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Primare Prisma NP5

dudodelmundo

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Dec 2, 2019
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Depends on your needs. I like to see to what i listen to with hdmi out. And i use this also for netflix etc.

Chromecast functionality is also a big plus. There are thousands of castable apps and native spotify and tidal apps with connect protocol.
 

ThomasUP

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Dec 5, 2020
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I'm also looking to find a good network bridge/streamer with HDMI. So far I have found these:

1. Pro-ject Stream Box S2 Ultra (Outputs the Volumio OS screen to a TV via. HDMI. But offer no HDMI-CEC control)
2. Volumio Primo (Has video out using HDMI)
3. Stack Audio Link (almost same as Project Stream Box S2 Ultra)
4. Raspberry Pi (With Kodi or Volumio.. Maybe more).. Kodi accepts HDMI-CEC which enables control from your TVs remote.
5. Bryston BDP-PI (Has HDMI, but most likely only for audio.. Maybe it can be tweeked?)

I'm currently running the Raspberry Pi with Kodi / OSMC. And this looks great on the TV and can be controlled from the TV remote (If your TV supports it also). I'd like better soundquality, but Kodi supports HDMI-CEC. And so the user interface is way better than on the competition.

PS: I only use the HDMI output on the Pi for video. Audio is handled by USB or Toslink.
 
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snapcrackle

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Oct 31, 2019
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First of all I have to say, that I don’t have Roon and the experience with it might be different.

I used to own the SotM SMS-200. I liked the USB output and got it used because of the great reviews. After using it I can not say that I share their view. The SMS-200‘s interface is very slow to use over the browser. ShAirplay works but so it does with my Raspi. The LMS drove me crazy. I hate it. After comparing the sound to a raspi in a blind test, I clearly heard the difference but I liked the Pi with the DigiBerry Pro hat much more.
Every feature the SMS has can also be provided by a raspi. I don’t think that it is worth the money.
The NP5 I bought because it supports all the prohibitory Software licenses from Google, Apple and many more. Everything works smoothly and the userexperience is great. But it reconverts all files I before playing them. I am right now not able to compare it to anything sound wise but I will keep you updated when I do

How are you getting on with your NP5? I would like to know if the spdif out quality is at least as good the DigiBerry Pro hat (perhaps not to the standard of the DCS bridge).

I am interested because I am considering buying one - your experience of listening and having the ability to compare with the likes of DCS etc would be most useful.

Hopefully it is now bit perfect.
 

TchErNoB

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Dec 17, 2020
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Hi,
I'd love to know if this np5 is now bit perfect. I'm concidering it too
 

snapcrackle

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Oct 31, 2019
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Hi,
I'd love to know if this np5 is now bit perfect. I'm concidering it too

Yes I asked Primare - the response was ...

With the latest firmware update, the selectable digital output options are as below:
  • Native – native playback, with selectable maximum sampling rate pass-through options of 44.1, 48, 88.2, 96, 176.4 or 192kHz
  • Fixed – selectable up-sampling/down-sampling to 44.1, 48, 88.2, 96, 176.4 or 192kHz
 
OP
B

Behrend

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Aug 18, 2020
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Hi,
I'd love to know if this np5 is now bit perfect. I'm concidering it too

just tested it again. I have a RME-Adi which has a buch of test files between 96 and 441kHz each at 16, 24 and 32 bit. Playing them triggers the RME to display a text, saying that the bit test was successful. The only way I can play 96kHz from my notebook is over DLNA. I use SofaPlay and I does not work. The RME never shows that the bit test was successful when playing the files like that. From the notebook over USB works perfectly thought. The new software has some new settings for the bit rate. I don't hear (or see with the RME) a difference.

EDIT: Playing the file from the app over a NAS does not work bit perfect as well
 
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snapcrackle

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Oct 31, 2019
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Well, I have a dCS network bridge in my main system. I have not compared them, maybe I should... after the firmware update...

The firmware update has successfully enabled NP5 as bit perfect - how does this compare with your DCS bridge?
 

Audiola

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Jan 19, 2021
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Yeah nokia 8000 to dac via toslik at 48 PCM. nokia 8000 to dac via usb works as well even at 96 PCM (Spotify etc) out of the box. i dont know how such a device handels this. i would guess directly with alsa at that bitrate.

Android tv comes with native deezer, tidal, spotify app. qobuz is missing. for bandcamp and soundcloud i just cast to chromecast receiver.

With netflix a have a strange behaviour with usb audio. Some movies work with usb audio others dont. Error message would be tvq-pb-101 (5.2.5).
With toslink everything is fine at 48 PCM. Maybe 96 PCM isnt supported by netflix? When i plug out the usb cable no error message.

Hello, thanks for the info on the Nokia 8000. Do you know if it resamples all audio to 48 kHz for the optical out? For example the Apple TV does exactly this. Is it possible to output audio in the same sampling frequency as the original file, for example 44.1 kHz (CD quality) or 96 kHz (hi-res)? Have you tried to cast audio files (CD or hi-res) to the Nokia box using Chromecast? If you can get bitperfect audio out via SPDIF/USB/HDMI, it would be very interesting to use as a pure music streamer with Chromecast to an external DAC. Many thanks in advance for your help.
 

dudodelmundo

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Dec 2, 2019
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Hello, thanks for the info on the Nokia 8000. Do you know if it resamples all audio to 48 kHz for the optical out? For example the Apple TV does exactly this. Is it possible to output audio in the same sampling frequency as the original file, for example 44.1 kHz (CD quality) or 96 kHz (hi-res)? Have you tried to cast audio files (CD or hi-res) to the Nokia box using Chromecast? If you can get bitperfect audio out via SPDIF/USB/HDMI, it would be very interesting to use as a pure music streamer with Chromecast to an external DAC. Many thanks in advance for your help.

Since this is an android device i think it is possible to play files in its original sampling rate. Therefore you have to install an app like hiby music which communicates directly via alsa. So if you can install any apk file that should work.

Unfortunatly i decided to go with Spotify as my main service. Tidal is preinstalled and shoud work fine with tidal connect. Deezer is also preinstalled.

Kodi is preinstalled as well. With kodi you can install different addons like Qobuz, Bandcamp etc.
 

Audiola

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Jan 19, 2021
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Since this is an android device i think it is possible to play files in its original sampling rate. Therefore you have to install an app like hiby music which communicates directly via alsa. So if you can install any apk file that should work.

Unfortunatly i decided to go with Spotify as my main service. Tidal is preinstalled and shoud work fine with tidal connect. Deezer is also preinstalled.

Kodi is preinstalled as well. With kodi you can install different addons like Qobuz, Bandcamp etc.
Hi again, thanks a lot for your quick reply. In the case of Tidal, I would like to remote control the Tidal app in the box from the Tidal app on my phone. using Tidal Connect. However, it seems this is not possible:

https://www.reddit.com/r/TIdaL/comments/ju8o18
If the box supports Chromecast, it should be possible to cast from the Tidal app on my phone (but it won't work for MQA, "Master"). The same should be possible from the Qobuz app on my phone (in this case also for hi-res).
I understand that you can play files directly on the Android box using an app installed on the box, such as Hiby (or Tidal or Qobuz), but that's not what I'm after. The Primare NP5 as an alternative for Chromecast as well, but it costs 5 times more than the Nokia box. If the Nokia box can do the same thing, and output a bitperfect stream, it's an interesting alternative.
 

dudodelmundo

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Dec 2, 2019
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Spotify has this behaviour. I can control the box with my phone and chose a protocoll of choice. Maybe i could give it a try at the weekend.

WhatsApp Image 2021-01-20 at 21.31.46 (1).jpeg
WhatsApp Image 2021-01-20 at 21.31.46 (1).jpeg
 

Audiola

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Jan 19, 2021
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Hi dudodelmundo, did you get a chance to try if the Chromecast streaming to the Nokia box preserves the sampling frequency?
 

x_ivica

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May 6, 2019
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I have connect Nokia first use with usb output to my dac, hdmi to tv and tv digital output toslink to dac, so I not use digital toslink output from Nokia. It sound very good better than my pc on usb output from Nokia, but there is no any sound on tv speakers only my hifi system with dac, amplifier and speakers.
After that remove usb output cable from Nokia and than speakers on tv play music but also digital output from tv which is connected to external dac play on main speakers. When I return usb cable from Nokia to external dac and switch on external dac to usb input it doesn't work. Switch to toslink on external dac work. ( way how signal goes Nokia - hdmi to Tv - toslink output from Tv - external dac - power amp speaker). I don't know why doesn't work usb output from Nokia but on first conection works. Didn't try direct toslink output from Nokia to external Dac. Dezzer works better on Nokia app compare when chromecast Dezzer from mobile phone to Nokia.
Great device for small money.
 

tom_tom

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Oct 16, 2020
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@dudodelmundo how are You connected to dac ? I have Topping D50s. On optical spdif it works great. On USB i have no sound ( even if topping recognised that there is device connected ) and Bluetooth is corrupted. I get non understandable distorted sound over Bluetooth. I've even enabled developer options but don't see bluetooth codec options. Bluetooth works ok with headphones so it must be some compatibility issue with Topping. Changing songs and volume from remote is great feature also in in this nokia box.
 

dudodelmundo

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Dec 2, 2019
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@tom_tom im connected via optical input. usb works as well with my topping e30. i think it has no bluetooth out just bluetooth to control via remote.
 

tom_tom

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Oct 16, 2020
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Thanks for answer @dudodelmundo ! I had to change volume on USB output :facepalm: by default it was muted. Now it works on USB and Optical. Bluetooth works great with headphones but not with DAC from whatever reason. I even downloaded A2DP app to change bluetooth codec but sound is distorted on all ( LDAC, ACC, SBC ). Don't care anymore, if it works with USB I'm happy :)
 
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