Dedicated Streamer or Smartphone . What’s the difference (£500)?

[@RedRiverMud]

I love how you tell what connects to what. As someone who is trying to learn how to listen to music after a 30 year gap, these are important details!!

[@raphaelmeillat8527]

Love your casual attitude and good common sense. Thanks for your great videos. Love your channel!

[@MustangFastback]

Because of you, I now need a lava lamp for my hifi table.

[@stereoreviewx]

Everything sounds better with a lava lamp

[@langston1aladdin]

I agree. Had several over the years, but got rid of them for one reason or another. He talked me into getting a Sansui 771 receiver so then I had to jump out and get the lamp to go with it. Watching him can get expensive, but worth it. Got it at Home Depot for $14.50. Haha

[@luiscastro5456]

I'm also gonna need a fancy handkerchief to tie it around my neck...hahaha

[@darranthompson8202]

Lol

[@lightfusegetaway]

Dude, modern music sounds GREAT through my 1970s stereo system, even compressed YT Music files. Glad you made that suggestion... Many don't realize how good it can sound.

[@raphaelmeillat8527]

Out of curiosity, what's your vintage set up? Tried a couple of interesting old amps from Sansui. Wondering if I should go ahead or stick to my more modern set up...

[@paulopereira6996]

@@raphaelmeillat8527 I have a Sansui 2200 coupled to four MA 352. 10w ×2 so 5w x4 and they rock, in 3 from 0 to 10 is more than enough, and I have no neighbor's, so it's what I want. 10w from de 70's and sensible speaker's get you very far.

[@lightfusegetaway]

@@raphaelmeillat8527 just saw your reply... My setup is a Realistic Sta-120B receiver and a pair of Acoustic Research AR-2ax. I was given the receiver by a friend and the speakers came from the thrift (and I rebuilt them... Totally worth it!) I believe the particular receiver I have was built by Hitachi for Radio Shack in the early-mid 70s.

[@xjmzrq]

This video should be the first thing any aspiring audiophile watches. Nice job & thanks for sharing.

[@ianbrunt2322]

Only found the channel last month. Great viewing, informative and entertaining. Anyway I now feel I owe you a drink. I was mulling over buying a streamer but after watching the video I dug out an Asus tablet I retired last year, bought a connector yesterday from Amazon for a fiver and now I'm streaming. Saved me £500👍 How's the sound? Well I'm no audio buff, in fact I've got tin ears, but plugged tablet into my Technics SU-X980D amp from 1989 and a pair of TDL RTL2 speakers from circa 1994 and I'm streaming. Keep up the videos. Top quality stuff.

[@griffith4830]

Thanks Kelvin. A simple demonstration - terrific for those unfamiliar with the intricacies.

[@jesseballard4753]

Once again, Calvin, streaming explained in a way that makes sense to me, a regular ass guy. Very plainly, for me , Tidal and an iPad should suit my needs. Thank you

[@theebayhififanatic6002]

I was a regular visitor to the Bristol HiFI show - you’d be amazed how many really high end HiFi systems were being demonstrated using a iPad and audioquest dragonfly as a source. There’d be this £500 front end used to show off thousands of pounds worth of amp and speakers

[@stereoreviewx]

Well that is interesting Thanks K

[@neilellison3356]

That's really good to know, many thanks. I play Apple Music through my iPad, through a Dragonfly Cobalt into my vintage Quad 33/303/ESL57s. It all sounds fantastic. I had been wondering however how much better (if at all) a dedicated streamer would sound. Thanks to Kelvin's video I'm much less convinced that I would notice any difference, though I would appreciate others' comments. Thanks to Kelvin for this excellent channel.

[@michaelcalhoun9002]

I bought a Node 2i a year ago and love it. Sounds good on its own, I now use a Schiit Audio Gungnir Multi it DAC with it an even more pleased streaming Tidal. Love your channel and your accent here in Bryan, Texas. Good job Sir!

[@stereoreviewx]

Thanks for the info cheers from London K

[@MichaelBeeny]

The only problem with most phones and pads is often the audio is processed to make it sound better on the very small speakers within. Also the built in DAC and amplifiers is often quite poor, after all it's a telephone! If your device has an optical or other digital output, feed this to an external DAC, does not really need to cost that much, it will be MUCH better. If you have a modern PC the internal DAC can be quite good, much better than a phone. I use this method myself for streaming, it also contains all my old CDs converted to FLAC lossless files, and I have a nice big screen to see all the info about the track I'm listening too. Use a programme like MusicBee, just perfect!

[@thisisnev]

They all sound terrible through the internal speaker. There's no DSP on earth that can make music acceptable through such a tiny driver. Most phones offer to apply some DSP if they detect something using the headphone socket, but the default mode is Off. As for the built in DAC and amplifier being poor, that's not been my experience on my modest Sony Xperia via various headphones including AKG K452, Kef M400 and Sennheiser HD25, and AKG K376 and B&O H3 earbuds. Of course, an external DAC is the best option.

[@richardjohnston4682]

Michael, do you use a wired connection or can you stream over WiFi? What Dac would you recommend below £500? Thanks

[@MichaelYates]

Thanks Kelvin, interesting to know that the streamer was only about 10 percent better sound wise, many cheap second hand iPad's about to use for a fraction of the price.

[@ActuMoto]

Be careful not to choose a too old ipad ! I have the first iPad Retina display and I can’t download the Tidal and Qobuz apps

[@grantwilson4696]

Great timing with this episode as I've been thinking about doing exactly this with my tablet & vintage system. Thank you!

[@chrissnyder7968]

I just downloaded Mconnect Lite, free, and stream Tidal to my PNuP enabled pre/pro. It couldn’t have been easier, now stream via WiFi f on my phone or iPad. Mconnect also handles MQA.

[@grantwilson4696]

@@chrissnyder7968 Thanks for the tip Chris. I'll check it out.

[@BJPCameron]

[ note: I changed my mind and am buying the Node ] Thank you so much . I was just about to buy a Node thang for Australian $1000 . You’ve I said questions nobody else would. This is my first video of yours that I’ve seen. Good on you

[@stereoreviewx]

If you have a really wicked system the streamer will pay dividends It’s Gotta get a bit high end though

[@BJPCameron]

@@stereoreviewx I’m so confused by this market segment. I love streaming. Doing thru AppleTV via Television to cheap Amazon DAC to a delicious analog system. Should I invest in a proper DAC ( Denafrips, Chord)? Or is the Node DAC ok? Confused. Directions to relevant articles or videos appreciated.

[@andrehendrik]

thanks -- would be interesting to hear your thoughts on Apple Music vs Qobuz/Tidal

[@waynebradley2]

How does Amazon Music HD measure up to Tidal or Qobuz ?

[@docdeens4030]

I've tried all and Amazon sounds great. Terrible company though. Can't go wrong with the other two

[@stereoreviewx]

Yeah I Gotta say I just don’t my music coming from Amazon they’re just too greedy

[@waynebradley2]

@@stereoreviewx I'm not really concerned about how "greedy" they are... I'm interested in the quality of their music app.

[@humanitech]

Great streaming overview ...I also originally used a laptop for streaming music and digital file playback... but then got a secondhand bluesound node 2i and it does sound much better for high Res music and streaming... but it goes up another level again if you add a tube preamp (or tube integrated etc ) in the mix.

[@cliffordcheng5927]

Upgrade the power cord and the Node 2i will perform a lot better.

[@humanitech]

@@cliffordcheng5927 yes ...and I noticed that there is also a sound difference, depending on which way the figure 8 connector is put into the node 2i.

[@TimBedford]

Anyone into audio, or who wants a preamp or to get into valves should have a look at the 6J1 (type of tube) based preamps on eBay etc. They are based on a Musical Fidelity product from the late 90's - that cost about £180! Amazingly they cost around £12, for a tiny tube preamp... It will give you the tube sound, usually a great upgrade for most (sub £xxxx) systems. Enjoy!

[@JonGreen]

The Bluesound Node 2i has a lot more features than you are calling out. Built in DAC, subwoofer out, can act as a preamp, digital out so you can plug it in to a better DAC. I like your reviews but you missed some key stuff here.

[@gazmanator77]

Brilliant break down on what is sensible and what is just hype. Cheers mate!

[@mydayis5]

Add an Audioquest Dragonfly as well. Massively improves on the iPad output sound quality.

[@dude7740]

no fly....better buy a dac second hands cambridge audio

[@YASCYT]

I agree. I have the Cobalt hooked up and then RCA wires to the amp. Plus the dedicated apps on your iOS device are far superior in terms of usability compared to the HEOS etc apps made by audio manufacturers.

[@JMJM75257]

@@dude7740 smsl sanskrit 10th mk2 or topping e30 are great value!

[@dude7740]

@@JMJM75257 no

[@JMJM75257]

@@dude7740 no there not great value or no there not as good as the second hand cambride audio unkown model youre on about? just saying no doesn't really leave much to work with... people buy the best of what they can afford you think not?

[@jimbojet8728]

What a superb review. I have enjoyed this vid. Thank you.

[@stereoreviewx]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@budgetaudiophilelife-long5461]

🤗 YOU HAVE MADE A WONDERFUL , not popular discovery … I have an older iPad a newest iPad and an iPhone 11 and I found that there is a difference with all three , BUT ALL SOUND EXCELLENT , depending on your preference …so I am happy to hear your experience 🤗 I wondered about what I was missing 🤔 but don’t have the budget to find out ,SO THANKS FOR YOUR HELP 👍😍😍😍

[@RobertDoyle1]

Thank you Kelvin. You speak my language when it comes to vintage stereo. My approach is similar, but I use a Blue Dento Bluetooth receiver, which while it has a decent DAC, I bypass it with an optical cable feeding a Schiit Modi DAC. Both pieces total around 170.00 USD. Tidal is sent via my Motorola Android phone. Rest of the system is made up of 1980s stuff, including Audire preamp, Superphon Amp, and magnepan 1.4 speakers. All costing around 800.00. Fantastic sound.

[@paznewis107]

I have a Modi 3 DAC for cds. Love it, but run an Audioengine b1 Bluetooth receiver, it's DAC is fine. 🙏🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[@GodfreyMann]

The biggest bang for your buck for iPhone/iPad streaming would be connecting it to an external DAC such as the IFI Zen DAC (£129), and then connecting that DAC to your amp.

[@relaxvideomusic]

I tried. iphone dac better

[@lothargebbers6502]

I use vintage loudspeakers and vintage receiver. This is combined with chromecast audio (40 Euro for streaming) connected with optical cable to small Oelbach DAC (50 Euro - German company with good test results) which is connected to the vintage receiver. I control it with mobile phone or tablet. I have also a Hifi abonnement with Deezer. I love the sound. My only problem is: what about my 650 records and 400 cd's - I am afraid, I won't use it any longer. Streaming is a big progress in convenience. Kelvin, I love your channel. Sorry for my English, I am German.

[@Zimmy_1981]

U can use them or sell pn ebsy. I will keep them, if I were you. I can't make such huge investments to not use after, not making sense 😊

[@ThatHz-]

Where did you find the pink lava with blue liquid lamp?

[@ja9060]

What does the HDMI output provide as far as music source information? Do you see the website navigation page? Can you then navigate via the Node's touch screen? I'm talking about a HDMI LCD display monitor with no e-ARC. Just for viewing the Node.

[@gonepostal1356]

I don't understand why you wouldn't connect your iPhone or iPad to an external DAC. Even a cheap dragonfly will improve the sound quality.

[@GrievousAngelo]

My phone has a built in hifi quad DAC. When I switched phone service I bought another one and use the old one as a streamer into my 1971 Pioneer QA-800 Quadraphonic hooked up to four Advent ll's. I love the sound.

[@GeirRssaak]

You are a wise man!

[@barlow2976]

Thanks, you've convinced me to save my money for something else that will improve my audio more. I use my crap Android phone, via a Fiio DAC, streaming Tidal into my CA A1 amp (£38!) and am blown away by it.

[@hugobloemers4425]

10% is a lot in the audio world of diminishing return.

[@dontcare563]

That's exactly right! People spend fortunes just to get a couple of percent improvement! Take this video with a grain of salt. If your hearing isn't good or if you can't afford a good quality streamer then but all means use your phone. I wouldn't cut corners when I have a several thousand dollar system especially on something that's the source of my music!

[@hipidipi20157max]

Thank You. I can have a use for my old ipad 4.

[@toddhupp]

interisting. You are right.The quality of the signal is paramount. Perhaps an outboard dac would help.

[@paulkelleway8032]

One thing about using an iPad nobody mentions is that when it not plugged into the mains, it runs off a battery, therefore less noise than a transformer and no mains power noise. That’s a big benefit to noise floor!

[@stereoreviewx]

Your like Sherlock Holmes? Good point

[@WeeWeeJumbo]

I’m definitely going to try streaming from my iPad to a fancier DAC. Right now I stream from my iPad to the not so fancy DAC that’s inside my preamp, and I’m very happy but I know it gets better. Definitely hopeful I can get away with using stuff I already have

[@NoEscape459]

You can. I hook up my iPhone to a quality high res dac and use my Apple Watch to control it with my voice…. Didn’t need to buy a dedicated streamer. Only downside to using your phone is - Than your phone is being used and you can’t use it for other things lol. For that reason I’m considering buying a used iPhone 7 just to use as a streamer. Much cheaper than a bluenode

[@easylaptop]

that man knows what he talks about. thanx man

[@alokeparvati]

I think if you added an external DAC to the iPad output bypassing the internal DAC you could closer match the sound quality of the Bluesound Node. There are many DACs which are of excellent quality and not expensive. The only drawback would be the inability to control the iPad remotely. I think you could have mentioned Apple Music too as a source of good quality streaming music. The subscription is available globally and a lot less than Tidal and Qobuz which have some geographical restrictions.

[@robertaucoin2651]

Love the channel bud have learned lots cheers

[@richardmanning4090]

Hi Kelvin, yet another entertaining and thought provoking review, thank you! Shock horror though, I came to somewhat different conclusions regarding iPad / iPhone quality. No surprise, hifi is just about as subjective as subjective gets. After watching your video, out of curiosity, I bought leads from Amazon - RCA to headphone, lightning to headphone adaptor. When I compared my dedicated streamer Cambridge CXN v2 with my iPad 2, the differences were not subtle. The soundstage collapsed, vocals became sibilant and more digital - in a bad way. Not sure about 90%, my experience was the difference between enjoyable, relaxing and involving compared with thin and fatiguing. In other words, between acceptable and not acceptable. Quite a relief really, if they sounded near enough the same it would have meant that I’d wasted hundreds on the streamer, making me look like an idiot. Wouldn’t be the first time!

[@stereoreviewx]

Fair enough One thing I would say apparently the lightning port doesn’t do such high resolution Thanks for the info cheers K

[@richardclark2655]

Ease of use plus Radio Paradise makes the Node a good option and it has been on sale recently making it a good buy IMO. Also nice to have the option to use its DAC or not in a modern setup.

[@mikaelturnip8820]

Thanks for that. Good information, steering me in the right direction.

[@paulsmithson9161]

Nice review and honest-John advice. I've just bought a lovely old Pioneer SX-550 and want to stream good quality content through it. I came across the Yamaha WXAD-10 that seems to be the bees' knees. A little streamer box that brings the smarts to vintage gear, just as you have done here. And can handle hi-res playback and bluetooth inputs to boot. Any thoughts? It's nearly a quarter of the price of the streamer you've got there - £136 plays £500...and folks seem to think the DAC inside it is pretty good. Would love to hear your views.

[@doms680]

Thanks for the video but the cheap DAC in your tablet makes a separate DAC a real necessity. I've only got Topping E30 and it made a huge difference.

[@hipidipi20157max]

Even if you have cheap (less than 200 Us) amp and speakers?

[@dingerbilt7935]

if you have an iPad get a topping DAC at £100 ,it's the DAC that produces the sound,you also can get a mqa supported DAC for £200 ,

[@gilbertlessard4380]

If you look carefully you will notice that his streamer is a Bluos Node 2 or 2i which comes with MQA capabilities. ..excellent Canadian product. I use this product myself with Tidal (MQA) and Naim amplification and it sounds surprisingly good. Up a notch from that is Hi Res music from HD Tracks through a dedicated DAC.

[@nohumbug8636]

Would it be worth inserting a separate DAC between the iPad and the vintage amplifier?

[@stereoreviewx]

Well in a way yes the streamer has a dac of its own

[@bruffyb3796]

Really great to see this honesty. I use my Sony phone and it's 3mm output. I seem to be getting 24 bit 44 kHz and it sound fantastic.

[@stereoreviewx]

Thanks for sharing

[@paulopereira6996]

Does everybody know that payed Spotify has an High Quality mode? Of course is not comparable to Tidal, but just to be sure, you have to activate in the configurations. Enjoying your videos! Keep it going.

[@jim586]

That’s a fair point. In Spotify it’s called extreme mode. However it’s still only 320kbs. Way, way under Tidal or Amazon HD or others hi res which is 192khz 24 bit(higher than CD quality).

[@jackpospisil6305]

Put a dac like the audio-quest. Dragonfly between your phone and amp. I found it sounds better than going straight to the phone

[@snuffpappy]

I added a dongle DAC to my phone for headphone use... big improvement. I put a tube preamp between phone and stereo when not using headphones... brilliant sound.

[@rabit818]

Sensible advise on audio.

[@daysofgrace2934]

I used to a Topping BC3 Bluetooth dac, it supports the LDAC Bluetooth codec for high data rate transfer i.e. CD quality. I had dedicated android tablet with big sdcard to which I downloaded a my Amazon Music HD to. Now I just use the Echo Link…

[@andrewwebb4635]

Interesting! You’re comparing the analogue output from the iPad /iPhone to the amp, ie using the Apple internal DAC. I’ve now (last week) bought a Cyrus Soundkey thumb size inline DAC (£60 + £10 for the Lightning adapter) which you plug into the Lightning port. It makes a really worthwhile improvement with earphones, like the music is clearer, sharper and in a bigger room. If you fed this combination into the amp, I bet it might even beat the Node 2i ! In fact, I usually use Airplay to go from my iPad to my own Yamaha WXC50 network streamer and hence to the amp; this also bypasses the Apple internal DAC, of course, and sounds pretty good to my old ears. Thank you for your honest reviews. So many seem to be trying to sell you up. I hope you aren’t offended when I say I love the London accent.

[@philipdavenport5246]

Indeed. I streamed Tidal from a bog-standard Huawei phone into my Roksan Kandy amp into B&W 602 S3 speakers and was underwhelmed with the result. To try to improve matters I stuck a Cyrus Soundkey DAC (£90) in between phone and amp and straight away I got a 'wow factor' difference. Next up, I upgraded the speaker cables to some good quality QED XT40I (£100) and got another 'wow'. Next, I nervously paid £60 for a Russ Andrews power cord for the amp and yet another 'wow'. The last weak link in the chain was the RCA to 3.5 jack running from the DAC to amp, swapped for QED (£45) and now I can die happy. The sound is as good as it ever needs to be and I am astonished at how a bit of investment in good cabling and a basic DAC can improve the sound of any system.

[@ducmoto1975]

what if you connect your ipad with a nice dac?

[@Enemji]

The Apple Lightning/USB-C to 3.5mm dongle has the best DAC money can buy, and it only costs $9.99

[@thisisnev]

@@Enemji Do enlighten us as to what "the best DAC that money can buy" is that Apple have crammed inside that dongle. Is it a Burr-Brown? A Sabre? An exotic FPGA ladder DAC? Or d) none of the above?

[@Enemji]

@@thisisnev - None of the above. It is a proprietary Apple DAC, the chip designed and built by Apple themselves

[@thisisnev]

@@Enemji And this is "the best DAC that money can buy" because...?

[@robertschultz4100]

aww this was a good explanation

[@AverageNiceGuy]

Nice work 😎👍 Good practical comparison. Thank you

[@stereoreviewx]

Thanks 👍

[@skeezer180]

Love to hear your thoughts on the IFI Zen Blue V 2 Thanks

[@masha1980]

Great vid. I’ve been debating buying a streamer. But now I’m just going with a dragonfly DAC between coming out of my iPad.

[@bimlocsin2707]

Brilliant explanation! Thanks

[@johnadair6108]

Thoroughly enjoy your content and presentation...

[@FanOWater]

Great video. It's convinced me to stream from my phone first (via cable to the amp) and get a streamer later if I'm not satisfied. Thanks!

[@Lovelacewatkins139]

Great review , what about old phones that don't support some of the codecs , as in aptx

[@r423fplip]

Plug the iPad into an external dac. That sounds great.

[@Enemji]

The DAC in the apple 3.5mm dongle is one of the best ever.

[@sirrealism5806]

That was my question. Instead of a streamer get a dac. Digital signal is the same as afar as I know. Schiit modi 3 for 100$ is perfect with a laptop or phone

[@jim586]

@@Enemji For the last time there isn’t a Dac in the dongle! It’s only a connecting lead!

[@Enemji]

@@jim586 -LOL. There is a whole DAC And Headphone Amp built into that dongle.

[@jim586]

@@Enemji I’m sorry but can you name the device your referring to? It’s not the Apple lighting dock and dongle , right? I’m intrigued with what you’re talking about?

[@PlaybackMansion]

I totally agree. I would also add that the Bluesound is better sounding than Sonos. Sonos adds lots of EQ in their streamers

[@stereoreviewx]

Resting thanks

[@markmason3535]

Thank you for this video. I stream: iphone--> outboard DAC (Schiit multibit)--> amp . Is there anything to be gained from a sound quality standpoint by going to a dedicated steamer from this setup?

[@montynorth3009]

If you are not that interested in very High Resolution, then Bluetooth will give a decent result without being tethered to anything. A decent Bluetooth adaptor can be purchased for £35 and this plugs into your amp's line in.

[@ronlysons6750]

If I use my iPad and connect it to my preamp using the preamps USB which has a built in Dac. Am I using the iPads Dac, or the Dac in the preamp.

[@stereoreviewx]

iPad I think but I’m always getting corrected on this

[@ronlysons6750]

@@stereoreviewx Turns out it’s the Dac in the pre amp. The iPad just sends data.

[@stereoreviewx]

@@ronlysons6750 I think the iPad has to have a dac or it won’t play any music

[@ronlysons6750]

@@stereoreviewx I thought that, that’s why I asked the question. However, when you connect your headphones to the iPad, the lead you use has a built in Dac And you can buy these for about £5.

[@NoEscape459]

Old video I know. But I searched This exact topic and your video came up. I’d really like to know what the differences lol being that I hook my phone up to it quality PS audio dac and do not see any reason to switch to a streamer box…I can control my iPhone with my Apple Watch and don’t even need to get up. I use Apple Music hi res hooked up to a 24bit/192khz dac. What is a streamer going to do Better than that???

[@relaxvideomusic]

Hi Kelvin, thanks for your job.I have Leak 30 3 of them, Rogers Ravensbourne x2, rRogers LS4a and Harbeth speakers. I am listening them every day with 3 iphone 4s, tablet and laptop. I see all songs in any corner in my room. Nice sound and looking. I have Nad, and tubes but I forgot about them, big and not retro. How about Sansui? or any old amp. Will I get nice midrange at the centre. For me 4s gives very clean sound. Thanks

[@normanswift5048]

Thanks Kelvin. An external DAC will normally sound better than the one in your tablet or iphone/android device with a quality system. To start with get a good one like an old Arcam rdac on eBay for not that much money and connect it into your vintage kit for a great sound- use your tablet as the front end for Tidal etc and connect to the dac via USB (or Chromecast for wi-fi). Tidal masters do sound great in my opinion but to get the full benefit you have to stream via a laptop to unfold the detail and a lot of older dacs don't support that. Still, even without full mqa decoding the masters still sound extremely good.

[@richardjohnston4682]

Norman ,is the Arcam Dac modern enough to support all options? Thanks

[@normanswift5048]

@@richardjohnston4682 No - it doesn't support mqa but depending on the interface you connect to offers up to 192kH in other formats and has a really great sound for the money. It is a good upgrade connected to your phone or tablet to see if streaming through your analogue kit is for you before investing in a combined streamer with internal dac like Kelvin has.

[@richardjohnston4682]

@@normanswift5048 Ok Norman, I already have an Auralic Altair,but I’m curious if an external Dac with iPad into my Nad amp would be an uplift in sound. Perhaps I’m looking for too much. Any experience with a Ghord Qutest Dac? They have a good reputation here in the UK.

[@normanswift5048]

@@richardjohnston4682 The Aurilac would be hard to top I think. No experience of the Chord but it looks a great bit of kit.

[@richardjohnston4682]

@@normanswift5048 Cheers Norman, keep listening 👍🎶🍷

[@robmills537]

Hi Kelvin I stream via a bluetooth dac from my phone or tablet much better sound than just connecting from the headphone Jack to an RCA lead. That's what I found, good video though.

[@jim586]

Sorry to be answering lots of questions here(not my channel) but the sound quality (analog) from the headphone Jack should be superior to Bluetooth. This is because Bluetooth though convenient is very lossey (compressed).

[@paznewis107]

@@jim586 I'm over 50… I have Bluetooth 4.2 and 5 in different setups, can hear differences and with CDs also (£300 source) but hard to call which is better, CDs just edge it. Vinyl sounds 20-30% better, rich, detailed, clear... But... (£500 source...) 🙏🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🐙

[@paznewis107]

Also DAC in phone or tablet v poor. DAC in Audioengine b1 excellent and RCA out.. 🙏🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🎱

[@jimji2774]

Bur can you wirelessly control your iPad with an ap on your phone ? I don't think so. Streamers let you sit away from your source without getting up to adjust things which is a big advantage.

[@stereoreviewx]

Yes you can control on your iPhone from another Apple product iPhone or iPad

[@tallicarule1991]

My mini denon hifi has an iPhone/iPod usb input (which runs through the internal dac in the denon) which to me means the phone is just doing the job of pulling the stream from the cloud. Would that mean a streamer wouldn’t make any difference (to the stream quality) and any improvements I could get would be from an improved dac? Also why don’t companies include USB ports compatible with phones?

[@1jhnpennington]

Do yourself a big favour and use an external DAC with the Node 2i (I use a Khadas Tone Board for less than a hundred quid) and you will experience a big increase in sound quality. The internal DAC of the Node 2i is pretty average.

[@xstensl8823]

agree, i compared it to my NAD D1050 and the 7 year old NAD DAC was far better.

[@jakeslavin9355]

this is more a comparison of DACs than streamers. As a streamer alone with a good DAC, I would think an iphone would actually be the ideal streamer because it runs on battery power instead of AC.

[@stereoreviewx]

On a serious system the streamer will show superiority

[@jakeslavin9355]

@@stereoreviewx do you know why? And also how expensive does the streamer have to be to show superiority?

[@RabbieGrouse]

The other advantage of using the Bluesound node 2i is you can use it using only your voice and an Alexa item and Amazon HD/UHD music, which leaves your hands and phone free. If you only use an Alexa Echo or a dot, you cannot stream in HD/UHD. As a big Alexa fan, I got a Bluesound at Christmas and I am very pleased with it.

[@davidviner4932]

Great video, just bought a little Denon DT-1 in grey for the dining room, hooked it up to my phone using Deezer and was amazed just how good it sounded. Bought my other stereo 27 years ago, a Denon D90, still works perfectly through the Castle floorstanders (which replaced the Missions I originally bought with the unit). Might even get a bluetooth adapter for the D90, why not?

[@thisisnev]

Well said, Kelvin! Streamers are just another way to extract cash from audiosnobs. Use a phone, tablet or even PC to connect to the streaming service and if you have qualms about their internal DACs, run them through a USB DAC like the Audioquest Dragonfly. It's still way cheaper than a dedicated box, especially if you have your old contract-expired phone lying around gathering dust!

[@GeirRssaak]

Finally an intelligent man out there!

[@benjaminqilafku5714]

I have always been on the fence about these dedicated streamers.Much a lot like motorbikes with 3 wheels sort of thing.The only real sonic gain is up the quality of the dac inside. They are not cheap either.I rather invest those hundreds of pounds in upgrading where the aural benefits are easier to discern like better speakers or amps.

[@stereoreviewx]

I would definitely agree with you there . K

[@ufarkingicehole]

Agreed! I have the bluenode 2i and can honestly say with a cheap Douk or Loxjie Dac/BT hooked to my Samsung note 9 sounds every bit as good. Maybe better.

[@dimitrispanayides6912]

Hi. Nice comparison. But then for someone who has already a dac, there is the choice of using ipad/phone to the dac and having same or even better quality than streamer. So i think that the need of having a streamer then comes down to practicality, for example ease of use and uninterrupted playback, where when using phone someone could have incoming calls and messenger alerts for example.

[@guinnessharvey4476]

Brilliant info!:) love your content. Thank you

[@tuneyouup]

Can it go into a sonos amp

[@peterdesmidt8742]

I use my phone to stream, but I'm not using an analogue connection. I run from my phone to a usb connector, which then connects to an external dac. I'm sure that a streamer would be more convenient when I listen to speakers instead of headphones, since with speakers my phone is not at the listening position, but I don't understand how a streamer would give better quality.

[@freepadz6241]

Get a chrome cast audio - has optical out and outputs the same digital stream as your phone

[@Percival1919]

Thing is... I’ve got a MacBook as well an iPad. The advantage of the MacBook is that you can up the bit-rate on my Dac using the app Audio MIDI Setup.

[@Percival1919]

And I like the fact can listen to music from internet sites like Soundcloud & Mixcloud using my macbook

[@quantum5652]

Very helpful, thanks. Have been wondering if streamers are necessary for anyone other than obsessive audiophiles. As far as streaming services go, I am very satisfied with KZbin Music. The monthly subscription covers it and normal KZbin so any videos I watch such as yours’ are not interrupted by ads.

[@jim586]

Yeah but it’s not really HiFi. I’m not saying it’s not music, but it’s not HiFi.

[@thisisnev]

@@jim586 Try doing a hearing test via KZbin, and you'd be amazed at how sharply your hearing drops off at exactly 15kHz... ;¬)

[@bruunm1975]

Yamaha 303 and Monitor 200 speakers here. Thinking of getting a Node2i. Thinking the DAC would be better and certainly using Tidal connect has to be better than the Musiccast app.

[@pfalzkind_on_street6067]

Great Video, thanks! I agree on sound difference Tidal/Spotify. Those Tidal Masters are awesome!

[@TheMaxx111]

What about using your IPAD and getting a decent DAC like a Topping e30? That would save way more over a "Streamer."

[@stereoreviewx]

Yeah good point

[@adamrodriguez4027]

That is not a bad option, but if you are chasing the dragon then dedicated streamer is a must. Laptops/ipads do many things and are built for many purposes, all of those signals run inference on the sound. Its a superior option over laptop/ipad

[@marcamant7258]

Which streaming would you advise in order to listen "classical music" ?

[@stereoreviewx]

Well tidal and Quobuz I think you’re just superior to Spotify I mean I don’t know what their selections are like TIDAL is probably bigger

[@marcamant7258]

​@@stereoreviewx Thank you very much for your answer. I'll will check the trial month of both tidal and Qobuz. I like the style of your lectures. Keep on.

[@petrucampean5068]

check IDAGIO

[@marcamant7258]

@@petrucampean5068 Yesss

[@joebloggs763]

Hi what do you think of the CCA. Chrome cast audio regards sound quality. Cheers

[@NatMart9394]

Question.... My cd collection is on a hard drive. Can I plug my hard-drive via usb into a streamer rather than laptop? will the streamer show on its front screen what's on my hard-drive? Cheers..

[@chriswhalley]

Some streamers have that capability but they are some of the more expensive streamers. In your situation, it'd be cheaper and sound just as good to use a laptop or small computer (Mac mini, Intel NUC, etc) and then get a USB DAC with RCA outputs.

[@Shawn-wy1pb]

Using the BlueSound node 2i you can attach a usb drive to the back of it with all your local music. The problem is the node 2i is normally on all the time which puts a lot of stress on the disk. I used a micro usb card with all my music on it instead ! Your local music will be located under USB in the node 2i app.

[@billturner6564]

Another great video Hit the Nail on the head as always I have been wondering how to economicly access streaming since the Google chromecast audio went so expensive now I know Thanks a million Great work as always.

[@erwinsolihin8980]

Hi Kelvin, love watching your channel. Btw, what iPad you use in this video? I have an iPad 2, is it still OK to used as the source? Many thanks in advance...

[@thedude3160]

Very nice review man👍

[@Chris-nd5se]

K Are you sure the difference between Tidal/Qobuz and Spotify you are hearing isn't mainly due to a volume difference, Tidal being louder ? Andrew Robinson, another youtube reviewer compared these platforms and found although Tidal was better the majority of the difference was down to volume differences

[@stereoreviewx]

Yeah I’m sure it’s not about volume differences. I think it’s well understood that Spotify doesn’t have the definition of Qobuz or TIDAL And I don’t know if I said it in the video but Qibuzis slightly louder but I was aware of that completely. It’s very tricky because this is such a technical issue could even be about my Internet connection But I’m sure of what I heard that’s all I can say cheers K

[@Chris-nd5se]

@@stereoreviewx Thanks, Chris

[@Chris-nd5se]

Kelvin. Sorry to come back on this but are you saying that only Tidal Masters sounds better than Spotify or are you also saying the lower Tier Tidal sounds better. Can you also try to quantify the difference in each case, ie as a percentage improvement please, say in a system with speakers & amp each costing around £1000 -£1300 new ? Thanks.

[@stereoreviewx]

@@Chris-nd5se Yes I would say yes tidal sounds better without it being a master . And if you have £1000 plus worth amp and Speakers you should notice it for sure . I mean I don’t think I’m alone in saying this or noticing this. K

[@Chris-nd5se]

@@stereoreviewx Thanks for your clear answer. It is much appreciated. C

[@Flyquail56]

Good video sir! What I like about most of your videos is that they encourage people to pursue great sound without breaking the budget or buying things not needed. I will add a few thoughts from my 45 years in this hobby, Even though Apple obviously has the buying power to get an excellent dac into all of their products, try bypassing their dac and analog output section, and send ones and zeroes from whatever source to a standalone dac. I use a tv with Roku connected. Optical cable, which I also think is Important, to an old Audio Alchemy multi-bit dac. Just my opinion but with a good system the difference with multibit is clear vs. the bitstream dacs commonly available. All connected to vintage Eico or Dynaco tube amps and Spendor LS3/5a’s. LPs and CDs boxed up and stored, I only have my old Linn LP12 set up because I love to look at it 😁 Keep up the good work!

[@stereoreviewx]

Thanks for the info There is something great about the LS35A is for sure

[@alexfalcao]

I’m not a big fan of streaming, I have all my CDs ripped into different digital format and I play my digital collection with a Fiio M11 Hi Resolution player that also is a streamer with my vintage Amps, Sansui 771, Sansui 551, Sansui AU-5500, Sansui AU-101. The sound is awesome and you can hear the difference when I play via my iPad or cellular phone. The Fiio also has a dedicated line out to connect to amps and receivers. The reason the Fiio sounds better is because it uses two AKM AK4493 DACs decoding the music.

[@stereoreviewx]

Thanks for the feedback my friend just wondering do you have a favourite of all those Sansui s cheers K

[@alexfalcao]

@@stereoreviewx Hi Kelvin, I wound say the AU-5500, and it does not sound too much different from the 771 and 551, I think a little but more refined. I manage to play all 4 at the same time.

[@ducmoto1975]

Hey Kelvin - don`t get me wrong ... I like what you are doing. it`s always entertaining and fun. Anyway related to this topic I would wish you explain a bit more the principle of digital electronic. What I miss in many discussions is the differentiation between dac and streamer. how important is the streamer? how important the DAC? If you link that aspects with a vintage system (

[@paulf.5261]

I don’t know if it’s just my iPad, but I’ve got it full blast and you still sound pretty quiet? Just FYI🙂🙏

[@stereoreviewx]

Have you got the volume on your iPad on full do that yeah I mean I get fine volume from my iPad

[@paulf.5261]

@@stereoreviewx Yes volume up all the way!! Other things I had been watching and listening to were fine 🤷‍♂️ I would recommend upping your record level at least a little, I’d gather have the option of turning my volume down, rather than have my volume on full and have nowhere to go. 🙂🙏

[@stephenzzap7662]

I use a raspberry pi 3 with a dac hat into my early 90s pioneer amp ,sounds great also has a small monitor attached for the screen. Used the hifiberry bundled software . Cost for the pi streamer dac and monitor combined 99. Good dedicated streaming on a budget 👌

[@bananabrooks3836]

We could do with an update on this subject and maybe more vintage equipmt. biased?

[@Cevan42]

Assuming you are using an external DAC, is there a difference in the streamers?