit is high, and the measure of success. Also low population, with the ocean to 100 yards west, mountains 3 miles to east and north, and farms to the south I'll have left the planet before we get fiber, even with San Francisco just 20 miles North. We just got our Highway 1 repaved after 40 years and with my EV its really quiet and smooth when listening to music

My friend worked his way up from a field tech to CEO of Sonic Fiber Internet Systems in the North Bay. Used to live in Santa Rosa and although many other areas were getting upgraded our area would not for years either. Verizon has said that my neighborhood on the side of a hill outside Olympia, Wa, may get the upgraded up/downloads in a couple of years. Not holding my breath.

 

[Fritzjr]

It seems much more sensible to me to just pick an AVP/AVR that handles Tidal/Quboz Connect natively. Is there anything in particular about the Anthem that makes you want to get it over other options despite its poor support for streaming services?

Kyuu, I'm still doing a ton of research on this whole new theater project. Have pulled Cat8 and new 20a dedicated circuits to the wall where the equipment will be, but that's it so far. I just liked the reviews of the Anthem products and friends have had them and really liked their build and sound. Keeping with a $10K range for separates and maybe a streamer and cables seemed to narrow the field to the semi flagship models of Anthem, Denon and Marantz with the possibility of adding a Buckeye amp into the mix.

 

[linuxfan]

I think I get it better now. I could use the streamer's DAC or not, but no benefit if the less superior(?) Anthem DAC is going to override it anyway.

Yes I think you generally have it.

but no benefit if the less superior(?) Anthem DAC is going to override it anyway.

Further on this; if you were to use your streamer's DAC in the signal chain going into the Anthem, not only would this be "no benefit" but it would actually be counterproductive - because regardless of how good the streamer's DAC might be, there's always a hit to audio quality when the audio signal crosses analogue/digital domain - and you would be adding an additional A-D/D-A conversion.

 

[Fritzjr]

Now that some of you have helped me better understand how I might incorporate Qobuz into this system - with/without an Anthem Pre-pro, anybody looking over my original post have any other ideas to share? Am I wrong about getting lossless files off a network connected NAS? Any suggestions of how best to do this? My friend doesn't get his music off his NAS - it's only for photo storage, but he has a very, very nice high end 2 channel Audio Research system and uses an Aurender streamer (w/2Tb onboard) with the interface app Conductor hardwired via ethernet to his router and then a higher-end USB to his Audio Research DAC and then into his preamp with a balanced XLR. Then he accesses all this and selects music to play from Qobuz/Aurender Conductor via a iPad on Wifi.

Suggestions??

Thanks!

 

[kyuu]

there's always a hit to audio quality when the audio signal crosses analogue/digital domain

Not really. Assuming non-broken DACs, there's no audible issue with multiple A/D conversions. It's just not something to worry about. Of course, with any modern system it should be trivial to just use digital connections until the last step of putting it out to the amplifier as analog.

Back to the OP: the easiest and best thing to do, IMO, would be to just use an AVR/AVP that supports your desired features (in this case Tidal, Quboz, and network audio) and not have to mess with external devices. I actually think the Anthem would probably work fine for Tidal and Quboz despite the lack of official "Connect" support, as it supports Google Cast, and most streaming apps will allow you do that natively from within the app. However, the dirty little secret is that AVRs/AVPs do not have a "sound" so there's no reason to spend Anthem money on this unless it simply does something for you (features-wise) that other options do not.

 

[linuxfan]

Am I wrong about getting lossless files off a network connected NAS?

No, a lot of us do this on a daily basis!

Any suggestions of how best to do this?

Option 1) If you buy a WiiM Pro (and I suggest you do) the "WiiM Home" app can access the NAS via SMB file protocol. Then on your smartphone use the WiiM Home app to browse and play the audio files on your NAS. The WiiM playback/browse interface gets some negative reactions on various forums, but a few users like it. Even though I own a WiiM, myself, I have never bothered to try it.

Option 2) run a DLNA server on your NAS. Synology includes an add-on DLNA server, which they call "Media Server" - enable it from the Synology main menu - go to "Package Center".
Now control music playback/browsing from your smartphone with a DLNA control app - there are many to choose from.

Option 3) run Lyrion on your NAS. Lyrion is the go-to music server IMO, although the installation of Lyrion on a Synology NAS can be a little messy -
https://lyrion.org/getting-started/beginners-guide-synology-docker/
Now control music playback/browsing from your smartphone with any web browser - this will access Lyrion's "Material Skin" user interface, which is highly regarded.

 

[linuxfan]

Update - I didn't realise until just now that Anthem supports Chromecast ... and AirPlay and Spotify-Connect.
So yes, you can cast Tidal directly to the Anthem using Chromecast, if you have an Android phone.
Or you can cast Tidal directly to the Anthem using AirPlay, if you have an iPhone.

But streaming local audio files from NAS to Anthem then gets more complicated than the solutions I suggested in post #27
With a DLNA server running on the NAS, "BubbleUPnP" on Android will translate the rendering protocol to Chromecast, suitable for the Anthem.
There's possibly an equivalent DLNA-to-AirPlay solution for iOS?

Or with Lyrion running on the NAS, you can enable Lyrion's "Chromecast Bridge" and/or "AirPlay Bridge" plugin.

 

[Timcognito]

Most people use FLAC to store files but with the massive storage you planning you won't need to but you still may want to for playing music remotely. I use a thumb drive and Android Audio in my car 200? albums 64Gb

 

[Fritzjr]

Yes I think you generally have it.


Further on this; if you were to use your streamer's DAC in the signal chain going into the Anthem, not only would this be "no benefit" but it would actually be counterproductive - because regardless of how good the streamer's DAC might be, there's always a hit to audio quality when the audio signal crosses analogue/digital domain - and you would be adding an additional A-D/D-A conversion.

Thak you!!

Update - I didn't realise until just now that Anthem supports Chromecast ... and AirPlay and Spotify-Connect.
So yes, you can cast Tidal directly to the Anthem using Chromecast, if you have an Android phone.
Or you can cast Tidal directly to the Anthem using AirPlay, if you have an iPhone.

But streaming local audio files from NAS to Anthem then gets more complicated than the solutions I suggested in post #27
With a DLNA server running on the NAS, "BubbleUPnP" on Android will translate the rendering protocol to Chromecast, suitable for the Anthem.
There's possibly an equivalent DLNA-to-AirPlay solution for iOS?

Or with Lyrion running on the NAS, you can enable Lyrion's "Chromecast Bridge" and/or "AirPlay Bridge" plugin.

I'm guessing that when you say 'Cast' and 'Android phone' in the same sentence you are referring to Wifi or Bluetooth? I have products to do this (mainly for out at the bbq etc) but for this dedicated home theater I'd like to only send files to it via my ethernet Lan - with the possible exception of when a friend might want to share some music.

 

[voodooless]

Thak you!!

I'm guessing that when you say 'Cast' and 'Android phone' in the same sentence you are referring to Wifi or Bluetooth? I have products to do this (mainly for out at the bbq etc) but for this dedicated home theater I'd like to only send files to it via my ethernet Lan - with the possible exception of when a friend might want to share some music.

You can just cast over LAN. Your mobile device just acts like a remote control telling the AVR what to play and from where, at least in case of DLNA. Airplay is different, it’s directly from iOS device to player. Many of the streaming service “connect” protocols also work like a kind of remote control: the player (AVR), directly loads the data from the streaming platform.

Anyway, don’t be afraid of WiFi. It will not make any difference at all.

 

[mags65]

For running a combo of local files and Qobuz, Roon https://roon.app/en/ is your friend. Use existing PC/Mac for the Core and stream to a cheapo endpoint like the Wiim Pro.

 

[Fritzjr]

Thank you again for the info and help!

 

[Ruediger]

Option 2) run a DLNA server on your NAS. Synology includes an add-on DLNA server, which they call "Media Server" - enable it from the Synology main menu - go to "Package Center".
Now control music playback/browsing from your smartphone with a DLNA control app - there are many to choose from.

Synology media server works as expected with the WiiM software. The app is not good with larger libraries, but up to a certain size it's reliable. Also features auto-scanning on changes, so no need to touch it when working on the library.

An alternative is to install the free MinimServer on Synology. It has a few more config options (like memory, which overcomes the problems of media server) and runs very fast and reliable in general.