I also forgot to mention that mconnect and BubbleUPnP feature integration with Tidal / Qobuz so you can use them to stream from those services to any UPnP client.
Digital source upgrade suggestion?
Hi,
I’m currently running my streaming (Tidal and Spotify) and digital files from a Macbook Pro (files on external HD connected USBC) with iTunes over Airplay to an Airport which is then connected via Audioquest mini Toslink cable to my Bricasti M1SE dac.
I have about 4TB of music files which are highly organized in iTunes (I run a record label and am a touring DJ, hence needing files portable on the external drive) so I’ve been hesitant to move into Roon simply because of the interface – the line spacing is huge and I prefer to view larger lists on the screen at a time – and I burn through new music files very quickly as I’m dealing with many demos, masters, etc. I know the consensus is Airplay is garbage, but feeling a bit stuck.
I’ve been thinking perhaps a NAS but I’d like something to also be an endpoint for Tidal, Qobuz etc. The M1 has the network upgrade, so don’t need a streamer per se. I’ve read many many threads here in the past 2 years but I’m in circles now. Thoughts?
If of interest (can’t imagine it matters for this part of the front end discussion) the rest of system is Cello Palette Preamp, Pass 1.2 Monoblocks, modded ADS L1290 floorstsnders.
Thank in advance, I know this topic is like beating a dead horse.
Showing 2 responses by yage
AirPlay isn't ideal because it's limited to 44.1 kHz / 16 bit. If you want to use listen to high-res material, you should use UPnP instead.
And you're right - if the Bricasti has UPnP capability, then it can already serve as a media renderer for playback. Buying an external streamer / server isn't necessary.
To stream to the DAC, you need to do a few things. The first is to set up a UPnP server. This can be done on your MacBook or directly on the NAS itself, if you go that direction.
I use a free and open source app called Kodi to enable UPnP on my Mac mini. Once installed, you need to add your iTunes Library as a music source. Then you need to enable UPnP on Kodi, including the options to share your music library, look for remote players (will need to show advanced options by click on the gear icon in the lower left of the navbar until it says 'Advanced'), and allow remote control via UPnP.
If you'd rather use a NAS such as Synology, there are packages available to enable UPnP functionality.
You can control playback and stream to your Bricasti DAC by using a UPnP app. For iOS devices, I suggest mconnect Player HD. The Bricasti should appear as an option when you tap the 'Play to' button the upper left. If you're on Android, I suggest BubbleUPnP. The Bricasti should show up as an option if you tap on the cast icon on the lower left.
Alternatively, you can also use the Kodi app interface directly by right clicking on a song and choosing "Play using". This is a bit clunky though. |