I need a better source/streamer

[TDinCali]

Gents,

I need your collective wisdom. I’m currently running Auralic Aries G1 followed by a Holo May Kitsune dac and a Woo WA33 Elite. My source music is coming from Qobuz and Tidal exclusively but there are times when I want to listen to music from Apple iTunes because a specific version/mix is not available on the others. I need a new source where I can listen to all three as seamlessly as possible. The Auralic works well for tidal and Qobuz but that’s it, and using my phone as the remote often ends up with connectivity issues over the network. I really want something that bullet proof and just works.

With sound quality being the biggest priority what would you recommend I look at?

 

[u2u2]

You have a dream setup and a dearth of responses...
A three in one source might be a serious problem as Apple is very locked in to their own ecosystem forcing you into their hardware for the best experience.
I use Apple Music in good part for the same reason you are seeking it. Best experience, in my limited experience, is an iPad Pro (or perhaps another USB C iOS device) feeding a DAC via USB without the use of a dongle. I go USB C to USB B cable to achieve that. An iOS device will automatically select the correct bit rates etc from Apple Music. Very useful if you setup playlists where you have track to track changes. You can do almost as well from a recent iPhone but for needing dongles. Mac OS is manual. Not three in one but it is what it is with Apple and you will get what sound quality there is out of it. I am going to watch this thread and see if someone has a cleaner solution.
Best of luck.

 

[m-i-c-k-e-y]

Upcoming Rockna Wavelight Server?

 

[divertiti]

You'd be better off with Spotify as your catch-all service vs. Apple. Apple is proprietary and horrible to work with.

 

[Deolum]

I can really recommend Lumin but i don't know if it works for Apple. Maybe over Airplay. I use my U1 mini now since 2 years with Qobuz and spotify and never had a single problem with it. Youtube with airplay also works. Great devices and from what i've read in forums the U1 is one of the best you can get. The U1 mini sounds good enough for me to not upgrade though.

 

[TDinCali]

I can really recommend Lumin but i don't know if it works for Apple. Maybe over Airplay. I use my U1 mini now since 2 years with Qobuz and spotify and never had a single problem with it. Youtube with airplay also works. Great devices and from what i've read in forums the U1 is one of the best you can get. The U1 mini sounds good enough for me to not upgrade though.

Thank you! Just watched a couple of videos and read a couple of reviews. Lumin might be the closest thing for me. Appreciate the recommendation.

 

[project86]

I'm using the Stack Audio Link II and it is superb for Tidal and Qobuz via Roon (best interface by far imho). SQ is among the best I've heard which makes the Stack streamer a relative bargain compared to much more expensive devices I've owned/auditioned.

That said, I'm not really sure how best to integrate Apple Music. The Link II has a way of running in AirPlay mode, but it would require switching modes away from Roon each time. So not really seamless at all.

Or, you could use the Link II "Digital Detox" port combined with a standard MacBook or Mac Mini etc. Run Apple Music on that device, USB out through the detox to clean up the sound, then USB out from there to your DAC. Again not seamless when switching from Tidal/Qobuz but maybe the best way to get solid SQ out of the native Apple Music system.

I really wish Apple (and Amazon, and Spotify for that matter) would make things easier to deal with. Ideally have them all in Roon but I doubt that would ever happen.

 

[audiobomber]

If you are otherwise happy with your setup, you could keep it and add an iFi Zen Stream. Connect the Zen Stream to your DAC via coax cable as a second source.

 

[iFi audio]

If you are otherwise happy with your setup, you could keep it and add an iFi Zen Stream. Connect the Zen Stream to your DAC via coax cable as a second source.

This makes sense if @TDinCali would be willing to invest in yet another streamer. Two would provide all utilities he's after, though he'd have to use two different apps most likely; one for our ZEN and the other for that Auralic (I assume it has a dedicated app?).

 

[lamsta]

You have a dream setup and a dearth of responses...
A three in one source might be a serious problem as Apple is very locked in to their own ecosystem forcing you into their hardware for the best experience.
I use Apple Music in good part for the same reason you are seeking it. Best experience, in my limited experience, is an iPad Pro (or perhaps another USB C iOS device) feeding a DAC via USB without the use of a dongle. I go USB C to USB B cable to achieve that. An iOS device will automatically select the correct bit rates etc from Apple Music. Very useful if you setup playlists where you have track to track changes. You can do almost as well from a recent iPhone but for needing dongles. Mac OS is manual. Not three in one but it is what it is with Apple and you will get what sound quality there is out of it. I am going to watch this thread and see if someone has a cleaner solution.
Best of luck.

I’m currently using an 11in iPad Pro (A12 chip) as my source as I too am exclusively streaming music and concur that it’s been able to handle all the different bit rates seamlessly from Qobuz and Apple Music. *It’s as seamless as switching between the apps on the iPad Pro.*

One thing to consider though, is with this setup the OP will be restricted to the USB cable length and from my reading, it’s recommended not to exceed *1.5m

@u2u2 - Would you mind sharing what USB cable you’re currently using? I’m looking at upgrading to a better quality USB cable from the generic one I’m using.

 

[audiobomber]

One thing to consider though, is with this setup the OP will be restricted to the USB cable length and from my reading, it’s recommended not to exceed *1.5m

I don't know where you read that, but it is certainly not technically correct. Maximum specified length for USB 2.0 is 5m or 16 feet. Of course shorter is better for audio, but I have a couple of 6' USB cables that sound better than most of my shorter cables. I use a 15 foot cable in one of my systems and it sounds great, but it is terminated by a "USB to USB Isolator", so that no 5V power flows in the cable.
https://blog.tripplite.com/usb-cable-max-length

 

[iFi audio]

One thing to consider though, is with this setup the OP will be restricted to the USB cable length and from my reading, it’s recommended not to exceed *1.5m

It's not a problem if a USB cable is say 3m or so. It'll work

 

[Chartreuse]

I'm pretty interested in this as well. I'm using an iPad Air > USB-C to USB-B cable > Chord DAVE DAC > [ LCD-5, LCD-4z, HE1000SE], and I use a mix of Spotify, Tidal, and Apple Music. The quality of Apple Music seems to be the highest, but the interface sucks; Spotify has the worst quality but the best interface/discovery; and Tidal is somewhere in between.

This setup is super clean but I can't do interesting things like implement EQ, and honestly I'm a bit lost as to where to go from here. I have a suspicion that I could buy a Mac Mini, use that as a Roon Core with USB out to my DAVE, and use Roon EQ and not have to worry about the battery level of my iPad, but I'm not sure exactly how that would all work and I don't want to shell out $1500 or more to find it's not really that great of a solution. Also, I've heard that using a Mac plugged into the wall is noisier than using a battery powered iPad... so there's that.

Sometimes I miss the days when you could just plug in a CD transport.

 

[Whazzzup]

Antipodes audio, there’s a few threads on head fi. Mine for the ice breaker started in 2017, when I realized this great music server co had no presence or recognition. It’s my DX3 unofficial guide down the rabbit hole for what’s the best server, no price limits, no raspberries Pi solutions please. To a newer Cx, ex, s, and k thread for all there new models. Enjoy the reads, these were all started by consumers, no manufacturing spiff. The only drawback is price but hardware and service from this New Zealand co is top notch.

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/ant...unofficial-guide-down-the-rabbit-hole.851997/

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/cx-ex-k-s-antipodes-owners-unite.932942/

 

[lamsta]

Antipodes audio, there’s a few threads on head fi. Mine for the ice breaker started in 2017, when I realized this great music server co had no presence or recognition. It’s my DX3 unofficial guide down the rabbit hole for what’s the best server, no price limits, no raspberries Pi solutions please. To a newer Cx, ex, s, and k thread for all there new models. Enjoy the reads, these were all started by consumers, no manufacturing spiff. The only drawback is price but hardware and service from this New Zealand co is top notch.

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/ant...unofficial-guide-down-the-rabbit-hole.851997/

https://www.head-fi.org/threads/cx-ex-k-s-antipodes-owners-unite.932942/

Thanks for the suggestion but unless I’ve read incorrectly, the Antipodes audio products won’t work because I don’t have any existing digital media hence why I’m exclusively using music streaming services.