Please help - 2 channel stereo setup

[Tweaky]

The beauty of the NAD C658 is that you can also run DIRAC live room correction, if combined [with some experimentation] with the Bass adjustment on the active Presonus speakers, you should end up with a very fine sounding system, especially once you eventually add a subwoofer.

 

I recently bought a pair of IK Multimedia active iLoud MTM speakers, they have DSP built in and come with calibration mics, the calibration makes a hell of a lot of difference [mind you I use mine as desktop monitors for music production, placed in a equilateral triangle to me, so imaging is pin point] but even without that sort of razor blade like presision setup, you should get a lot better sound being able to calibrate for a wider sweet spot in your lounge, than if no calibration at all.

[Little_Joe]

I thought I'd update you all on my situation. 

 

I ended up buying myself the Audiolab 6000A and 6000CDT, along with a Primare NP5 streamer and Wharfedale Evo 4.1. If listened to a lot of music over the last 24 hours and have watched a film and am very happy with the end product. Part of me wanted to go down the path of the Cambridge Audio CX line to have a screen on the streamer, but I loved the sound of the 6000A and loved the look of the system (even though it is very simple). 

 

The store let me borrow the amp and CDT for now while they wait for new stock to arrive. 

 

Thank you all for your advice. 

 

[Bunno77]

4 minutes ago, YippeKiYay said:

I thought I'd update you all on my situation. 

 

I ended up buying myself the Audiolab 6000A and 6000CDT, along with a Primare NP5 streamer and Wharfedale Evo 4.1. If listened to a lot of music over the last 24 hours and have watched a film and am very happy with the end product. Part of me wanted to go down the path of the Cambridge Audio CX line to have a screen on the streamer, but I loved the sound of the 6000A and loved the look of the system (even though it is very simple). 

 

The store let me borrow the amp and CDT for now while they wait for new stock to arrive. 

 

Thank you all for your advice. 

 

Fantastic news. Happy days
Please let us know how you like the NP5 especially with Chromecast. A mate of mine just bought an I35 and waiting for the inbuilt streamer to be shipped

[Little_Joe]

1 hour ago, Bunno77 said:

Fantastic news. Happy days
Please let us know how you like the NP5 especially with Chromecast. A mate of mine just bought an I35 and waiting for the inbuilt streamer to be shipped

The streamer has been great so far. The only way I've been able to get Tidal to stream through the NP5 is through the Chrome browser, which means I can't stream Master quality. I haven't been able to find a way to add Tidal to Google Home. so I can stream everything via my phone. 

[gwurb]

Just now, YippeKiYay said:

The streamer has been great so far. The only way I've been able to get Tidal to stream through the NP5 is through the Chrome browser, which means I can't stream Master quality. I haven't been able to find a way to add Tidal to Google Home. so I can stream everything via my phone. 

Airplay or Chromecast from within Tidal app on the phone?

[Bunno77]

1 minute ago, YippeKiYay said:

The streamer has been great so far. The only way I've been able to get Tidal to stream through the NP5 is through the Chrome browser, which means I can't stream Master quality. I haven't been able to find a way to add Tidal to Google Home. so I can stream everything via my phone. 

Should be able to do it from Tidal app on phone. Just press the chromecast button in app and select NP5

[Little_Joe]

2 minutes ago, gwurb said:

Airplay or Chromecast from within Tidal app on the phone?

 

1 minute ago, Bunno77 said:

Should be able to do it from Tidal app on phone. Just press the chromecast button in app and select NP5

There was no option for Chromecast in the Tidal app. When I selected devices icon it only showed 'This device' (being the phone). 

[Bunno77]

@YippeKiYay maybe tidal app or np5 needs to be updated?

[Little_Joe]

11 minutes ago, Bunno77 said:

@YippeKiYay maybe tidal app or np5 needs to be updated?

I can try updating the NP5, but I only downloaded the Tidal app recently so it was up to date. I searched online and it looks like the only way to do it is through the Chrome browser. I'll get my partner to stream through the iPhone to see if that works. 

[Little_Joe]

1 hour ago, Bunno77 said:

@YippeKiYay maybe tidal app or np5 needs to be updated?

I managed to stream from my partner's iPhone. I decided to open the app on my phone and it looks like playing through the iPhone helped my phone realise it could connect to Tidal. For some reason it was showing as streaming in normal mode and not Master. I need to decide over the next week if I should cancel Spotify and jump to Tidal.

[gwurb]

5 hours ago, YippeKiYay said:

I managed to stream from my partner's iPhone. I decided to open the app on my phone and it looks like playing through the iPhone helped my phone realise it could connect to Tidal. For some reason it was showing as streaming in normal mode and not Master. I need to decide over the next week if I should cancel Spotify and jump to Tidal.

Airplay only supports 44.1/16. Masters is higher than that. Tidal Hifi is 44.1/16.

 

Chromecast should be able to do Masters as it can do 96/24.

 

https://support.tidal.com/hc/en-us/articles/115000397069-TIDAL-MASTERS

 

I've never used NP5 but it seems odd that Primare Prisma app doesn't have Tidal integration.

 

CXN doesn't have MQA support so no Masters via their app. For CXN you need another device to take the masters track and send it over wire to CXN. For example a PC to CXN as DAC.

 

PS. Primare have or had an offer that for new Tidal subscribers you get 3 months free Tidal HiFi. Look around the net to find out if it's still running and if you are eligible, etc.

 

edit 2: Doing some searching on the net I found that streaming tidal masters via Chromecast results in HiFi quality being played on Primare. These posts talk about that on the other Primare streamers.

https://www.soundstagesimplifi.com/index.php/equipment-reviews/84-primare-sc15-prisma-streaming-dac-preamp
https://audiofi.net/2019/09/primare-prisma-i15-a-streaming-amp-smoothie/

 

Cheapish options that will do MQA is Blue Sound Node 2i. There is always NAD C 658 or Naim or a few others but the price starts rising.

Edited June 6, 2020 by gwurb

[Hydrology]

Screenshot from my Pixel 3XL phone, within the Tidal app:

 

[Little_Joe]

15 hours ago, gwurb said:

Airplay only supports 44.1/16. Masters is higher than that. Tidal Hifi is 44.1/16.

 

Chromecast should be able to do Masters as it can do 96/24.

 

https://support.tidal.com/hc/en-us/articles/115000397069-TIDAL-MASTERS

 

I've never used NP5 but it seems odd that Primare Prisma app doesn't have Tidal integration.

 

CXN doesn't have MQA support so no Masters via their app. For CXN you need another device to take the masters track and send it over wire to CXN. For example a PC to CXN as DAC.

 

PS. Primare have or had an offer that for new Tidal subscribers you get 3 months free Tidal HiFi. Look around the net to find out if it's still running and if you are eligible, etc.

 

edit 2: Doing some searching on the net I found that streaming tidal masters via Chromecast results in HiFi quality being played on Primare. These posts talk about that on the other Primare streamers.

https://www.soundstagesimplifi.com/index.php/equipment-reviews/84-primare-sc15-prisma-streaming-dac-preamp
https://audiofi.net/2019/09/primare-prisma-i15-a-streaming-amp-smoothie/

 

Cheapish options that will do MQA is Blue Sound Node 2i. There is always NAD C 658 or Naim or a few others but the price starts rising.

 

The app now shows music streaming in Hi-Fi quality via Chromecast and Airplay. I'm still happy with the quality of the sound, so won't be jumping to a new streamer quite yet. 

 

I'm not sure why the Prisma app doesn't have Tidal integration. It sounds like Roon works very well with the Primare gear. So that's something for me to consider.

[Little_Joe]

8 hours ago, Hydrology said:

Screenshot from my Pixel 3XL phone, within the Tidal app:

 

Thanks. I managed to sort it out last night.   For some reason connecting my partner's iPhone to the NP5 over Airplay made the device show up when I opened the Tidal app on my phone. Maybe because my app realised I was listening to Tidal on an external device. 

[leon81]

On 02/06/2020 at 10:11 PM, YippeKiYay said:

 

Oops, obsolete message.

Edited June 7, 2020 by leon81

[leon81]

18 hours ago, gwurb said:

Airplay only supports 44.1/16. Masters is higher than that. Tidal Hifi is 44.1/16.

 

Chromecast should be able to do Masters as it can do 96/24.

 

https://support.tidal.com/hc/en-us/articles/115000397069-TIDAL-MASTERS

 

I've never used NP5 but it seems odd that Primare Prisma app doesn't have Tidal integration.

 

CXN doesn't have MQA support so no Masters via their app. For CXN you need another device to take the masters track and send it over wire to CXN. For example a PC to CXN as DAC.

 

PS. Primare have or had an offer that for new Tidal subscribers you get 3 months free Tidal HiFi. Look around the net to find out if it's still running and if you are eligible, etc.

 

edit 2: Doing some searching on the net I found that streaming tidal masters via Chromecast results in HiFi quality being played on Primare. These posts talk about that on the other Primare streamers.

https://www.soundstagesimplifi.com/index.php/equipment-reviews/84-primare-sc15-prisma-streaming-dac-preamp
https://audiofi.net/2019/09/primare-prisma-i15-a-streaming-amp-smoothie/

 

Cheapish options that will do MQA is Blue Sound Node 2i. There is always NAD C 658 or Naim or a few others but the price starts rising.

I believe you should be able to stream mqa via chromecast if you install the mconnect player and integrate it with Tidal. Here is the playstore link: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.conversdigital&hl=en_AU

[Little_Joe]

20 hours ago, leon81 said:

I believe you should be able to stream mqa via chromecast if you install the mconnect player and integrate it with Tidal. Here is the playstore link: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.conversdigital&hl=en_AU

A-ha. Thanks for that. I'll check it out. 

[leon0001]

@Little_Joe, hey mate, which ampifier and evo 4.1 combination have you auditioned before settling with 6000a? 

[Little_Joe]

@leon0001 I auditioned a Hegel amp (H90 I believe), a Primare i15 and the Audiolab 6000a. I did also listen to a few other amps but with different speaker combinations.  

 

The Hegel and Primare were Bothe great machines, but they didn't have all of the inputs I wanted. Plus they would have blown my budget.

[leon0001]

thanks mate, seems I am going down with 6000a as well, now just need to wait for a good bargain!

[Little_Joe]

So what amps have you auditioned @leon0001?

[leon0001]

@Little_Joe i own a yamaha wxa-50, found the vocal bit thin. Audioned the bluenode 2i and NAD 3020. But the hifi place wasnt a really nice place for listening tbh. The sales guy in the store told me every amp sounds pretty much the same lol 

[leon0001]

How you enjoying the evo 4.1 and 6000a combo so far btw

[Little_Joe]

 

@leon0001 I'm liking my combination. It works well for both music and films. I'm sure there are better combinations out there, but this is a good setup for me based on the amount I was willing to spend. 

 

It definitely helps to think of what you will be plugging into your amp now and what you may want to add in the future.  I could have bought a better integrated amp, but the ones I liked didn't have a phono input so I would then need to buy extra equipment to connect a turntable.