28-Jul-2015, 15:40
Most users here use Spark with two Phantoms and Dialog. Dialog in this case acts as streaming server and multiple IOS or Android devices can be used as controller. Like that you have no issues with turning on/off mobile devices. The music keeps playing. On OSX or Windows computers Spark needs to run that local files keep streaming. Also the IOS device needs to run Spark when you stream local files from the IPad or IPhone. So for comfort reasons I recommend to buy in addition to even one Phantom a Dialog as streaming server. Only like this you can turn on/off Spark on mobile controller without stopping the actual streaming. IOS is not very transparent when programs run in background in multitasking mode or are stopped by the OS. And of course as long as the IPhone is streaming wirelessly there is more power consuption and less battery life. Through the optical input of the Phantom you can also use any other streaming system, e.g. AppleTV or Sonos or Sqeezebox.
Regarding playlists this is really a miss at the moment. The only way to have playlists is currently through subscription of e.g. Qobuz in Spark. Then you can create your playlists in Qobuz and select them in Spark. Another weakness is that you cannot create the playlists in Spark, but have to make them in the IOS Qobuz app or the webapp on OSX or Windows. Tidal and Deezer offer the same. But local files cannot (yet) be orgaized with playlists.
Regarding playlists this is really a miss at the moment. The only way to have playlists is currently through subscription of e.g. Qobuz in Spark. Then you can create your playlists in Qobuz and select them in Spark. Another weakness is that you cannot create the playlists in Spark, but have to make them in the IOS Qobuz app or the webapp on OSX or Windows. Tidal and Deezer offer the same. But local files cannot (yet) be orgaized with playlists.
