Sonic Satori - HRT Levels the Field with the MicroStreamer

[Gilly87]

Well what music player DO you use? Odds are its the weak link in the chain

I'm using a wireless seagate hard drive via wifi. These are raw flac files. iTunes is never used and I'm not using the default music player.

 

[gyx11]

hi guys I've been attempting to navigate this thread to find some answers but my lack of technical knowledge regarding tech terms is really showing up.

my question is, what are the key differences between the microstreamer, musicstreamer2, and the musicstreamer2+? in terms of sound quality, dac chip and hp amplifier of both and their output modes.

preferably in layman terms too please! thanks guys, really appreciate all the contribution in this thread (those I can understand properly anyway)

 

[Kevin_Halverson]

The latest release of Android OS has diminished support for USB audio devices.  The work around is to use a media player with its own USB host stack like USB Audio Player Pro (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.extreamsd.usbaudioplayerpro)
 
If you have any additional questions, please feel free to contact our support staff: support@hirestech.com
 
Kevin Halverson
CTO
High Resolution Technologies, LLC
 

Having a bit of trouble using the microstreamer with my Android device.

Previously, the uS was working my Samsung Galaxy S3 when it was running Android 4.1.2.

Now that I have upgraded my phone to Android 4.3, I can't for the life of me get it to work. When I connect it the phone recognises the device is connected, but when I try to play any music through either the default player or Neutron, no sound comes out. Furthermore, the player appears to 'skip' through the track at 3-5 second intervals.

Anyone have any ideas?

 

[Debennett2]

Well what music player DO you use? Odds are its the weak link in the chain

8player
Aceplayer

I've tried a couple others. Maybe I'm going about accessing the files on the wireless seagate hard drove the wrong way? I mean I'm just browsing to the music folder on the drive and playing the files....all of which are hi-res.

No matter what the microstreamer says it's 44k. The only thing that was higher was I believe when I tried the onkyo player and played the only local file I have via iTunes. ...it up converted to 48k.

 

[mikemercer]

8player
Aceplayer

I've tried a couple others. Maybe I'm going about accessing the files on the wireless seagate hard drove the wrong way? I mean I'm just browsing to the music folder on the drive and playing the files....all of which are hi-res.

No matter what the microstreamer says it's 44k. The only thing that was higher was I believe when I tried the onkyo player and played the only local file I have via iTunes. ...it up converted to 48k.

 
I love the microStreamer w/ my iPad
wish I had a pic..
But I use it alot.
 
I even busted out my ol' Headstreamer and hooked it up to my iPad2 (which is a terrific transport btw). I know @HiFiGuy528 thinks so too. I use it more often when I'm messing around with audio on it! I got a MacBook Pro for all the internet stuff, my wifey used it for all kinds of stuff though - 
 
I think the Headstreamer was the first non-Apple approved (unlike the iStreamer, which was the worlds FIRST iDevice DAC - not just a dock, or a means to pull the data to COAX like the Wadia - requiring a DAC - the iStreamer has RCA outs - and blew up in the car audio scene because people are putting iPads into their cars, LOL - just some info in my head...)

 
 
HEY Kevin!!
See, we're still goin' STRONG!
Tell the peeps at HRT social (I used to run it YRS ago) to ping out
about the Thread! Been doin our thing for awhile now here! Dedicated to your love of music, and your damn genius.
Sorry if I embarrassed you in any way by shootin' off like that -

 

[gyx11]

hi guys I've been attempting to navigate this thread to find some answers but my lack of technical knowledge regarding tech terms is really showing up.

my question is, what are the key differences between the microstreamer, musicstreamer2, and the musicstreamer2+? in terms of sound quality, dac chip and hp amplifier of both and their output modes.

preferably in layman terms too please! thanks guys, really appreciate all the contribution in this thread (those I can understand properly anyway)

bumpity bump. need a quick reply soon cos i need to place my order soon.

from what i understand, the microstreamer is a small amp/dac with mini usb in and 3.5mm out, whereas for the musicstreamer2 is slightly larger, with mini usb in and coax out? the musicstreamer2+ being basically an upgrade.

what other differences are there, particularly in SQ?

cheers all

 

[jarrett]

From the user opinions I've read on sound quality, and I was once in your position, the microStreamer is preferred to the Music Streamer II. It's also spec'd better on HRT's website. I use it solely as a DAC. The microStreamer came out in 2013, Music Streamer II in 2010

 

[mikemercer]

bumpity bump. need a quick reply soon cos i need to place my order soon.


from what i understand, the microstreamer is a small amp/dac with mini usb in and 3.5mm out, whereas for the musicstreamer2 is slightly larger, with mini usb in and coax out? the musicstreamer2+ being basically an upgrade.


what other differences are there, particularly in SQ?


cheers all

The HRT Music Streamers (II & II+) are USB DACS, both have USB input (A) and RCA outputs.

The microStreamer has mini-USB input, and two 3.5mm outputs. The microStreamer has 2 outputs because one is the headphone amp output (this is also a headphone amp/DAC) and the other is straight up 2.25v line-out for use as a USB DAC.

So the microStreamer has an additional function as a headphone amp. To me. Having reviewed the original Music Streamer before working for HRT for a bit - can say the SQ is consistent across their products - you just get more as you go up (larger soundstaging, dynamic range, etc) but all of them are top-quality DACS! We put the MSII+ up against a 10K DAC and it blew it away!!

 

[gyx11]

The HRT Music Streamers (II & II+) are USB DACS, both have USB input (A) and RCA outputs.

The microStreamer has mini-USB input, and two 3.5mm outputs. The microStreamer has 2 outputs because one is the headphone amp output (this is also a headphone amp/DAC) and the other is straight up 2.25v line-out for use as a USB DAC.

So the microStreamer has an additional function as a headphone amp. To me. Having reviewed the original Music Streamer before working for HRT for a bit - can say the SQ is consistent across their products - you just get more as you go up (larger soundstaging, dynamic range, etc) but all of them are top-quality DACS! We put the MSII+ up against a 10K DAC and it blew it away!!

 

  From the user opinions I've read on sound quality, and I was once in your position, the microStreamer is preferred to the Music Streamer II. It's also spec'd better on HRT's website. I use it solely as a DAC. The microStreamer came out in 2013, Music Streamer II in 2010

I think the Microstreamer is what I'll be getting then!

Cheers guys!

 

[jazzman7]

8player
Aceplayer

I've tried a couple others. Maybe I'm going about accessing the files on the wireless seagate hard drove the wrong way? I mean I'm just browsing to the music folder on the drive and playing the files....all of which are hi-res.

No matter what the microstreamer says it's 44k. The only thing that was higher was I believe when I tried the onkyo player and played the only local file I have via iTunes. ...it up converted to 48k.

@Debennett2, I have the Seagate Wireless Plus drive and have used the native Seagate app to play hi-res files through the microStreamer.  Unfortunately, I get skipping after a few seconds of playback (intermittent audio dropouts).  Someone on this thread (cmarti?) said that one can fix the skipping problems with hi-res playback by rewriting feedback values in the microStreamer's registers, but I don't want to brick my DAC so I'm not going there.    
 
One thing you can test right now though:  If you have the Onkyo HF Player, go to the Settings there and turn on Upsampling Mode.  Once you do, see if you get skipping when playing back regular music files.  They should be up sampled to 88.2kHz or 96kHz, and the appropriate lights on the mS will light up.  I get dropouts starting a few seconds after I make the switch to Upsampling Mode.  If you have that problem, you'd need to fix that before you can play back high-sample-rate files.

 

[jarrett]

Great
 
I guess the only pro for the MSII would be that it has stereo left/right RCA outputs

 

[Debennett2]

  @Debennett2, I have the Seagate Wireless Plus drive and have used the native Seagate app to play hi-res files through the microStreamer.  Unfortunately, I get skipping after a few seconds of playback (intermittent audio dropouts).  Someone on this thread (cmarti?) said that one can fix the skipping problems with hi-res playback by rewriting feedback values in the microStreamer's registers, but I don't want to brick my DAC so I'm not going there.    
 
One thing you can test right now though:  If you have the Onkyo HF Player, go to the Settings there and turn on Upsampling Mode.  Once you do, see if you get skipping when playing back regular music files.  They should be up sampled to 88.2kHz or 96kHz, and the appropriate lights on the mS will light up.  I get dropouts starting a few seconds after I make the switch to Upsampling Mode.  If you have that problem, you'd need to fix that before you can play back high-sample-rate files.

I used the onkyo player again and played a local file (on the ipad itself). After a few seconds of showing it as 44k (on the microstreamer), it changed to 96k on the dac. 
 
However, if I open up, lets say 8player, then browse to my Seagate for any of the HR 96k files that work just fine elsewhere, they play back at 44k...... VERY frustrating.
I just even downloaded VLC and tried that one. Everything plays just fine....however, the microstreamer is saying its playing back at 44k......... UGH!

 

[Debennett2]

  I used the onkyo player again and played a local file (on the ipad itself). After a few seconds of showing it as 44k (on the microstreamer), it changed to 96k on the dac. 
 
However, if I open up, lets say 8player, then browse to my Seagate for any of the HR 96k files that work just fine elsewhere, they play back at 44k...... VERY frustrating.
I just even downloaded VLC and tried that one. Everything plays just fine....however, the microstreamer is saying its playing back at 44k......... UGH!

Anyone think my microstreamer is bad? I need to process a return via Amazon if that's the case.
 
Thanks!

 

[domes]

Best things to do is check with support at HRT.  I continue to be impressed with the micro streamer and have heard 3 other DACs so far. I keep going back to the micro streamer.  Don't give up on it. 

 

[Kevin_Halverson]

  Anyone think my microstreamer is bad? I need to process a return via Amazon if that's the case.
 
Thanks!

Your host/media player is SRC (sample rate converting) the source material.  The microStreamer (or any audio device from any manufacturer for that matter) has absolutely no control over the sample rate, this is exclusively the domain of the host platform.  The microStreamer is simply 'informing' you of what the host is doing.
 
Kevin Halverson
CTO
High Resolution Technologies, LLC