spotify sounds superior through a mini system ?

[peterpiper]

I have always listened to spotify via the desktop pc, via usb through a MF Vdac MK2 into my amp, it sounded fine enough I thought. then I had issues where the dac would not sync with the pc, tried a CA dacmagic same result, I now use the inbuilt spotify facility on a marantz 610 all in one, The sound has more depth, and voices are more natural. I know the 610 is fine sounding mini, but are there reason why is sounds better than the PC to DAC route, Could it be the nature of PC's that they introduce noise and jitter etc and even the best dacs will struggle to sound their best ?

 

[Superaintit]

If the Marantz has a digital out or pre-out you could test that. Can only say that Spotify seems fine through my speakers.

 

[peterpiper]

If the Marantz has a digital out or pre-out you could test that. Can only say that Spotify seems fine through my speakers.

dont think the marantz can be used as dac in itself?

and I doubt the pc would 'see it' anyway, its not seeing the MF dac anymore and the CA dac too (both going on ebay or gumtree), Its a strange problem, the usb bus on the pc is fine, and the dacs work on the optical to the cd player, but they both will not work on the pc, chances of them both having faulty usb is almost nil, the issue is with the pc, all the setting are correct, no one but no one knows what the issue is, even a mate of mine who is fairly clued up on computers, every setting on windows has been tried,

does not matter anymore the 610 sounds better anyway 🙂

PC;s must generate distortion,

just put my AE109 on the marantz as an experiment and they sound a lot better than the tannoy V4 I was using,so musical and engaging now,with an ambient like presence, amazing little unit

 

[matthewpiano]

The MCR610 is an impressive piece of kit. I really enjoyed listening to Spotify on it when I had one. It is one of the things I miss most about the Marantz. As a portal for accessing a huge range of music on a wide range of media and in very good sound, it is pretty much unbeatable.

 

[matthewpiano]

Out of interest, how does the 610 compare to your seperates through the AEs?

 

[steve_1979]

If the Marantz has a digital out or pre-out you could test that. Can only say that Spotify seems fine through my speakers.

dont think the marantz can be used as dac in itself?

and I doubt the pc would 'see it' anyway, its not seeing the MF dac anymore and the CA dac too (both going on ebay or gumtree), Its a strange problem, the usb bus on the pc is fine, and the dacs work on the optical to the cd player, but they both will not work on the pc, chances of them both having faulty usb is almost nil, the issue is with the pc, all the setting are correct, no one but no one knows what the issue is, even a mate of mine who is fairly clued up on computers, every setting on windows has been tried,

does not matter anymore the 610 sounds better anyway 🙂

PC;s must generate distortion,

just put my AE109 on the marantz as an experiment and they sound a lot better than the tannoy V4 I was using,so musical and engaging now,with an ambient like presence, amazing little unit

My gut instinct says it's probably one of the settings somewhere. Failing that you could try uninstalling then reinstalling the audio driver. Don't forget to reboot after uninstalling then wait for a couple of minutes for Windows to finnish loading up before reinstalling.

 

[peterpiper]

Out of interest, how does the 610 compare to your seperates through the AEs?

actually not a lot in it as far as CD goes,

I think they sound a little less bright but it could be the room , but the detail is still there, like the lights on stage of a live band or performers have been dimmed ever so slighty, but yet you can still see the finer details such as wrinkes in the skin just as clear, strange way of putting it but thats the effect I feel.

after just a few tracks its apparent how much better the AE109 is in the midrange, less hollowness,

just been listening to a few recordings on spotify that I tried after reading the 'best songs to test speakers' A track called Nara by ES postumus sounded excelent through the AE109 and 610 match, there is some slow timed percussion going on between the speakers set in space, but far back in the soundstage giving the impression of ambience and that it was recorded in a very large space

 

[peterpiper]

BTW Matthew ,How come Wharfdale 9.1? I thought you had the Dynaudio 2.6 why have you changed to lesser speakers?

 

[chebby]

BTW Matthew ,How come Wharfdale 9.1? I thought you had the Dynaudio 2.6 why have you changed to lesser speakers?

Matthew is changing his system all the time.

 

[Crocodile]

Have you got High Quality Streaming enabled on the desktop?

Edit > Preferences > Playback

Matthew is changing his system all the time.

We really ought to run a sweep on how long the Exposure lasts... 😉

 

[peterpiper]

BTW Matthew ,How come Wharfdale 9.1? I thought you had the Dynaudio 2.6 why have you changed to lesser speakers?

Matthew is changing his system all the time.

Hi chebby

I notice you are using a 603, which basically the same as my 610 apart from some added features and a plastic case, the class D amps will be the same, do the Rega floorstanders work well with it? I was surprised how good it sounds with the AE109, I think they sound more involving on this than the AS500, a cleaner sound, my next thing is to try is turntable via the azur phono, into the line in ,

 

[matthewpiano]

BTW Matthew ,How come Wharfdale 9.1? I thought you had the Dynaudio 2.6 why have you changed to lesser speakers?

Who says they are lesser speakers? 😉

Actually, I've always had the 9.1s and they make a regular appearance on the end of my system. I've still got the Dynaudios and I still like them, but sometimes I just fancy a change.

The Diamond 9.1s aren't to be under-estimated though. IMO one of the best budget speakers ever made and I'd much rather listen to them than some more expensive ones I've heard.

 

[chebby]

Hi chebby

I notice you are using a 603, which basically the same as my 610 apart from some added features and a plastic case, the class D amps will be the same, do the Rega floorstanders work well with it?

Yes, they are just right.

I listen to an awful lot of drama, documentary, comedy, podcasts etc. from radio (in all it's forms except DAB) and from BBC CDs - hundreds of 'em - and my own archive (going back to the early 1990s) of radio plays originally recorded onto NICAM VHS in audio only from a good FM tuner (NICAM/VHS higher quality than audio cassettes and no gaps given that many radio plays exceeded 2 hours) and subsequenlty moved to DVD-R then de-muxed and ripped to iTunes in AIFF.

In this respect they are superb. A well recorded radio drama series (like these for instance*) is totally convincing and allows me to engage with the acting and the story with no thought for 'hi-fi'.

However, they are just as good with my music too. (And stereo sound from movies & TV programmes via optical.)

This is not an endorsment of the current RS3s though. I have heard RS3s a few times at dealers, through various equipment, and come to the conclusion that - despite being very good - I like my R3s better. (And my R3s are smaller and better looking and were cheaper 🙂 )

*All ripped from BBC CDs @ 320K AAC VBR and played via AirPlay.

 

[peterpiper]

BTW Matthew ,How come Wharfdale 9.1? I thought you had the Dynaudio 2.6 why have you changed to lesser speakers?

Who says they are lesser speakers? 😉

Actually, I've always had the 9.1s and they make a regular appearance on the end of my system. I've still got the Dynaudios and I still like them, but sometimes I just fancy a change.

The Diamond 9.1s aren't to be under-estimated though. IMO one of the best budget speakers ever made and I'd much rather listen to them than some more expensive ones I've heard.

I heard the 9.1 many moons ago at the practical hifi show in manchester, they were aided by a sub though, but i remember the highs such as cymbals etc sounding fresh sweet and crisp with good detail, I was impressed, not a treble sound you get with very budget speakers, the amp was probably something fairly good