Looking to Improve My Streaming Experience

[NipperDog]

I’m new to streaming and currently stream Spotify from my MacBook Air into a Peachtree Nova 125SE integrated amp with a built-in DAC through its 24/192 asynchronous USB input.

 

I don’t know if I’m doing all I can to squeeze the best sound out of my system.

 

Is there a way to improve on the way I’m listening to Spotify Premium? I currently have my settings on "High Quality Streaming" (320kbs.)

 

I’ve heard that there are software choices like Amarra and others, but know absolutely nothing about them and don’t know if I would even benefit by using any of them.

 

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

[realhifi]

On 6/8/2017 at 5:00 PM, Route 66 said:

I’m new to streaming and currently stream Spotify from my MacBook Air into a Peachtree Nova 125SE integrated amp with a built-in DAC through its 24/192 asynchronous USB input.

 

I don’t know if I’m doing all I can to squeeze the best sound out of my system.

 

Is there a way to improve on the way I’m listening to Spotify Premium? I currently have my settings on "High Quality Streaming" (320kbs.)

 

I’ve heard that there are software choices like Amarra and others, but know absolutely nothing about them and don’t know if I would even benefit by using any of them.

 

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

First thing to do is to switch to Tidal so that you are at least listening to cd quality streaming. If you wan a way to control Tidal from a tablet then Roon is the way to go. Not cheap solutions but you sound like you've got a solid amp and Dac so this would be the obvious next step in streaming. 

 

PS.  This can all be installed on your MacBook so no hardware changes needed. 

[NipperDog]

38 minutes ago, realhifi said:

First thing to do is to switch to Tidal so that you are at least listening to cd quality streaming. If you wan a way to control Tidal from a tablet then Roon is the way to go. Not cheap solutions but you sound like you've got a solid amp and Dac so this would be the obvious next step in streaming. 

 

PS.  This can all be installed on your MacBook so no hardware changes needed. 

Thanks for your response. I tried Tidal lossless for a couple of months but found that they just didn't have a lot of the music I was looking for. They seem to be geared towards Hip Hop and Rap fans, and I'm just not into that. Spotify on the other hand, has most of what I want to hear and its very intuitive to use.

 

I'll definitely look into Roon; it sounds like that would be a handy app to have.

 

[sockpit]

Qobuz is like tidal without the hip hop hype.  Classical and jazz selection is better and their app is outstanding, really good sounding too.  You can vpn in to it, if you are not in country they serve right now.  About $25/month with current exchange rate with the pound.

 

if you try it and can't hear a difference from Spotify, then revert to it, for it has both selection and good interface. Roon is expensive and if you don't have a large collection of ripped music you want to integrate seemlessly with Tidal, it's overkill imho.

[Melvin]

On 6/8/2017 at 5:00 PM, Route 66 said:

Is there a way to improve on the way I’m listening to Spotify Premium? I currently have my settings on "High Quality Streaming" (320kbs.)

 

Sonic Studio's Amarra sQ+ may interest you. It's designed for exactly this purpose (i.e., improving audio streams). From their website:

 

"Amarra sQ+ has Advanced Equalizer control and an audio noise reduction circuit called 'Audio Conditioner'."

 

They offer a 15 day trial if you want to take it for a spin:  Amarra sQ+

[NipperDog]

3 hours ago, Melvin said:

 

Sonic Studio's Amarra sQ+ may interest you. It's designed for exactly this purpose (i.e., improving audio streams). From their website:

 

"Amarra sQ+ has Advanced Equalizer control and an audio noise reduction circuit called 'Audio Conditioner'."

 

They offer a 15 day trial if you want to take it for a spin:  Amarra sQ+

Thanks for the link!  I'm gonna take advantage of the free trial because I have nothing to lose.

 

Do you or anyone else that reads this know if I would benefit by plugging one of the Audioquest Dragonfly products into my unused USB port?

 

 

[Melvin]

3 hours ago, Route 66 said:

Thanks for the link!  I'm gonna take advantage of the free trial because I have nothing to lose.

 

Do you or anyone else that reads this know if I would benefit by plugging one of the Audioquest Dragonfly products into my unused USB port?

 

 

 

Please let us know how you like sQ+ after a bit. I've not used a Dragonfly but I'm sure someone will chime in. Best.

[sockpit]

Don't want to dampen your experimentation, but beware that Amarra software is notoriously buggy.  SQ plus is perhaps the exception to the rule; at least the feedback. Seems better with it than other Amarra products.  I'd steer clear of amarra 4Tidal.  There is a thread on user woes on that misspelled Amara 4 Tidal 2.0, I think.  

 

I tried the usual USB regenerators and ended up eventually networked to a uRendu fed by an uptone LPS -1.  Am very pleased with the result.  Control is my iPad via lumin or the Qobuz app.

[NipperDog]

19 minutes ago, sockpit said:

Don't want to dampen your experimentation, but beware that Amarra software is notoriously buggy.  SQ plus is perhaps the exception to the rule; at least the feedback. Seems better with it than other Amarra products.  I'd steer clear of amarra 4Tidal.  There is a thread on user woes on that misspelled Amara 4 Tidal 2.0, I think.  

 

Thanks for the tip, I'll keep that in mind. 

 

19 minutes ago, sockpit said:

 

I tried the usual USB regenerators and ended up eventually networked to a uRendu fed by an uptone LPS -1.  Am very pleased with the result.  Control is my iPad via lumin or the Qobuz app.

 

OMG, I have no idea what any of this means.

 

I'm new to computer audio and even newer to streaming music. I've been into analog audio for many years, but the digital end of is foreign to me. Do you know if there's a thread or an area of this forum or even a book that would help me get up to speed on all this stuff.

[sockpit]

I learned everything I've neede to her on CA!  It's fun.

 

Sorry.  So their are gizmos like the dragonfly or the uptown regen or the Wired for Sound RuR that try to clean up the USB feed to your DAC, which is one place to attach digititus or some of the harshness that is associated with computer generate signal.  Or, you can eventually take your computer out of the equation with a dedicated renderer like the uRendu.  There is a thread I originated called uRendu for Newbies when I was starting out.  Youll see how much people pitched in to help me.

 

the LPS-1 is a high quality power supply for the uRendu.  Clean power, too, is important for getting digital to sound as good or better than analogue.

 

[Melvin]

3 hours ago, sockpit said:

beware that Amarra software is notoriously buggy.  SQ plus is perhaps the exception to the rule

 

In general yes, but you're right about sQ+ being the exception. I use it often enough and without issue so it seems quite stable and bug free to me. The set up can be a bit confusing (lack of details) but the online manual is a big help

[NipperDog]

2 hours ago, sockpit said:

I learned everything I've neede to her on CA!  It's fun.

 

Sorry.  So their are gizmos like the dragonfly or the uptown regen or the Wired for Sound RuR that try to clean up the USB feed to your DAC, which is one place to attach digititus or some of the harshness that is associated with computer generate signal.  Or, you can eventually take your computer out of the equation with a dedicated renderer like the uRendu.  There is a thread I originated called uRendu for Newbies when I was starting out.  Youll see how much people pitched in to help me.

 

the LPS-1 is a high quality power supply for the uRendu.  Clean power, too, is important for getting digital to sound as good or better than analogue.

 

Thanks for taking the time to feed me smaller bites...or should I say bytes. 

 

I'm going to find and read the thread you mentioned about uRendu and maybe it'll help me to understand all of this a little better.