Tidal announces Tidal Connect

[Beershaun]

My Cambridge CXN V2 (on the early update channel) just got Tidal Connect https://techsupport.cambridgeaudio.com/hc/en-us/articles/207523609-What-is-in-Early-Updates-

Nice. Feel free to share your impressions.

 

[CoolHandDuke]

I hope to see this roll out to Denon AVRs. I know I could set up streaming network with Heos to get around it with other services but can't seem to get it to connect to my shared folder (I am not network savvy lol).

 

[Jimbob54]

Nice. Feel free to share your impressions.

It works!

To be honest I dont see it being much different to when I would cast it from phone app to the streamer using chromecast protocol. Although I dont think that had the artwork showing on the CXN screen . Connect shows a big picture on the screen.

And no, before anyone asks, it doesnt make it MQA compatible- its streaming 44.1 regardless of whether its an MQA/ Master album on Tidal.

 

[mSpot]

It works!

To be honest I dont see it being much different to when I would cast it from phone app to the streamer using chromecast protocol.

Does it do gapless playback? That is the big downside of my Chromecast Audio (doesn't support gapless).

 

[Jimbob54]

Does it do gapless playback? That is the big downside of my Chromecast Audio (doesn't support gapless).

Hmm, give me an example of a couple of tracks on an album you know should be gapless and I'll check later. I just shuffle so wouldn't notice

 

[Sukie]

Hmm, give me an example of a couple of tracks on an album you know should be gapless and I'll check later. I just shuffle so wouldn't notice

I always go to Sgt Pepper to check gapless!

 

[Beershaun]

Hmm, give me an example of a couple of tracks on an album you know should be gapless and I'll check later. I just shuffle so wouldn't notice

That's great that is works! I am looking forward to the day when I can use the Tidal app instead of bubble upnp to send to my renderers. Bubble upnp is an outstanding app functionally and does so much, but the UI is very limited compared to the Tidal app for searching and browsing what to listen to next. I generally end up finding what I want in the Tidal app "favoriting" it, then going into Bubbleupnp and finding it in my favorites to cast it to my endpoint.

Pink floyd dark side of the moon is another good one to check hapless playback.

 

[nerone]

On Android through the Mconnect app it transmits to CCA up to 48khz

 

[mSpot]

I always go to Sgt Pepper to check gapless!

Yes, in Sgt Pepper specifically the transitions from track 1 to 2, and track 12 to 13 should play seamlessly with no interruption.

 

[Jimbob54]

Yes, in Sgt Pepper specifically the transitions from track 1 to 2, and track 12 to 13 should play seamlessly with no interruption.

So confirmed .

 

[Sukie]

Pink floyd dark side of the moon is another good one to check hapless playback.

I love it when typos actually make sense and make me smile.

 

[Jimbob54]

On Android through the Mconnect app it transmits to CCA up to 48khz

What does?

 

[nerone]

Tidal master to Chromecast audio is always transmitted at 41.1 khz
from Mconnect 48.0 khz

 

[Jimbob54]

Tidal master to Chromecast audio is always transmitted at 41.1 khz
from Mconnect 48.0 khz

That would suggest Mconnect is casting from itself to the CCA and resampling to standard Android 48 sample rate. Tidal app on Android to CCA is just pointing the CCA to the non MQA version on the Tidal servers

 

[nerone]

Mconnect feels better than Tidal's proprietary app

 

[Jimbob54]

Mconnect feels better than Tidal's proprietary app

Sounds better or is a better user experience using the app?

 

[nerone]

yes, it sounds better

 

[Dave-Oh]

We are still waiting for Tidal Connect to announce control of a windows or apple desktop by a remote device with Tidal Connect. I just checked the Tidal site and it still says coming soon.

Someone please correct me if I'm wrong but wouldn't this be game over for a big part of the steaming hardware industry if this happens? You could connect a $150 fanless mini pc to your network, control it with Tidal Connect and feed the mini pc's usb output to one of these inexpensive state of the art DAC's from Topping or the like. Bang, done. You'd have a polished, appliance-like interface through the Tidal app (I've been a user for many years) for content up to 24/192 for at least some of the library. (So far this isn't possible with a Node 2i because it's coax out is limited to either 44.1 or 96, as I understand it.) That somewhat dirty digital stream coming out of the mini PC won't matter at all when fed to these new monster-performing little DAC's.

How's a$3,500 streamer gonna compete with that?

We may be waiting a while for that announcement.

 

[somy]

We are still waiting for Tidal Connect to announce control of a windows or apple desktop by a remote device with Tidal Connect. I just checked the Tidal site and it still says coming soon.

Someone please correct me if I'm wrong but wouldn't this be game over for a big part of the steaming hardware industry if this happens? You could connect a $150 fanless mini pc to your network, control it with Tidal Connect and feed the mini pc's usb output to one of these inexpensive state of the art DAC's from Topping or the like. Bang, done. You'd have a polished, appliance-like interface through the Tidal app (I've been a user for many years) for content up to 24/192 for at least some of the library. (So far this isn't possible with a Node 2i because it's coax out is limited to either 44.1 or 96, as I understand it.) That somewhat dirty digital stream coming out of the mini PC won't matter at all when fed to these new monster-performing little DAC's.

How's a$3,500 streamer gonna compete with that?

We may be waiting a while for that announcement.

Game over for the expensive streamers

 

[Jimbob54]

Game over for the expensive streamers

Not really . You can still buy DACs for £x0,000