Article: Dream Music Server Feature: Part 1

[Jud]

Streaming your home collection at full res via CarPlay is already here.

 

Two pieces:

 

- Subsonic music server: http://www.subsonic.org/pages/index.jsp . Install on your computer (I have it running on both Windows and Linux, and I believe it works on Mac as well). $1/month ($12/year) or $99 forever. Setup takes a bit of fiddling with the computer, but I'm no pro and I managed just fine (I have my collection served over https for a bit of added security).

 

- AVSub app for iPhone: http://www.avsubapp.co.uk . Inexpensive (a few bucks as I recall) on the App Store. Works with Subsonic and integrates with CarPlay. I don't have CarPlay, but this app works beautifully for me to stream my home collection anywhere I have my phone and internet connectivity, including cellular. (Higher resolutions may need wi-fi, though on occasion I've streamed 24/96 reasonably well over a cell connection.)

[Jud]

3 minutes ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

Thanks @Jud

 

Another member PM'd me to let me know Plex with the Prism music app will do this. 

 

Still not a complete integration with my HiFi servers, but it's a start.

 

Plex doesn't like my aiff files, which is why I switched to Subsonic.

[Jud]

46 minutes ago, hopkins said:

especially cloud solution that would avoid opening an access to your home and having a server running 24/7

 

A cloud solution would be ideal of course, but home server solutions such as Subsonic can be made very secure (for example if you want to get sophisticated you can reverse proxy through a capable server such as nginx and not only run https but require two-factor authentication - see https://apps.nextcloud.com/apps/twofactor_totp ). Regarding 24/7 operation, I don't do that unless I'm away from home an extended period for vacation or work. Otherwise I can just have the server computer running a few hours at a time when I'm in the car or at a friend's.

[Jud]

16 minutes ago, AudioDoctor said:

I understand why some want this, however I must be in the minority of people that don't listen to music much in the car unless its MPR. When on a road trip its my wife that plays the DJ with little input from me, ha...

 

I didn't know I wanted it until...

 

A neighbor gave me access to his music on his Plex server. Fun to play with, so I thought I'd do it with my music. However, Plex didn't see any of my music files, which are all AIFF or DSF (a DSD format). At that point I got the bug some of us may recognize: "I am going to do this thing, dammit!" So I researched and came up with Subsonic and AVSub. Having my entire music collection at full res in my pocket whether in the car or exercising (I take several-mile desert walks - you might work out at home or in a gym) has proved to be an unexpected treat that I never knew I was missing.

[Jud]

BubbleUPnP doesn’t work with iPhone yet as far as I know, or is my information out of date?

 

 If it doesn’t, that means it’s not compatible with CarPlay.

 

One other note: MinimServer organizes your music by tags. Subsonic and AVSub follow your folder/directory organization. So beyond CarPlay compatibility, there’s the matter of how you like your music organized and searched.
 

I personally prefer my own folder organization, because it’s not consistent. I like to have various versions of Beethoven’s late string quartets or other famous classical compositions in subfolders under the composer’s name, but most of my other music in folders under the names of the artists, for example. Or I might have an album of Grateful Dead covers by other artists in the Grateful Dead folder. This is how it makes sense to me to organize and easily find my music, and I haven’t come across another system that can duplicate it.

 

Edit: I should add here the important piece of information that although AVSub will use your folder organization by default, there is a setting to have it use tags if you prefer.

[Jud]

5 hours ago, zerung said:

Tesla has Spotify integrated with the car - Have been this way for the past 4 years. The Hifi system is amazingly good (Upgraded version) and both Tidal and Qobuz can be streamed via the IPhone to the Tesla Hifi system. I dont need to stream my home system as Spotify and Qobuz has my whole music on demand....

 

Yep, Qobuz is a treat to listen to in the car or on walks. I like having my home collection available too, because (a) many (all?) Qobuz tracks over the phone app are only available in RedBook, and (b) my own tracks are easy to find - I want a particular Aimee Mann album, I just go to the “A”s, no searches necessary.

[Jud]

11 hours ago, johniboy24 said:

Try emby. https://www.emby.media
should do the trick. I prefer it over Plex 

Won’t play resolutions over 16/48, and I see no indication it will play aiff files (or DSD).

[Jud]

On 11/27/2019 at 1:32 PM, Jud said:

Higher resolutions may need wi-fi, though on occasion I've streamed 24/96 reasonably well over a cell connection.)

 

Recently increased my Internet speed from 12 Mbps upload to 40. Might be coincidence or imagination, but 24/96 seems to work better now over a cell connection.

 

(Now at gigabit download speed. Installed a Wi-Fi 6 PCIE card in my desktop, and waiting for availability of a Wi-Fi 6 gateway.)

[Jud]

I’m way out here in two-bar land. 🙂  (And that’s with the only cell network that reaches the area reliably. I have my mobile service with Comcast, which uses Verizon’s network.)

[Jud]

Just now, AudioDoctor said:

 

Quoting myself here:

 

I normally don't stream high res over cell networks because it uses data FAST! Apparently AT&Ts unlimited data, isn't...  ha.

 

Ask me how I know...

Yep, same with Comcast (and I assume Verizon). After 20 GB, your cell service is “throttled.”

 

So I wait until 10 days before the billing cycle ends to stream hi res, since during my daily walks and the few times I drive, I use about 2GB per day.

[Jud]

Just now, AudioDoctor said:

 

AT&T let me get to 86GB before they called me to see WTF I was doing, haha. SO now if I stream over a cell network it's rarely, and at CD quality.

If only the CSR you spoke to was an audiophile....