What player to stream Amazon HD with?

I use my laptop pc to my DAC, which works pretty well.  I don't know how much help you'll get on agon, but I bet you'll get a ton of replies on steve hoffman forum.

Sounds fair enough; I'll try that, though since my Macbook pro doesn't have a USB port, I'd have to use an adapter to connect to the Oppo and I'm afraid that might interfere with sound.

I'm using a Bluesound Node 2i, and have been quite enjoying the sound. That said, some of the specifics around Amazon Music HD can be quite annoying. For example, the search function is maddeningly cumbersome and sometimes comes back with results that make little sense. If Amazon can get these things sorted out, though, it will be a keeper.
-- Howard

Wow, I could have written this question myself. I'm streaming Amazon through my lap top and it sounds great but I want more convenience. Love to hear which streamers work with Amazon HD. 

The Audiolab 6000n will stream Amazon music HD right from your phone etc. Price is around $600us  I'm very close to ordering one myself
Oh yeah it has a pretty good internal DAC not sure if it's better than what is in the OPPO BD 105 which I also own. I think it won What Hi Fi product of the year.
Another less exspensive option is the Audioengine B1 with internal DAC
and  aptX high quality bluetooth and that's what I'm currently using to stream Anazon music HD You can also bypass the B1 dac via toslink to a higher quality external DAC For simplicity it's hard to beat. It has RCA outs and I run those into my old school ARC LS 15 pre amp

AUDIOLAB 6000N:
DTS Play-Fi for effortless music streaming
DTS Play-Fi is a premium, wireless control system that brings everything under one 'roof'. Download the free app and you'll not only have access to Internet radio via Sirius XM but also popular music apps such as Spotify, Tidal, Deezer and Amazon Music. As well as streaming from music services, the 6000N Play also streams from NAS drives and PCs with DLNA support.

I stream Amazon Ultra HD from my Windows 10 laptop through USB to my newly acquired Cambridge Audio Azur 851n DAC/Network Streamer.  The good news is it sounds great and I can get 24/192 because I downloaded the Cambridge Audio driver and installed it on the laptop.  I use a $600 Asus Zenbook for this duty.  

It works great, but I'd strongly prefer to be able to control the playlist via my mobile phone as opposed to the laptop.  I can play Spotify through the Azur 851n natively, so I am 1.) Hoping Cambridge Audio updates their firmware to support Amazon Ultra HD or 2.) Hoping Spotify steps up and offers lossless streaming (and that my Azur 851n unit will support it). 

This is as close as I've been able to get.  I would prefer lossless through Spotify first and foremost, but my secondary preference is Amazon Music.  But neither give me what I really want. 

I think there's a good chance that either #1 or #2 above will happen in 2020.  Amazon has the resources to do whatever they want and can own the market so I suspect they will win and Spotify will go away eventually.  

1) I hope I win PowerBall without wasting money on a ticket.
2) I hope there is no line at the dispensary.

I stream Tidal with Bluetooth 5.0 from my Galaxy tablet to the audioengine b1 with excellent results.  I think it approaches or equals my consumer high end SACD which is saying somethng! 

There is a list of the companies with compatible software on Amazon's website. They haven't released an API to anyone other than those companies. 

I use my phone to send Amazon HD to Chromecast Audio via Wifi, then toslink cable from CCA to my DAC.  I agree with other made points; the app is unrefined, but the ultra HD music is wonderful.

"I use my phone to send Amazon HD to Chromecast Audio via Wifi, then toslink cable from CCA to my DAC. I agree with other made points; the app is unrefined, but the ultra HD music is wonderful."

Iluvsansui,

Thanks for posting this. I truly wish and hope that this is actually possible but all comments from Amazon indicate that HD Music cannot be cast to a CCA but only the standard level Amazon Music signal. I use the 3.5mm to toslink with CCA to a DAC as well. Have you discovered a true wormhole? How certain are you that the digital signal getting to your DAC this way is Amazon HD lossless rather than standard? Thanks.

I stream on the cheap, through a tricked out Chromecast Audio. I trialed Amazon HD last year with the hope that I would purchase a high res subscription for the family for Christmas. Unfortunately, Amazon will not stream CD quality or greater to Chromecast. This is a business decision of Amazon's to require listeners to purchase their $200 Echo Link streamer. I won’t do that. Amazon limits its streams to MP3 quality over CC, so I use Qobuz.

Amazon’s primary market seems to be those who listen over PC and phone. That is the bigger market to capture, and all these big companies only target the biggest markets.

In case anyone is interested, my tricked out CC Audio sounds a lot better than my laptop now when streaming through the same Peachtree DAC. The CCA and laptop used to sound identical. I added the iFi Spdif reclocker and swapped out the power cable with a $12 cablematters cable. The first added tremendous resolution, and the second took the entire system sound from wimpy to full.

@iluvsansui, ear training takes work. I don't think you're actually hearing CD quality or better because Amazon only streams MP3 to Chromecast. If you still have free trials with Tidal or Qobuz, compare some songs over Amazon and one of these other services. With a sufficiently resolving setup, you won't want to go back to MP3. I first heard the difference between MP3 and CD quality when I moved my speakers from the desk to monoprice monolith speaker stands. 

I tried Amazon and canceled my subscription I like how Tidal displays on my Bluesound Node 2i much better.  I also, despite what others think, like how MQA sounds.  It is nice to know what you are listening to and the way the artists wants people to listen to their recordings.

Cool. Maybe Amazon is streaming CD quality to CC then. 

Since my home theater is also my best music system, I can stream it through my Sony TV or through my Roku into my Marantz Pre-amp. Sound is fantastic. I wish they would release an app to my Astell&Kern player like Tidal did for mobile listening but so far, no joy. 

I am using a Node 2i with an MHDT Labs Orchid and it sounds great.  I do echo the above comment about the interface not being the best, but it is functional.

So I might have found an easy fix,  in part inspired by your replies. I simply ordered a USB C- HDMI adapter and ran an HDMI to the oppo and now can access Amazon hd from my Galaxy 9+, which I got in part because it had a rep for great internal sound. 

And so that worked. yes, there's an unsightly HDMI cable stretching to my listening seat, but the Amazon Ultra/HD sound trumps Tidal's basic sound by spades.

Would a USB be a better sound than HDMI?

Cocktail Audio by Novatron. They make N-15D, it is a streamer, DAC and storage. I have an X45 that also has a CD player, ripper, burner. In addition it records analog up to 24/192 (outstanding). No computer needed for anything as music storage is on installed ss memory. Couldn't be happier. It is set up for amazon and many others right out of the box. MQA as well.

Checked out the Cocktail line and read up on some of the reviews. But question: What if I have no interest in ripping my cd's?

CD is probably the first feature I would do without. The N-15D is just a streamer and uses phone or pad for remote. DAC might not be as good as you want. The X45 has a better DAC but then you get the CD stuff. It was nice as I had many CD'S and never an awesome CD player. Went iPod for way too long but at least stuck with LP as well. I picked the X45 for recording LP's. It is really cool and makes incredible sounding files. I am using the X45 with a Mcintosh MA 8900 and rebuilt Altec Model 19's. The DAC in the mac sounds great but usually starts playing a file late and misses about 1/2 of the first note. Does this streaming as well. The coctail internal DAC or other external DAC's I have tried don't have the problem. Mac says it is because their DAC does not talk to Linux based systems well. The songs I record have plenty of blank groove at the start for this not to be an issue if I choose to use the Mac DAC. The Mac DAC really does a good sounding job with DSD also. All in all the Cocktail X45 has been a great purchase. Great sound and looks to be built well.

Just wanted to clarify that the late start of file playback (fraction of second). With the McIntosh DA-1 DAC and the Cocktail is only through the USB connection. Does not happen with coax or toslink. As mentioned above Mc says their DAC has a lag talking with Linux in the USB mode. So for streaming Amazon one could use a connection other than USB if the delay bothers you. The USB is only needed for over 192 or DSD. As mentioned the DAC built in the Cocktail is also real good. The control app on the Cocktail is easy to use and has Amazon pre loaded.

I am quickly finding out theses DAC's are a lot like phono cartridges, Lot's of good ones and lot's of personal preference and opinions.

I just learned that Cocktail Audio devices are not HD capable yet. Novatron is hoping for middle of next year. I had ask them this because I am always getting 44.1. Weird because I had free Amazon Music with prim subscription. When I activated the free HD trial things clearly got better so I don't know what to think of their response. Maybe the free music with Prime was really crunched and I got out of that. So I will have to try another service and see what happens. Not going to pay Amazon anything extra if I am not getting it all. I was a little amazed to learn this. In almost all songs I have compared to CD versions the Amazon killing it. 

The thing I don't understand is why Amazon doesn't manufacture a device with the same capabilities as the CCA given Google doesn't even make or sell them anymore.   One would imagine they could sell millions and hugely increase the number of subscribers overnight.

Have you looked into the AppleTV 4K?  It does have the Amazon music app and you can send it to Oppo via HDMI input.

I recently switched from a Mac Mini to a Lumin streamer and the improvement in SQ was significant.  Lumin does not currently support Amazon HD, but I was told by them that it should soon.

I can recommend the D1 Mini, and the interface is the best I've used.

Good luck with the search!

This will stream just about everything, but I think it's about $1600
https://www.nativsound.com/en/music-server

Ooo! It looks quite nice, especially that wood base.

That looks like a great solution! 

The Nativsound is likely an excellent platform.  I would ask if they use a linear power supply.  It may be one of the better platforms because of a good digital clock (looks like a TCXO).  But it's expensive, yes.

For a much cheaper alternative, you can google amazon for "android 10 tv".  There are several android tv set-top boxes running the latest Android 10 OS available for $50-70.  Then get a linear power supply to power it and you'll have a really excellent solution.  You can download the standard "Amazon Music" googleplay app to stream Amazon HD.

Alternative, you could get a Roku and upgrade it with linear power supply if you want something more well know and/or supported.   I would just make sure the Amazon Music app is available for the Roku.

These both output HDMI, which you can connect directly to your Oppo HDMI input (unless you're using it for something else).

You might want to upgrade your Oppo 105 to a linear power supply as well (available from oppomod website).  The 105 is describe as having a linear power supply inside, but that only is used for the analog output boards.  There is still a switching power supply that powers all digital sections.l

A little more on the Amazon HD and Cocktail. I am getting 44.1 32B AAC. Like I said earlier, it is much better than no HD but not as good as it could be. Cocktail says they hope to get amazon HD mid 2021. I am now trying Qobuz. Looks like a lot more HD to choose from than Amazon. Getting lots of 24 bit some at 44.1, most at 96 and some at 192. Even the 44.1/16 sounds real good.

Also the usb connection between my Cocktail and Mcintoish is working correctly now. The DA-1 with newer firmware has an auto mute feature that can be turned off and files no longer start a moment late. I think this is just a USB thing and not necessarily unique to the Cocktail or the Mc.

I just checked and my Nvidia shield pro 2019 has an usb out, It's has Amazon standard but hope they will upgrade to HD as that will be a great solution , it's the main reason I got an outboard dac to toy with. 

When I first learned about Amazon Music HD, I emailed my nephew, who is in management at Amazon and asked him to reach out to someone in the must group at Amazon and see if they would do the interface work to Roon.  I let him know that, if they did that, probably many if not most audiophiles who use Roon, who stream Tidal or Qobuz would likely drop those services and sign up with Amazon.

I suspect that, just a few tens of thousands or maybe a few hundred thousand new subscribers won't "move the needle" for a company as large as Amazon.  But I'm crossing my fingers!

@jackd. 
You got a link?
They haven't cooperated with Volumio or LMS.
I will say the sound is good, the price is right and making playlists there is unbelievably crappy.
If Spotify is an A, Tidal & Qobuz are C and Amazon is F-.

If you are talking about Bluetooth from your phone or iPad, the new McIntosh MB20 has Bluetooth 5.0. 

@ejr1953 , Roon isn't for everyone ... please don't speak for me.
I can speak for myself.