Streaming Audio Quality, Harmony vs Core

pastaj:

which Linn do you have?

I use a Linn Selekt DSM - with the upgraded Katalyst DAC (version without amp obviously)

I got an ex display one for 3500, didn’t really want to pay 5500 for a new one.

Very happy with it

thats the one i was looking at. hmmm, time to bargain hunt...

What Sandyb does is basicly (please correct me if I am wrong):

1: He has choosen a unit, where he likes/prefers the sound.

Quote: ‘can introduce a qualitative difference to the sound - a different flavour or tonality if you like.  Chosen sensibly / well, this will sound "better".’

2: He has choosen something that allows him to use the Roon software - again, because that is what he prefers.

This might be different from person to person - one has to try things out a bit.
Different streamers/DACs may sound different (due to the way the companies have implimented the filters in there) - but different doe not necsessarily means better.

I agree with him when he is a bit reluctant regarding the benefits of higher bitrates.

 

I for my part highly doubt that most of what is offered as ‘highres’ has it’s origin in highres’ recording - from start to end!

All older analog sourced recording definitely can‘t be labelled as ‘highres’, if you are true to the facts of science.

And what is recorded and mixed/mastered today seldom is higher that 24/48, when delievered to those who marked the files. 

Putting these files in a container higher than 24/48 is in my (and many others) opinion a fraud....and just a source for higher income for the record and streaming/download companies. 
Some day that will be as obvious as the MQA fraud luckily has become.

 

Leaves you with a few offerings from companies like 2L and AIX Records...

Whether that is worth it to invest a lot of money or gear will be a personal choise. I have long ago settled with the CD specs (16/44.1) and am much more interested in the basic quality of the recording and a skilfull and gentle mastering.

 

For someone with a Harmony and the BL50’s I’d recommend connecting the speakers with good old Powerlink cables (someday we might get a DPL connection from a B&O Sound Center, but when?) to the BL50’s and to have an external streamer of his choise connected directly to the 50’s using one of the digital inputs or even the analog-in - that is what Sandyb rightly does. The 50’s are made for this kind of versatility and can easily be controlled....once you learn how to deal with the setup....so many options there.

 

My advice would be to settle with a good streamer/DAC (that really does not have to cost a fortune) with a user interface that makes you comfortable.
The important thing is that you like what you hear.....and that you spend more time listening to the music rather than to think to much about how things might ‘be better’......theoretically.

MM

Thanks MM - you've summed up my setup and logic even better than I could.

It is the wonderful thing about speakers like the 50s - they can be used / shared flexibly between video and audio duties, with pretty much zero fiddling around.

Buying a separate music source was not driven by some intense desire to go beyond CD quality (whatever that means), but I felt investing in something expensive and relatively lifetime like the 50s, I should give them a chance to shine to their potential. 

The principal reason I chose a DAC/streamer rather than just a streamer was that I was strongly advised that Linn's relaxed sonic presentation married very well with that of B&O's 50s/90s. That advice was from the one large UK dealer that work with both Linn and B&O, so it was taken on trust, and has been borne out to be correct.  A different high end local audio store near me also concurred re Linn's sound, as opposed to something like Naim, whose sound can get a touch fatiguing. Linn vs Naim signature - a qualitative difference here.

I know many question why get a separate DAC when the 50s are well equipped themselves. Thats difficult to answer - all I know is that my Linn can output digital thereby bypassing its DAC. Passing that output to the 50s does sound both thinner and less warm than the Linns DAC analogue output into the 50s.  I suspect most would prefer it like I do given an A/B comparison.   At the same time, most would think the digital (to me lesser) output is more than good enough. 

On a separate note, from what I understand the increasing availability of higher res has begun to feed back to the process recording engineers undertake, and that at least some bands / studios move beyond the loudness war infected process.  Dont probe me on this - just reporting what I've seen mentioned a few times by audio reviewers.   At some point in the future higher res may have some resonance then, whereas now its a bit marginal.

But back to bit rates etc above - my little journey has shown me that there will be DACs, albeit pretty expensive ones, that can enhance your experience with things like the 50s. (I wouldn't bother with 18s etc, but with 50s it made sense to try)....And that this enhancement is much more important than moving from 44 to 96 or 192 (here and there these can sound a fraction nicer, but its only here and there).

I can walk into my lounge and instantly tell whether I'm listening to the Linn DAC (analogue) or just its digital.

I cannot walk into my lounge and instantly tell whether I'm listening to 44 or 96 or 192.

That should tell you what to focus on if you really want to enhance your experience.

 

Just to add to this and also risk a little confusion.

I have my 90s connected via USB into a Lumin streamer (UI mini) - no DAC in the unit.

The logic behind this was to trust the DAC in the 90s but to control the sound signature emanating from the streamer.

Such are the differences in sound that streaming from the Lumin IOS app direct to the 90s is superior to using Roon to stream to the 90s via Lumin. Go figure!

Same as using the Airplay via Lumin combination or Airplay via Roon - it's simply nowhere as good as the direct connection.

My take on all this is that anything in the chain changes the sound and often quite significantly ( I have a fairly expensive power cord and yes, it does make a difference) but it depends on how painstaking you are about how you listen.

For setting up playlists and casual type listening I use Roon via Lumin but 'one man, one chair no friends' as Geoff Martin says, I switch to the Lumin app and go into the 90s direct.

Hope this helps