Alternatives to airport express and aptx?

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gravis82

Active Member
I have an android phone. I also have an older yamaha np-2000 network player (got it used for 700, not the listed 2000! ouch) which I love. Its metal, has a dial, and looks like my other components.

Now in regards to streaming CD quality files from an internet service:

I could stream flac files from Tidal to a bluetooth receiver on my amp, but that seems wrong.

I could stream flac files from Tidal to the yamaha np-2000 via some DLNA workaround app, but they never seem to work as advertised (note, streaming files that are saved on my phone to the np-2000 via DLNA works great).

I could get an airport express and buy an ipod to stream Tidal to my amp via airplay? But what of airport express audio quality? And I don't really want to buy another handheld device.

And of course, I could get a sonos, streammagic, bluesound etc etc. But I already have internet radio vtuner and a networked access to my saved files via the yamaha, so it seems like an un-necessary duplication?

Does such a thing exist like the sonos, but just with JUST the streaming part not the networking? I don't like paying for things I don't need, even if it probably cost peanuts for the manufacture to add. Haha #OCD

just wondering.


thanks
 
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chicks said:
Chromecast Audio. Now supports FLAC. $35.
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Woah. Ok. Interesting. Has anyone tried this? Looks slick, but the audio out to RCA is from a single souce to a Y? I guess there is a digital out as well. I wonder if that little unit would do any pre-processing before it hit my dac if I sent it out through optical....
 
3.5mm output Jack to RCA, pretty common. Also has optical out from the same Jack. I've tried both, they work great. There is a setting in the configure app that needs to be toggled to allow high quality output.

Not sure Tidal app supports Chromecast yet. They were talking about it over a year ago, but after ownership change, may have abandoned the project. Deezer supports it, but their uncompressed Elite service is, so far, only available via Sonos, unless that has changed.
 
chicks said:
3.5mm output Jack to RCA, pretty common. Also has optical out from the same Jack. I've tried both, they work great. There is a setting in the configure app that needs to be toggled to allow high quality output.

Not sure Tidal app supports Chromecast yet. They were talking about it over a year ago, but after ownership change, may have abandoned the project. Deezer supports it, but their uncompressed Elite service is, so far, only available via Sonos, unless that has changed.
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Gah. I either shell out $$ for deezer and sonos, or shell out $$ for an ipod and airport express. To make matters worse my new yamaha cd player has a USB input on the front, but it only works with ipod haha #facepalm

Maybe they planned for people like me.

If this chromecast thing takes off (which I'm sure it will) it will be supported eventually. People don't have a lot of saved music these days and don't need the network NAS connection and the 300+ dollars for other streaming alternatives.
 
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Aha! In the new version of the Chromecast app, what used to be "Cast Screen" is now "Cast Screen/Audio". Tests fine with Rdio, so should work fine with Tidal, too, even with the app Not supporting casting. Nifty!
 
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gravis82 said:
I could get an airport express and buy an ipod to stream Tidal to my amp via airplay? But what of airport express audio quality? And I don't really want to buy another handheld device.
thanks
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The Airport Express is bit perfect for 16/44.1, but it might sound better if you use its digital output with a decent dac. With Airplay, you don't need support from the streaming service, so when the service is announced for iOS, you can Airplay the service rather than waiting for the day it might be available. If you choose Casting, I would make sure it is supported by every service you might use.

With Airplay you can stream from a computer, as well. It doesn't have wide support for Android, but if you mainly want Tidal, I believe it will be coming to the WHAALE app (multiroom Airplay app). I can get in contact with the app developer if you want a timeline for Tidal support. Last I heard, they were working toward year-end support.

Casting is a nice alternative if they support the services you use, though.
 
uofmtiger said:
The Airport Express is bit perfect for 16/44.1, but it might sound better if you use its digital output with a decent dac. With Airplay, you don't need support from the streaming service, so when the service is announced for iOS, you can Airplay the service rather than waiting for the day it might be available. If you choose Casting, I would make sure it is supported by every service you might use.

With Airplay you can stream from a computer, as well. It doesn't have wide support for Android, but if you mainly want Tidal, I believe it will be coming to the WHAALE app (multiroom Airplay app). I can get in contact with the app developer if you want a timeline for Tidal support. Last I heard, they were working toward year-end support.

Casting is a nice alternative if they support the services you use, though.
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Thanks for this. I have a yamaha as-801 which I assume has a pretty good DAC in there, so likely that would be the input for the chromecast or airport. The only two streaming apps I would ever use are Tidal and Songza. Cost of buying and ipod and airport to stream via airplay from ipod is about the same as a sonos connect to stream from my current android.

I guess I may have to do that eventually, but I hope not. Would love to know if the are just "working on it"....or are really really trying their darndest to make it happen. I'm sure we'll know by Christmas, as this is a sweet stocking stuffer for pretty much anyone with a smart phone (i.e. 2 billion people)
 
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chicks said:
Aha! In the new version of the Chromecast app, what used to be "Cast Screen" is now "Cast Screen/Audio". Tests fine with Rdio, so should work fine with Tidal, too, even with the app Not supporting casting. Nifty!
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....so I would open up the app, and in the app open up tidal, control everything through the app and cast? So in essence you are saying the chromecast app works like the sonos connect app..? This would work. Heck, its only 45 bucks. Ill just buy it and see what happens lol.
 
gravis82 said:
....so I would open up the app, and in the app open up tidal, control everything through the app and cast? So in essence you are saying the chromecast app works like the sonos connect app..? This would work. Heck, its only 45 bucks. Ill just buy it and see what happens lol.
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For now, open CC app and cast audio to CCA, then open Tidal app and play, music will cast to CCA.

Soon, cast icon will appear in Tidal app, click it and select CCA. Simple, works well. Unlike Bluetooth, stream goes directly to CCA, not pushed from your phone.
 
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I've been streaming to the new Chromecast Audio device using the Tidal player in the Google Chrome browser on my Mac and it works very well indeed. The Chromecast App displays the message "Mirroring Audio" and whatever sound is coming from the browser is routed to the Chromecast Audio device.

On the mobile side, it's been a bit less simple- outside of Apps that support Casting, I can't get any audio from my iOS device to the Chromecast Audio

Chicks- I don't understand what you're saying about the CC App- There's no option in the iOS Chromecast App to connect to the Chromecast Audio- the only place I can select where to cast is inside a compatible App
 
Installed the just-released updated version of BubbleUPnP, confirmed it now works great with the new Chromecast Audio. Noticed that Tidal is available inside the BubbleUPnP app, so signed up for their 30-day trial. Had to also install the Tidal app, so that I could configure for HQ streaming, as it's set to 320kbps by default.

Looked good, track showed FLAC at CD quality, but as soon as I pressed Play, it threw an exception, "license does not allow the selected quality" or some such, and then started playing at 320kbps. :(

Odd that they won't let you test the higher bitrate during the trial... Anyway, OP, if you have a full Tidal subscription, BubbleUPnP will now allow you to cast to the new CCA device. No guarantee that you will be able to stream high bitrate, hope you can. UI is basic, but not bad, easy to use.
 
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