Best Computer Audio setup for Tidal + own FLAC/WAVs + some DSD DSFs

noblejose

Active Member
Joined
Aug 20, 2010
Messages
181
Points
28
Location
Bangalore
Hi Friends,
I'm looking for the best possible chain for digital audio playback.. all these will be going to my rig through a Chord 2Qute.
I'm on a windows 10 laptop (ultra high end with 128GB RAM, 16GB Graphics and SSDs); I use this machine for my other works too.. so this computer can't be a dedicated one for music playback only (i read about some registry/service tweaks to make the system more focused on audio delivery - this may not be possible for my case).. i hope even a resouce hungry app may run fine in my machine..

currently using Tidal app, and foober 2000. planning to try JRiver, Audirvana and HQ Player. Any other suggestions? I tried connecting via my Allo USBridge sig, but the tidal is maxed out at 44.1 (No Master playback) and audio pause issues when playing DSD from my computer via Minimserver/bubble upnp and Volumio/MOode audio in Allo.. (it just stops for a while and started playing again. Which one is the best method?

To make it simple, I'm looking for best possible audio playback for Tidal + own FLAC/WAVs + some DSD DSFs.

thanks!
Noble
 
128gigs of RAM? :eek:

What are you running?

What do you wish to improve in your setup? It looks great already. I am using Fiio Q1 as DAC and Sennheiser HD 4.40 sound good.
 
Hi Friends,
I'm looking for the best possible chain for digital audio playback.. all these will be going to my rig through a Chord 2Qute.
I'm on a windows 10 laptop (ultra high end with 128GB RAM, 16GB Graphics and SSDs); I use this machine for my other works too.. so this computer can't be a dedicated one for music playback only (i read about some registry/service tweaks to make the system more focused on audio delivery - this may not be possible for my case).. i hope even a resouce hungry app may run fine in my machine..

currently using Tidal app, and foober 2000. planning to try JRiver, Audirvana and HQ Player. Any other suggestions? I tried connecting via my Allo USBridge sig, but the tidal is maxed out at 44.1 (No Master playback) and audio pause issues when playing DSD from my computer via Minimserver/bubble upnp and Volumio/MOode audio in Allo.. (it just stops for a while and started playing again. Which one is the best method?

To make it simple, I'm looking for best possible audio playback for Tidal + own FLAC/WAVs + some DSD DSFs.

thanks!
Noble

For local files you can try out Winyl, i preferred the sound over Foobar. I run Tidal on the native app currently.
 
128gigs of RAM? :eek:

What are you running?

What do you wish to improve in your setup? It looks great already. I am using Fiio Q1 as DAC and Sennheiser HD 4.40 sound good.
:)
I was trying to find best/ optimal method for Tidal playback as well as my local high res files. Basically defining the chain - not intended to add anything soon as I've fairly good setup including a decent dac - not MQA native, but that part is taken care by Tidal software in the pc.
 
:)
I was trying to find best/ optimal method for Tidal playback as well as my local high res files. Basically defining the chain - not intended to add anything soon as I've fairly good setup including a decent dac - not MQA native, but that part is taken care by Tidal software in the pc.

JRiver MC paid version.
 
not MQA native, but that part is taken care by Tidal software in the pc.
Tidal takes care of the first part of decoding MQA. That is why you are getting only 44.1 KHz. In my case, the well priced Zen DAC takes care of the second stage of decoding.
 
I'm getting full high res when the decoding taken care by the tidal application.. (i mean tidal playback through its app in laptop and DAC connected to USB.)

But It's caped at 44.1when i try to play though the ALLO - tidal to allo via volumio/mOode/bubble upnp etc and Allo USBridge Sig is connected to DAC by USB.
 
To make it simple, I'm looking for best possible audio playback for Tidal + own FLAC/WAVs + some DSD DSFs.
Roon is the Best, If you can configure ROCK, its unbeatable.
Jriver for Windows for Local Files, but it doesn't have good Tidal integration ; That leaves you with Audirvana As the Best Choice.
Try Fidelizer as well, for further optimization ; your machine will be an overkill, with so much running audio purity will be sacrificed, buying a cheap mini PC or Mac MINI dedicated to Audio is a better option. Add a LPSU to The mini PC.
Currently, Your DAC is good enough for most usage scenarios, you can plan to upgrade it next.
 
tidal playback through its app in laptop and DAC connected to USB.

Isn't this the ideal and simple method for Tidal MQA?

But It's caped at 44.1when i try to play though the ALLO

Noob ques alert : how is this measured? Does it show up in DAC? Fiio Q1 light continue to show pinkish color, guess that is what it is supposed to.
 
Isn't this the ideal and simple method for Tidal MQA?



Noob ques alert : how is this measured? Does it show up in DAC? Fiio Q1 light continue to show pinkish color, guess that is what it is supposed to.
1. Yep, i hope that's the ideal method for Tidal MQA - i was reading that using computers is not ideal for music playback - so was thinking about enabling Allo USBridge to do this duty, it should be clean as i have Shanti LPSU also for that.

2. Yep my Dac shows Red color, thats the normal redbook 44.1 (Chord 2Qutue)

Surprisingly i could get the DSD stream full resolution from my computer to Allo by using Bubble UPNP; but audio is pausing inbetween, i think some bottle neck in the data transfer/ processing side. (music files in computer and running Minimserver, then calling files via bubble upnp in mobile to playback in Allo) - all of these connected with LAN cables.
 
Last edited:
Roon is the Best, If you can configure ROCK, its unbeatable.
Jriver for Windows for Local Files, but it doesn't have good Tidal integration ; That leaves you with Audirvana As the Best Choice.
Try Fidelizer as well, for further optimization ; your machine will be an overkill, with so much running audio purity will be sacrificed, buying a cheap mini PC or Mac MINI dedicated to Audio is a better option. Add a LPSU to The mini PC.
Currently, Your DAC is good enough for most usage scenarios, you can plan to upgrade it next.
Thank you.. that's lot of information. I just googled the ROCK - looks like i need to invest for a new Hardware. - I 'll do bit more research.
To even try fidelizer, i've to have a dedicated system for music - may be a mac mini/ intel nuic kinda stuff.. I was hoping that some bootable OS/ programs/ plugins in my Allo USBridge Sig can help me to do the playback .
 
A few things from my experience:
- For playing back local files, the absolute best sound quality I've achieved with a PC has been with Jplay. Significantly better than Audirvana / JRiver / Foobar. The interface for JPlay is pretty bad though so definitely use the trial period to see if it works for you. Also compare to other options listed here. I havent tried Roon. From what I understand its much more about the interface, music discoverability than absolute sound quality but this is not something I have personally verified.
- Tidal desktop app is good and handles some higher res options - something that is not possible with UPNP options
- Tidal on Raspberry PI doesnt work well. Even when distros like Volumio support it (paid add on), the interface is terrible (actually worse than UPNP)
- The best way to stream Tidal seems to be using the new Tidal Connect feature. Great discoverability as long as you have a compatible streamer. Compatibility to the desktop app (where you can stream from phone to desktop app) is not there currently but supposedly coming

Yours seems to be a computer used for actual work. I wouldnt recommend tools like Fidelizer etc. Not great for stability for a work machine. The only thing worth considering is a good power supply - the higher end Seasonic power supplies have ripple/noise measurements comparable to linear supplies. Things like fanless etc are not practical for a PC.

If looking for a fresh hardware solution, instead of going the mini pc route, just buy a Bluesound node 2i.
 
I would suggest following setup.
Install LMS on you PC. That will take care of the local files.
Buy a pi for USB or allo signature for spdif, install picoreplayer on it, that will give you Tidal.
Install material skin for android, or Ipeng for ipad/iphone that will give you an excellent UI.
In my opinion above software has best sound quality.
 
Hi Friends,
I'm looking for the best possible chain for digital audio playback.. all these will be going to my rig through a Chord 2Qute.
I'm on a windows 10 laptop (ultra high end with 128GB RAM, 16GB Graphics and SSDs); I use this machine for my other works too.. so this computer can't be a dedicated one for music playback only (i read about some registry/service tweaks to make the system more focused on audio delivery - this may not be possible for my case).. i hope even a resouce hungry app may run fine in my machine..

currently using Tidal app, and foober 2000. planning to try JRiver, Audirvana and HQ Player. Any other suggestions? I tried connecting via my Allo USBridge sig, but the tidal is maxed out at 44.1 (No Master playback) and audio pause issues when playing DSD from my computer via Minimserver/bubble upnp and Volumio/MOode audio in Allo.. (it just stops for a while and started playing again. Which one is the best method?

To make it simple, I'm looking for best possible audio playback for Tidal + own FLAC/WAVs + some DSD DSFs.

thanks!
Noble

You can try Roon, there are users on the roon forum using the Allo as a Roon end point.
I use an ancient Mac mini to run Roon Server, and a Ultrarendu as the roon end point. It works flawlessly for Tidal, stored files & DSDs.

If DSD is not a showstopper, consider the Node2i as a pure Transport to feed your DAC, it can handle Flac/Wav & Tidal. The Bluesound App is the best UX experience outside Roon. Bluesound has also announced support for Tidal connect to boot.
I recollect reading that Micheal Lavorgna of Audiostream/Twittering Machine uses it in his personal gear.
 
From my experience, any dedicated hi-res software-based music player will function optimally only when it is allowed to shut-down/bypass a computer's conventional audio streaming topology. I use Audirvana on a dedicated MacMini (it's headless, plugged straight into my modem and runs no other software), and find that it works best when SysOpt is turned on (it's fed into a Chord MScaler, and then into a Denafrips Terminator; I had a Qutest until recently). Any attempts at replacing the MacMini with a laptop/computer performing other functions always resulted in sub-optimal sound. Also, the 2Qute, like other Chord DACs, does not decode MQA - you can do the first unfold of MQA files on the software you run. The difference is not all that great and audible only on a highly-resolving system.
 
From my experience, any dedicated hi-res software-based music player will function optimally only when it is allowed to shut-down/bypass a computer's conventional audio streaming topology. I use Audirvana on a dedicated MacMini (it's headless, plugged straight into my modem and runs no other software), and find that it works best when SysOpt is turned on (it's fed into a Chord MScaler, and then into a Denafrips Terminator; I had a Qutest until recently). Any attempts at replacing the MacMini with a laptop/computer performing other functions always resulted in sub-optimal sound. Also, the 2Qute, like other Chord DACs, does not decode MQA - you can do the first unfold of MQA files on the software you run. The difference is not all that great and audible only on a highly-resolving system.
Jaideep, do you notice a difference when you play TIDAL MQA files through the Terminator? Could you please elaborate
 
Jaideep, do you notice a difference when you play TIDAL MQA files through the Terminator? Could you please elaborate
I find there's an audible difference, but I imagine it's because the MQA signal coming in through the MScaler has been "tapped" for greater detail. From all the literature I have read, Terminator does not decode MQA (I did a brief A/B test plugging it straight into the MacMini and found no difference between MQA and non-MQA).

But fed through the MScaler, I find that it isn't so much a wider sound stage as a darker background and greater detail. I've tried the following combinations: 1. Audirvana at 2X upsampling; MScaler at high upsampling (it doesn't accept maximum through BNC); OS turned off in Terminator = Sound is very slightly on the brighter side, especially horns and female vocals. 2. Audirvana upsampling deactivated; MScaler at high upsampling; OS turned on in Terminator = Sound is slightly warmer and more analogue. 3. Audirvana at 2X upsampling; MScaler at high upsampling; OS turned on in Terminator = A little too forward and overwhelming for me.

This is subjective to my listening, of course. I know many people who judiciously avoid playing MQA files from Tidal. I'm also considering Quobuz. I will post my findings after I've given it a listen.
 
Last edited:
Check out our special offers on Stereo Package & Bundles for all budget types.
Back
Top