Hi
I am considering giving TIDAL another go, but would like some guidance.
My set up is below so I am assuming the only way I could do this is to reinstall AIR and use my main PC as the control point. At present I use spotify and I can use that through my PS4 and I can therefore use my I pad as the control point and this is much more suitable. As I have the Melco I am not sure I can use my I Pad to control TIDAL? Is this possible?
I think if I bought an Android tablet I could do this but I am not sure how my TIDAL trail will go as I have to admit I was a little disappointed at the sound quality last time in comparison with the FLAC files stored on my Melco. I just found it less full with a thin sound and a tad bright too at times.
Any guidance as usual much appreciated.
Can't offer much help in terms of your setup Womaz, but as much as I don't really like Tidal 'the company' or their mobile Apps, I can't say I've noticed any sound quality issues compared to local files of the same music. They do have a lot of remastered stuff (like other streaming providers - I guess they get the 'cheapest'), but otherwise it's actually pretty good.
I still prefer Qobuz because they have a slightly better selection for my tastes, but I can't use it. Interestingly Qobuz have a new 'Roon-like' Desktop ap just out apparently. Might be worth checking that out too.
Is there no way you can route it through the Melco? I'm guessing that's the difference in Sq rather than the streaming provider.
Try this guide from Melco
http://www.dimex.nl/cms/images/merken/do...r(881).pdf
Using the android app BubbleUPNP the Tidal stream will be routed through the Melco to the Devialet via USB.
That should put the stream on the same level as your stored music files for comparison purposes. And, of course, you can also join the debate about the SQ of MQA.
Thanks for the posts guys.
As I will only be trailing TIDAL I don't really want to buy another tablet , especially as I now have the Lumin app working on my Melco .
I would possibly go this way if Tidal was used permanently .
So for now guessing through AIR is the only way? And would not be able to use the I Pad to control it.
(18-Feb-2017, 11:01)Hifi_swlon Wrote: [ -> ]Can't offer much help in terms of your setup Womaz, but as much as I don't really like Tidal 'the company' or their mobile Apps, I can't say I've noticed any sound quality issues compared to local files of the same music. They do have a lot of remastered stuff (like other streaming providers - I guess they get the 'cheapest'), but otherwise it's actually pretty good.
I still prefer Qobuz because they have a slightly better selection for my tastes, but I can't use it. Interestingly Qobuz have a new 'Roon-like' Desktop ap just out apparently. Might be worth checking that out too.
Is there no way you can route it through the Melco? I'm guessing that's the difference in Sq rather than the streaming provider.
Thanks for the reply, I really don't like the user interface on Qoubuz and I found the title selection not that good, or maybe it was the poor search function. I may revisit it though as I like the premium service as you get discounts on certain purchases too. Again though I would have to use AIR I guess
I use Tidal with Roon on my iMac upstairs connected to my D440 via Air over Ethernet, which for me is completely reliable and sounds great. I have also tried to stream over the Roon protocol , RAAT, to a Raspberry Pi via Ethernet and then input to the Devialet on USB, but the sound was not as good as via AIR. I use the excellent Roon remote app to control the Roon core app running on the iMac.
Roon generally greatly enhances the experience of using Tidal, and enables remote control, otherwise your PC would need to be within arms reach and you would also probably have to use Air over wifi which is not so reliable.
You can download and try Roon for free for 14days.
You could also run Tidal app directly on your iPad and spend €80 on an Airport Express to stream 16/44 content ( use the digital optical out from the Airport Express hidden in the 3.5mm jack directly into optical on the Devialet) . However the wonderful MQA tracks can be only decoded via the desktop app, with the unfolded file streamed via AIR at 24/96, or directly connected via USB. Roon cannot yet decode MQA but will I think in the next 3-6 months. Tidal also promise iPad app decoding "coming soon" but there would be no way to transmit the decoded 24/96 as digital files to the Devialet.
There are so many choices and layers to this problem :-)
Markpd thank you for your detailed reply. If I decide to go for Tidal on a permanent basis I may consider roon, but at this stage I am only looking to trail it. I still like to own my music I guess, but I do feel streaming is the future.
So I am assuming that with my current set up it will have to be AIR on my PC. AIR was problematic for me so I will have to see how I find it.
If I like Tidal I may buy a new Android tablet as I assume I could then use this as the control point, and I also assume this would take AIR out if the equation too as would be using the Melco
If you can put your PC right beside your Devialet then you can output via USB and bypass AIR. To decode MQA that's what I am doing with both Apple and PC laptops.
Of course then the PC is beside the Devialet and you are on the couch so there is still the issue of having to walk over to the PC to change/select tracks!
I would also suggest that if you are just running Tidal on an trial then you could also try Roon on a matching trial (admittedly the Roon trial is shorter...).
I think AIR 3 is now working well and especially over ethernet. I just ran a 20m CAT 6 cable from the Main house router down the outside of my house and in through the sitting room wall. No more wi-fi issues!
Unfortunately the PC is in another room . This is the reason I gave up on AIR as I wanted to take the PC out of the playback chain.
I understand to trail Tidal with my current set up I will have to use it again, but it would only be temporary.
Hi Womaz
I started a thread on this a couple of days ago:
http://devialetchat.com/showthread.php?tid=4018
The Mconnect app is configured with Tidal and Qobuz (useful for comparison).
It 'sees' my NAS and connects with my Krell streamer - logically (!) it should work with the Melco….
Not as pretty or as functional as Roon/Tidal, but it works very well.
Kevin