Hi Fi

[Chippy_boy]

Tenuous link to HiFi. Have just invested in my first Alexa echo (yes I know), only to discover it doesnt support Tidal in the UK but does connect to SONOS. My original plan was to play Tidal through my SONOS connect, voice activated by Alexa. Now, I have Amazon music but only the restricted version and I don't really want to shellout more money on the unrestricted one or Spotify. Any answers on how I can stream CD quality through my Sonos voice activated by Alexa?

Any reason not to dump Tidal and spend the money instead on the full Amazon Music subscription (which is cheaper anyway)?

 

[Saddleworth2]

Any reason not to dump Tidal and spend the money instead on the full Amazon Music subscription (which is cheaper anyway)?

Yeah, I use Tidal in multiple rooms , one of which houses my main hi fi. It is the only stream that that i know of that gives you CD quality and Master Quality. Don't think Amazon provides that

 

[Chippy_boy]

Yeah, I use Tidal in multiple rooms , one of which houses my main hi fi. It is the only stream that that i know of that gives you CD quality and Master Quality. Don't think Amazon provides that

It does. Actually higher quality (technically - whether you can hear it is another matter) than Tidal's MQA which is lossy. Amazon Music HD provides full, uncompressed 24/192 hi-res content, at lower cost than Tidal. And a bigger library too (I think).



It's £12.99 per month vs £20.00 for Tidal.

(BTW I am not knocking Tidal. I am a Tidal subscriber myself but am giving Amazon Music HD a go.)

 

[Saddleworth2]

It does. Actually higher quality (technically - whether you can hear it is another matter) than Tidal's MQA which is lossy. Amazon Music HD provides full, uncompressed 24/192 hi-res content, at lower cost than Tidal. And a bigger library too (I think).

View attachment 13491

It's £12.99 per month vs £20.00 for Tidal.

(BTW I am not knocking Tidal. I am a Tidal subscriber myself but am giving Amazon Music HD a go.)

Will have a look. Thanks for that mate.

 

[Chippy_boy]

Will have a look. Thanks for that mate.

You're welcome.

 

[denislawsbackheel]

Been through hell with mine lately

My Nad C320 amp seems to be on it's way out so I've tried some new kit. First I got the Audiolab 6000A and 6000N to replace my amp and chromecast audio. I found it was a bit too 'boomy', and as you can't adjust the bass had to send it back. iItested the Audiolab 6000N against my chomecast and couldn't tell a difference most of the time so that went back too.

I then got a Naim Nait 5si amp to run with chromecast and that's going back too. Can't stand it. Sound is clear but it has no body and is far too bright. Going to book a slot with Audio T in town and try some stuff in the flesh there to get it sorted.

What is it with the hifi world though? This fucking Nait amp - why the hell do the speakers connect the wrong way round on the back of the amp? Why the hell do you have to solder the fucking speaker cables into the Naim speaker adapters? Why isn't their the ability to tone the bass down a bit on most amps? I can't even adjust the balance so unless you're bang in the middle of the speakers in a room that revolves around them it's off balance. It's an incredibly pretentious, nerdy little world at times it really is, but you need your tunes to sound good and it's a case of trying to fumble through all the bullshit to find something that sounds great and has a reasonable level of practicality that doesn't cost about 15 grand.

Even the streamers that cost hundreds/thousands and don't have gapless playback. How poor is that? Dark Side of the Moon? Last 7 tracks or so of Abbey Road? Forget it. And loads don't have common features like the ability to play spotify connect. It's painful. It's so, so painful

Thing is I was happy with my old NAD amp, CCA and Tannoy Revolution DC speakers so I'm not keen on splashing thousands on something that sounds the same as a 30 quid CCA and NAD amp I bought for 180 quid 15 years ago. Hopefully I can find a solution for less than a grand

Before you boot out any more high quality amps on the basis of working with a chrome cast have you checked your chrome cast and Spotify settings are all on the highest quality possible?

 

[dooie68]

Possibly a dry electrolytic capacitor somewhere in the power supply rails. Is the distortion in a single channel or both?

Also, speakers 5m away from the amp? Have you got the speaker in the corner of the room?

Ideal position for those is probably going to be 75cm out from one of the 5m sides about 3m apart and toe'd-in slightly. They are more than capable of filling your room with sound.

The speakers are not in the corners and they are off the wall, I'm getting it in both speakers more so as I increase the volume slightly

 

[KS55]

I have a Philco record player. As i have gone deaf, even this ancient machine cant reach me.
Singing out of tune works for me.

 

[Trevor Morley's Tache]

The speakers are not in the corners and they are off the wall, I'm getting it in both speakers more so as I increase the volume slightly

Hmm... Have you tried all the inputs (not Phono)?

Also try whipping off the links between pre/power and give them a clean and refitting them (I know it's both channels but you never know).

Also, try another source if you have one.

 

[The Fat el Hombre]

Before you boot out any more high quality amps on the basis of working with a chrome cast have you checked your chrome cast and Spotify settings are all on the highest quality possible?

Yes mate