Streaming Amazon Music on Older System

[Nico69]

Hi All. I'm new here so please be gentle

I have an older system that has a Rotel RA-930ax amp; Technics SL-PG480 CD player and Tannoy Mercury M2 Speakers - all 1997 What Hi-Fi award winning components and all still producing great sound along with a Linn Axis deck I bought from a friend.

I's like to stream music from Amazon Music though the system. Currently I just plug my iPhone into a 3.5mm to RCA Aux lead. This works well but often i want to use the phone whilst playing music etc.

What is the best way to do this so my phone is not tethered? Amazon Echo Dot into the Aux? Arcam miniBlink Bluetooth receiver? Or anything else? What are the Pro's and Con's of ech type? Quite a novice when it comes to streaming.

Many thanks in advance for any input

Nico

 

[smbmetal]

Hi,

As you will probably already know there are several streaming solutions out there.

Could I ask what your budget is? The Dot will probably do the job, but if you are wanting better quality then Yamaha's little WXAD10 streamer could be an option.

Yamaha WXAD10 (Dark Grey)

Shop for Yamaha WXAD10 Hi-Fi Network Bluetooth Music Streamer with Richer Sounds for a 6 Year Guarantee, expert advice and Lowest Prices Guaranteed

www.richersounds.com

If you have say £500 to spend the you're into the Bluesound area of streaming.

Bluesound NODE 2i (Black)

Shop for Bluesound Node 2I Black Wireless Streaming Music Player with Richer Sounds for expert advice and lowest prices guaranteed

www.richersounds.com

Hope that helps.

 

[Deleted member 2457]

Hi All. I'm new here so please be gentle

I have an older system that has a Rotel RA-930ax amp; Technics SL-PG480 CD player and Tannoy Mercury M2 Speakers - all 1997 What Hi-Fi award winning components and all still producing great sound along with a Linn Axis deck I bought from a friend.

I's like to stream music from Amazon Music though the system. Currently I just plug my iPhone into a 3.5mm to RCA Aux lead. This works well but often i want to use the phone whilst playing music etc.

What is the best way to do this so my phone is not tethered? Amazon Echo Dot into the Aux? Arcam miniBlink Bluetooth receiver? Or anything else? What are the Pro's and Con's of ech type? Quite a novice when it comes to streaming.

Many thanks in advance for any input

Nico

Hi, Arcam r-Blink Bluetooth device is the one I got and recommend here:

Arcam rBlink

Bringing hi-fi to the world of Bluetooth, the Arcam rBlink is the ideal marriage between phone and hi-fi. There's no need to dock your iPhone or other smartphone - just connect via Bluetooth and set your music free.

www.richersounds.com

 

[Nico69]

Thanks for the replies. Much appreciated.

I know nothing about streeming so please forgive my ignorance. If I use a Bluetooth device such as the Arcam then does this mean that the music streams from my wifi to my phone and relies in the iPhone DAC to convert to an analogue signal to stream via the Bluetooth reciever to the amp? Is the iPhone DAC any good? Also if I need to make a call whilst listening to music and leave the room with the phone and go over the 10m BT range then the music cuts out etc?

If I used the Yamaha streamer then this would take the signal direct from my nearby router/wifi and covert it with its own DAC to send out to the amp etc? The phone would not be part of the streaming process except as a control/browser etc for Amazon Music?

Sort of tempted to give the Dot a try as it is so cheap and I don't listen to a massive amount of music and mostly as background noise rather than serious listening. Any idea how good/bad the Dot's DAC is? Can't find a review that specifies this, just that the Dot 3 has a better speaker etc.

Thanks

Nico

 

[Deleted member 2457]

Thanks for the replies. Much appreciated.

I know nothing about streeming so please forgive my ignorance. If I use a Bluetooth device such as the Arcam then does this mean that the music streams from my wifi to my phone and relies in the iPhone DAC to convert to an analogue signal to stream via the Bluetooth reciever to the amp? Is the iPhone DAC any good? Also if I need to make a call whilst listening to music and leave the room with the phone and go over the 10m BT range then the music cuts out etc?

If I used the Yamaha streamer then this would take the signal direct from my nearby router/wifi and covert it with its own DAC to send out to the amp etc? The phone would not be part of the streaming process except as a control/browser etc for Amazon Music?

Sort of tempted to give the Dot a try as it is so cheap and I don't listen to a massive amount of music and mostly as background noise rather than serious listening. Any idea how good/bad the Dot's DAC is? Can't find a review that specifies this, just that the Dot 3 has a better speaker etc.

Thanks

Nico

Hi,

As far as I know the Arcam rBlink works with your amp and you connect it to the CD sockets on the back of the amp and then into a mains socket. You then press a button on the rBlink the Bluetooth one and hold it down until it’s blue and flashing, you then on your iPhone select your Bluetooth connection and pair it with the Arcam rBlink Bluetooth device. You can then select your music via the iPhone and play it. If the phone rang I would just answer the phone as normal you may want to turn down the music though so you can hear the call but you do both independently.

If you leave the room it will cut out sometime but mine’s in my bedroom and I can still hear it downstairs as long as I am in the room directly below. Any further it will cut out.

 

[Deleted member 2457]

Yes, the phone when you leave the room will cut out with music but you can still make your call, if you don’t want it to cut out then buy a tablet and play your music over that, so it’s independent of your phone.

 

[Tonestar1]

I'd be tempted to try the echo dot and an aux cable in the first instance and see how you get on before investing hundreds of pounds.
You don't even need your phone in the equation, Just tell alexa to stream what you want and it will play it directly from the dot itself. Although you could also control it with your phone if you wish

 

[Tonestar1]

If you look on gumtree or suchlike you will find loads of dots for sale still unopened, unwanted Christmas presents. Give it a go, if you don't like it resell it for a fiver less though you will find some use for it. We have one in the guest bedroom used as a clock radio.

 

[Nico69]

So, not being able to find a cheaper deal on an unwanted Echo Dot in the local free-ads (some were more expensive than buying from Amazon!); I ordered one online and it arrived Friday night.

I must say I am quite impressed with the device. Easy to set up. The user interface of the App is OK-ish. A bit confusing as you need to use the Alexa app to open the Amazon Music app otherwise if you don't then the Music app just playes through the phone speakers. Also if you use the voice command to play an album then the device might only play one song if that song is also the title of the album. and then it stops. All are minor niggles though.

The sound quality is absolutely fine. Not done any serious sitting down to listen tests and comparing CD/Vinyl/Streaming, but from what I have heard it seems pretty good. My system is not particularly revealing and I'm sure streaming standard Amazon Music through the Dot has its limitations but for the moment it will do me just fine.

Thanks for the help above. Most appreciated

Nico.

 

[Sound P]

This is why I don't like iPhones, they're limited when you want to do stuff like this. I have an Android phone, and I can easily cast music to my old hi-fi via a Chromecast Audio device plugged into my hi-fi digital or aux port, and will carry on playing even if you and the phone leave the house. The Amazon Music app on Android is Chromecast capable, as are Google Music and Spotify Android apps. Can also cast from a browser tab in Chrome, but again not from an iPhone. Google have stopped selling Chromecast Audio devices though, although some may be around to pick up.