I’ve been using Apple TV’s as endpoints for our whole house setup. Might seem stupid, but works awesome for our family. All we stream is Apple Music, and these are cheaper than a Sonos and we can sync all them together with airplay 2. If you are all in apple ecosystem, this works good.
Thanks for your great videos! Wrt Sonos app send music to the Sonos device: actually Sonos device pulls music from any of the indexed shares (computer, NAS). The app is only a remote (not a server) and does not need to be on the same device as where your music is stored. You can even remove the app all together and the music keeps playing.
4 года назад+1
I'm a "beginner" and consider myself tech-savvy, and these videos were certainly useful. Of course I could grasp the "server-streamer" relationship beforehand, but I'm completely unaware of the different offerings in the market and the possible DIY configurations given readily available tech at home. I can't wait for part 3!! Also, subscribed.
Thank you. I’ve had Logitech servers/ slim server and Twonky on my NAS and I always thought that the player software pulled the music from the server, that is the app read a file from the NAS and and did the bits to sound stuff. You just can’t know it all. Fortunately, people like you exist to help. Thank you again.
You explained it well! I find this area of audio frustrating because different manufacturers handle the functions of serving/streaming/DAC/preamp so differently. So you can find a one-box solution, or find you need four different units if you start in a different way. Everybody seems to have a different view of the technologies and "formats" (Roon/MQA/DSD/PCM). Personally, I'm ready to move my files off the computer, but can't decide how to do it.
Roon is just a program. MQA is not talked about much lately. DSD to me doesn't sound better most of the time over high res PCM. A server still has disks with data, they are computers that clock out data.
Would love to hear you talk about diving a bit into Streamers that can stream directly from the cloud vs Streamers that stream through your mobile device. I’m curious about the sound quality behavior for each & how they could be better suited for different applications. Not a whole video but more like a slight segment of 1-2min in a video clarifying the two.
Yep, that's my comment as well. You only need to fire up the software to tell Sonos where the music files are. After that the Sonos equipment scans that location. You could test this by turning off the pc in the kitchen. I however assume that your music files are also on that machine - or on an attached usb device. In that case it will obviously not work :)
I originally used a Buffalo Linkstation connected via a cat5 cable directly to my ZP80. I then switched to an Apple Timecapsule, via a Sonos Bridge. Now I use an Innuos, and I still play files on various Sonos devices, from the Innuos hard drive. Note, the Innuos plays directly into my main system.
I recently bought the Innous Zen mk3 server which resides in my tv cabinet. It connects over wifi to my bluesound 2i in another room and I have to say I am very pleased with the results. I have the bluesound connected to my Rega amp and apart from the turntable, I can control the whole lot either on my phone or tablet using the bluesound app. No issues so far. I was fortunate to have a demo in a room at Audio T and the system sounded far better than the system I originally had in mind. I think it pays to use your own ears and judge for yourself and not go off the latest What Hifi awards. It's probably a step up from a beginner system and certainly not high end. I like to think of it as an "enthusiasts" set up. Looking forward to part three. Good work as always.
Just use some old android phone and connect it to a DAC. No need for some new device that is gonna get shut down eventually. Have a nice amp and really good speakers and you're done.
John, nice explanation. I would recommend a picture of the flow of the music from the source through the devices and methods (USB, S/PDIF, etc.) to explain this and have as a memento for people to take away. The decision on what device a person would purchase is based on their preferred streaming service vs sound quality (such as Sonos vs Bluesound vs Devaliet) and their compatibility.
Plenty of diagrams on the internet: www.google.com/search?q=music+server+streamer+diagram&tbm=isch&ved=2ahUKEwju6dOJlanpAhXJOuwKHfy5DJEQ2-cCegQIABAA&oq=music+server+streamer+diagram&gs_lcp=CgNpbWcQA1D6MFjZNGCiNmgAcAB4AIABjgGIAYAFkgEDMi40mAEAoAEBqgELZ3dzLXdpei1pbWc&sclient=img&ei=zeG3Xq7PCsn1sAf887KICQ&bih=937&biw=1747#imgrc=_Cwx7X_ALEmfSM
John Darko yeah that’s what I suggested in my comment. Look how fast you found those John LOL you should’ve put one in your video. That’s what makes yours so enjoyable to watch, and informative. It’s a video. If we wanted to just hear the information we would listen to a podcast. Just giving you grief man 😂
Well done except that even for beginners, it is so daunting to understand all of the configurations. That being said, where’s the dumb down version for 68 year old audiophiles? You do a great job and enjoy your videos very much!
You are correct, tons of options. You can easily get paralysis by analysis... My advice is to figure out what your budget is, figure out what gear you already own that you want to use.. and look at your options that fits those two criteria... that should narrow your options to a somewhat manageable size. Also, be happy with whatever you chose.. the truth of the matter is.. within a particular price point.. most things sound similar enough to be happy with them (in terms of streamers anyways)..
I'm 51. I actually found it easier to understand when once I learned what each thing is doing. People who with the best of intentions try to simplify often skip so much it starts to sound like voodoo or shamanism. Think of an old fashioned jukebox. The server is the stack of EPs, the arm that moves back and forth to select the right one,and the turntable that plays it. In other words its where the music is physically stored and played. The streamer is the controller. So its the key pad that lets you select which EP you want to play. It can have additional features like being able to control several jukeboxes from one keypad and being able to store playlists and so forth. The dac takes the record player's signal and converts it to the kind of signal that your amp can recognize and play. So the DAC is performing the role of the phonostage or pre-amp and then it connects to your amplifier. Finally the amplifier connects to the speakers and you have sound.
So true, I absolutely agree. This was not a basic overview. It was too deep. I don’t know how this came on my You Tube feed but I lost this topic at UPNP. I want a device that is as simple to use as a FM radio or a TV set top box. All this server, streamer, Rune, Sonos, Core, Windows, Linux, Nucelus, etc should all be transparent to us users. I am 60+ and the PC wasn’t even invented when I graduated from University. They need to make this simple or only millennials who are techies will buy this stuff. I have 800+ CDs and over 1000+ movies and would like to have a simple storage that allowed me access to all of this.
Yes also informativ. I recently bought a Zen m3 because of you ! Brilliant hardware. But I could not talk to my PSAudio Gain Cell Dac...... wrong firmware. Now I have to change the mainboard in the DAC, no worries, its covered by the warranty. Thanks
I’ve yet to experience much if any hifi stuff but I’m kind of obsessed with it right now. Started with a dragonfly red and monolith m1060 headphones. Kef lsx will probably be next. Right now I’ve only heard music streamed from phones and sky q I’d be interested to here this stuff and if I notice a big difference
I know this isn't one anyone can answer but i'm interested to know. Before working full time reviewing equipment, did you work in the IT industry? I just get that impression.
I am using a Buffalo NAS drive and Bluesound Node. It is the original Node (built-in DAC analog out not the best) so I use it with an external DAC. The Bluesound GUI-software performs very well IMO.
As a home server, I have a WiFi router with an USB port which supports external hard drives. It isn't an expensive router and my music is always on the net, as the router is always turned on. I love it, comparing to the days when I was was streaming from my PC and had to turn it on and off for each music session .
It's a thumbs from me. I've had a bit of a go with the RPi but got the feeling I was missing something. It turns out I was missing a lot of thing's. Thank you for doing this and yes , I would love it if you did more.
I've been interested in the Allo Digione to stream Spotify Connect and Deezer from cloud and also to connect to a USB hard drive to play flac files. Gapless playback is a must. Please recommend an OS, options are dietpi+Allo GUI, Volumio, Moode Audio and Max2Play. Thanks.
Both the Sonos and the Bluesound are not upnp because they are running their own software server internally. You only need to tell them where is the folder that contain the music. This is also one of the cool point of the Bluesound: just plug an usb hard-disk in the back and the music will be "served" to the player using the metadata (or by folder if you like...)
Have you ever reviewed Yamaha musiccast streamers? Interested as they're generally so much cheaper than alternatives - you can often pick up the wxad-10 streamer for £100 but even their more expensive stuff is a lot cheaper than the likes of Sonos and bluesound. Would be good to know your opinion
dear john Is there a way to stream all the sound signal from the computer to streamer? For example using web browser to play youtube video or using player software to play video/music then send all those signal to the streamer Will it be better than using computer connect to dac via usb? Becasue streamer is better than computer. thank you
I use a raspberry with digione signature hat. I use it as a Roon endpoint and it supports airplay too. So from my macbook pro everything sounds from my Dac through the streamer
Even raspberry pi can be configured to play the role of network streamer and music server simultaneously. Using Mopidy we can use spotify connect, soundcloud, and other steaming services as well as play local music files placed in the sd card.
If I just want a streamer for streaming from cloud servers (eg spotify, tidal etc) and connect to my own DAC, then does the streamer affect the sound quality? Or we should just choose the streamer base on ease of use?
I have only just got into streamers and recently got a secondhand bluesound node 2i which is great and has a reasonably good internal dac and can decode tidal MQA. But you can bypass the node's dac and connect to a better external dac to improve the sound.. through either the coax or toslink optical cable if needed. Although I believe these cable have different bandwidth limitations?.which I'm checking out. But as it is the node is an impressive bit of kit to stream to most music service and listen to stored music and radio. Not sure if that helps
Like everything in audio, everything can matter. I am sure if you spend more money, the data streams could be tightened up some. Maybe spending more on a USB cable could make more of an improvement. I just swapped out a cheap network cable for a wireworld into my computer and could hear the difference, the company signature sound could be heard even over wireless to my M11 DAP. Everything matters.
Appreciate all the replies. But coming from my point of view, I’m more of thinking if i can just get a raspberry pi instead of a bluesound node to stream when I already have a fairly decent DAC. Of course I know the more money you put into the setup you can get better sound quality but in my humble opinion that is not exactly the point I am raising
@@wengkeong8393 you can use a raspberry, PC, laptop, tablet, phone or dedicated streamer to stream music via the internet streaming service ...even smart TVs have streaming options. But the sound can vary to some degree, but start with what you have available and then upgrade if you are not happy with the sound. I streamed from the TV, phone and laptop for a while and it sounded great
John, thanks for the videos man - Love your point of view, keep it up it helps alot! (Just bought a Mojo/Poly cuz of you and love it!). Would love to see more from you on Acoustics (like your video with Acoustic Insider), EQ and Room treatment, as I feel my (and others) setup would benefit a lot more from your approach of explaining us this. Any chance for that in the future?
Thanks for the video...I am now starting to understand streaming etc. My main sources are records, tapes and my digital files going from laptop to DAC to HiFi. Honeslty though....steamers, servers, Tidal, Roon etc are still feeling like alien concepts to me!
I’ve been into computer streaming for quite a few years now using a Mac mini with Audirvana software taking care of my local library and Qobuz music subscription. It works fairly well and sounds ok, but for those starting out I would suggest skipping computer audio and doing things properly. An Innuos Zen mini will make life so much more enjoyable with regard to usability and sound quality and doesn’t cost the earth! It’s next on my upgrade path.
I have had the Logitech Squeezebox Touch for a decade and it recently died. I loved that item, especially for the phone app to control every aspect of it. I want to try Roon, qobuz, Tidal at a similar price point as the Touch, doing so via ethernet connection. Reccomendatons please.
Hi! as a roon user, is there ANY sound quality advantage of using a dedicated streamer (any price), against a good computer (ie: mac mini or a intel nuc) running roon core and connected to a nice dac? At least in terms of UI, I think the second solution is way more powerful, flexible, scalable and easy to use, and it is almost free compared to some streamers priced as if they were made of pure gold.
For any of the local server to streamer setups that you discussed, other than, possibly, the Nucleus, if Roon 2.0, do you need an Internet connection, or will a local LAN connection do? Thx for the great video.
You introduce streaming to viewers and you have done a bang up job of it. Didn’t you fail to mention that you have to pay for all of these different services. How much are they per month. Which ones of these services allow you to download the music into your hard drive or copy to your phone as a purchase ?
Sonos Connect...my understanding is that the Windows app is only needed for initial configuration, it is not used to serve files. In fact my files are served via SMB Windows style shares from my Linux based OpenMediaVault machine.
My server/streaming setup used to be a Windows desktop PC as the server and PS3 as the steamer. To get it to my hi-fi I would use my PS3 as a receiver which was connected to the hi-fi via analogue connections. Now I just have Google Home units around the house. The sound quality is nowhere near hi-fi quality, but I can use voice commands which have worked very successfully for me.
I like the idea of a separate server (in my case a RAID NAS) to use as a repository for all my media which becomes my 'master' copy. In my case I only use my PC's storage for manipulation (and sometimes for a quick backup) with the main content including my work/ excel files also kept on the NAS server. It then becomes very easy to backup. Having streamers for both Audio and Video plus Photos becomes simple, as I always know where my content is. Apart from my backup copies, I also have a duplicate NAS which I can treat as yet another backup or take it with me when I work abroad.
Keep 'em coming John. Another good vid, although I admit that confused me about as much as clarified it all. I'd be interested in comments on what software/app you have to use at each step/option. Obviously Roon is king but aside from that the question is what interface would be needed to select the songs to stream from the cloud/server for each piece of hardware (BluOS, Musicast, iTunes, Chromecast et al). As a newbie to streaming, that would be a key concern.
@John Darko, although I’ve been subscribed for a while, LOVE this series, as there are many gaps in my knowledge. Currently running Roon server on my Mac desktop (because that’s what I have) but hoping to get a NUC on which I’ll run Roon and Plex. Do you prefer Windows or Linux for such a setup? Thanks for the info and the inspiration.
I would like to see a video regarding the the best streaming method/service for sound quality. I know I don't like my Sonos connect at all for sound quality. Streaming via upnp seem much better, but are there better solutions?
Excellent description, but wow complex as to where to start! I’m an Analogue man, so my media is LPs (for now ... not convinced given the faff of short term play & cost of vinyl) plus CDs. I did once upon a time run a Vortexbox Server via Windows 8 interface, but found the upkeep of files and manual indexing/genre a chore TBH. So I returned to media for ease. That said my wife now shares her Spotify (family) account, so I’m thinking of a mini box ‘Project Stream S2’ to add to my system for easy access of additional music while reducing my CD collection to a core value “listening book”. Just tooooooo many choices these days.... and I believe SIMPLEST (like me) is best BUT any advice is welcome, keep up the good work 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻😊
Hi John. Great videos on streaming. My only grouch is the monthly fee for services. I know there are not many about. Though it would be great if you did a hifi tuner review. Free music for all once you you have bought your equipment.
Great video especially for me right now as about to buy my first higher end streamer. Looking forward to next video (hoping it will help unravel the roon in a separate box mystery)
I am loving the bluesound node with yamaha as2100 and dynaudio special 40. What would be a good upgrade, look for an external dac for the bluesound? And in what category of dacs should you look for a significant better sound?
i know it's not specific to music only, but more as such a music server. but i've set up a Plex media server a couple of years ago. i still find the functionality and interface to be one of the best looking around.
I see you move your acoustic wall panels, Could you please give us some explanations how you treat your room and where a beginner should start with room treatement? Thx.
I'm looking to find a solution using Amazon FireTV as my network streamer. They have the best support for native streaming apps for Tidal, Qobuz, Spotify. And it has native support for Plex, VLC, etc. for my local content. And it has a great UI for "lean back" listening and convenience so my wife and children can also use it without learning about Roon or some Upnp App on my smartphone to make it work on the home hifi system. What do you think is the best way to use FireTV stick as a streamer and then use an external DAC etc. to get the best sound quality?
I have a Bluesound Node 2i, and I've tried that compared to a PC laptop running Audirvana, both running Qobuz, both running through a Project DS2 Digital pre-amp/DAC (which is fairly superior to the DAC in the Bluesound, and far better than what's in the Mac Mini). Hard to say that one was squarely better than the other. The Bluesound was a little more laid back, and while the PC/Audirvana had more detail, it was a bit to aggressive in its sound for my taste - I couldn't listen to it for long periods. So not exactly the comparo you were looking for, but maybe helpful... My gut tells me the Bluesound will still be better, as its DAC is a lot better than the Mac's.
Even though I've been enjoying hifi gear for decades, I am very much a newcomer to all of this myself. I imagine that one of the biggest hurdles to overcome in trying to explain this side of the audio spectrum to someone like me is that we aren't just talking about hardware any longer. There is a cornucopia of software involved and when you consider that one piece of hardware could potentially involve a multitude of software choices the demands on the person trying to explain things seemingly increase exponentially. In addition, we aren't simply talking about a few different formats, each one specific to a particular category of hardware (i.e. turntables play records, CD players play CD's, cassette decks play cassettes, so on and so forth). The person trying to describe this side of the audio spectrum now also has to explain things like 1:1 vs lossless vs compressed and the bandwidth being used to deliver these various choices. In all honesty, I have the feeling it would be easier for me to figure this out over time in a somewhat painful fashion than it would be to know about the ins and outs of all of this stuff and then trying to explain it to someone like myself. I am sympathetic for people like myself trying to digest all of these things, but I am also feel sympathy for someone like John here who is trying to find a straightforward way to explain all of this to myself and others like me. Plus, while sound quality was intended to be the focus of this series of videos, the fact that I realize there are differences in sound quality between different streamers for example certainly raises my curiosity a few notches. The weird thing, is that the brick & mortar stores have always held the highest appeal for me when it comes to making my traditional hifi purchases. However, now heading into this side of things, knowing that I am essentially looking at buying fairly sterile computing devices dealing with 1's and 0's (that is NOT a comment on the music quality produced) takes away a lot of the romance of music playback for me. I'm sad to say that this does feel like it is likely to decrease my interest in a visit to my favorite local brick & mortar shops. The same ones that I have happily supported for many decades now (and vice versa). I already subscribed after part one of this series and I'll continue to watch with interest.
On my home server/living room pc I have Snapcast (with Librespot for Spotify Connect and Shairport-sync for Airplay) and Music Player Daemon for local files hosted on the server. I use the yaMPC iOS app to control MPD. Right now it’s connected with line-out to my receiver. My TV has a toslink DAC to the receiver. The TV is also connected to a soundbar with HDMI ARC if I want 5.1 surround for movies. The receiver is all analog except for the tuner (Yamaha RX-300 from the late 80s). Turntable connected directly to receiver’s phono input. The tape out is connected to the server’s line-in if I want to record and it runs my music visualizer (8x8 rgb led matrix). Snapcast is for multiroom audio, so I can listen to my music in my whole apartment. In the kitchen I have a Pi Zero W with a Pimoroni pHatDAC I think its called.
If Im being honest I fully understand this stuff, but you made it sound confusing... I’m not sure how you did that lol. One thing I enjoy and also may help some people when the information is hard to follow is in “part one” you had more on screen visual aids. For instance with each product that you held up there was a symbol for Spotify connect or airplay or UPnP during your explanation. Regardless, great video as usual. Can’t wait for the next one 👍🏼 also I wanted to say thank you for the continued content during this worldwide situation
Agreed. I understand all the technical details, but the entire time I'm watching the video I can just tell that anyone trying to understand the "basics" is going to be completely confused by this. Sticking to one brand or system in order to explain the basics would have been a much better idea, instead of going all over the place with different brands, products, systems, etc.
I agree. Sticking to one platform - one server, one streamer - would have made it simpler. BUT that would have led to a gazillion "what about?" questions int the comments section. And given that I am expected to field many of those questions - many, many hours of work - I chose to make the video content broader. Maybe I should have made the simpler, one platform video and then turned the comments off. ;)
Darren Prest Uh oh Darren. Don’t be part of the confused people club 😬. I didn’t say it WAS confusing I said somehow he makes it SOUND confusing. I also said that I fully understand, and then proceeded to explain that others might find it hard to follow. You gotta pay attention ☝🏼 to answer your question yes it was/is great. All of these videos are pretty great indeed.
skizzlemane1 - is there a difference between an explanation sounding confusing and being confusing? Anyway, my advice to anyone starting out is just jump on board. Setting the hardware and software up is pretty simple in my experience - at least if Sonos and Synology are typical.
The Raspberry Pi is just a personal computer just like your NUC, it can be a server, player or both. Roon being the exception I suppose as of their software packages, they've only released the Roon Bridge for Armv7 and Roon Core is only available for x86.
I currently have the Sonos port connected to my Denon AVR. That system is about one year old. I use the Tidal hi-fi streaming service. i’ve often wondered if I can improve the sound that I’m currently getting over my home system with this current set up.
Lots of ways to do this, I guess many of us older folk want a simple example of a hardware setup. Are you able to show an example with a CD player that can stream over hifi and Sonos please?
Hi John, I am new to this world of streamers and its ecosystem. Came across your channel while looking for reviews for an entry level IEM. Thanks for sharing your experience and creating awareness. But ( for me) apart from the gains mentioned, there is also a growing curiosity and sort of want ( actually a need) to build a decent budget friendly streamer ecosystem too. So in that context I would like to ask if there was specific reason for choosing a DigiOne and not the Signature in this video. Was that a deliberate choice ? Thanks again,
Thanks for the explanation, very useful albeit a little confusing at the same time! I wanted to ask where does a software like Audirvana sit in all of this?
Unrelated to the topic but I need to ask : The music bits of John Darko´s videos sound better through my receiver system than anyhthing else in youtube. Are you doing anything special to the audio in your uploads than the average youtube is not doing? Specially the electronic music bits sound absolutely fantastic.
Wow, so 3 separate electronic devices and we haven't even got to the dac and amp? Or to get it down to 2 devices (excluding dac and amp), one needs to be very expensive and require a monthly subscription?
I have a Sonore Microrendu Streamer to a Hugo 2 dac. It’s completely stripped from all gimmicks and stuff you don’t really need but usually pay for. Simple, small, powerful and amazing value for the money ! It’s just not mainstream...(pun intended;)
You mentioned that you don't want to talk about sound quality, but you said that Auralis Mini provides better sound quality than Sonos Connect... I will probably not receive an answer, but is this claim based on data/specs or personal preference?
@@DarkoAudio If you hear a difference from your experience then can we assume there must be some technical difference (soft or hardware) between the Sonos and the Auralic? I have a Connect and mostly just stream Spotify to a McIntosh amp via interconnects. But the Connect is pretty old now and after seeing your video I want to find a replacement, but the Auralic seems to be discontinued so wonder what else I should consider. I also use the Connect to stream from my PC files. I just use my iPhone to control everything. Thanks.
Hi John. I discovered your channel recently and find your reviews very helpful even though they’re purposely narrow in subject. Based on my needs and budget I figured the Volumio Primo is a good option me. You gave it a high rating in your review from about a year ago, but I don’t see you mentioning it in your recent videos. Is there a reason (long term quality, support,etc) your opinion about the Volumio changed? If so, I’ll look at the Allo DigiOne (I’d rather pay a bit more for a better plug-n-play experience with the Volumio)
Love your reviews. I’m using Chord Mojo as DAC connected to MacBook with Curious USB cable to enjoy Qobuz on HiFi system. Will there be any improvement in sound quality using Chord Poly or a Streamer (e.g Volumio Prima) replacing MacBook? Thanks!!
I absolutely love your videos. But I can’t for the life of me figure out how to wirelessly stream music from turntable to a speaker in another room. (Without using Sonos)
The Picoplayer on your Pi also supports multiple configurations: player, streamer or server. www.picoreplayer.org/ Of course, the other major point to mention is how much of the audio "hardware stack" is in the "solution" as well. Where will the DAC and head-amp/pre-amp and amp be? In the streamer/server, or in external components? Also, I think you'll find that many of these protocols are more "pull based" (or "ongoing handshake based") rather than simply "push based" from a server. Again, it depends on the sophistication of the endpoint, not just the server implementation. I think by trying to simplify things so much, you've actually made it more complicated than it is. I would simply talk about "clients" and "servers" and "gui". Once people understand the differences between, you can then explain how these things can be in multiple boxes, or even all crammed together in one. Same for the hardware! :) Still, great job as usual. Love your work. :)
I use kodi as upnp server for my music. Its the only software I have found that supports the albumartist tag correctly. I have a lot of compilation albums including a large mixed dance albums.
How important is the quality and performance of the device running Roon Core? For example, if I run Roon Core on very low spec device, like a $200 NUC, and never plan to use it as a server, will anything in my system suffer? Alternatively, if I have a high spec device, like an Innuos Zen or Statement, will that device suffer if I run Roon Core on it?
My S.A.C.D player even sounds better now lol , John came up in the LP/CD Era also, I am about to go full streaming also. I was streaming with my Pioneer Elite SX-N30 Hi-Res Reciever (799.00US) Its built in streamer was Ok but dont think the ifi Audio Zen-Blue paired with AptX-HD transmitter, gave that streamer a run for the money and now this new LC3-Plus is coming out can't wait to try that B/T codec !! John , Really appricate the videos ! ! I'm trying to keep up ! Hell MQA CDs also now in Japan ! Crazyness ! Nothing beats a direct connection as one would say 😆 😆
I did not think this was simple enough for beginners..Too much jargon and product names..A signal path diagram might have helped..Where does the music originate? What kit do I need to hear it? Imagine I live in a caravan In the middle of nowhere..I have electricity..what else do I need? In reality I was a beginner in computer based audio 3 years ago after a lifetime of listening via Turntable/ cd/ tuner/ amp/ speakers.. it hasn't been easy for me to grasp the idea of music coming from the internet. Hard to teach an old dog new tricks John..But I am happy with my Innuos Meridian explorer AVI DM10 active speakers(for now anyway).. Kind regards Another John
A Dedicated streamer would hypothetically give you less jitter and less electrical noise from say a spinning fan, or “loud” power supply in the notebook. But you’d have to be hard-pressed and have super analytical equipment to even tell the difference IMO. So I’m with you Winston, and I think that’s the best set up if that works for you. Not too far from my set up actually
skizzlemane1 I was using a MacBook Pro to stream Music, I moved to a Allo Digione Signature streamer. I noticed a much quieter background with the Digione. Funny how I didn’t notice the noise from the MacBook Pro until I made a comparison
I’ve been using Apple TV’s as endpoints for our whole house setup. Might seem stupid, but works awesome for our family. All we stream is Apple Music, and these are cheaper than a Sonos and we can sync all them together with airplay 2. If you are all in apple ecosystem, this works good.
Thanks for your great videos!
Wrt Sonos app send music to the Sonos device: actually Sonos device pulls music from any of the indexed shares (computer, NAS). The app is only a remote (not a server) and does not need to be on the same device as where your music is stored. You can even remove the app all together and the music keeps playing.
I'm a "beginner" and consider myself tech-savvy, and these videos were certainly useful. Of course I could grasp the "server-streamer" relationship beforehand, but I'm completely unaware of the different offerings in the market and the possible DIY configurations given readily available tech at home. I can't wait for part 3!! Also, subscribed.
Thank you. I’ve had Logitech servers/ slim server and Twonky on my NAS and I always thought that the player software pulled the music from the server, that is the app read a file from the NAS and and did the bits to sound stuff. You just can’t know it all. Fortunately, people like you exist to help. Thank you again.
Love the Node 2i that I recently bought! Great explanation :)
You explained it well! I find this area of audio frustrating because different manufacturers handle the functions of serving/streaming/DAC/preamp so differently. So you can find a one-box solution, or find you need four different units if you start in a different way. Everybody seems to have a different view of the technologies and "formats" (Roon/MQA/DSD/PCM). Personally, I'm ready to move my files off the computer, but can't decide how to do it.
Roon is just a program. MQA is not talked about much lately. DSD to me doesn't sound better most of the time over high res PCM. A server still has disks with data, they are computers that clock out data.
Would love to hear you talk about diving a bit into Streamers that can stream directly from the cloud vs Streamers that stream through your mobile device. I’m curious about the sound quality behavior for each & how they could be better suited for different applications. Not a whole video but more like a slight segment of 1-2min in a video clarifying the two.
Its all still a mystery to me, even after watching this vid?!! I'll have to watch it again a few times I thin...
The Sonos Connect/ZP80 doesn’t need a Mac or server for stored music. You can also use a NAS drive or the older (no longer available) Time Capsule.
Yep, that's my comment as well. You only need to fire up the software to tell Sonos where the music files are. After that the Sonos equipment scans that location. You could test this by turning off the pc in the kitchen. I however assume that your music files are also on that machine - or on an attached usb device. In that case it will obviously not work :)
Actually you can use your Internet Router, they often have an USB port. Maybe not perfect if you want to stream Lossless FLAC etc. Audio.
I originally used a Buffalo Linkstation connected via a cat5 cable directly to my ZP80. I then switched to an Apple Timecapsule, via a Sonos Bridge. Now I use an Innuos, and I still play files on various Sonos devices, from the Innuos hard drive. Note, the Innuos plays directly into my main system.
I truly enjoy all you videos. Please keep it going and can't wait!
I recently bought the Innous Zen mk3 server which resides in my tv cabinet. It connects over wifi to my bluesound 2i in another room and I have to say I am very pleased with the results. I have the bluesound connected to my Rega amp and apart from the turntable, I can control the whole lot either on my phone or tablet using the bluesound app. No issues so far.
I was fortunate to have a demo in a room at Audio T and the system sounded far better than the system I originally had in mind. I think it pays to use your own ears and judge for yourself and not go off the latest What Hifi awards.
It's probably a step up from a beginner system and certainly not high end. I like to think of it as an "enthusiasts" set up.
Looking forward to part three. Good work as always.
Just use some old android phone and connect it to a DAC. No need for some new device that is gonna get shut down eventually.
Have a nice amp and really good speakers and you're done.
Alternatively, the fiio portable players have USB audio out. You could just connect that right to a dac instead of all this expensive insanity
John, nice explanation. I would recommend a picture of the flow of the music from the source through the devices and methods (USB, S/PDIF, etc.) to explain this and have as a memento for people to take away. The decision on what device a person would purchase is based on their preferred streaming service vs sound quality (such as Sonos vs Bluesound vs Devaliet) and their compatibility.
Plenty of diagrams on the internet:
www.google.com/search?q=music+server+streamer+diagram&tbm=isch&ved=2ahUKEwju6dOJlanpAhXJOuwKHfy5DJEQ2-cCegQIABAA&oq=music+server+streamer+diagram&gs_lcp=CgNpbWcQA1D6MFjZNGCiNmgAcAB4AIABjgGIAYAFkgEDMi40mAEAoAEBqgELZ3dzLXdpei1pbWc&sclient=img&ei=zeG3Xq7PCsn1sAf887KICQ&bih=937&biw=1747#imgrc=_Cwx7X_ALEmfSM
John Darko yeah that’s what I suggested in my comment. Look how fast you found those John LOL you should’ve put one in your video. That’s what makes yours so enjoyable to watch, and informative. It’s a video. If we wanted to just hear the information we would listen to a podcast. Just giving you grief man 😂
I don't own the rights to those images.
John Darko I didn’t mean use those exact images but you could use those as a model in making your own pretty simple really
Sure I get that. I was just giving you grief, man.
Well done except that even for beginners, it is so daunting to understand all of the configurations. That being said, where’s the dumb down version for 68 year old audiophiles? You do a great job and enjoy your videos very much!
I'm not 68. I'm just not good at understanding technology.
Poor John has tried to tackle this, simply, a number of times. It's a rabbit hole of technology.
You are correct, tons of options. You can easily get paralysis by analysis... My advice is to figure out what your budget is, figure out what gear you already own that you want to use.. and look at your options that fits those two criteria... that should narrow your options to a somewhat manageable size.
Also, be happy with whatever you chose.. the truth of the matter is.. within a particular price point.. most things sound similar enough to be happy with them (in terms of streamers anyways)..
I'm 51. I actually found it easier to understand when once I learned what each thing is doing. People who with the best of intentions try to simplify often skip so much it starts to sound like voodoo or shamanism. Think of an old fashioned jukebox. The server is the stack of EPs, the arm that moves back and forth to select the right one,and the turntable that plays it. In other words its where the music is physically stored and played. The streamer is the controller. So its the key pad that lets you select which EP you want to play. It can have additional features like being able to control several jukeboxes from one keypad and being able to store playlists and so forth. The dac takes the record player's signal and converts it to the kind of signal that your amp can recognize and play. So the DAC is performing the role of the phonostage or pre-amp and then it connects to your amplifier. Finally the amplifier connects to the speakers and you have sound.
So true, I absolutely agree. This was not a basic overview. It was too deep. I don’t know how this came on my You Tube feed but I lost this topic at UPNP. I want a device that is as simple to use as a FM radio or a TV set top box. All this server, streamer, Rune, Sonos, Core, Windows, Linux, Nucelus, etc should all be transparent to us users. I am 60+ and the PC wasn’t even invented when I graduated from University. They need to make this simple or only millennials who are techies will buy this stuff.
I have 800+ CDs and over 1000+ movies and would like to have a simple storage that allowed me access to all of this.
Yes also informativ. I recently bought a Zen m3 because of you ! Brilliant hardware. But I could not talk to my PSAudio Gain Cell Dac...... wrong firmware. Now I have to change the mainboard in the DAC, no worries, its covered by the warranty. Thanks
I’ve yet to experience much if any hifi stuff but I’m kind of obsessed with it right now. Started with a dragonfly red and monolith m1060 headphones. Kef lsx will probably be next.
Right now I’ve only heard music streamed from phones and sky q I’d be interested to here this stuff and if I notice a big difference
Got a question? Please phrase it so that ANYONE can answer.
MORE INFO: darko.audio/2020/05/digital-music-streaming-101/
Hi John, is there anywhere to ask questions that aren't specific to the video in question?
I know this isn't one anyone can answer but i'm interested to know. Before working full time reviewing equipment, did you work in the IT industry? I just get that impression.
How do I get Free Internet Radio? I am not able to pay for any special streaming services. What audio gear or software do I need?
Can you connect the Roon Nucleus directly to the DAC? it is a Synthesis Roma DC96+, which has a USB input.
John Darko dear John, what is the plan for this video serie? The table of content if you want. Thank you
Great video John. Can't wait for part 3. Timing is perfect as I'm making the plunge into digital audio. Keep the intel coming my friend!
I am using a Buffalo NAS drive and Bluesound Node. It is the original Node (built-in DAC analog out not the best) so I use it with an external DAC. The Bluesound GUI-software performs very well IMO.
As a home server, I have a WiFi router with an USB port which supports external hard drives. It isn't an expensive router and my music is always on the net, as the router is always turned on. I love it, comparing to the days when I was was streaming from my PC and had to turn it on and off for each music session .
It's a thumbs from me. I've had a bit of a go with the RPi but got the feeling I was missing something. It turns out I was missing a lot of thing's. Thank you for doing this and yes , I would love it if you did more.
I don't know any of this stuff. One of these days, I'm going to have to figure it out.
I've been interested in the Allo Digione to stream Spotify Connect and Deezer from cloud and also to connect to a USB hard drive to play flac files. Gapless playback is a must. Please recommend an OS, options are dietpi+Allo GUI, Volumio, Moode Audio and Max2Play. Thanks.
Hi, I’m just getting into streaming and found your video very interesting and well delivered.
Regards,
Richard Herbert
I thought you were trying to keep it basic and simple for us newbies. Just kiddin' bro. Love your vids
This series of videos is very informative, appreciate you doing theses.
I for one never knew any of this stuff.
Both the Sonos and the Bluesound are not upnp because they are running their own software server internally. You only need to tell them where is the folder that contain the music. This is also one of the cool point of the Bluesound: just plug an usb hard-disk in the back and the music will be "served" to the player using the metadata (or by folder if you like...)
Have you ever reviewed Yamaha musiccast streamers? Interested as they're generally so much cheaper than alternatives - you can often pick up the wxad-10 streamer for £100 but even their more expensive stuff is a lot cheaper than the likes of Sonos and bluesound. Would be good to know your opinion
I would like that too. I think John could make an excellent video about Yamaha and MusicCast.
dear john
Is there a way to stream all the sound signal from the computer to streamer?
For example
using web browser to play youtube video
or using player software to play video/music
then send all those signal to the streamer
Will it be better than using computer connect to dac via usb?
Becasue streamer is better than computer.
thank you
I use a raspberry with digione signature hat. I use it as a Roon endpoint and it supports airplay too. So from my macbook pro everything sounds from my Dac through the streamer
I would expand this question to also include streaming anything from a smartphone
@@naskrajuciszy I can't find any software can do this
@@mariorinaldi7612 Mac can do this. Windows can't.
Thank you John. Very informative video.
Even raspberry pi can be configured to play the role of network streamer and music server simultaneously. Using Mopidy we can use spotify connect, soundcloud, and other steaming services as well as play local music files placed in the sd card.
Simple concepts explained the long and hard way. Nice.
If I just want a streamer for streaming from cloud servers (eg spotify, tidal etc) and connect to my own DAC, then does the streamer affect the sound quality? Or we should just choose the streamer base on ease of use?
Weng Keong id like the answer to this question too
I have only just got into streamers and recently got a secondhand bluesound node 2i which is great and has a reasonably good internal dac and can decode tidal MQA. But you can bypass the node's dac and connect to a better external dac to improve the sound.. through either the coax or toslink optical cable if needed. Although I believe these cable have different bandwidth limitations?.which I'm checking out. But as it is the node is an impressive bit of kit to stream to most music service and listen to stored music and radio. Not sure if that helps
Like everything in audio, everything can matter. I am sure if you spend more money, the data streams could be tightened up some. Maybe spending more on a USB cable could make more of an improvement. I just swapped out a cheap network cable for a wireworld into my computer and could hear the difference, the company signature sound could be heard even over wireless to my M11 DAP. Everything matters.
Appreciate all the replies. But coming from my point of view, I’m more of thinking if i can just get a raspberry pi instead of a bluesound node to stream when I already have a fairly decent DAC. Of course I know the more money you put into the setup you can get better sound quality but in my humble opinion that is not exactly the point I am raising
@@wengkeong8393 you can use a raspberry, PC, laptop, tablet, phone or dedicated streamer to stream music via the internet streaming service ...even smart TVs have streaming options. But the sound can vary to some degree, but start with what you have available and then upgrade if you are not happy with the sound. I streamed from the TV, phone and laptop for a while and it sounded great
John, thanks for the videos man - Love your point of view, keep it up it helps alot! (Just bought a Mojo/Poly cuz of you and love it!).
Would love to see more from you on Acoustics (like your video with Acoustic Insider), EQ and Room treatment, as I feel my (and others) setup would benefit a lot more from your approach of explaining us this. Any chance for that in the future?
Thanks for the video...I am now starting to understand streaming etc. My main sources are records, tapes and my digital files going from laptop to DAC to HiFi. Honeslty though....steamers, servers, Tidal, Roon etc are still feeling like alien concepts to me!
I’ve been into computer streaming for quite a few years now using a Mac mini with Audirvana software taking care of my local library and Qobuz music subscription. It works fairly well and sounds ok, but for those starting out I would suggest skipping computer audio and doing things properly. An Innuos Zen mini will make life so much more enjoyable with regard to usability and sound quality and doesn’t cost the earth! It’s next on my upgrade path.
I have had the Logitech Squeezebox Touch for a decade and it recently died. I loved that item, especially for the phone app to control every aspect of it. I want to try Roon, qobuz, Tidal at a similar price point as the Touch, doing so via ethernet connection. Reccomendatons please.
I love how technology has made our lives so much easier
Hi! as a roon user, is there ANY sound quality advantage of using a dedicated streamer (any price), against a good computer (ie: mac mini or a intel nuc) running roon core and connected to a nice dac? At least in terms of UI, I think the second solution is way more powerful, flexible, scalable and easy to use, and it is almost free compared to some streamers priced as if they were made of pure gold.
For any of the local server to streamer setups that you discussed, other than, possibly, the Nucleus, if Roon 2.0, do you need an Internet connection, or will a local LAN connection do? Thx for the great video.
You introduce streaming to viewers and you have done a bang up job of it. Didn’t you fail to mention that you have to pay for all of these different services. How much are they per month. Which ones of these services allow you to download the music into your hard drive or copy to your phone as a purchase ?
Sonos Connect...my understanding is that the Windows app is only needed for initial configuration, it is not used to serve files. In fact my files are served via SMB Windows style shares from my Linux based OpenMediaVault machine.
Clive Barrell same here, and same for my Bluesound Node 2 👍🏻👍🏻
My server/streaming setup used to be a Windows desktop PC as the server and PS3 as the steamer. To get it to my hi-fi I would use my PS3 as a receiver which was connected to the hi-fi via analogue connections.
Now I just have Google Home units around the house. The sound quality is nowhere near hi-fi quality, but I can use voice commands which have worked very successfully for me.
You've just convinced me to stick to vinyl. LOL
Me too,👍
I like the idea of a separate server (in my case a RAID NAS) to use as a repository for all my media which becomes my 'master' copy. In my case I only use my PC's storage for manipulation (and sometimes for a quick backup) with the main content including my work/ excel files also kept on the NAS server.
It then becomes very easy to backup.
Having streamers for both Audio and Video plus Photos becomes simple, as I always know where my content is.
Apart from my backup copies, I also have a duplicate NAS which I can treat as yet another backup or take it with me when I work abroad.
Keep 'em coming John. Another good vid, although I admit that confused me about as much as clarified it all. I'd be interested in comments on what software/app you have to use at each step/option. Obviously Roon is king but aside from that the question is what interface would be needed to select the songs to stream from the cloud/server for each piece of hardware (BluOS, Musicast, iTunes, Chromecast et al). As a newbie to streaming, that would be a key concern.
@John Darko, although I’ve been subscribed for a while, LOVE this series, as there are many gaps in my knowledge. Currently running Roon server on my Mac desktop (because that’s what I have) but hoping to get a NUC on which I’ll run Roon and Plex. Do you prefer Windows or Linux for such a setup? Thanks for the info and the inspiration.
Manley Walker have you seen the Roon Nucleus? I’m getting mine today...
I would like to see a video regarding the the best streaming method/service for sound quality. I know I don't like my Sonos connect at all for sound quality. Streaming via upnp seem much better, but are there better solutions?
@John Darko Hi John, I'm interested in the raspberry pi case you're using, could you give me the link so that I can buy it?
Excellent description, but wow complex as to where to start! I’m an Analogue man, so my media is LPs (for now ... not convinced given the faff of short term play & cost of vinyl) plus CDs. I did once upon a time run a Vortexbox Server via Windows 8 interface, but found the upkeep of files and manual indexing/genre a chore TBH. So I returned to media for ease. That said my wife now shares her Spotify (family) account, so I’m thinking of a mini box ‘Project Stream S2’ to add to my system for easy access of additional music while reducing my CD collection to a core value “listening book”. Just tooooooo many choices these days.... and I believe SIMPLEST (like me) is best BUT any advice is welcome, keep up the good work 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻😊
Appreciate this vid, John. Thank you!
Hi John. Great videos on streaming. My only grouch is the monthly fee for services. I know there are not many about. Though it would be great if you did a hifi tuner review. Free music for all once you you have bought your equipment.
Another extremely useful video. Many thanks.
Great and helpful. Thanks for putting this up!
Great video especially for me right now as about to buy my first higher end streamer. Looking forward to next video (hoping it will help unravel the roon in a separate box mystery)
I am loving the bluesound node with yamaha as2100 and dynaudio special 40. What would be a good upgrade, look for an external dac for the bluesound? And in what category of dacs should you look for a significant better sound?
i know it's not specific to music only, but more as such a music server. but i've set up a Plex media server a couple of years ago. i still find the functionality and interface to be one of the best looking around.
I see you move your acoustic wall panels, Could you please give us some explanations how you treat your room and where a beginner should start with room treatement? Thx.
I'm looking to find a solution using Amazon FireTV as my network streamer. They have the best support for native streaming apps for Tidal, Qobuz, Spotify. And it has native support for Plex, VLC, etc. for my local content. And it has a great UI for "lean back" listening and convenience so my wife and children can also use it without learning about Roon or some Upnp App on my smartphone to make it work on the home hifi system. What do you think is the best way to use FireTV stick as a streamer and then use an external DAC etc. to get the best sound quality?
It would be interesting to see a streamer like the bluesound vs a Mac mini using audirvana
For me, it would be interesting how to connect the Bluesound to a Mac acting as a server
I have a Bluesound Node 2i, and I've tried that compared to a PC laptop running Audirvana, both running Qobuz, both running through a Project DS2 Digital pre-amp/DAC (which is fairly superior to the DAC in the Bluesound, and far better than what's in the Mac Mini). Hard to say that one was squarely better than the other. The Bluesound was a little more laid back, and while the PC/Audirvana had more detail, it was a bit to aggressive in its sound for my taste - I couldn't listen to it for long periods. So not exactly the comparo you were looking for, but maybe helpful... My gut tells me the Bluesound will still be better, as its DAC is a lot better than the Mac's.
Notice the Klipsch back on the stands....enjoying them I take it
Even though I've been enjoying hifi gear for decades, I am very much a newcomer to all of this myself. I imagine that one of the biggest hurdles to overcome in trying to explain this side of the audio spectrum to someone like me is that we aren't just talking about hardware any longer. There is a cornucopia of software involved and when you consider that one piece of hardware could potentially involve a multitude of software choices the demands on the person trying to explain things seemingly increase exponentially.
In addition, we aren't simply talking about a few different formats, each one specific to a particular category of hardware (i.e. turntables play records, CD players play CD's, cassette decks play cassettes, so on and so forth). The person trying to describe this side of the audio spectrum now also has to explain things like 1:1 vs lossless vs compressed and the bandwidth being used to deliver these various choices. In all honesty, I have the feeling it would be easier for me to figure this out over time in a somewhat painful fashion than it would be to know about the ins and outs of all of this stuff and then trying to explain it to someone like myself.
I am sympathetic for people like myself trying to digest all of these things, but I am also feel sympathy for someone like John here who is trying to find a straightforward way to explain all of this to myself and others like me. Plus, while sound quality was intended to be the focus of this series of videos, the fact that I realize there are differences in sound quality between different streamers for example certainly raises my curiosity a few notches.
The weird thing, is that the brick & mortar stores have always held the highest appeal for me when it comes to making my traditional hifi purchases. However, now heading into this side of things, knowing that I am essentially looking at buying fairly sterile computing devices dealing with 1's and 0's (that is NOT a comment on the music quality produced) takes away a lot of the romance of music playback for me. I'm sad to say that this does feel like it is likely to decrease my interest in a visit to my favorite local brick & mortar shops. The same ones that I have happily supported for many decades now (and vice versa). I already subscribed after part one of this series and I'll continue to watch with interest.
On my home server/living room pc I have Snapcast (with Librespot for Spotify Connect and Shairport-sync for Airplay) and Music Player Daemon for local files hosted on the server. I use the yaMPC iOS app to control MPD. Right now it’s connected with line-out to my receiver. My TV has a toslink DAC to the receiver. The TV is also connected to a soundbar with HDMI ARC if I want 5.1 surround for movies. The receiver is all analog except for the tuner (Yamaha RX-300 from the late 80s). Turntable connected directly to receiver’s phono input.
The tape out is connected to the server’s line-in if I want to record and it runs my music visualizer (8x8 rgb led matrix).
Snapcast is for multiroom audio, so I can listen to my music in my whole apartment. In the kitchen I have a Pi Zero W with a Pimoroni pHatDAC I think its called.
How about using a smart TV with Chromecast built-in and toslink out as a streamer? Local files can be accessed over LAN as well.
If Im being honest I fully understand this stuff, but you made it sound confusing... I’m not sure how you did that lol. One thing I enjoy and also may help some people when the information is hard to follow is in “part one” you had more on screen visual aids. For instance with each product that you held up there was a symbol for Spotify connect or airplay or UPnP during your explanation. Regardless, great video as usual. Can’t wait for the next one 👍🏼 also I wanted to say thank you for the continued content during this worldwide situation
Agreed. I understand all the technical details, but the entire time I'm watching the video I can just tell that anyone trying to understand the "basics" is going to be completely confused by this.
Sticking to one brand or system in order to explain the basics would have been a much better idea, instead of going all over the place with different brands, products, systems, etc.
Seconded! 👍🏻
I agree. Sticking to one platform - one server, one streamer - would have made it simpler. BUT that would have led to a gazillion "what about?" questions int the comments section. And given that I am expected to field many of those questions - many, many hours of work - I chose to make the video content broader. Maybe I should have made the simpler, one platform video and then turned the comments off. ;)
Darren Prest
Uh oh Darren. Don’t be part of the confused people club 😬. I didn’t say it WAS confusing I said somehow he makes it SOUND confusing. I also said that I fully understand, and then proceeded to explain that others might find it hard to follow. You gotta pay attention ☝🏼 to answer your question yes it was/is great. All of these videos are pretty great indeed.
skizzlemane1 - is there a difference between an explanation sounding confusing and being confusing? Anyway, my advice to anyone starting out is just jump on board. Setting the hardware and software up is pretty simple in my experience - at least if Sonos and Synology are typical.
The Raspberry Pi is just a personal computer just like your NUC, it can be a server, player or both. Roon being the exception I suppose as of their software packages, they've only released the Roon Bridge for Armv7 and Roon Core is only available for x86.
I currently have the Sonos port connected to my Denon AVR. That system is about one year old. I use the Tidal hi-fi streaming service. i’ve often wondered if I can improve the sound that I’m currently getting over my home system with this current set up.
I believe a good dedicated DAC and a simple streamer capable of bit-perfect USB output would be better for most people in the long run.
Yep!! That's what I'm looking for.
Very nice. Any chance you’ll be reviewing the OpticalRendu?
As always informative and well presented....thanks for sharing. Looking forward to the next installment 👍👍
Lots of ways to do this, I guess many of us older folk want a simple example of a hardware setup. Are you able to show an example with a CD player that can stream over hifi and Sonos please?
Hey John, quick question. Could you review the Cabasse The Pearl...? ;)
Hey John, when are hairdressers opening in Berlin?
Very helpful. Thank you!!
Hi John, I am new to this world of streamers and its ecosystem. Came across your channel while looking for reviews for an entry level IEM. Thanks for sharing your experience and creating awareness. But ( for me) apart from the gains mentioned, there is also a growing curiosity and sort of want ( actually a need) to build a decent budget friendly streamer ecosystem too. So in that context I would like to ask if there was specific reason for choosing a DigiOne and not the Signature in this video. Was that a deliberate choice ?
Thanks again,
Thanks for the explanation, very useful albeit a little confusing at the same time! I wanted to ask where does a software like Audirvana sit in all of this?
Though listening to music was meant to be fun/relaxing,, this all seems very long-winded.
Thanks, John. You've surely helped me, I know that. Good stuff, mate. 💯👍🏼✌🏼
Unrelated to the topic but I need to ask : The music bits of John Darko´s videos sound better through my receiver system than anyhthing else in youtube. Are you doing anything special to the audio in your uploads than the average youtube is not doing? Specially the electronic music bits sound absolutely fantastic.
Absolutely zero post processing.
Wow, so 3 separate electronic devices and we haven't even got to the dac and amp? Or to get it down to 2 devices (excluding dac and amp), one needs to be very expensive and require a monthly subscription?
The server has the files and the streamer makes music out of these files. The app tells the streamer what to play.
THANKYOU!
I have a Sonore Microrendu Streamer to a Hugo 2 dac. It’s completely stripped from all gimmicks and stuff you don’t really need but usually pay for. Simple, small, powerful and amazing value for the money ! It’s just not mainstream...(pun intended;)
This is great! How do you perceive the WiFi reception quality using the allo audio metal case?
This is why I listen to physical formats 😂
I'd rather just listen to the wireless, 😆
Very clear, thanks👍
You mentioned that you don't want to talk about sound quality, but you said that Auralis Mini provides better sound quality than Sonos Connect... I will probably not receive an answer, but is this claim based on data/specs or personal preference?
It's based on hundreds of hours of listening.
@@DarkoAudio If you hear a difference from your experience then can we assume there must be some technical difference (soft or hardware) between the Sonos and the Auralic? I have a Connect and mostly just stream Spotify to a McIntosh amp via interconnects. But the Connect is pretty old now and after seeing your video I want to find a replacement, but the Auralic seems to be discontinued so wonder what else I should consider. I also use the Connect to stream from my PC files. I just use my iPhone to control everything. Thanks.
Hi John. I discovered your channel recently and find your reviews very helpful even though they’re purposely narrow in subject. Based on my needs and budget I figured the Volumio Primo is a good option me. You gave it a high rating in your review from about a year ago, but I don’t see you mentioning it in your recent videos. Is there a reason (long term quality, support,etc) your opinion about the Volumio changed? If so, I’ll look at the Allo DigiOne (I’d rather pay a bit more for a better plug-n-play experience with the Volumio)
Love your reviews. I’m using Chord Mojo as DAC connected to MacBook with Curious USB cable to enjoy Qobuz on HiFi system. Will there be any improvement in sound quality using Chord Poly or a Streamer (e.g Volumio Prima) replacing MacBook? Thanks!!
Excelente información, saludos desde México
I absolutely love your videos. But I can’t for the life of me figure out how to wirelessly stream music from turntable to a speaker in another room. (Without using Sonos)
The Picoplayer on your Pi also supports multiple configurations: player, streamer or server. www.picoreplayer.org/
Of course, the other major point to mention is how much of the audio "hardware stack" is in the "solution" as well. Where will the DAC and head-amp/pre-amp and amp be? In the streamer/server, or in external components?
Also, I think you'll find that many of these protocols are more "pull based" (or "ongoing handshake based") rather than simply "push based" from a server. Again, it depends on the sophistication of the endpoint, not just the server implementation.
I think by trying to simplify things so much, you've actually made it more complicated than it is. I would simply talk about "clients" and "servers" and "gui". Once people understand the differences between, you can then explain how these things can be in multiple boxes, or even all crammed together in one. Same for the hardware! :)
Still, great job as usual. Love your work. :)
Thanks for the link.
I use kodi as upnp server for my music. Its the only software I have found that supports the albumartist tag correctly. I have a lot of compilation albums including a large mixed dance albums.
How important is the quality and performance of the device running Roon Core? For example, if I run Roon Core on very low spec device, like a $200 NUC, and never plan to use it as a server, will anything in my system suffer? Alternatively, if I have a high spec device, like an Innuos Zen or Statement, will that device suffer if I run Roon Core on it?
My S.A.C.D player even sounds better now lol , John came up in the LP/CD Era also, I am about to go full streaming also. I was streaming with my Pioneer Elite SX-N30 Hi-Res Reciever (799.00US) Its built in streamer was Ok but dont think the ifi Audio Zen-Blue paired with AptX-HD transmitter, gave that streamer a run for the money and now this new LC3-Plus is coming out can't wait to try that B/T codec !!
John , Really appricate the videos ! ! I'm trying to keep up ! Hell MQA CDs also now in Japan ! Crazyness ! Nothing beats a direct connection as one would say 😆 😆
Very informative. Thank you
I refuse to pay a monthly fee for Roon when good free alternatives exist.
Can you recommend a good free service better than Roon? Curious if there is one as good?
If something it's free the product is you.
Sehr hilfreich, danke.
I did not think this was simple enough for beginners..Too much jargon and product names..A signal path diagram might have helped..Where does the music originate? What kit do I need to hear it? Imagine I live in a caravan In the middle of nowhere..I have electricity..what else do I need?
In reality I was a beginner in computer based audio 3 years ago after a lifetime of listening via Turntable/ cd/ tuner/ amp/ speakers.. it hasn't been easy for me to grasp the idea of music coming from the internet. Hard to teach an old dog new tricks John..But I am happy with my Innuos Meridian explorer AVI DM10 active speakers(for now anyway)..
Kind regards
Another John
What’s your opinion on the Aurelic Altair G1 versus the NAD 50.2 Musicmaster? Like both but wonder your professional opinion
I just stream Tidal from a notebook direct into my Chord Qutest. Isn't that easier than a streamer?
Your notebook IS the streamer.
thing is a separate streamer will provide a better source, higher quality digital signal source
A Dedicated streamer would hypothetically give you less jitter and less electrical noise from say a spinning fan, or “loud” power supply in the notebook. But you’d have to be hard-pressed and have super analytical equipment to even tell the difference IMO. So I’m with you Winston, and I think that’s the best set up if that works for you. Not too far from my set up actually
skizzlemane1 I was using a MacBook Pro to stream Music, I moved to a Allo Digione Signature streamer. I noticed a much quieter background with the Digione. Funny how I didn’t notice the noise from the MacBook Pro until I made a comparison