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Review and Measurements of Yamaha WXA-50 Streaming Amp

SimpleTheater

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@SimpleTheater @jhaider
Do you guys know if a USB with a ton of music is attached to the wxc-50 is it possible to listen to that music on the phones that have the app or will it only play that music to the stereo that's attached to it?

I read that it can collect music from all the connected devices but I'm not sure if it can serve them back to others.
The phones with the app can’t stream the music to the phone.

Anything playing on one MusicCast device can be linked to another MusicCast device. So if you attach a headphone amp to the WXC-50, you can listen to the USB on your headphones and the same music to another MusicCast device. What you can’t do is listen to different songs on the USB at the same time. Nor can you play the USB files directly from a different MusicCast device, the music on the USB would have to be playing on the device with the USB attached.

You could connect your USB drive to your network (I think you mentioned it was a USB hard drive) and play different music from different MusicCast devices that way.

[Another scenario is if my daughter has music on her phone that is synced up to the wxc-50, would my son be able to see that music on his phone (through the yam app) and play it?
Yes. The app will see any source connected to any MusicCast device. So if your son wanted to play a trick on your daughter he could skip the song playing or even change her source.

‘FYI: I recorded myself saying “Get out of bed, it’s time for school.” And put it on my dlna usb server. If my kids aren’t in the kitchen by a certain time, I would play it and continue making it louder until they got out of bed (MusicCast 10’s).
 

SPOautos

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The phones with the app can’t stream the music to the phone.

Anything playing on one MusicCast device can be linked to another MusicCast device. So if you attach a headphone amp to the WXC-50, you can listen to the USB on your headphones and the same music to another MusicCast device. What you can’t do is listen to different songs on the USB at the same time. Nor can you play the USB files directly from a different MusicCast device, the music on the USB would have to be playing on the device with the USB attached.

You could connect your USB drive to your network (I think you mentioned it was a USB hard drive) and play different music from different MusicCast devices that way.

Yes. The app will see any source connected to any MusicCast device. So if your son wanted to play a trick on your daughter he could skip the song playing or even change her source.

‘FYI: I recorded myself saying “Get out of bed, it’s time for school.” And put it on my dlna usb server. If my kids aren’t in the kitchen by a certain time, I would play it and continue making it louder until they got out of bed (MusicCast 10’s).


Thank you for all the info! I guess what I'm wondering is if there is a way to serve music up to the phones. Maybe like you said, the answer is to attach it to the network instead of too the wxc-50.
 

SPOautos

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Connecting to the network would be good. You could also use something like Google Play Cloud.
https://support.google.com/youtubem...VH5qGIaNV9PwfWcyjjkaAp51EALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds


Do you know of anything like Google Play Music but that does not convert the file type? Google Music converts all your uploaded music the mp3. I'd like to keep all my file types, such as flac (most are flac).

If I get the music into the cloud what would be the best way to attach use it through the Yamaha? dlna? For instance, I think there are some apps that allow Google Music to be broadcast via dlna....so I'm wondering if there are other online/cloud services storafes that do all of this......basically like a cloud based nas with dlna. I cant afford to be buying more hardware right now so buying/building a actual nas is probably out of the question.
 

SimpleTheater

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I have a Western Digital (circa 2015) with a software app called "Twonky". The MusicCasts have no problem viewing the files on it. So I can keep everything uncompressed (if I so wanted).

I don't store any of my music in the cloud, simply use Napster.
 

SPOautos

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I have a Western Digital (circa 2015) with a software app called "Twonky". The MusicCasts have no problem viewing the files on it. So I can keep everything uncompressed (if I so wanted).

I don't store any of my music in the cloud, simply use Napster.

I got in a WXC-50 today and have a issue that I'm wondering if you've experienced it. Im in PreAmp mode but when I connect with my phone via bluetooth and play something on YouTube it doesnt control volume.....it appears like it is in the app and my phones volume bar, both going up and down when I change the volume by the wxc-50 know or remote. BUT my amp stays at the same sound level and nothing changes. I also have this volume issue when listening to radio stations that are in the app.

Any ideas?
 
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SimpleTheater

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@SPOautos I haven't had that issue. Can you take two screen shots (one with the volume at close to zero and one with it much, much higher)? I want to see what it looks like and to confirm in both that the volume you hear hasn't changed.
 

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@SPOautos I haven't had that issue. Can you take two screen shots (one with the volume at close to zero and one with it much, much higher)? I want to see what it looks like and to confirm in both that the volume you hear hasn't changed.
Screenshot_20200610-203411_MusicCast.jpg

Here are 2 screenshots from within the MC app showing the YouTube content I'm streaming as well as you can see the small picture in picture box of YouTube playing that content. What you cant see is that when I change the volume in the app it also changes accordingly on my phone, but when I go to touch the screen (to take screenshot) my phones volume slider goes away so that's not in the pic.

I have a $25 bluetooth dongle off Amazon that I usually use with my phone and this power amp and it controls the amp volume fine.

Screenshot_20200610-203423_MusicCast.jpg
 

SPOautos

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@SimpleTheater

Also, something else odd to go with those images is that the volume level goes from -80db to 0db with 0db being loudest. That seems odd to me.... in either case the volume slider is having no control over the actual volume. In the images they were the same.....also my amp I'd turned way down, I believe the wxc-50 is putting out full volume no matter what.

OH I forgot to say....if I go all the way to the left to -80db, it does turn off sound off.....but everything else is the same level and the mute button does NOT work.

I also messed with the app settings for volume fader control, turning it off made no difference, back on made no difference.

I also switched to Player mode which removes the volume slider, then switched back to PreAmp mode... no difference

It's also the same listening to the radio stations built into the app.
 
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SimpleTheater

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Mine is the same (-80 db is the quietest, 0 db the loudest).

So you're hearing the same level REGARDLESS? For example, I have three WXC-50's (two in preamp mode) and on those two, I have my connected amps turned up to just a little less than max volume. This allows me to have full control of the volume, without ever touching the amps.

I would definitely connect another source (say a CD player) to the same input as the WXC-50 and check the volume level.
 

SimpleTheater

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Wait! I just saw the issue. You're connecting via the PHONE! Your phone's bluetooth ALSO controls the volume (this doesn't happen to me because I play Pandora / Napster via MusicCast, so it isn't using the phone's bluetooth connection). So you essentially have TWO volume controls. On my phone I can control bluetooth volume using the buttons on the side, but that's the issue, I'm sure of it. You can play with the Yamaha controller all you want, but it won't overcome the phone's volume control.

Let me know if that is it, but I'm 90% confident that's the issue.
 

SPOautos

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Mine is the same (-80 db is the quietest, 0 db the loudest).

So you're hearing the same level REGARDLESS? For example, I have three WXC-50's (two in preamp mode) and on those two, I have my connected amps turned up to just a little less than max volume. This allows me to have full control of the volume, without ever touching the amps.

I would definitely connect another source (say a CD player) to the same input as the WXC-50 and check the volume level.

Well I started out with it at about half volume but it was super loud so I have it turned down to a out 15%. But yes, no matter how I move the slider (or volume knob) it doesnt change the actual volume...except all the way down, when it gets to the last click it goes silent.

The app volume and phone volume seem to be in sync.....if I turn it down with buttons on the side the phone and app sliders both go down. Same with device knob, when I adjust it both the app and phone sliders move.
 

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Connect to a free service like Pandora, bypass Bluetooth, and test the volume control.
 

SimpleTheater

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And when I say Pandora, don’t connect the phone app to Pandora and then use Bluetooth, but setup the Pandora account in MusicCast.
 

SPOautos

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And when I say Pandora, don’t connect the phone app to Pandora and then use Bluetooth, but setup the Pandora account in MusicCast.

I did kind of similar by trying the app radio stations, they had the same issue. If you think Pandora would have a different effect than the radio stations I can give that a shot tomorrow (kids are watching a movie or else I'd try it now).

Maybe I should try a firmware reinstall or something. I think it's a issue with the unit because even turning the knob doesnt help. It seems like either a setting or a issue with the device itself.
 

SimpleTheater

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I just setup my iPad with Pandora and connected via Bluetooth. When I adjusted the volume using the MusicCast app on the iPad I could see the iPad’s volume moving up and down. So while I can control the volume via Bluetooth input it is actually using the volume control of the device sending the audio.

I then used my phone to control MusicCast volume and I could see my iPads volume changing.

Does MusicCast have full rights on your phone? The phone might have some type of restriction in place.
 

SPOautos

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I just setup my iPad with Pandora and connected via Bluetooth. When I adjusted the volume using the MusicCast app on the iPad I could see the iPad’s volume moving up and down. So while I can control the volume via Bluetooth input it is actually using the volume control of the device sending the audio.

I then used my phone to control MusicCast volume and I could see my iPads volume changing.

Does MusicCast have full rights on your phone? The phone might have some type of restriction in place.

Mine seems to be working just as you described....also using the knob on the wxc-50 causes the phone vol and app vol go up/down.....its just that the actual sound does not change.
 

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Shut off your app then turn off your WXC50. Unplug it, then flip the switch from preamp to player and back again. Plug it in and restart the app.
 

SimpleTheater

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Mine seems to be working just as you described....also using the knob on the wxc-50 causes the phone vol and app vol go up/down.....its just that the actual sound does not change.
Did the reset work?
 
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