Gadget + Tidal + hacked Android - changed everything....

[stereofun]

Once every blue moon or so an upgrade comes along.....maybe a newly restored amp, new speakers, source player that changes everything and becomes a new improved chapter of your rig, from where you will never go back. For me it was the ifi blue zen Bluetooth receiver with a build in DAC combined with a hacked Android phone and a Tidal Hifi subscription.

For the last 7-8 years I'd enjoyed my trusty Oppo BD-105D and it's excellent DAC implementation, to which audio legend John Curl, has been rumored to be behind the design of the Oppo's analog stage - a show piece of beautiful symmetry, littered with Wima caps.

My journey into blutooth receivers began in the garage where I enjoy hanging out in the Arizona winter season when the furnace of summer takes a rest. I have for years been served by an Audio engine BT-1 Bluetooth receiver/DAC feeding a 4000 into wharfedale Diamond 8.3's, each loaded with 25 lbs of sand.

Then came summer and the garage became terra prohibido at + 40C/100F. I moved the BT-1 indoors to feed my wife's rig of a 555a feeding some nice sounding polks RTI's. Problem is, wife - who is also know as the CEO or grand Ayatollah, decided that the BT-1 was a great addition for her to Bluetooth from her iphone into her rig. So the only Bluetooth receiver I had was now lost to a higher power.

Now what ? September is soon offering cooler temps, so a new Bluetooth was needed for the garage man-cave.

I did a lot of research and while almost repeating the success of the great, but aging let alone pricey $189 BT-1, - I opted for the cheaper ifi Blue Zen which just launched a version 2 coming in at $159.

With the garage still too hot, I tested the ifi on my main rig of a 999 + wharfedale Diamond 8.4's (both modded).

Wow - a clear step above the BT-1 ! Now wanting more I signed up for a Tidal HiFi subscription and things got even better, downright impressive. But as I read more and more on the Bluetooth topic I understood how our sources often limits what can be broadcasted as "Bluetooth". An obscure website led me to how to enter an Android phones developer mode and from there force a higher output. Sure enough - my Google pixel 2 phone defaulted to broadcasting an inferior codex "SBC" - but in developer mode could changed to LDAC, and not only that, also force 96/32 with 990kbs transfer !

Holy smoke.

Never heard such fidelity from streaming, let alone never truly appreciated what the 999 can do with a great source.

So how good is the ifi DAC ? It turns out you can flick a switch on the back of the unit and then it will just pass on the digital signal. So I ordered a coaxial cable which I could feed into the oppo, and by flicking two switches - one on the ifi and one on the 999 - could A/B within 5 seconds between the Oppo and Ifi DAC.

The Oppo has slightly better channel separation, and the Ifi slightly more resolution. It's a tie in the end, but for convenience I just use the ifi DAC and feed the signal straight into the 999. This is damn impressive considering the ifi's $159 price tag is up against this analog stage:



Hopefully this tale wasn't too long. But if any hesitation about Bluetooth.....no worries. It can be really really good with a high res source, a tweaked phone....and the ifi Blue Zen.

 

[BLAH BLAH]

Sounds terrific...I really like that the 999 is your main rig!

 

[stereofun]

Sounds terrific...I really like that the 999 is your main rig!

....So far the best all round. I love the cap sound, but lose out on power, maybe less the 777a, but the 777a suffers from a less clean channel separation and a tad more noise, even when it sounds gorgeous - compromises abound. I guess I should have 2 amps hooked up - one for all round excellence, then a restored 777a or 555a, for those special late night listening session where you follow the sax players breath all the way through the piping

 

[MIJ_Pioneer]

I love the cap sound, but lose out on power

May I recommend a 5000x or 7000?

As you know, they can be used for their power section alone if you prefer the preamp/look of your other gear

 

[stereofun]

May I recommend a 5000x or 7000?

As you know, they can be used for their power section alone if you prefer the preamp/look of your other gear

You are reading my mind - thinking exactly that with a 5 or 7K, the power problem is solved - btw do you know of any good 7K restos to look into ?

 

[WillVT]

Is bluetooth getting better? I have always written it off as lossy and only for convenience, like in a car. If it truly can pass 990kbps, that's pretty good.
On the other hand, if I were paying for Tidal, I would want to get the full lossless 1411kbps. Even if in reality, I couldn't tell the difference...

 

[stereofun]

Is bluetooth getting better? I have always written it off as lossy and only for convenience, like in a car. If it truly can pass 990kbps, that's pretty good.
On the other hand, if I were paying for Tidal, I would want to get the full lossless 1411kbps. Even if in reality, I couldn't tell the difference...

I had written off bluetooth too - only out of convenience did I buy an Audioengine BT-1 for my garage set-up where I didn't want to tie up the phone by a cable. It was pricey at $189, but the best rated at the time. I always thought it sounded pretty ok though, streaming Spotify on highest quality. The eye opener is the combo of Tidal Hifi from it's sheer resolution on tab - but more importantly so - the ability to transfer most if not all of those bits by newer bluetooth codecs such as LDAC or Qualcom aptx HD.

Granted, what is a super bluetooth codec brimming with high res worth, if the broadcasting device can't keep up ? But apparently those codecs and the ability to transfer is largely (at least in the android world) a matter of upgraded "OS versions" - thus my rather old Google pixel 2 XL had those options once developer mode was entered (Settings / About Phone / Build Number - here tab 7 times on the "build number") then search for codecs, and you'd see all the options for specific codecs and their quality settings.

I am pretty stoked - we are in a position now where a $159 blue tooth gadget with a build in DAC can be plugged right into your amp and compete with your other sources, - it's that good. I've tried with a free version of Pandora and Youtube music and the sound quality is excellent, even if not at the Tidal HIFI level. Before I get rolled in Tar and feather.....I am not suggesting that we all get rid of our expensive disc or vinyl players, just broadcasting that this window is opening up as a real and credible alternative.

 

[stereofun]

P.s if anybody is interested in the Blue Zen, then notice they recently launched an identical looking V2 that cost $30 more. It has better range and an improved clock reducing jitter. I have both and could not tell any sound difference, but the range improvement is significant. Either version needs a firmware update for connection stability.

 

[BushmasterM4]

Sansui 5000a or 5000x are great !! I have a Yamaha RN600 stereo receiver I use to stream music outside my house. It will do bluetooth and wifi. I use wifi due to the quality and distance you can stream. It has built in support for all streaming services (spotify, tidal, etc). I stream hi-rez via tidal over wifi and my kids usually stream via bluetooth (Tidal also). But the sound quality between bluetooth vs wifi is very noticeable. I was always under the assumption due to bandwidth limits on bluetooth one couldn't stream lossless hi rez ?

 

[WillVT]

I still think the Chromecast Audio a winner for this kind of streaming. Unlike bluetooth, it doesn't drain the phone battery, it streams lossless, and still relatively cheap (though not the $15 I paid for my second one!)
Even through it's internal DAC, it sounds pretty darn good. I can't see any way bluetooth is better, in convenience, sound quality, or price, except maybe in a car. I am actually in the market for an external DAC right now in preparation for Spotify's upcoming lossless service.

 

[BushmasterM4]

I still think the Chromecast Audio a winner for this kind of streaming. Unlike bluetooth, it doesn't drain the phone battery, it streams lossless, and still relatively cheap (though not the $15 I paid for my second one!)
Even through it's internal DAC, it sounds pretty darn good. I can't see any way bluetooth is better, in convenience, sound quality, or price, except maybe in a car. I am actually in the market for an external DAC right now in preparation for Spotify's upcoming lossless service.

You have a PC hooked up to your audio system ?

 

[WillVT]

You have a PC hooked up to your audio system ?

Nope. Over 95% of my listening is streaming.

 

[stereofun]

@WillVT, you got me curious about wifi streaming. So just finished a wifi streaming session via the oppo 105. The material where CD quality from my hard drive.

So how does it stack up to Bluetooth ?

Its better, sounds a bit more relaxed, especially less hardness in the 3-6khz band where I suspect the Bluetooth format (tried all codecs available) does have a bit accentuation. Not only on the ifi blue zen but also on the Audio engine BT-1.

We are talking small differences, and by -2db on the 2/3 khz using the 999 tone control, I was able to match up the sound to be very close to the wifi stream by the oppo with material from same recording.

If you factor in the convenience of streaming straight from your phone I remain pretty stoked, it's plenty good !

 

[WillVT]

When I say streaming, I mean from Spotify or Tidal or Amazon. I only have Spotify at the moment, and am looking forward to their upgrade to lossless sometime this year. I do actually have quite a bit of music on hard drives, but they are from many years ago, when low bitrate mp3's were the thing. I haven't touched them in a very long time. There probably is a way to play them all on my main system, but I have no reason to. Everything I want is on Spotify.

I control everything from my phone. I power up my system with a smart plug controlled by my phone, then cast Spotify from there as well, through a Chromecast Audio. Unlike with bluetooth, the phone isn't actually playing the music, but rather the CCA is pulling it straight from Spotify. When, or sometime before Spotify makes the switch, I want to get an external DAC to hopefully get better performance than the internal DAC in the CCA. I think it's a pretty ideal set-up!

Then once in a while, I'll throw a record on the turntable...

 

[BushmasterM4]

Nope. Over 95% of my listening is streaming.

I stream over a couple PC's I have set up for media purposes. I also have a Yamaha WiFi Receiver that I use to stream in another location. WiFi will always out perform Bluetooth as far as speed, quality and distance. I recommend using a PC with a good soundcard installed to stream. I have an EVGA Nu hooked up to one media PC and a Sound Blaster X-Fi Titanium HD in another. Makes it easy to stream and convert vinyl. Those two soundcards are fantastic sounding and come with rca connectors' for easy hook up to your aux ins and tape outs on your amp or receiver. I can use my cell phone to control all.

 

[peterp1]

When I say streaming, I mean from Spotify or Tidal or Amazon. I only have Spotify at the moment, and am looking forward to their upgrade to lossless sometime this year. I do actually have quite a bit of music on hard drives, but they are from many years ago, when low bitrate mp3's were the thing. I haven't touched them in a very long time. There probably is a way to play them all on my main system, but I have no reason to. Everything I want is on Spotify.

I control everything from my phone. I power up my system with a smart plug controlled by my phone, then cast Spotify from there as well, through a Chromecast Audio. Unlike with bluetooth, the phone isn't actually playing the music, but rather the CCA is pulling it straight from Spotify. When, or sometime before Spotify makes the switch, I want to get an external DAC to hopefully get better performance than the internal DAC in the CCA. I think it's a pretty ideal set-up!

Then once in a while, I'll throw a record on the turntable...

I'm doing everything with Chromecast Audio also. In addition to the service running directly on the CCA (the phone only acts as a remote control) to eliminate the need for bluetooth, you can also create "groups" for whole house audio. My "All inside & Out" group simultaneously streams the music to the outside deck, inside living room, and basement audio systems.

I recently replaced one of my CCA's with Grace Digital "Grace Link", which is an internet tuner runs a few apps directly (Pandora, TuneIn, Amazon Music (though not AMHD), iHeartRadio -- NOT SPOTIFY, NOT TIDAL) -- but it also works as a ChromeCast Audio device for casting Spotify, Tidal, etc to it. You cast to it the same as the CCA, but it displays track name on the screen and you can skip tracks with the forward/back buttons on the Grace. CCA's are getting difficult to find since Google discontinued them, I really love the Grace that works great as an internet tuner, works better as a CCA, and frees up my old CCA to use elsewhere. The Grace also has Bluetooth built in. This is the device: https://gracedigital.com/products/grace-link

Note: I have not used Chromecast Audio with Tidal, but from internet search Tidal supports casting (but MQA isn't supported because the built-in CCA DAC doesn't support MQA).