[Keno18]

I still use the T1>Vali2 setup. As well, I am looking at streaming, have been using Tidal via its own app. Now, Tidal and Qobuz on roon and Audirvana+, and Amazon for streaming and foobar2000 and Jriver for my files. Completely bewildered with choice. I am leaning towards Amazon HD on its native app, too, and foobar2000 for my files. roon sounds gorgeous but it is a ripoff; Qobuz maybe is better than Tidal, however, I think Amazon is going to further improve and win because it has both numbers in audience and financial means. Once someone writes an extension to stream Amazon HD on foobar2000 I hope to arrive where I want to be. Unless, of course, someone can explain to me why roon or audirvana+ or jriver are worth my money.

I've read that Qobuz has better sound quality than Tidal, but the hi-res is more costly. My only complaint about Amazon is that the stream has momentary dropouts here and there, but I'm going to stick with it for a while to see if it improves. I've been able to stream the Amazon app through Foobar to use the DSD Transcoder. It's a bit of a jury rig but it works. I don't see the need to dish out money for the other apps as the sound quality with what's free seems to be more than sufficient.

 

[Keno18]

Is the screen in color?

Yeah, but the hand-cranked generator is a bit of a drawback.

 

[Paladin79]

I like the the way Amazon works easily with all the devices I have tried. If I want the very top sound quality I can go to other media but for me the SQ is comparable to Tidal for less money.

 

[Old Deaf Donkey]

I've read that Qobuz has better sound quality than Tidal, but the hi-res is more costly. My only complaint about Amazon is that the stream has momentary dropouts here and there, but I'm going to stick with it for a while to see if it improves. I've been able to stream the Amazon app through Foobar to use the DSD Transcoder. It's a bit of a jury rig but it works. I don't see the need to dish out money for the other apps as the sound quality with what's free seems to be more than sufficient.

Would you mind sharing how you stream Amazon through foobar? Or, where can I read about it?

 

[Keno18]

Would you mind sharing how you stream Amazon through foobar? Or, where can I read about it?

I don't mind, but I have to write it up first. It's a little more involved than Tidal. I'll PM you. It's not on the Web.

 

[Ripper2860]

If you don't mind -- add me to the list and PM me too, please.

 

[Old Deaf Donkey]

I don't mind, but I have to write it up first. It's a little more involved than Tidal. I'll PM you. It's not on the Web.

Thank you. So kind. Highly appreciated.

 

[wabe]

I don't mind, but I have to write it up first. It's a little more involved than Tidal. I'll PM you. It's not on the Web.

Add me to the list, please. It would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Keno18]

@Ripper2860, @wabe I've added both of you to the original PM. Please keep it to yourselves until I'm sure the instructions are working properly for eveyone.

 

[Keno18]

I went back to Tidal. The intermittent drop outs were annoying and I found the detail and imaging were better to my ears regardless of sampling rate. Qobuz? I want to hear what Old Deaf Donkey has to say.

 

[Old Deaf Donkey]

I went back to Tidal. The intermittent drop outs were annoying and I found the detail and imaging were better to my ears regardless of sampling rate. Qobuz? I want to hear what Old Deaf Donkey has to say.

My aune T1 Mk3 dac supports 24 bit/96kHz according to specs; I am still bewildered and listening for the same tracks on: Amazon unlimited HD both native player and foobar2000 ; and Qobuz on native player, roon, and Audirvana+ 3.5. Everything works well. As to sound quality, completely bewildering: there seem to be subtle differences, but maybe I am imagining. Qobuz seems to sound slightly better than other sources; it seems that there is something slightly more musical playing through roon. However, change the track, and the differences seem to change, too. I simply do not know how to go about it. The monthly costs of services do not matter that much to me. I like Qobuz native app, it is the best. Amazon native app downsamples 24bit/96kHz tracks to 16/44.1 on my PC and offers little control over this, so on its own it is not an option at all; however, playing Amazon through foobar seems to give up to 24/192 (despite the DAC specs?). Tidal app is too limited. So unless I discover something else I plan to switch from Tidal to Amazon, and if smth fails - to Qobuz when my trial ends.

 

[Keno18]

My aune T1 Mk3 dac supports 24 bit/96kHz according to specs; I am still bewildered and listening for the same tracks on: Amazon unlimited HD both native player and foobar2000 ; and Qobuz on native player, roon, and Audirvana+ 3.5. Everything works well. As to sound quality, completely bewildering: there seem to be subtle differences, but maybe I am imagining. Qobuz seems to sound slightly better than other sources; it seems that there is something slightly more musical playing through roon. However, change the track, and the differences seem to change, too. I simply do not know how to go about it. The monthly costs of services do not matter that much to me. I like Qobuz native app, it is the best. Amazon native app downsamples 24bit/96kHz tracks to 16/44.1 on my PC and offers little control over this, so on its own it is not an option at all; however, playing Amazon through foobar seems to give up to 24/192 (despite the DAC specs?). Tidal app is too limited. So unless I discover something else I plan to switch from Tidal to Amazon, and if smth fails - to Qobuz when my trial ends.

I agree that the Tidal app is not as good as Qobuz or Amazon. But I like the sound. I just tried Qobuz at the CD level and found the SQ to be less detailed than Tidal. The higher levels are more than I want to spend. I'll give Amazon another shot at a later date. Interesting how Foobar works with the higher sampling rate. I'll have to set up a test rig to try that out.

 

[Old Deaf Donkey]

Interesting how Foobar works with the higher sampling rate. I'll have to set up a test rig to try that out.

But of course Amazon app shows the virtual cable setting as "device capability", not the real rate it is transmitting to DAC. I only assume DAC plays it as in track encoding to its maximum specs.

 

[Ripper2860]

My Topping D50 DAC has a OLED display that shows the incoming data stream sample and bit rate. I can confirm that the VCable / Foobar stream is being sent to the DAC at 192/24 via Amazon.

 

[Keno18]

My Topping D50 DAC has a OLED display that shows the incoming data stream sample and bit rate. I can confirm that it is being sent to the DAC at 192/24.

That makes sense because the whole chain is set to 192 k. That's done so that you don't have to reset foobar's recorder plugin every time the sampling rate changes with a different track. If a track is recorded at 44.1 k it gets up sampled to 192 k. A 96 k track also gets up sampled to 192 k. If that's not done you'd have to reset the chain every time the rate changes.