Stream PLEX, Tidal, Spotify, Chromecast & ROON for $50 with Xiaomi's Mi Box S

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  • Опубликовано: 2 окт 2024
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Комментарии • 379

  • @frantisekfurstenceller9453
    @frantisekfurstenceller9453 4 года назад +61

    I actually like these kind of videos more than the reviews,,,like your raspPI vids, Plex etc,,,, don't get me wrong, your reviews are bar far the best, but these kinda "how to" videos are really helpful,,,John, you are the master of audio for me, seriously,,,keep up the good work,,,

    • @bobnot24
      @bobnot24 4 года назад +2

      Exactly. Hifi and midfi videos are excellent content but also appreciate the practical issues of enjoying digital music. Nothing worse than battling endless quirks in supposedly new world of WAF friendly audio without physical media.

  • @franselaya4624
    @franselaya4624 4 года назад +5

    For bit perfect I instaled the apk of Neutron in the Xiaomi mi box, And conect to the usb my 1tb hard disk with my music in flac. Tv via hdmi with xiaomi mi box and after connect via mini toslink with my Denon pma600ne .

  • @chrisgblues
    @chrisgblues 4 года назад +40

    4:49 “Ten inches is more than enough”.
    That’s what she said.

  • @JohnDonovanjr
    @JohnDonovanjr 4 года назад +1

    I built my version of this setup around the Nvidia Shield. Anyone thinking about going down this path would do well to consider using the much more powerful Shield. I've run it for more than a year and simply love it. Combining the Berliner Philharmoniker's Digital Concert Hall App with the Shield's upscaled 4k video stream is outstanding! I would be happy to go into more detail on my configuration if anyone is interested.

    • @JohnDonovanjr
      @JohnDonovanjr 4 года назад +1

      Can't speak to the Mi-Box but Nvidia's long term support for the Shield has been solid. It has a track record of both hardware and software updates that is rare for these type of devices. I run USB out of the Shield to a Schitt Eitr (just to clean things up a bit) and then run the Eitr's SPDIF out to my Primare I15. Works great!

  • @DarkoAudio
    @DarkoAudio  4 года назад +8

    Please ensure your comment is 1) on topic, 2) advances the conversation, 3) free of URLs and 4) devoid of conspiracy theories, hubris, racism and misogyny. Kindly keep it civil.
    And no, MQA is not possible here as Android TV OS isn't bitperfect.
    Roon rides on Chromecast.

  • @suncani
    @suncani 4 года назад +5

    I use Mi box S optical output via optical cable (10 meters) to my RME Babyface audio interface and I have been very happy for a lomg time. I also connect my USB dongle DAC E1DA 9038S to Mi box S amd it works without drivers and soumds amazing. No need for Raspberry Pi plus HAT board plus fancy linear power supply. Superb streamer with usb and optical out. Cheers John. God bless.

  • @pferletel
    @pferletel 4 года назад +2

    Great! I use this configuration and it's FANTASTIC.

  • @SlowMenThinking
    @SlowMenThinking 4 года назад +1

    Xiaomi have been making some great stuff a lot of it quite often is rebranded to other mainstream brands! Got back in to streaming recently using a Raspberry pi Zero W as a playback into a FX-Audio dac (cost more than the Pi Zero) and am using a Raspberry Pi 4 8GB as a server During testing of the playback Pi Found I could get it to do the out put to a screen thing, Love this idea as a turnkey setup (Yes I rolled my own software choices and scripts as an exercise). I am surprised by how much off the shelf stuff exists now from the bad old days back 20 odd years ago... Keep up the videos

  • @monochromios
    @monochromios 4 года назад +9

    When I saw the beloved Dragonfly Red has been the moment you got me. Great video and great attitude in diffusing great stuff. Thank you for sharing.

  • @brianw3822
    @brianw3822 4 года назад

    Ordered one up. I am kinda on the wait an see with streamers and dacs. Been using GCA into dacs for a while. I have a Marantz 8006 which has 2 optical. a coax and usb so I can hookup multiples easily. What sold me was your article which said gapless with Spotify, Tidal, and Plex, which is everything I use. It will be great to listen to Pink Floyd again. Someday I will find my perfect streamer but for now $65 on Amazon is ok with me.

  • @romanbednar5917
    @romanbednar5917 Год назад +2

    Well, little bit late for the party... But I just found out, that usb audio player pro, which you can download from developers site apparently for free for android tv devices atm, sideload that apk and it takes control of USB interface of this little box, creates upnp receiver and now you can stream gappless audio up to 24/192 from any source you like over upnp. You are welcome ;)

    • @thesmix5763
      @thesmix5763 Год назад

      Do you have a link for this apk? thanks in advance

  • @onmywatch9165
    @onmywatch9165 3 года назад

    I got the same setup.. totally eliminated the bluetooth connectivity… the only difference is i hook a tube preamp then receiver to make it more tube & warm sounding system.
    Now we get the best of both worlds with this cheap tiny box.. watch movies with hdmi and listen to quality music with audio out!

  • @toddhudson9653
    @toddhudson9653 4 года назад +3

    The secret lies in the magic puck. You've had it for years showing it out in the background of many of your videos throughout time and I know therein lies the secret of your Hi-Res audio gear. ;)

  • @HN-vd5nd
    @HN-vd5nd 2 года назад

    Thats handy that you can also use the USB to connect a dragonfly or another DAC. IN theory, you could also perhaps use the usb out to add extra digitals outs, like the Topping D10, which also gives the option of not just a TOSLINK but also SPDIF Digital Coaxial or if not the topping another type of USB to digital out connector that are cheaper to connect, i.e to a DAC/Active speakers/Amp or receiver that may only have Coax ond no toslink input. I got this handy little USB to TOSLINK and COAX converter to connect to a laptop/phone so that I can give the SCHIIT MODI a proper, full power supply (can go for a iFI 50 quid one if you like) rather than the phones power, via usb and then TOSLNIKed to the Schiit. Could do this to the Rasberry pie to prevent USB noise, cicuit jitter too.

  • @patrickangeloamable7784
    @patrickangeloamable7784 4 года назад +10

    I didn't know the Mi Box S have toslink output. Good to know

  • @johnpereira2910
    @johnpereira2910 4 года назад

    Thank you so much for that tip about connecting a USB DAC. My Sabah Da3 works perfectly. This Xiaomi box is a wonderful piece of kit and at such an affordable price!

  • @Christos9
    @Christos9 4 года назад +4

    Would you have gapless playback with Spotify connect, if you install the Spotify app on the Box?

  • @loucipher7782
    @loucipher7782 2 года назад +1

    when he poke that dragonfly into the usb my first reaction was
    "err does it even work like that?"
    and guess what? he didnt even show us it can play sound like that through the usb lol
    if its windows sure, but this linux might not have the support at all

  • @krycekaiolfi
    @krycekaiolfi Год назад +1

    Is it possible to use it without connecting it to any monitor at all? Doesn't it turn on without it? I mean, after configuring it, can't I unplug it and use just the audio output?

  • @iamdorusyt
    @iamdorusyt 4 года назад

    Looks like the Mi Box S can be a super nice combo with the Schiit Modi.

  • @pudedward6826
    @pudedward6826 4 года назад +3

    Have you any views on the Arylic S50pro, supports Tidal, amongst others and has optical out.

    • @elcastillo8531
      @elcastillo8531 4 года назад +1

      Yes please, I have been looking for a solid review on this as well

  • @mauroquilenan1860
    @mauroquilenan1860 3 года назад

    xiaomi mi box > hdmi > TV > toslink > monitors would work the same? I mean, theres any kind of loss adding a TV in between?? Nice video!!

  • @gpearce11
    @gpearce11 2 года назад +2

    Thank you for finaly showing a Chromecast Audio replacement that actually features Chromecast. I'm sick of seeing videos about "the new CCA replacement" steamer (e.g. Wiim Mini), that don't actually have Chromecast.

  • @victorvannatter312
    @victorvannatter312 2 года назад +2

    It is a great idea thank you. I just do what you said at the beginning. I use a Chromecast into my TV and then optical out to my DAC. Also my TV has airplay so I can use that as well from Apple music on my phone

  • @tonychand4789
    @tonychand4789 4 года назад

    Great video thank you. Maybe a worthy replacement option to my sonos port feeding my patio speakers. I feel like the audio quality took a few steps back from my aging ZP90 that sounds great. Thanks again.

  • @77936fief
    @77936fief 4 года назад

    you can browse your media on your phone using plex and cast it to the plex on the Xiaomi. much easier than using a remote to browse , or use voice commands,since the damn thing dont understand me most of the time

  • @seanrichards9569
    @seanrichards9569 4 года назад +3

    I may have asked this before, but I find myself genuinely confused about ‘native’ vs ‘streamed’ versions of digital audio platforms. This video is awesome but it simply adds more questions than answers for me. It’s a big topic that keeps getting bigger, but whether you do it (or have in the past) or someone else does, I think a thorough breakdown would be very very helpful. A few questions I keep asking: 1. Airplay is a wireless connectivity protocol, so when you connect a streamer with Apple Music (or at more consumer level the Apple TV 4K), is it even possible to use Airplay to control this as a native source? How would one justify paying for an Apple Music subscription if you can’t easily have it playing Natively while listening to the system you’ve invested $$$ in? 2. Like Spotify Connect, are services like Tidal and Amazon Music expected to have a ‘connect’ aspect to their software in order for it to work natively? A good (very consumer level) example would be putting Tidal on your Android TV, does using phone app as your selector/controller mean it’s natively streamed? As much as that seems like a straightforward thing to ask try looking online for definitive answers, they simply aren’t there in black and white on the company websites. 3. What about Chromecast? Is any (or all) of the audio natively streamed? 4. More to the point of this video, is your searching of these various solutions because, in essence, none of this works very well?
    As a consumer who wants highest available audio but without the dazzle of $4K spent on some audiophile Streamer (I’ve got my Elacs, Rel and a Hegel but the proverbial buck stops there for me), let alone the practicalities of getting some hifi gear that my wife and 16 year old can just play music from without hassle, it feels like there is a disconnect in the range of conversations happening in the audio world at the moment. How to demystify the options, and put them into categories, so it’s all much clearer? Is this info being discussed in the RUclips space? Where? If not, why not? Thx

    • @UKTonyMagill
      @UKTonyMagill 3 года назад

      Hi Sean, I totally agree with the points you raise and I share your frustration. Last year I decided to invest in some new gear after 20 years and found the complexity of what was on offer mind blowing. So many ways to do things, with huge variations in cost.
      There's certainly a place for RUclips channels which focus on digital audio - the basics and also for those with good knowledge who just want the obvious questions answered when assessing new equipment. So many reviewers assume a high technical knowledge level in the viewer, or miss out what I would consider important or useful detail altogether.

  • @JonizocktSG
    @JonizocktSG 2 года назад +2

    I just love Darkos Reviews. What about using HDMI as audio output? HDMI ist digital and can transfer 32 bit, 192khz since the 1.3 Standard. So a really good AV Receiver with a good dac should sound superb. Or not?

    • @GOW748
      @GOW748 2 года назад

      Great Question! Someone please answer this one ☝️☝️☝️

    • @viktormustonen9225
      @viktormustonen9225 2 года назад

      I almost never start my tv when streaming music with this so you dont have to have the tv turned on at least "i use spotify and kodi

  • @ikhaldeev
    @ikhaldeev 4 года назад +13

    I use this Mi Box S with my Arcam SA20 in a similar way. And I also tried regular Chromecast via HDMI splitter. It is useful to note that Mi Box S will always resample the audio to 48kHz when Chromecast streams at 44.1kHz. At least this what I can see on my amp.
    For Mi Box S with USB DAC you can try to install something like USB Audio Player PRO and get bit-perfect audio, however, there is no 'official' way to do it on Android TV.

    • @gregc7314
      @gregc7314 4 года назад +1

      Bummer. Every Android TV device I have tried resamples to 48kHz. Deal breaker for me.

    • @franselaya4624
      @franselaya4624 4 года назад +2

      I use Neutron apk for bitperfect audio . You can download with aptoide in the xiaomi . Please ,Tell me if this can resolve your problem

    • @ikhaldeev
      @ikhaldeev 4 года назад +3

      @@franselaya4624 Installed it by your suggestion. Looks like it can do bit-perfect audio over USB. but not over optical SPDIF. Still get 48kHz

    • @johnshore3095
      @johnshore3095 2 года назад

      Does an Nvidia Shield do that?

  • @michelmeunier406
    @michelmeunier406 4 года назад +3

    The application Hi-Fi Cast allows gapless with Chromecast.

  • @GrackAlaciN
    @GrackAlaciN 4 года назад +5

    Does the TV/monitor have to be on for it to work with streaming audio, or does it only have to be connected?

    • @fishwinker
      @fishwinker 4 года назад +1

      It doesn't need to be on. I don't know the exact requirements, but I've had it working with the tv turned off.

    • @MartinIrwin
      @MartinIrwin 4 года назад

      Of course it doesn’t have to be on.

    • @matten3309
      @matten3309 4 года назад +1

      Sadly, I gave my mibox s away, so i cannot test. But there is these hdmi-monitor-faker plugs which someone might be interested to use.

    • @GrackAlaciN
      @GrackAlaciN 4 года назад

      @@fishwinker Cool, thanks.

  • @jaybaldwin5376
    @jaybaldwin5376 3 года назад

    Did not know my Chromecast puck has a 3.5mm headphone jack that is also a mini toslink. I guess that means that it bypasses the dac in the Chromecast audio and just uses its streaming function (if put into a DAC)?

  • @christianlango5603
    @christianlango5603 2 года назад

    Hello, is it possible to hear Tidal files in Master quality with this Setup?

  • @RJ_Chicago
    @RJ_Chicago 4 года назад +3

    Hi John. Thanks for the great video. Unless I am mistaken it the Xiaomi a Roon endpoint? You didn’t use the word endpoint in the video. So I wasn’t really clear on that and yes I can research it. Because if it is a Roon endpoint with its USB output this could potentially beat the Blusound Node 2i which has no USB output at a fraction of the price! If the above makes sense could you please do a comparison video between this and the Bluesound Node 2i? Thanks!

    • @RJ_Chicago
      @RJ_Chicago 4 года назад

      John, here is a reply to this question from Roon Labs:
      Hey Richard,
      Thanks for reaching out! While the Xiaomi Mi Box S is not a Roon certified device, you should be able to use it in your audio system with Roon. Some of our users have successfully done so.
      Cheers,
      Rebeka
      How did we do?
      Customer Success Team | Roon Labs
      roon | community | twitter | facebook
      the music player for music lovers
      John, do you have anything else to add? Thanks.

    • @RJ_Chicago
      @RJ_Chicago 4 года назад

      John, so I picked up a Xiaomi Mi Box S at Walmart in the US. It was on sale for only. $49.99 USD. I have it connected via HDMI to a small TV at my work from home desk which shows me what’s playing via Roon, as you showed in the video. I also have it connected via USB to a Mytek Brooklyn DAC+ which is connected via XLR cables to a Schiit Moljnir 2 and XLR connected Mr. Speakers Ether 2 headphones. It sounds wonderful! I looked up Google Cast on the internet and it says it is lossless up to 24/96 which is great for most music. I am unclear if this system does full unfolding of MQA with the Xiaomi. I do have Roon and I do have the Brooklyn DAC+ in the system. But I am wondering if you know of what effect the Xiaomi has, if any on MQA playback? Thanks.

  • @magnoapsantos
    @magnoapsantos 4 года назад

    Great Video, specially for those like me just starting.
    I have a question. What would be the benefit of using the Toslink in a Android Box vs of a SmartTV. I already have Plex on the smartTV and i can control it by my phone using Plex on Android.

  • @krullert1
    @krullert1 Год назад

    Very interesting video! How would you describe the audio quality when you stream spotify and just use the build in aux audio output? Is it okay enough for a high quality sound system?

  • @MuhammadKharismawan
    @MuhammadKharismawan 4 года назад +2

    yeah I have this exact box connected to my home old 70inch tv, it's used for a lot of streaming.

  • @i1pro
    @i1pro 4 года назад

    What's wrong with a simple bluetooth pre-amp / amplifier. I use the INFI Audio Tube 80W Amplifier and I love it. It sounds amazing for $150 usd. Connected to my Q3030i. Also tried them with Klipsch's tower speakers and various high end headphones (driven purely by the tube pre-amp). I love it. I can get a cheap Android if I want a steamer with a dedicated remote 😎
    Sounds better than my Bluesound POWERNODE 2i

  • @RJ_Chicago
    @RJ_Chicago 4 года назад +1

    John, thanks for the tip regarding maximizing the volume on the MiBoxS so the DSP is pass through. At $49.99USD at Walmart.com this is a cool little unit. I am using the USB output on a couple of DACs with no issues: Mytek Brooklyn DAC+ and the Schiit Bifrost 2. Both functioning and sounding great. The only limitation with the MiBox S is you are limited to 24/96 I believe and I am not sure via Roon how much unfolding of MQA you get on Tidal. But Qobuz works fine. The interesting comparison you can do now is: Xiaomi Mi Box S vs. BlueSound Node 2i! The Node 2i doesn’t have USB out while the Xiaomi does. To me that is a plus for the Xiaomi. But if it is limited to 24/96 then I don’t think that puts the Node 2i at a disadvantage technically. As for SQ, your impressions of the two head to head, would be interesting. Can the $449USD Node 2i be trounced by the little $49.99USD Mi Box S? Interesting!

    • @RJ_Chicago
      @RJ_Chicago 4 года назад

      John, Just saw your blog post: darko.audio/2020/10/15-more-thoughts-on-the-xiaomi-mi-box-s/ after writing the above. So your impressions are that the Node 2i has better SQ to your ears than the Xiaomi? Are those impressions comparing the Xiaomi USB out to the same DAC as the Node 2i to the same DAC via SPDIF coaxial output? Thanks.

    • @markpogisobra5089
      @markpogisobra5089 2 года назад

      How to maximize the audio on mi box s? Tia

  • @peterpan6949
    @peterpan6949 Год назад +1

    I recently hooked up an IFI iPower 2 to my MiBox S, highly recommend. It's a vast improvement to my ears, especially in the bass!

  • @erdincyilmazel
    @erdincyilmazel 4 года назад +2

    How does the sound quality compare to the allo digione setup? I wonder if there is an app that can turn android tv into a proper Roon endpoint and avoid sound going through internal android tv resampling.

  • @dpfreedman
    @dpfreedman 4 года назад +3

    Anyone know the max sampling rate the Mi Box will pass through its optical out? The Chromecast Audio puck (I have one) will pass 96kHz. The HDMI Chromecast puck is limited to 48kHz. The Xiaomi site doesn't appear to have this spec listed.

    • @mikeyevs
      @mikeyevs 4 года назад

      Great question

    • @dpfreedman
      @dpfreedman 4 года назад +2

      @@mikeyevs Well, I've answered my own question. After watching John's video, I ordered a Mi Box S hoping it would behave like my Chromecast Audio device. Sadly, it does not. Digital output appears to always be fixed at 48kHz regardless of source. In my case, source was Qobuz cast from my phone. 44.1, 88.2, 96 kHz, no matter, DAC always reports 48kHz. My original Chromecast Audio puck transfers material at the correct sampling rate. My take: if you don't care about Android TV, use the $50 to buy a genuine Chromecast Audio device from ebay.

    • @DarkoAudio
      @DarkoAudio  4 года назад

      From the description box: darko.audio/2020/10/15-more-thoughts-on-the-xiaomi-mi-box-s/

    • @dpfreedman
      @dpfreedman 4 года назад

      @@DarkoAudio Interesting article, John. One thing, though, you say: "So if want to stream Qobuz, we have to do it via Roon over Chromecast?
      Yes." I do not use Roon but I've been streaming Qobuz directly from the Qobuz Android app on my phone to the Mi Box S. Also, I found that the Mi Box optical output goes dark when a USB DAC is plugged in. Unplugging the USB cable brings the Toslink port back to life. Finally, I think I've convinced myself that routing USB digital from the Mi Box through my Topping D10 and using the Toslink out from the D10 sounds better than the direct optical out from the Mi Box. Thanks much for the reply.

  • @mrmartinbusek
    @mrmartinbusek 4 года назад +1

    I'm using Nvidia Shield Pro in similar way, but I use only HDMI output to Denon AVR. So I use it for both audio and video. Tidal has Dolby Atmos music collection which is not bad and some albums sound really good. And I use Plex to stream my music library which is on Synology NAS. I tried roon for a while but didn't like it as much as Plex.
    I was always thinking about getting a proper streamer/dac with MQA like Node 2i or similar but this video gave me any idea of connecting USB dac with MQA support to Nvidia Shield. But how do I decide later if I want to use the HDMI audio out or the USB dac? Or does the signal go out both all the time?

  • @ImranShamsul
    @ImranShamsul 3 года назад +1

    Maybe it's been mentioned already, I've been running my Mi Box S into my pre-amp using TOSLINK to my DAC, and so far I can play Spotify without a HDMI connection using Spotify Connect or Google Cast. Not sure what output quality it is though (most likely 48kHz) DAC is VERY budget 😅

  • @mikecoots7003
    @mikecoots7003 4 года назад +2

    Great video as always what music is that in the back ground?

  • @mrworldhd
    @mrworldhd 4 года назад

    Hi John, I always seem to have bad luck with streamers no matter which brand due to inevitable issues with WiFi. Out of ease & reliability, I prefer to use Bluetooth as its easier for my mates to hop on and vice versa at their's - everyone's got BT but not necessarily a decent streamer. I also feel I have faster/more control over switching between applications using the sound straight from my phone. What are your thoughts about Bluetooth? You sort of gloss over it in your "back to basics - streamers" video and I'd really like to see a more detailed opinion on this. Further, would you recommend a Bluetooth enabled DAC or similar product? Cheers in advance. Love your videos and music selections

  • @martijnbroekman
    @martijnbroekman 2 года назад

    Can you stream the sound of youtube tot the Xiaomi box. Cause you can't on a chromecast audio 😕

  • @siphonsnob
    @siphonsnob 4 года назад

    It looks like the MINIX NEO T5 is cheaper on Amazon. Older OS version though.

  • @NeilLavitt
    @NeilLavitt 4 года назад +1

    Nice idea. I wonder if you tried using a HDMI terminator (about 5 Euros) instead of the monitor you could keep the cost - space needed down further? I used this on a headless Mac Mini and it worked well. Anyone can set it up initially using a TV or monitor.
    Noticed iView on there - nice call back to home hey?

  • @jimmorgan6005
    @jimmorgan6005 4 года назад +1

    Curious, do you have a multichannel receiver/amp and different speakers for the projector? I have one too and kind of wonder if I shouldn't have a strictly music system and a video system.

  • @TeutonTwin
    @TeutonTwin 3 года назад

    Can't you mount the Mi Box to the backside of the mini-monitor? (velcro?)

  • @sbrazenor2
    @sbrazenor2 4 года назад

    I had been thinking of a simple setup to connect to my stereo. I have an old Mi Box, but I have to see if it does toslink. If it does, I can use it. If not, I'll have to get the new one.

  • @bigchimpin4215
    @bigchimpin4215 4 года назад +6

    You could also take a look at the Nvidia Shield TV. Made by Nvidia and has a ton of developer support from them.
    High-resolution audio playback up to 24-bit/192 kHz over HDMI and USB
    High-resolution audio up-sample to 24-bit/192 kHz over USB
    Audio support: AAC, AAC+, eAAC+, MP3, WAVE, AMR, OGG Vorbis, FLAC, PCM, WMA, WMA-Pro, WMA-Lossless, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby Atmos, Dolby TrueHD (pass-through), DTS-X (pass-through), and DTS-HD (pass-through)

    • @idray986
      @idray986 4 года назад +1

      Does it do tidal mqa over usb?

    • @johnshore3095
      @johnshore3095 2 года назад

      Will the Nvidia play ripped SACDs on a Plex server..
      My server does but my Plex client on Fire TV won't..

  • @Piotroooooo
    @Piotroooooo 4 года назад +1

    I had it while ago and I was pretty happy at the beginning. But later I discovered the system is not stable as I would like to be and I had to restart my mi box quite often to get it working correctly. And after about a year of our friendship it just died. I'm not crying because of that and I'm not going to buy another one, it's just not worth to lose my time to fight with it. I just not recommend it. I'm happy with regular Chromecast.

  • @teedeepee
    @teedeepee 4 года назад +1

    Can anyone tell me if the Xiaomi / Tidal android app combination will stream MQA? I currently stream to an external Chromecast connected to a Sony AV Amp, but Tidal only streams to this in Hi-Fi, not MQA.

    • @Aquamarine-nx5ex
      @Aquamarine-nx5ex 4 года назад

      It's the same situation for me. No MASTER quality when streaming to Chromecast Audio

  • @arndt1641
    @arndt1641 4 месяца назад

    Thank you for the video Darko. Now, I'm realizing if is possible to have a sound quality near to hiend by connecting the usb port of My Box S to a usb in a hiend dac....

  • @deevnn
    @deevnn 4 года назад +1

    I bought a Squeezebox Touch in 2012 and am still using it on a secondary system. It still works great.

  • @robyrey67
    @robyrey67 Год назад

    I have one of these box. I'm using it with the USB DAC Topping E50. My experience is that Tidal streaming over Chromecast Connect sounds much much better the the Tidal native app. Why?

  • @JamieDSilva1
    @JamieDSilva1 Год назад

    I have successfully connected this device with the behringer XR18 digtal mixer and the Topping E30 via usb. The xiaomi tv box automatically detects these devices. I've been a happy user for the last 2 years.

  • @Softboiledeggs4all
    @Softboiledeggs4all 4 года назад +1

    Literally searching for a cheap streamer right now and this has popped up, spooky.

  • @marcocelesia7346
    @marcocelesia7346 4 года назад

    Did you tested it with a dac like Dac Magic? Should it work?

  • @camoclaude
    @camoclaude Год назад

    Wiim mini vs Mibox s, what would be a better buy? My dac has toslink and can do asynchronous usb as well. Can the toslink output from the Wiim out perform the asynchronous audio from the Mibox usb output?

  • @RobertGerman
    @RobertGerman 4 года назад +4

    [clears throat] MI MI MI MIIIIIII

  • @jruizdes
    @jruizdes 4 года назад +2

    Is this better than the Heos app for Tidal (on Marantz receiver)?

    • @RCVideo-dh8cs
      @RCVideo-dh8cs 4 года назад

      Javier Ruiz de Somocurcio I use it my Denon with Tidal. Sounds great!

  • @joelrunyan1608
    @joelrunyan1608 Год назад

    So. For 100 bucks. You could get a mi box and a little screen. Attach the mibox to the back of the mini monitor and you've got a roon end point with a display

  • @arthursimsa9005
    @arthursimsa9005 2 года назад

    Call me stupid or lazy but I still find this too difficult compare to mass market units. Why do you need a screen? Why do you need to make this thing believe there is something upstream?

  • @darensweeney5925
    @darensweeney5925 4 года назад

    John, I have a plethora of real hockey pucks I can send if you prefer. ))))) This Xiomi may be just the ticket for someone like myself who hasn't started streaming music, and wants to see if it fits my lifestyle. Paying $1100 for a Cambridge streamer seems a bit much for a newbie.

  • @shiivu1873
    @shiivu1873 4 года назад +8

    Had no clue you could go to such high of a vocal range for that intro. Congrats mate must of taken ages to get to that stage. hahaha

    • @Zoranurai13
      @Zoranurai13 4 года назад

      Or he just ran nuts first into a table. The treble ranges you will achieve are a marvel

  • @edclevel402
    @edclevel402 4 года назад +1

    I FINALLY KNOW WHAT THE PUCK IS FOR! I can now die content. 😄

    • @RJ_Chicago
      @RJ_Chicago 4 года назад

      You can buy those from Amazon. They are inexpensive door stops. I bought a couple and they work great for the purpose John uses them for.

  • @ConsecDesign
    @ConsecDesign 4 месяца назад

    There's a 3.5mm out as well. Why no mention of it? Is it bad or something?

  • @nandortakacs7811
    @nandortakacs7811 3 года назад

    John! excellent presentation. I already found the mini monitor solution on my old media player using composit output.
    I wonder what the sound quality would be if Google chromecast with Google TV to TV HDMI / TV Spdif to DAC
    or Xiaom Mi Box S USB to DAC

    • @DavidG2P
      @DavidG2P 2 года назад

      I use GCCwGTV connected via a small USB-C hub to my DAC, and it outputs 24bit at 96kHz

    • @gyjoci95
      @gyjoci95 2 года назад

      @@DavidG2P I have the totally same setup but how could you make it outputs 24bit at 96kHz with which dac and how? Please tell me in details. Thanks.

  • @miguelbarrio
    @miguelbarrio 4 года назад +1

    Thx John. Very interesting. How does the toslink out compare to the ChromecastAudio dongle in terms of sound quality?

    • @balazs.menlauer
      @balazs.menlauer 4 года назад

      just bought it. for me it sounds better than the CCA. with a PM6006 + Dali Zensor 7s

  • @timking2600
    @timking2600 4 года назад

    Can you group them together with other Mi S boxes for whole-home-audio? That was one of the great things about Chromecast Audio's, if you had more than one you could group them together and have them play all at one time... I was under the impression that Android TV (and regular chromecast video solutions) can't be grouped together for whole-home...

  • @darensweeney5925
    @darensweeney5925 4 года назад

    Xiaomi's Mi Box S v. LG30. Any suggestions?

  • @josephregallis3394
    @josephregallis3394 4 года назад +1

    I own 2 Mi Box S boxes and they work pretty good, especially since I bought both of them on sale and got really good deals! The only thing I don't like right now is I bought a Dolby Atmos sound system that matched my 4K TV and these boxes don't have Atmos. So, if they don't get a software update in the future to add this, I may purchase the Nvidia Shield Pro (next version) since it has just about all sound protocols!

  • @marcbrummel8566
    @marcbrummel8566 4 года назад

    Isen't the DAC limited by using Android in its resolution? Thanks.

  • @cwgreen416
    @cwgreen416 4 года назад +1

    I was super excited until you mentioned that it needs a HDMI connection. Bummer...the search continues. I hope my Chromecast audio never dies.

    • @atf56
      @atf56 4 года назад +1

      No you don't need a hdmi just plug your audio pin and start streaming.

  • @GertJanHaarman
    @GertJanHaarman 2 года назад

    Can I stream music also without any screen, with spotify connect on my telephone app directly when toslink connected to my amp?

  • @joeexception
    @joeexception 4 года назад +1

    The USB port means you can also use this with a touch-screen or touch overlay on the display and control the interface by touch... the little, cheap Raspberry Pi touch screens work great making it a very 'family-friendly' music player

    • @DarkoAudio
      @DarkoAudio  4 года назад

      Have you actually done this?

  • @maxc7903
    @maxc7903 4 года назад +1

    How would you compare apple airport express to other streamers?

  • @soumynonareverse7807
    @soumynonareverse7807 4 года назад

    Do you know a customisable computer like the RPi but with Athmos support? I'm going to build a home automation pc that I will also use as a music stream box.

  • @CLIVOTA
    @CLIVOTA 3 года назад

    If I buy some external monitor with 10 inch display with hdmi and connect him to chromecast than Roon will be capable transfer artwork to this external monitor?
    Doesn´t matter if I played Roon through AirPlay on my receiver? Thanks

  • @tomastomasek1401
    @tomastomasek1401 4 года назад +2

    Nah

  • @phillipsaw
    @phillipsaw 4 года назад

    Except that everything out of the TOSLINK is resampled to 48 KHz and USB to 96 KHz so it's fine for background music but not serious listening.

    • @erho8607
      @erho8607 4 года назад

      Yes, in reality it is for nothing.

  • @tchernob
    @tchernob 4 года назад +4

    need hdmi connection somewhere so 50€ + a monitor, quite expensive in the end for a chromecast audio successor :)

    • @NeilLavitt
      @NeilLavitt 4 года назад

      You can find cheap secondhand monitors these days. But yeh, that’s the drawback of this approach.

    • @DarkoAudio
      @DarkoAudio  4 года назад +6

      HDMI terminator blocks sell for $5.

    • @tchernob
      @tchernob 4 года назад +1

      @@NeilLavitt the thing about chromecast audio is that there s no need for any screen to listen to music. Even "cheap", having monitor to listen (you stop the sentence here you can see the problem).
      I understand that the product is not build for that but it won't be a chromecast audio replacement at least for me.

    • @sebastiaanhoenderdos7458
      @sebastiaanhoenderdos7458 4 года назад

      @@DarkoAudio and just like that you've made my day and my purchase decision, thank you!

    • @abrahambenmohagrau3181
      @abrahambenmohagrau3181 4 года назад

      @@DarkoAudio MQA ?

  • @littlemasterrishabh2831
    @littlemasterrishabh2831 Год назад

    Sir, can be use MiBox to even listen to Hi-Res songs on Tidal like to the MQA ones ?

  • @jeanpierrebrunellagreze374
    @jeanpierrebrunellagreze374 Год назад

    Can I connect the XIaomi Box through the USB Output to a Desk Dac?

  • @rsa008
    @rsa008 4 года назад +5

    Maybe this can save my kef lsx’s lack of a functioning streaming app

    • @TheRjee
      @TheRjee 4 года назад

      its bad, isn't it? Such a nice speaker tho, and wife approves :)

    • @87togabito
      @87togabito 4 года назад

      Use roon. I use roon to stream to my LSX when it’s not serving as my desktop PC speaker, and when I just want a quick speaker for background music while I nap.

  • @dzezikus
    @dzezikus 4 года назад +2

    Why amps dont have hdmi inputs? Mine have four.

    • @teedeepee
      @teedeepee 4 года назад

      I would guess yours is a 5.1 or 7.1 AV Amp, rather than a 2.0 Stereo Amp? From what I can see, HDMI isn't common on stereo amps.

    • @rklmbd2934
      @rklmbd2934 4 года назад

      Is yours maybe an AV Receiver?

  • @bogdaniiiii
    @bogdaniiiii 11 месяцев назад

    Since the Android TV 12 update, USB audio doesn't work anymore... and apparently not even on the 2nd gen

    • @druidix13
      @druidix13 19 дней назад

      Thank you very much, I thought I'm crazy forgetting how I once managed to connect it and now it doesnt work

  • @thomasedward2231
    @thomasedward2231 4 года назад

    If I use my Dragonfly but optical cable out it’s still going to run through my integrated DAC? (Which may not be as good as my internal tbh) perhaps I bypass it with RCA analogue?

  • @mlhm5
    @mlhm5 4 года назад

    Use the web browser on a computer to access the Play Store. If you're logged into the same google account, you can install an app and it will start the download on your Android TV device. If your TV does not show up in the list of compatible devices, then use the Aptoide store or the Yalp store. Problem solved.

  • @Turuk1000
    @Turuk1000 4 года назад

    Is my understanding correct that the internal clock of the Xiaomi's Mi Box S will impact the quality of the audio?

    • @petrpulpytel
      @petrpulpytel 4 года назад

      unfortunatelly yes, spdif is synchronous transmission...

  • @gustavos9657
    @gustavos9657 4 года назад

    Why my soundcloud doesn't have a "cast to device" butom like yours have????

  • @GeoffParsons1469
    @GeoffParsons1469 4 года назад

    But John, do the Chili Peppers sound good through the Xiaomi?..

  • @JoePrettner
    @JoePrettner 4 года назад

    Can play 24bit flac? From an attached drive?

  • @miguelsalami
    @miguelsalami 4 года назад

    Hi there I was wondering if you could help me understand my gain & send controls on my 6ch mixer.

  • @edsjoeblack
    @edsjoeblack Год назад

    I have tried to connect DACs to the USB output of the Xiaomi mi box S 2nd generation......and it does not work at all. (ifi zen air dac and dragonfly black)

    • @Dharmasaputro
      @Dharmasaputro 2 месяца назад

      Me too, this 2nd gen is utter garbage

  • @elkinavila
    @elkinavila 4 года назад +2

    Hello John, great review! One question: If I attach my dragonfly to the usb, does it stream at mqa quality while playing Tidal Masters? Cheers!

    • @DarkoAudio
      @DarkoAudio  4 года назад +5

      No, I don't think it will as Android OS isn't bitperfect.

    • @shaunkiely5340
      @shaunkiely5340 4 года назад

      USB Audio Player Pro on an Android phone can stream Tidal bit-perfect to a DAC. Not sure if it is supported on Android TV devices either from Play Store or side loading the apk.

    • @gerfarfan92
      @gerfarfan92 4 года назад

      Hi! Currently I use a Mi Box S connected via USB with a Pro-Ject Pre Box S2 (MQA support) and it does not transmit Tidal Master while playing MQA quality.. When I want to listen to an album in MQA quality, I just plug the USB into my Macbook

  • @serhatakdeniz5520
    @serhatakdeniz5520 Год назад

    Hi , can i use this box with my hiby fc1 USB dac.