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Due to the election results, I scurried out of the USA and moved quickly to Australia and could not bring all my LP's/ SACD's and R2R's. I could not haul all of my media on such short notice, so now I rely on Spotify @ 320kps premium abroad for my audio library. (ok, so it wasn't just the election, there was a girl involved too, and I do still have all my media but it's in the USA and not here in AUS, sorry...)
My question is, as a streaming newbie, how can one make the most of this somewhat limited (in quality not quantity) source? I have an audiophool system here in AUS but all I have done so far is hook up a $20 Bluetooth receiver module to my preamp inputs and I am streaming 320kps Spotify like nobody's business. Sounds acceptable but I'm wondering if there is anything more to reek out of this setup. The $20 BT receiver probably has some limited DACs in it....
Thinking back to the time 20 years ago when Mark Levinson (the man) who was setting up algorithms to "fix and restore" all the original mp3's).....just seeing how far we have come.
Regards,
Joel
Follow Ups:
Two other scenarios, not really audiophile, but not worth worring about:
1. Google Chromecast Audio. Stream from iPhone via Spotify app feature. The device has optical out for integration with a better DAC. BTW, there is a LMS plugin that allows the Google dongle to be a Squeezeboc client but I haven't tried it yet.
2. Apple Airport Express. Streams from the iPhone. Also has toslink for later integration to a DAC. See link below for more info.
Sorry but I can't comment on which devices handle high bitrates.
My solution at home is the Chromecast audio when I want the nicer Spotify interface and LMS feeding 4 Squeezebox clients the rest of the time.
Cheers mate!
Thanks all for the replies. I should have stated that currently I am streaming Spotify wirelessly off my iPhone 7 directly to the cheap Bluetooth receiver connected to my system.
I did luckily bring along my laptop and my EMU 0404 USB DAC to AUS:
http://www.creative.com/emu/products/product.aspx?pid=15185
From what I am piecing together from reading your responses, a better approach to stream Spotify would be to use my laptop and connect it to the above DAC and then to my preamp?
I guess I could easily try it and see if it yields better sound then the wireless iphone7 to Bluetooth approach.
Thanks again!!!
Regards,
Joel
That would yield much better sound is buy a Raspberry Pi (Around $75) and Download PiCorePlayer and then run LMS... Both Free. Streaming Spotify with this will improve the SQ immensely.You have to be mildly competent with Computers. If you can't do it, find almost any 11 year old to help you. A 15 minute task.
Cut-Throat
Edits: 11/10/16 11/10/16
Thank you, I shall investigate this!
Regards,
Joel
For the Future, Get all of your Music Ripped to Disk and then you'll be able to carry it in your shirt Pocket. I've got over 5,000 albums stored in FLAC files. I can carry a 2TB Hard Drive in my pocket, when I winter in the Bahamas.
BTW - I still mostly listen to Spotify anyway. 25 Million Track Library vs my paltry Library of 55,000 Tracks.
Cut-Throat
Yes cut-throat, I have the same thing going as you. I have 2 external hard drives here with 16/44.1 or better stuff on them but like you, it's around 75,000 tracks which does not compare to 40 million plus on spotify. ;)
In my "old age" I have finally come to grips with the fact that for me a little less quality is worth the convenience and vast catalog Spotify or other streaming services offer for a small monthly fee. It's never going to replace my lp's or hi-rez material for serious listening, but for in the car or just background listening, Spotify has its place for me.
Regards,
Joel
As PAR mentioned ditch the bluetooth and try an outboard DAC direct to your preamp. If you're on a Mac, software like Audirvana Plus or Pure Music may be able to help 'tailor' the sound of the stream. I'm sure there's similar software for Windows.A 320kbps bitrate isn't that bad, especially if it's AAC. AAC has been shown to sound better than MP3 at a given bitrate. But neither will be quite as good as CD quality.
IMHO bluetooth is crap so anything you can do to eliminate it should help.
Edits: 11/10/16
"IMHO bluetooth is crap so anything you can do to eliminate it should help."
While bluetooth audio is certainly not comparable to CD or hi-res, you should check out some newer Bluetooth DACs before you call bluetooth audio "crap". I absolutely love my Auris bluMe DAC through which I stream Spotify/foobar2000 and others.
if not better than most.
....sound better than MP3, that was the main point. MP3 is ancient but too many audiophiles associate 'streaming' music over the internet with MP3.
That would fix everything for a few AUS $$ a month.
You can't even subscribe to Qobuz in the majority of EU countries so I think Aus is more than a little unlikely. In fact there are complaints from users of Sonos in Aus that the Qobuz option does not work there. Apparently it is however OK in French Polynesia I am given to understand. I expect that those territories are part of France per se.
No good trying register using an address in a compatible country as they now don't ask for such details (I opened my account yesterday). So they clearly check by IP address which is also used to take you to the right page for subscribing i.e. I can't see the French website. Otherwise your advice is right on the money. The flac option sound quality is excellent. I'm loving it (er, hasn't someone else coined that phrase?). Except its UI, of course.
so the QOBUZ app would be available on my SONOS system. OK, a couple US streaming services that I do not use instantly became unavailable when I re-registered (Rhapsody?) but I don't care.
SONOS isn't my main player but it's nice for background anywhere in the house where one playlist fits all.
I managed to back-door into QOBUZ from the US years ago and upgraded to full service while visiting France. Using a French address and paying via PayPal in Euros seems to work. Others who registered in Europe and moved here and to other areas not covered by QOBUZ seem to be doing OK as well.
My limited experience using two good systems is that the limitations of 320 kb/s MP3 remain irrespective of how good the components decoding it are. in fact perhaps it may be better to go for worse rather than better equipment to somehow "mask" the deficiencies.
Nevertheless I have friends who enjoy Spotify Premium with decent audio kit. However their preferred music is of a different genre to mine (jazz compared to classical. It is orchestral string sound that I find "difficult" with MP3).
So, using my friends' experience as your model rather than mine, I suggest dumping the BT receiver and , say, hooking up a little laptop PC (second hand?) via USB or a coax-USB converter to a decent inexpensive DAC (Schiit?).
You don't give us any idea of budget or your physical circumstances. The latter perhaps affecting the number of boxes and connections that you can deal with.
So, if there are limitations to what you can encompass, maybe this device could be better than you are using:
Assuming Spotify is running on a PC:
- PC receives 320 kbs MP3
- PC converts MP3 to PCM
- PCM is send to Bluetooth radio
- Bluetooth convert to SBC
- Bluetooth receiver converts SBC to PCM
- PCM is converted to analog by receiver DAC
An option would be to use a good quality USB DAC and connect this to the audio.
http://www.thewelltemperedcomputer.com/HW/USB_DAC.htm
The Well Tempered Computer
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