20-Jun-2015, 12:24
I would like to share experience I have made in the last weeks with different audio formats used with a pair of Silver Phantoms (fw 1.2.0.0) and Dialog (fw 1.2.0.0) using SPARK (ver. 1.1.4). I'm using a MacMini latest gen. with external HD to Stream audio files using SPARK. The Phantoms connect to Dialog wirelessly or through integrated PLC (this cannot be influenced, however the Phantoms are not connected through ethernet). The MacMini is connected to the router via Ethernet as well as Dialog is attached to the same router. As controller I use SPARK on either IPhone, IPad or Sony Android phone. So far I made following experience:
- MP3, and other lossy formats play flawlessly independant on compression level, fast forward or rew jumping within a track has a delay/interrupt of 0.5-2s. jumping to other track 0.5-1s.
- compressed lossless formats in FLAC play flawlessly for Stereo 16/44.1k, 16/48k, 24/44.1k, 24/48 and 24/96k, however jumping within tracks needs patience, often takes 4-10s until music starts playing. Jumping to other tracks often takes 1-3s. 24/192k only plays with lots of stuttering. 24 bit music in 5.1 coding only plays with lots of stuttering, down conversion (lossless) to stereo of 5.1 titles work fine.
- compressed lossless formats in ALAC play flawlessly for Stereo 16/44.1k, 16/48k, 24/44.1k, 24/48 and 24/96k, jumping within tracks takes 0.2-1s (works best of all audio formats). Jumping to other tracks is also very zappy 0.2-1s. 24/192k only plays with lots of stuttering. Apparently, for now Apple lossless is the preferred audio format of the current SPARK implementation. All tracks show the cover and SPARK plays them as it should be expected, no stuttering, snappy when jumping within the track using the slider forwards and backwards, and snappy on track changes, however 100-200ms interrupt between tracks (no gapless live music listening yet).
Since lossless CD streaming from Qobuz and Tidal use FLAC we experience the same problems as for FLAC played from PC/Mac.
-uncompressed audio formats (wav, AIFF) play well for 16/44.1k, 16/48k, 24/44.1k and 24/48k. Problems start with higher sampling rates (96k/192k).
Devialet should be able to fix this or is ALAC a better implementation for streaming the files?
What is your experience?
- MP3, and other lossy formats play flawlessly independant on compression level, fast forward or rew jumping within a track has a delay/interrupt of 0.5-2s. jumping to other track 0.5-1s.
- compressed lossless formats in FLAC play flawlessly for Stereo 16/44.1k, 16/48k, 24/44.1k, 24/48 and 24/96k, however jumping within tracks needs patience, often takes 4-10s until music starts playing. Jumping to other tracks often takes 1-3s. 24/192k only plays with lots of stuttering. 24 bit music in 5.1 coding only plays with lots of stuttering, down conversion (lossless) to stereo of 5.1 titles work fine.
- compressed lossless formats in ALAC play flawlessly for Stereo 16/44.1k, 16/48k, 24/44.1k, 24/48 and 24/96k, jumping within tracks takes 0.2-1s (works best of all audio formats). Jumping to other tracks is also very zappy 0.2-1s. 24/192k only plays with lots of stuttering. Apparently, for now Apple lossless is the preferred audio format of the current SPARK implementation. All tracks show the cover and SPARK plays them as it should be expected, no stuttering, snappy when jumping within the track using the slider forwards and backwards, and snappy on track changes, however 100-200ms interrupt between tracks (no gapless live music listening yet).
Since lossless CD streaming from Qobuz and Tidal use FLAC we experience the same problems as for FLAC played from PC/Mac.
-uncompressed audio formats (wav, AIFF) play well for 16/44.1k, 16/48k, 24/44.1k and 24/48k. Problems start with higher sampling rates (96k/192k).
Devialet should be able to fix this or is ALAC a better implementation for streaming the files?
What is your experience?
