Headphone Amp Recommendations Please

[Dr Tone]

[sorry for the OT Melvin]

 

So if I am on my home network, I get full resolution on other shared devices, but listening to Apple Music at my work, to songs shared from my home computer via iCloud, the resolution will always be 256kbps rather than the lossless format on my home computer (even though when I click on the info button and it indicates a particular track is an AIFF file, it is not streaming to me as such).

 

Do I have this right?

 

If the music on your home computer "Matched" something that Apple already has you will be streaming and downloading Apple's version to your portable devices. Now that might even be a different master, absolutely no way to control that. If your music didn't match something up on Apple music, your lossless version would have been converted to aac and then uploaded, leaving your lossless files where they are.

 

So, no matter what you will always be getting a lossy version when you download form Apple Music.

[Blake]

Thanks Dr. Tone.

 

Who knows, perhaps the rumors and reports are true and Apple will roll out higher resolution streaming this year. I'm not holding my breath, but I am hopeful.

[Rexp]

The main benefit for me is convenience. The source for this little headphone system will now be an iDevice because it sounds better than the ATV2. My library won't fit on an iDevice and this method gives me access to the entire library (including high-res). I must admit, it's pretty slick. I never really had a reason to use the home sharing features until I put this system together. To be clear, this system is in a different room than my main system and is no where near a computer.

Sounds good, will give it a try, so this way there is no re sampling going on which is one reason for the the improvement in SQ I guess. One last question, in this set up is the Regen essential or a subtle difference? Thanks!

[Superdad]

Sounds good, will give it a try, so this way there is no re sampling going on which is one reason for the the improvement in SQ I guess. One last question, in this set up is the Regen essential or a subtle difference? Thanks!

 

Well you will have to use some sort of powered hub or the iOS device with Camera Connection Kit will decline to connect to the DAC, reporting that the device draws too much power. Since the REGEN's secondary function is providing ultra-clean VBUS power, and in doing so completely ignores the incoming 5VBUS from pin 1, it does not drive from the iOS device and takes care of the DAC.

 

So yes, you could just use a $15 powered USB2.0 hub to make it work, but that is not likely to sound near as nice.

Not trying to promote here (lord knows the REGEN sells well enough without any ads or hype), just being clear about what it takes to connect iOS devices to DACs.

 

Ciao,

--Alex C.

[Melvin]

Sounds good, will give it a try, so this way there is no re sampling going on which is one reason for the the improvement in SQ I guess. One last question, in this set up is the Regen essential or a subtle difference? Thanks!

 

As Alex says, no the REGEN is not essential. The REGENs role as a USB hub is necessary to use the Bel Canto mLink USB/SPDIF converter. To be clear, some DACs play nice with the iDevice/CCK pairing and don't need a hub to work. My Tranquility DAC is one that plays nice. The Bifrost also works without a hub but mine no longer has a USB card installed, hence the need for the converter and hub in this case.

[PopPop]

Is there an essential difference between the Bel Canto mLink and their uLink? I use the uLink between my PC and my EDC1, no REGEN is needed there. I have wondered about adding the REGEN to see if it will impact the SQ.

[Melvin]

Is there an essential difference between the Bel Canto mLink and their uLink? I use the uLink between my PC and my EDC1, no REGEN is needed there. I have wondered about adding the REGEN to see if it will impact the SQ.

 

According to Bel Canto there are better clocks in the uLink. Of course you could purchase a REGEN just to assess it for yourself and sell it if it doesn't help.

[orgelschlaeger]

I would strongly recommend the Funk LPAs (even if it has to be sent quite a distance).

Funk Tonstudiotechnik digitale und analoge Tontechnik index

http://www.funk-tonstudiotechnik.de/LPA-2-englisch.pdf

You won't find that good specs anywhere else - and you know what your money is for (NOT unnecessary big casings or the like..). (i'm not involved in any way, but his products definetely needs more recognition). I exchanged the Headphone Amp in my Tascam DA3000 with great success.