[marcus2704]

I bought a iPad mini with the idea of using it to control music played to my existing setup.

I have a XI Audio stack. The iPad is connected via USB to the Sagre DAC, which in turn connects to the Formula S amp, which feeds my headphones. I assumed, and wanted, the iPad to be nothing much more than a way for me to control the music being played via the Tidal app.

What I have found is that the volume is noticeably lower then when I do the same via my PC. I can basically max the volume of the Formula S when using the iPad in the chain, which isnt the case with the desktop PC. The volume button have no effect on playback, which is what I would expect.

I just wanted it to be a more elegant way of controlling music and with this I could also switch off the PC. Yet it does appear to be having an effect on the sound level which I wouldn't expect given that its supposedly doing no more than passing along a digital signal to the DAC.

Any idea why the iPad appears to be affecting my chain in this way?

 

[ProtegeManiac]

I bought a iPad mini with the idea of using it to control music played to my existing setup.

I have a XI Audio stack. The iPad is connected via USB to the Sagre DAC, which in turn connects to the Formula S amp, which feeds my headphones. I assumed, and wanted, the iPad to be nothing much more than a way for me to control the music being played via the Tidal app.

What I have found is that the volume is noticeably lower then when I do the same via my PC. I can basically max the volume of the Formula S when using the iPad in the chain, which isnt the case with the desktop PC. The volume button have no effect on playback, which is what I would expect.

I just wanted it to be a more elegant way of controlling music and with this I could also switch off the PC. Yet it does appear to be having an effect on the sound level which I wouldn't expect given that its supposedly doing no more than passing along a digital signal to the DAC.

Any idea why the iPad appears to be affecting my chain in this way?

If the DAC can't be powered properly by the iPad it may work but the output level might be lower voltage.

 

[marcus2704]

It leaves this whole iPad idea as pretty pointless. I will just stick to using my PC and not try to create problems for myself

 

[ProtegeManiac]

It leaves this whole iPad idea as pretty pointless. I will just stick to using my PC and not try to create problems for myself

You can use it as a remote there. That's how I use smartphones now after some Android update messed up how they work with my USB2.0 DAC.

1. Spotify app on desktop connected to speakers via BT, smartphone Spotify app as remote so I don't flip windows
2. HiBy Link allows smartphone to control playback on DAP just sitting on the table feeding a line out signal to headphone amp

 

[marcus2704]

Nice idea. At the moment Tidal Connect is not available to let me control the desktop app via my iPhone/iPad but is meant to be coming. I could resurrect the Bluesound Node I have in the loft and use that however.

 

[buke9]

Not for sure how you have everything setup but have you tried Roon?

 

[marcus2704]

I had the trial for Roon once but felt it more geared towards locally stored music when I pretty much only use Tidal.

I admit to being baffled as to why the volume is so much lower when using the iPad connected to the DAC. In my head, in this configuration the iPad is doing little more than sending 1s and 0s digitally to the DAC.

I will be trying out my old Bluesound Node 2 in the next few days to see what, if any, improvement I get over using the iPad.

 

[buke9]

I had the trial for Roon once but felt it more geared towards locally stored music when I pretty much only use Tidal.

I admit to being baffled as to why the volume is so much lower when using the iPad connected to the DAC. In my head, in this configuration the iPad is doing little more than sending 1s and 0s digitally to the DAC.

I will be trying out my old Bluesound Node 2 in the next few days to see what, if any, improvement I get over using the iPad.

I use Roon with Tidal and Qobuz as well as local.

 

[iFi audio]

Nice idea. At the moment Tidal Connect is not available to let me control the desktop app via my iPhone/iPad but is meant to be coming. I could resurrect the Bluesound Node I have in the loft and use that however.

Not sure whether this is of any help and if I got your setup right, but if I were you I'd probably have a think about a streamer that could output digital into your DAC. That way you could use your iPad only as a remote control device and that's it. The odds are that with a nice streamer your DAC would see a better signal so everything would sound noticeably more enjoyable. Hope this helps, thanks!

 

[marcus2704]

Just to round this off, I grabbed the Bluesound Node 2 I bought way back in 2015 and its connected via optical to the Sagre DAC, works perfectly and easy for me to control whats playing via the iPad and the BlueOS app.

 

[iFi audio]

Just to round this off, I grabbed the Bluesound Node 2 I bought way back in 2015 and its connected via optical to the Sagre DAC, works perfectly and easy for me to control whats playing via the iPad and the BlueOS app.

Yup, that's what I meant! Enjoy!