[Ufanco]

Damn, I thought I was the only one in the world that got told that! It really does suck. In all honesty I have not been the same since having Covid, there are literally times I could just sleep, and sleep!

Take care of that best you can bro!

Cheers!!

Long Covid has been a horrible experience lost 35 pounds and now have cancer. Not sure if there related or just crappy timing. Music been so helpful during this time since basically bed ridden. Anyways wish the best to you guys and hopefully your outcome is better than mine.

 

[Mr BubbaHyde]

Long Covid has been a horrible experience lost 35 pounds and now have cancer. Not sure if there related or just crappy timing. Music been so helpful during this time since basically bed ridden. Anyways wish the best to you guys and hopefully your outcome is better than mine.

Jeez, take care of yourself brother! Terrible too hear these things, worse to be part of it! All the best to you, and prayers! Thank you as well!!

Cheers!

 

[fordski]

Long Covid has been a horrible experience lost 35 pounds and now have cancer. Not sure if there related or just crappy timing. Music been so helpful during this time since basically bed ridden. Anyways wish the best to you guys and hopefully your outcome is better than mine.

All my best to you. I can't imagine having a cancer diagnosis on top of Long Covid. And yes music is a great therapy....

 

[fordski]

Damn, I thought I was the only one in the world that got told that! It really does suck. In all honesty I have not been the same since having Covid, there are literally times I could just sleep, and sleep!

Take care of that best you can bro!

Cheers!!

Yes, it really does suck, especially when so little is known about it and many doctors dismiss it as psychosomatic symptoms. Thankfully I have a very supportive wife and great music to help though the rough days. All my best to you as well @Mr BubbaHyde!

And I'm looking forward to picking up a Neo Stream to try out as another distraction!

 

[iFi audio]

Long Covid has been a horrible experience lost 35 pounds and now have cancer.

I'm so sorry to hear this. Stay strong and I keep my fingers crossed that you'll be okay!!!

 

[Clemmaster]

The optic LAN on the NEO Steam can be accessed directly without our OptiBox. This accessory is for those who rely on WAN(RJ45) network and want to try out what optic transmission into our NEO Stream does.

The fiber optic needs to support 1310nm FP / 1550nm DFB, and the interface must be FC type.

The manual says it's SC-SC.
Based on the color of the connector, it should be SC-UPC / SC-UPC.

 

[Mr BubbaHyde]

Tidal Connect and the NEO Stream…Part 3

Some upfront confessions...


I have not been a Tidal subscriber for a while, this comes from quite a few things. I had been partial to non-MQA DACs for almost a year. Denafrips, RME, Schitt, and Burson, were dominating my preference, I felt Qobuz had a slightly better sound quality to it, and then there's the whole MQA debate. I also started to feel like I was being misled by Tidal, and MQA regarding bitrates, and in all honesty, I felt a bit deceived by practices I was seeing from them, but all those issues are for another thread and another time, as we are here to evaluate the performance of the NEO Stream with Tidal “Connect”, and not have a discussion of Tidal.

So how’s this for an opening line…

If you are a Tidal Lover and user, you owe it to yourself to own, or at least try the NEO Stream, it is hands down the best I have ever heard Tidal Sound, period, full stop!


Really? Did I just type that? What is going on here?


I have a playlist across just about all platforms with various “Audiophile” considered recordings, along with more than a few of my own “Oddities” that I use to determine if a piece of equipment is "for me" or not. Using the NEO Streams internal DAC with its “Full MQA” decoding capabilities brought these recordings to life, and I have heard them many times. Is this “shiny new toy” syndrome?

It can’t be I’m being too methodical about this,

I do not know what “Magic Mojo” iFi has cooked up for its handling of Tidal and its MQA “processes” here, nor do I want to, sometimes the secret sauce needs to stay a secret. Sometimes you need to just close your eyes and let the music, not the processes and the bitrates, take you away.

Using Tidal connect on the NS was a simple task, select TC using the front knob, select iFis Streamer in the menu of the Tidal app and you are set for listening.

I had no listening glitches or dropouts at any point during my listening to TC. The only slight glitch I encountered was that the album art failed to load a few times. This was during playlist listening, and the next track would fix it. It happened maybe 3 or 4 times during 2 days using nothing but Tidal connect mode. On a side note, it is very nice that the display screen for the NEO indicates what exactly you are listening to, be it MQA or PCM, and the current rate.

Everything that I listened to made me feel engaged with the track I was listening to. Separation of Instruments, Bass, and depth, and one thing I took note of is being able to clearly pick out instruments in the soundstage and follow them individually. Now of course this was more apparent in very well-recorded tracks, but overall it was a “norm” for my listening time with Tidal and the NEO.

So, I know it may sound like I’m gushing, but so far in this process of taking the NEO Stream “one step at a time” this is the step that blew me away. Tidal “Connect” and the NS sound very, very good. In fact, one of the questions I asked myself was is this why all the Tidal folks obsess over “unfolds” and “Full” decoding, is this what I have been missing about Tidal all along?


Let’s see…


Next Up, Qobuz and Mconnect...

Cheers!!

 

[Kamil21]

Tidal Connect and the NEO Stream…Part 3

Some upfront confessions...


I have not been a Tidal subscriber for a while, this comes from quite a few things. I had been partial to non-MQA DACs for almost a year. Denafrips, RME, Schitt, and Burson, were dominating my preference, I felt Qobuz had a slightly better sound quality to it, and then there's the whole MQA debate. I also started to feel like I was being misled by Tidal, and MQA regarding bitrates, and in all honesty, I felt a bit deceived by practices I was seeing from them, but all those issues are for another thread and another time, as we are here to evaluate the performance of the NEO Stream with Tidal “Connect”, and not have a discussion of Tidal.

So how’s this for an opening line…



If you are a Tidal Lover and user, you owe it to yourself to own, or at least try the NEO Stream, it is hands down the best I have ever heard Tidal Sound, period, full stop!


Really? Did I just type that? What is going on here?


I have a playlist across just about all platforms with various “Audiophile” considered recordings, along with more than a few of my own “Oddities” that I use to determine if a piece of equipment is "for me" or not. Using the NEO Streams internal DAC with its “Full MQA” decoding capabilities brought these recordings to life, and I have heard them many times. Is this “shiny new toy” syndrome?

It can’t be I’m being too methodical about this,

I do not know what “Magic Mojo” iFi has cooked up for its handling of Tidal and its MQA “processes” here, nor do I want to, sometimes the secret sauce needs to stay a secret. Sometimes you need to just close your eyes and let the music, not the processes and the bitrates, take you away.



Using Tidal connect on the NS was a simple task, select TC using the front knob, select iFis Streamer in the menu of the Tidal app and you are set for listening.



I had no listening glitches or dropouts at any point during my listening to TC. The only slight glitch I encountered was that the album art failed to load a few times. This was during playlist listening, and the next track would fix it. It happened maybe 3 or 4 times during 2 days using nothing but Tidal connect mode. On a side note, it is very nice that the display screen for the NEO indicates what exactly you are listening to, be it MQA or PCM, and the current rate.



Everything that I listened to made me feel engaged with the track I was listening to. Separation of Instruments, Bass, and depth, and one thing I took note of is being able to clearly pick out instruments in the soundstage and follow them individually. Now of course this was more apparent in very well-recorded tracks, but overall it was a “norm” for my listening time with Tidal and the NEO.




So, I know it may sound like I’m gushing, but so far in this process of taking the NEO Stream “one step at a time” this is the step that blew me away. Tidal “Connect” and the NS sound very, very good. In fact, one of the questions I asked myself was is this why all the Tidal folks obsess over “unfolds” and “Full” decoding, is this what I have been missing about Tidal all along?


Let’s see…


Next Up, Qobuz and Mconnect...

Cheers!!

Since Tidal have both MQA and non MQA versions of the same album, can you say for sure that it’s MQA decoding that’s resulting in the improvements?

 

[Mr BubbaHyde]

Since Tidal have both MQA and non MQA versions of the same album, can you say for sure that it’s MQA decoding that’s resulting in the improvements?

No I cannot say that, I was impressed with entire presentation of Tidal Connect. And I listened to a varied mix of both MQA and non.

I’m sorry if I misrepresented something, using the Tidal App only in this instance, and subscribing to Highest tier, I simply played the music, if it was MQA, if it was PCM I just let it play, I did not get into changing the streaming in the settings from HiFi or Master Quality, The point of this post was to use the internal DAC for simplicity, and also other than choosing what tier you want, there are not options that I am aware of using the Tidal app to “pick” versions, or Bitrate versions. That is why I used Roon when I subscribed previously, and part of my perceived misleading I referenced first.

Further down the road I will get into the changing of tiers to perhaps see if it’s MQA versions or non MQA versions but this was an overall very good impression I had of an overall!

Cheers!!

 

[Ufanco]

Tidal Connect and the NEO Stream…Part 3

Some upfront confessions...


I have not been a Tidal subscriber for a while, this comes from quite a few things. I had been partial to non-MQA DACs for almost a year. Denafrips, RME, Schitt, and Burson, were dominating my preference, I felt Qobuz had a slightly better sound quality to it, and then there's the whole MQA debate. I also started to feel like I was being misled by Tidal, and MQA regarding bitrates, and in all honesty, I felt a bit deceived by practices I was seeing from them, but all those issues are for another thread and another time, as we are here to evaluate the performance of the NEO Stream with Tidal “Connect”, and not have a discussion of Tidal.

So how’s this for an opening line…



If you are a Tidal Lover and user, you owe it to yourself to own, or at least try the NEO Stream, it is hands down the best I have ever heard Tidal Sound, period, full stop!


Really? Did I just type that? What is going on here?


I have a playlist across just about all platforms with various “Audiophile” considered recordings, along with more than a few of my own “Oddities” that I use to determine if a piece of equipment is "for me" or not. Using the NEO Streams internal DAC with its “Full MQA” decoding capabilities brought these recordings to life, and I have heard them many times. Is this “shiny new toy” syndrome?

It can’t be I’m being too methodical about this,

I do not know what “Magic Mojo” iFi has cooked up for its handling of Tidal and its MQA “processes” here, nor do I want to, sometimes the secret sauce needs to stay a secret. Sometimes you need to just close your eyes and let the music, not the processes and the bitrates, take you away.



Using Tidal connect on the NS was a simple task, select TC using the front knob, select iFis Streamer in the menu of the Tidal app and you are set for listening.



I had no listening glitches or dropouts at any point during my listening to TC. The only slight glitch I encountered was that the album art failed to load a few times. This was during playlist listening, and the next track would fix it. It happened maybe 3 or 4 times during 2 days using nothing but Tidal connect mode. On a side note, it is very nice that the display screen for the NEO indicates what exactly you are listening to, be it MQA or PCM, and the current rate.



Everything that I listened to made me feel engaged with the track I was listening to. Separation of Instruments, Bass, and depth, and one thing I took note of is being able to clearly pick out instruments in the soundstage and follow them individually. Now of course this was more apparent in very well-recorded tracks, but overall it was a “norm” for my listening time with Tidal and the NEO.




So, I know it may sound like I’m gushing, but so far in this process of taking the NEO Stream “one step at a time” this is the step that blew me away. Tidal “Connect” and the NS sound very, very good. In fact, one of the questions I asked myself was is this why all the Tidal folks obsess over “unfolds” and “Full” decoding, is this what I have been missing about Tidal all along?


Let’s see…


Next Up, Qobuz and Mconnect...

Cheers!!

I get the same tidal glitch on wifi are you using it connected by wire or wireless?

 

[Mr BubbaHyde]

I get the same tidal glitch on wifi are you using it connected by wire or wireless?

Wired, straight with RJ45 Ethernet to the NEO

Going thru all these modes with the same connection, haven't even taken the Opti-Box out of the packaging yet!

Doing a very methodical, step by step breakdown/basic review of this to start, then will step into the abyss!

Cheers!!

 

[Mr BubbaHyde]

I get the same tidal glitch on wifi are you using it connected by wire or wireless?

If i remeber correctly it was this album that didn't display properly, perhaps you could check it...

Cheers!!

 

[dakchi]

Tidal Connect and the NEO Stream…Part 3

Some upfront confessions...


I have not been a Tidal subscriber for a while, this comes from quite a few things. I had been partial to non-MQA DACs for almost a year. Denafrips, RME, Schitt, and Burson, were dominating my preference, I felt Qobuz had a slightly better sound quality to it, and then there's the whole MQA debate. I also started to feel like I was being misled by Tidal, and MQA regarding bitrates, and in all honesty, I felt a bit deceived by practices I was seeing from them, but all those issues are for another thread and another time, as we are here to evaluate the performance of the NEO Stream with Tidal “Connect”, and not have a discussion of Tidal.

So how’s this for an opening line…



If you are a Tidal Lover and user, you owe it to yourself to own, or at least try the NEO Stream, it is hands down the best I have ever heard Tidal Sound, period, full stop!


Really? Did I just type that? What is going on here?


I have a playlist across just about all platforms with various “Audiophile” considered recordings, along with more than a few of my own “Oddities” that I use to determine if a piece of equipment is "for me" or not. Using the NEO Streams internal DAC with its “Full MQA” decoding capabilities brought these recordings to life, and I have heard them many times. Is this “shiny new toy” syndrome?

It can’t be I’m being too methodical about this,

I do not know what “Magic Mojo” iFi has cooked up for its handling of Tidal and its MQA “processes” here, nor do I want to, sometimes the secret sauce needs to stay a secret. Sometimes you need to just close your eyes and let the music, not the processes and the bitrates, take you away.



Using Tidal connect on the NS was a simple task, select TC using the front knob, select iFis Streamer in the menu of the Tidal app and you are set for listening.



I had no listening glitches or dropouts at any point during my listening to TC. The only slight glitch I encountered was that the album art failed to load a few times. This was during playlist listening, and the next track would fix it. It happened maybe 3 or 4 times during 2 days using nothing but Tidal connect mode. On a side note, it is very nice that the display screen for the NEO indicates what exactly you are listening to, be it MQA or PCM, and the current rate.



Everything that I listened to made me feel engaged with the track I was listening to. Separation of Instruments, Bass, and depth, and one thing I took note of is being able to clearly pick out instruments in the soundstage and follow them individually. Now of course this was more apparent in very well-recorded tracks, but overall it was a “norm” for my listening time with Tidal and the NEO.




So, I know it may sound like I’m gushing, but so far in this process of taking the NEO Stream “one step at a time” this is the step that blew me away. Tidal “Connect” and the NS sound very, very good. In fact, one of the questions I asked myself was is this why all the Tidal folks obsess over “unfolds” and “Full” decoding, is this what I have been missing about Tidal all along?


Let’s see…


Next Up, Qobuz and Mconnect...

Cheers!!

Thank you for this review. I am a heavy Tidal user and have been impressed by the quality of sound from Zen Stream (coming from Bluesound). It's unfortunate that Ifi does not propose a streamer that is as good as the Neo stream but without the DAC. I already have an excellent DAC and I'm not planning to use Neo's internal DAC. At least this streamer would be less expensive than the Neo. I don't think that I am the only one who would be interested in such streamer

 

[Mr BubbaHyde]

Thank you for this review. I am a heavy Tidal user and have been impressed by the quality of sound from Zen Stream (coming from Bluesound). It's unfortunate that Ifi does not propose a streamer that is as good as the Neo stream but without the DAC. I already have an excellent DAC and I'm not planning to use Neo's internal DAC. At least this streamer would be less expensive than the Neo. I don't think that I am the only one who would be interested in such streamer

You're very welcome, I am hoping to give everyone a clear picture of what the NEO is, and eventually compare it to me time with the Zen, I promised to get there soon.

I would give a piece of advice, do not sell the DAC in this unit short, in comparisons to others. I also have DACs I dearly love, some just as expensive as the NEO itself, and I promised to hook them up to it and compare the internal Vs them.

This I can say so far, I have not felt one single inkling to go and get one of them yet, yes I said yet,

The internal DAC here is very very good, and I will leave it there for now...

Cheers!!

 

[dakchi]

You're very welcome, I am hoping to give everyone a clear picture of what the NEO is, and eventually compare it to me time with the Zen, I promised to get there soon.

I would give a piece of advice, do not sell the DAC in this unit short, in comparisons to others. I also have DACs I dearly love, some just as expensive as the NEO itself, and I promised to hook them up to it and compare the internal Vs them.

This I can say so far, I have not felt one single inkling to go and get one of them yet, yes I said yet,

The internal DAC here is very very good, and I will leave it there for now...

Cheers!!

I have no doubt that the DAC is excellent but it happens not to be a R2R DAC. When you try R2R DACs, you are never tempted to go back to delta sigma DACs. The tonality and musicality is very different. You get this analog sound that you will never have with the internal DAC in the NEO. If you did not hear an R2R DAC, I strongly encourage you to do so. You will understand what I mean