Qobuz & Sonos Connect

Posted by: Hugh Craig on 29 January 2015

Hi

 

I am currently streaming Qobuz from my MacBook Pro and am having a few issues with sample rate (see post of a couple days ago) and convenience - getting up a down to the MBP (lazy I know). I have tried VNC but it is a bit clunky.

 

From reading other posts here, it looks as though Sonos Connect is the best and most affordable solution but I have a few questions:

1. I am hoping the Sonos will work well on wifi. My router is a long way from my sound system and I have already run one long length of ethernet cable to my ND5XS. I can just see the look on SWMBO's face if I suggest another!

2. The obvious connection to my system is optical into Hugo (coax is in use from ND5), but I notice that Simon connects his into NDX (I think using optical). Should I connect direct to ND5?

3. If I were to connect direct to ND5 it would need to be coax as the optical is in regularly use for Sky Box. Would RCA to RCA or RCA to BNC be best.

 

I should stress that Qobuz from MBP via mini usb to Hugo sounds great. I just isn't very convenient.

 

No doubt if I did go down the Sonos route Mr Sod would ensure that Qobuz is integrated into a new Naim firmware update the very next day!!

 

Cheers

Hugh

Posted on: 31 January 2015 by Simon-in-Suffolk

Greg, didn't quite undrrstand your post. Naim do provide a direct connection to Spotify.. You just point the Spotify app to your Naim device..

Are you perhaps referring to a non direct connection, such as used by Sonos, where a seperate bespoke front end app can selects and navigate through media from various services including Spotify, and then pull the media in the built queue list back from the various services?

Simon

Posted on: 31 January 2015 by KRM

Hi Simon,

 

So the Auralic would be a direct replacement for the Sonos? I don't no much about it and was a bit confused by their website.

 

I assume that streaming ever the web will always have inferior sound quality to streaming local media, but maybe not. If it really takes off, and Naim can't incorporate it into their current streamers? Then I suppose they could market a separate web streamer, powered by a 555PS :-/

 

Keith

Posted on: 31 January 2015 by Simon-in-Suffolk

Keith, if I went that way,my then yes it would replace the Sonos.. But as I say ii am at info gathering and musing stage. Listening to my reclocked Sonos yesterday evening.. I was enjoying its capability and performance.. 

There is no reason at all why web streaming and local streaming should sound that different (other than extreme subtly like we have with different local UPNP servers  now). As far the network player is concerned it doesn't care where the source data is.. It's about the content of the data. FLAC is FLAC if from the same master.

 

Posted on: 31 January 2015 by KRM

I will be interested in your thoughts on the reclocked Sonos.

 

Keith

Posted on: 31 January 2015 by Simon-in-Suffolk

Keith, to be clear, I reclock my Sonos now using a veteran Monarchy Audio reclocker.. It can only do 44.1/48 16 bit which is clearly fine for the Sonos.. It greatly adds to the performance of the Sonos digital stream.. All the standard effects you would expect of reducing jitter and noise.. Better definition and tighter bass, better imaging, cleaner timbre and texture.. Esp with percussion, brass, strings voices and listening into the layers in mixes... I feed this cleaned up spdif signal into my NDX and then Hugo. 

 

Posted on: 31 January 2015 by KRM

Ah, so you've done it yourself, rather than having it modified by an after market supplier?

Posted on: 31 January 2015 by dave4jazz

Simon

 

If I'm following your posts on this thread correctly, to summarise, your current set-up is:

 

digital source → Sonos Connect → reclocker → NDX → Hugo DAC

 

My interest is that I am currently trialling Qobuz and was interested to learn how Logitech Media Server (LMS)/Squeezebox Touch (SBT) implemtation would compare to Sonos.

 

Dave

Posted on: 31 January 2015 by Simon-in-Suffolk

Keith indeed..

Posted on: 31 January 2015 by Simon-in-Suffolk

Dave, yes your flow diagram is correct. I don't have a SBT so can't comment sonically.. However I think SBT needs a seperate server running somewhere?

the Sonos is standalone (if you exclude my reclocking) and their application is first class.. It supports just under 40 streaming services in the UK - inc betas - and seems to update reasonably regularly. The Sonos app allows to seamlessly play uPNP, NAS file system media, local ipad/iPhone/Mac/PC media, and of course streaming services. The app also integrates into the streaming service info providers for info on arist, album etc.. All in all from a usability point of view I'd give it 9/10.. Excellent.

Posted on: 31 January 2015 by dave4jazz

Simon

 

Yes you are right. I have LMS running on my NAS.

 

Regarding Qobuz, I trialled it about a year ago but compared to Spotify I didn't think it had a very good interface but things seem to have improved and I'm starting to really enjoy the lossless FLAC streamimg. I've also made some download purchases. Just have to convince myself it's worth the extra £10/m subscription.

 

Dave

Posted on: 31 January 2015 by Simon-in-Suffolk

Dave, indeed, not only the software has improved, but the inventory is hugely improved. £20 a month? Well given the pound / euro it feels we Brits are being short changed, but once I get over that.. I feel I get my money's worth.. Certainly enjoy settling down to read Mojo magazine and searching out referenced albums and artists with the quality and experience that was intended.

Simon

Posted on: 31 January 2015 by GregW
Originally Posted by Simon-in-Suffolk:

Greg, didn't quite undrrstand your post. Naim do provide a direct connection to Spotify.. You just point the Spotify app to your Naim device..

Are you perhaps referring to a non direct connection, such as used by Sonos, where a seperate bespoke front end app can selects and navigate through media from various services including Spotify, and then pull the media in the built queue list back from the various services?

Simon

I meant it would be nice to be able to use the Naim App to browse and manage Spotify content alongside radio and UPnP content.

Posted on: 31 January 2015 by Simon-in-Suffolk

Indeed, I agree 

S

Posted on: 31 January 2015 by GraemeH

I'm getting drop-out problems intermittently although I'm hard wired. Have checked with Virgin (superhub 2ac) and done speed tests which all seem fine, 40-50mbps.

 

Deezer 320 streaming is more stable with no drop-out....a bit infuriating.

 

I've contacted Qobuz as I can't see what could be wrong at this end.

 

Any thoughts gratefully received.

 

Thanks,

 

G

 

 

Posted on: 31 January 2015 by dave4jazz

I have been getting dropouts this evening using Qobuz. I'm on PlusNet broadband by the way. Went back to local streaming in the end. Sad because my one month trial period was going very well.

 

Dave

 

Posted on: 31 January 2015 by Simon-in-Suffolk

Me too.. I wonder if this is because Qobuz is simply becoming too popular... I guess there will be these growth hiccups.. But it is fustrating... I bellowed at my son for hogging the Internet... And had to apologise when he showed me the only user was the Sonos box... With a 4.1 Mbps ADSL connection 

 

Having traced the link, it could be congestion between the London and Paris Internet nodes which routes via Tata communications for Qobuz, from the BT Public internet service domain or issues with the French internet provider Absolight that Qobuz uses.

Posted on: 31 January 2015 by KRM

Me too. It was fine this morning, but started to drop out at after midday :-(

 

Keith

Posted on: 31 January 2015 by GraemeH

Thank God you guys are experiencing this too - I have been going nuts thinking it was my ISP's fault as they had been out fixing the service in the street last week.

 

I'll let you know Qobuz's reply to my enquiry about it.

 

G

Posted on: 31 January 2015 by GregW

Also having issues here is Switzerland on a 250mbps connection.

Posted on: 31 January 2015 by My naim is immaterial

Not sure if it's now fixed (this was 2 months ago) or just my setup, neither Sonos nor Qobuz support could understand why I had to keep closing the Sonos iOS app (on various hardware) or it defaulted to non FLAC files. All settings were correct online wth Qobus account etc. drove me mad n gave up. Sonos support's second to none in my opinion and they rarely give up.  Sonos Connect/nDAC/XPS/282/300/Cremona M

Posted on: 31 January 2015 by My naim is immaterial

p.s. No dropouts over long distance using wfi (sonos mesh) now i'm using a Sonos Boost as first wired device.  

Posted on: 31 January 2015 by Rustyneedle

Simon,

Bought my tickets for the Bristol Show and got 2 months free trial of Qobuz,which may support your view.

Posted on: 01 February 2015 by Simon-in-Suffolk

Great avatar Mr Rusty!

Posted on: 01 February 2015 by GraemeH

Ok for a while this morning and then started stuttering again.

 

No word from Qobuz.

 

G

Posted on: 01 February 2015 by Simon-in-Suffolk

Seems ok again now.. I did have a TCP connection reset from Qobuz earlier this morning.. Perhaps they have had / are having difficulties with their streaming servers / load balancers?

Simon