Series of Questions re: Hegel H190

[pairustwo]

While waiting for a new Hegel H190 to arrive, I'm trying wrap my head around the streaming capabilities and the best way to set up my digital domain. I'm hoping this community can get me up to speed. 

 

Currently I'm running a USB cable from my laptop to my Marantz HD-DAC1. My laptop pulls digital files from of a Mac Server share on a wired network.  I have three devices (two monitored computers and a headless mac mini running the server software) connected to an Airport Extreme - that is maxed out at only three ethernet connections.

 

Into this I want to add the Hegel H190.  

 

First up is the need for another network connection. I've thought about getting a new router with more ports but it should be easier and cheaper to put a switch between my Airport Extreme router and devices including the Hegel. Are there any concerns with keeping the Airport Extreme and using a switch? Any reasons to upgrade to a newer router? 

 

Second, perhaps I should keep using the USB or perhaps a Toslink connection to stream music from my laptop to the Hegel in order to get the best sound quality.  I also stream Qobuz and local files from my ipad or phone using a chrome-cast device. (HDMI plugged into a audio splitter that outputs to Toslink).  Is there an advantage to using a network connection to stream music - other than taking the USB & chrome-cast & audio splitter box & a bunch of cables out of my system?

 

Third is the issue of what can I do with a connected Hegel - aside from update the firmware?  It seems like I need to have a UPnP server like BubbleUPnP sitting on my network somewhere in order to connect music files - whether from Qobuz or form my local hard disks - to the Hegel "renderer".  Is this the case?  Would Qobuz desktop or Mobile App be able to find the Hegel without BubbleUPnP?   Further I'm still a little confused as to whether the BubbleUPnP acts as its own music interface or if it solely acts as a conduit between the Hegel "renderer" and some music player interface. In the later case I need to connect other music indexing interfaces to it.  How do I determine which will work with UPnP server?  I currently use VOX on MacOS. 

 

Fourth is (and the reason I can't seem to answer these questions on my own) is that I can't install BubbleUPnP.  The first step is to be sure your Mac OS hosts file has a hosts name. 

Quote

IMPORTANT if running under macOS Sierra or higher

Look at /etc/hosts and make sure your computer local hostname is listed:

cat /etc/hosts
127.0.0.1       <hostname>.local
::1             <hostname>.local

Where <hostname> is your local hostname. If these 2 lines are missing, edit the file as root and add them. Without this, BubbleUPnP Server will run but will be much slower that normal.

Neither my laptop or my server have a host name, only "localhost" is listed at both of these places (127.0.0.1 and ::1).  I'm reluctant to edit these - especially on the server for fear of loosing contact with the headless device.   Any advice? 

 

Okay.  If anyone can help with any of this I would be very grateful. 

 

 

[shadowlight]

I was under the impression that Hegel came with a iOS/Android App that allowed you to stream Tidal/Deezer/Qobuz/Spotify, etc directly without any need for any external setup.  The only time that you would need anything external is if you are planning to go from say native format to DSD or higher rate PCM.

 

Edit: Ignore my comment, you will need mConnect or BubbleUPNP installed on your mobile device which will send the stream from Tidal, Qobuz over to your H190.

 

https://support.hegel.com/product-articles/network-streaming-soundformats

https://support.hegel.com/component/jdownloads/download/1-h190-user-manual-english

 

[pairustwo]

4 hours ago, shadowlight said:

you will need mConnect or BubbleUPNP installed on your mobile device which will send the stream from Tidal, Qobuz over to your H190.

 

https://support.hegel.com/product-articles/network-streaming-soundformats

https://support.hegel.com/component/jdownloads/download/1-h190-user-manual-english

 

True.  And if it were just Qobuz that might be the end of it. Or I could even stream it over USB or through my Chromecast.  I was hoping to play files on my network server as well.  This is where I get confused.  I don't think BubbleUPnP on my mobile device will access those.  I think I need to install a BubbleUPnP server on my network somewhere - and I'm looking for playback from desktop as well. 

[Cebolla]

 

1 hour ago, pairustwo said:

I was hoping to play files on my network server as well.  This is where I get confused.  I don't think BubbleUPnP on my mobile device will access those.  I think I need to install a BubbleUPnP server on my network somewhere - and I'm looking for playback from desktop as well. 

 

Yes, to stream your own audio files the requirement would be for a UPnP/DLNA media server, but despite its name the BubbleUPnP Server helper application is not one of those:

https://www.bubblesoftapps.com/bubbleupnpserver2/docs/features_and_requirements.html#requirements

Quote

BUBBLEUPNP SERVER IS NOT AN UPNP/DLNA MEDIA SERVER: IT DOES NOT INDEX YOUR MEDIA FILES.

 

BubbleUPnP Server is a collection of functions to help enhance and/or correct problems with UPnP & Chromecast streaming.

 

 

For an actual UPnP/DLNA media server, try installing & configuring MinimServer or Asset UPnP/DLNA instead

[shadowlight]

I use MinimServer to stream local files.

 

@Cebolla I cannot remember anymore but is jRiver another option for media Server?

[Cebolla]

Yes, but I wouldn't recommend it if that's all JRiver would be purchased for, given that JRiver's main (and unrelated) function is that of a music file player.

 

BTW, JRiver actually allows you to configure more than one UPnP/DLNA media server, giving you the option of each UPnP/DLNA media server having a different transcoding mechanism applied to the same JRiver audio file library. For example, one JRiver UPnP/DLNA media server could be configured to provide the audio files to be streamed exactly as they are (ie, with no transcoding), another to upsample the files to 24bit/192kHz and then streamed as raw LPCM, a third to provide DSD files to be streamed as DoP in a WAV container, etc.

[pairustwo]

Thanks for all of the help so far. 

 

I've installed MinimServer and Bubble UPnP Server helper on my Mac Mini server.  Minim Server has indexed a networked SSD that holds my music files. 

 

While waiting for my Hegel I've identified my Chromecast as a renderer and had BubbleUPnP identify it as an OpenHome render - both of which are identified by various control points. 

 

Using MConnect on my android and Kazoo on my MacOS desktop I am able to see the servers and my files and playback through the renderers - both UPnP and Open Home. 

 

All seems well except for Kazoo is really hard for me to use.  I don't know if it is not intuitive or if it is broken.  It seems like selecting a file to play adds it to a play list rather than simply playing it.  Do I have to manage all playback through a playlist - whose interface is hidden anytime that I'm browsing files? 

 

Anyway.  I am hoping to find a modern and wonderful Control Point for MacOS.  - Maybe JRiver?  is this a control point? 

 

Thanks again. 

[FIndingit]

The best digital input in the previous series of Hegel amps was without any doubt the coax spdif. You should consider a ddc at some point. 

[damascato]

I have a question to H190 owners: hows the headphone out? Good quality from your experience?