Streaming Music

[rocketrazor]

Hi all,

Just set up Plex Media Server on my laptop and attached an external HDD which has all my itunes files on it (my entire CD collection). I have Plex app on my PS3 which then passes the audio to my Amp for playback (all over wireless)

I have to say I'm rather disappointed with the audio quality. There is a distinct lack of base on the streamed content through Plex compared to the CD. To make sure I wasn't just making it up I asked the better half and she noticed it as well. Is this the norm or could it be a number of things

PC, Plex, Wireless, PS3?

Any thoughts appreciated, otherwise i'm going to have to try the Laptop direct into the amp (which i didn't want to do) or it's back to CD's for me

Cheers

Rocket

 

[Hifi Sound]

Are your albums on iTunes downloads, CD rips or iTunes match?

 

[jjbomber]

To make sure I wasn't just making it up I asked the better half .... Is this the norm

YES!!!!!

 

[rocketrazor]

Are your albums on iTunes downloads, CD rips or iTunes match?

They are CD's converted to itunes. CD plays really well, deep base, when I then run the itunes over Plex it'sno where near as good though

 

[rocketrazor]

To make sure I wasn't just making it up I asked the better half .... Is this the norm

YES!!!!!

lol, everything has to go through the better half!

 

[MajorFubar]

so how do you normally play the CDs

 

[rocketrazor]

CD's are normally played through the CD player. As all the CD's have been converted into Itunes now I was hoping the streaming would allow me to move the entire CD collection into the loft and out of sight. Given the quality issues I'm having streaming the Itunes via Plex I don't think I'll be doing that any time soon though

 

[Hifi Sound]

What bit rate and codec did youuse when you recorded your discs?

 

[rocketrazor]

Itunes default, so I'm guessing AAC Encoder, setting was iTunes Plus and details says 128kbps (mono) / 256 kbps (stereo), 44.100 kHz, VBR

 

[chebby]

Itunes default, so I'm guessing AAC Encoder, setting was iTunes Plus and details says 128kbps (mono) / 256 kbps (stereo), 44.100 kHz, VBR

There you are then.

Go to 'preferences' and 'import settings' and change it to 'Lossless Encoder' (and tick the 'Error Correction' box if it isn't already).

Then compare your Lossless rip with CD.

I don't know what "Plex" is. Can't comment on that.

I use 320K AAC VBR settings for all of my CDs and iTunes (hosted on a Mac Mini and synced to 128GB iPhone 6 and 128GB iPad Mini 3) all wirelessly via AirPlay and it sounds excellent.

 

[rocketrazor]

cheers, ill give that a go

 

[Paul.]

I believe plex server will transcode ALAC files on the fly to AAC at a lower bit rate, if you want to take advantage of lossless music you may want to think about a different streaming software.

I do like plex for tv and film but I haven't been that enamoured with its music capabilities.

 

[rocketrazor]

I had plex on a laptop without itunes and nothing worked so I had to move it to one with itunes so I don't think plex does any transcoding but relies on the server having an application to play the files via, of course I could be completely wrong as I have no idea about this stuff at all at the moment, very much a novice!

I tried some home video streaming the other night and was also very disappointed with the quality, all bitty and lines that do not show when the memory card is plugged into the TV. I liked the idea of this streaming stuff so will keep investigating. Perhaps my wireless isn't up to scratch????? It can be a little flaky at times so I wonder if this would affect the quality as well. The joys of wireless streaming!