Attached USB drive vs. uPnP--Sound Quality

Posted by: urbanmojo on 17 April 2013

Hi:

 

I just got a unitilite--streaming seems to be working fine but for most of my music I was wondering if, sound quality wise, there is a difference between hooking up an attached USB drive or streaming via uPnP. The uPnP I setup may be wired or wireless, have to factor in different aspects of my home network before I decide that. Attaching a USB drive will involve the hassle of connecting it to a computer to get downloaded music and then attaching back to the USB. If I stream vs. wireless connection there is a the problem of sometimes dropping a connection.

 

So is there a difference between USB vs. wired uPnP vs. wireless  uPnP, sound wise?

Posted on: 17 April 2013 by fred40

No.

Posted on: 17 April 2013 by Richard Dane

Wired ethernet connection should give better performance than wireless connection.  For one, if your network is properly configured and switched it should mean no drop-outs, particularly with hi def material.  For two, with wireless functionality defeated you should get a better performance from the Unitilite as it has to work less hard.

 

Posted on: 17 April 2013 by PinkHamster

Once you have your UPnP conection up and running, you probably won't waste any more time on hooking and unhooking a USB drive. Streaming is so much more convenient. The USB port is just an add-on to the core functionality of streaming.

Posted on: 17 April 2013 by Bart
Originally Posted by PinkHamster:

Once you have your UPnP conection up and running, you probably won't waste any more time on hooking and unhooking a USB drive. Streaming is so much more convenient. The USB port is just an add-on to the core functionality of streaming.

Totally agreed.  Now that I use UPnP streaming for both of my systems, that's 'the only way I'll fly.'  I really have no motivation not to get the files on the server right away.  I've not used the usb ports at all since.

Posted on: 17 April 2013 by Thorsten_L
+1
 
Originally Posted by PinkHamster:

Once you have your UPnP conection up and running, you probably won't waste any more time on hooking and unhooking a USB drive. Streaming is so much more convenient. The USB port is just an add-on to the core functionality of streaming.