Tidal Streamer - Help?!

[George Hincapie]

I have spent most of this evening chasing my tail. Help?!

My Requirements:
I would like a tidy one box solution that will stream Tidal (not just receive data from the controller via Air Play or Bubble UPNP).
This box must have very strong WIFI capability. Bluetooth is unacceptable.
This box must have a digital SPDIF output (Coax not TOSLink) and it must deliver absolute best quality digital signal via that connection.
It should not have a DAC (I have a good external DAC). It must be controllable via either Android or Windows (No Apple).
I have NO requirement to connect to a NAS or anything else - I just want to stream Tidal.
I do NOT want to use USB via a tablet or mobile. I do not want to use USB in any way.
I do not want to use a Pi, unless someone can point me to one that is already built with the software I need in a smart case that doesn't look ****. Which is how all the Pi's I have seen do look.

Unless I have just described the most unique set of requirements ever I must suck at Google.

The closest I can come is a Brennan B2 (no Coax) or a BlueNode (DAC not needed).

No more than £600.

TIA.

 

[thewinelake.]

I think it's your insistence on features the box must NOT have that's holding you back. I'd suggest you check out the Raumfeld Connector, but fear it may be a little over-specified (it has a DAC and an analog in, and can stream from a NAS).

It's also probably too cheap.

 

[drummerman]

Yes, many NOT'S 🙂

What's wrong with a chromecast?

 

[davedotco]

I think it's your insistence on features the box must NOT have that's holding you back. I'd suggest you check out the Raumfeld Connector, but fear it may be a little over-specified (it has a DAC and an analog in, and can stream from a NAS).

It's also probably too cheap.

Though the digital output is Toslink only.

It has native support for Tidal, though I use Spotify Connect, I have used it with an outboard dac though for operational reasons I now use the onboard dac.

Flexible and easy to use, though as you say , probably too cheap..!

 

[muljao]

Does it matter that the bluenode has a dac, just toslink to your own dac if you have a better one than is built to the node?

EDIT-Oops read it (coax OR toslink), my mistake

 

[tino]

A used NAD M50 has exactly what you need:

- Tidal
- Optical and coaxial SPDIF
- No DAC
- Wifi (and wired Ethernet)
- Android and Windows control apps (NAD / Bluesound)
- MQA support (in case Tidal support it in future)

Also some extras you might like:

- CD player and auto-ripper
- Ability to attach NAS, hard drive and USB
- Fast indexing for music
- Other services like Spotify, Qobuz, Deezer, TuneIn etc
- IR remote

 

[tino]

Yamaha WXC-50

Also seems to have what you need but I cannot confirm the Tidal support. Some people on this forum have the Yamaha and could probably confirm.

 

[DIB]

I had Tidal on a 30 day free trial a few months ago, and I streamed it through my Squeezebox Touch with no issues, and controlled it from my phone quite easily.

I listen to Spotify Premium through my SBT too.

I've noticed the SBT getting a bit tempremental these days however, and I have to unplug it and restart it now and again. I'm sticking with it until it packs in, and then I'll look around.

.

 

[tino]

I had Tidal on a 30 day free trial a few months ago, and I streamed it through my Squeezebox Touch with no issues, and controlled it from my phone quite easily.

I was going to mention this (I have an SBT also) but it seems you have to go through the third party ickStream music platform. Are there any downsides to this?

(PS I don't use Tidal)

 

[tino]

Also this thread for good looking all in one Pi solutions ... http://www.whathifi.com/forum/hi-fi/posh-raspberry-pi-solutions

 

[gowiththeflow]

The Bluesound Node 2 fits all the criteria for the OP's wants. There's a decent onboard DAC but that can be bypassed via the digital outputs, to an external DAC. Co-ax is one of the digital outputs supported.

z

 

[DIB]

I had Tidal on a 30 day free trial a few months ago, and I streamed it through my Squeezebox Touch with no issues, and controlled it from my phone quite easily.

I was going to mention this (I have an SBT also) but it seems you have to go through the third party ickStream music platform. Are there any downsides to this?

(PS I don't use Tidal)

I don't know what ickStream is, sorry.

I simply added my Tidal account to My Apps on the SBT, and using a 3rd party app on my phone (SqueezeCommander, much better than Logitech's own app) navigated the Tidal site quite easily.

I didn't take up the offer of Tidal as I already pay for Spotify Premium and all the family use that too, so wasn't going to change to Tidal or pay for both. To be honest there was far more choice on Spotify than Tidal, but whether that has changed I wouldn't know.

.

 

[George Hincapie]

The Bluesound Node 2 fits all the criteria for the OP's wants. There's a decent onboard DAC but that can be bypassed via the digital outputs, to an external DAC. Co-ax is one of the digital outputs supported.

Yes, it's the leading choice at the moment.

 

[George Hincapie]

Yes, many NOT'S 🙂

What's wrong with a chromecast?

I know, and I am sorry - not trying to be difficult. I just can't believe how difficult it is to find what should (to my mind) be incredibly simple.

Chromecast is TOSLink and I prefer Coax.

 

[George Hincapie]

A used NAD M50 has exactly what you need:

- Tidal
- Optical and coaxial SPDIF
- No DAC
- Wifi (and wired Ethernet)
- Android and Windows control apps (NAD / Bluesound)
- MQA support (in case Tidal support it in future)

Also some extras you might like:

- CD player and auto-ripper
- Ability to attach NAS, hard drive and USB
- Fast indexing for music
- Other services like Spotify, Qobuz, Deezer, TuneIn etc
- IR remote

Good suggestion, thanks. A lot of functionality I already have in the Brennan B2, but it's not impossible I could move that on. Is slightly out of budget though - there's one on the Bay for £780 ATM.

 

[tino]

Good suggestion, thanks. A lot of functionality I already have in the Brennan B2, but it's not impossible I could move that on. Is slightly out of budget though - there's one on the Bay for £780 ATM.

They were about £2000 new and £600 or less is a realistic price for them now.

Note that the Bluesound control software works on the NAD also.

 

[Andrewjvt]

A used NAD M50 has exactly what you need:

- Tidal
- Optical and coaxial SPDIF
- No DAC
- Wifi (and wired Ethernet)
- Android and Windows control apps (NAD / Bluesound)
- MQA support (in case Tidal support it in future)

Also some extras you might like:

- CD player and auto-ripper
- Ability to attach NAS, hard drive and USB
- Fast indexing for music
- Other services like Spotify, Qobuz, Deezer, TuneIn etc
- IR remote

Might be a good solution for what i need instead of innous. Only problem no dsd.