Wifi audio vs 3,50 analog line in audio

[mikkoV]

Stupid guestion as always, this time my friends thoughs.

My friend says that wifi audio is always better than line in and it's truly lossless. I'm suspecting that's not true and audio quality can be better via line in if you have good enough dac.

Isn't it true that audio quality example through chord hugo is better than via wifi connection? I don't believe I'm wasting my money when buying chord hugo. But how to prove to my friend that wifi isn't any better? What makes line in audio better?

 

[MajorFubar]

Let's look at it from the other perspective. There's no reason why wifi should be inferior if we're talking about lossless data transmission. The computer I use for streaming my ripped CDs from my NAS to my hifi doesn't sound worse just because I stream the data from the NAS via wifi and not with a cable. You download apps wirelessly to your phone from some server maybe in another country and the data doesn't arrive corrupt (usually). It's all just data, audio included. But equally, unlike what your friend thinks, neither can it be superior. How can it be? The most secure effective link between two pieces of equipment will always be a physical cable, be it digital coax, optical or analogue. Common sense tells you that.

 

[mikkoV]

Thanks for answer. Yes we we're talking about lossless audio quality and I tried to say that example physical analog connection can be a lot safer with decent aux cable.
Friend based his facts that cables just can't handle as much data safe, as even mobile networks are getting new 5g till 2020 which can transfer 1gb per second. Maybe I'll stick to traditional physical connection as it's more customizable, is it even possible to use another dac than your computer's if you play through wifi or airplay?

Another thing I'm thinking that is there difference in audio quality between coax, optical, xlr, toslink and analog connections? Analog connections are easiest as aux is everywhere. How could I even connect chord hugo with xlr as it only has different headphone jacks and rca phono output? Is it really worth playing with tons of adapters to make it work or should I just buy good quality silver aux cables for getting best results?

 

[chebby]

No difference in quality assuming your home network is sorted. (Better than 25dB signal to noise everywhere, all-the-time, without fail, and no conflict on the same - or adjacent - channels with your neighbours or other nearby networks.)

It also helps if your ISP is providing a fast and reliable service.

I have enjoyed excellent wi-fi for over 9 years now and AirPlay can handle up to (and including) ALAC playback with the same quality as a Lightning - USB A DAC connection.

 

[abacus]

1. so long as the cable is of good quality and complies with the standard for its type of use, then there is no difference between a £5 cable or a £5000 cable. (It’s just a con used by Hi-Fi cable manufactures to prise big profits out of the gullible. (So called Golden Eared experts)

2. Lossless is lossless no matter how it is transmitted, the quality is determined solely by the equipment that converts the digital data into analogue.

As to your friend, tell him to ignore social media and take Wikipedia with a pinch of salt, and instead get some professional books on audio. (Hi-Fi magazines who don’t test equipment properly (I.E. just listen to equipment) should also be taken with a pinch of salt, as unless it is a blind test with the original for comparison, the human senses can only tell what they like, NOT whether something is performing its job accurately)

Hope this helps

Bill

 

[MajorFubar]

Friend based his facts that cables just can't handle as much data safe, as even mobile networks are getting new 5g till 2020 which can transfer 1gb per second.

I think your friend is a perfect example of how a little knowledge about a subject is a dangerous thing. With regards to your other question about sound quality differences between connectors, the analogue and digital connections are not really comparable. If you connect e.g. a phone or tablet to an amp with an 3.5m to phono connector, the quality of the DAC in the phone/tablet influences the potential sound quality. But if you connect it digitally to e.g. an amp with a built-in DAC, or to an external standalone DAC and then to an amp, the sound quality will be influenced by the sound quality of the DAC in the amp, or the external DAC, because the phone/tablet's DAC will not be being used.

 

[mikkoV]

As I suspected, the high quality digital to analog conversion is the most important for the sound quality (after speakers). Cables don't matter that much.

So high quality dac would make sense, no matter how you connect. I quess chord hugo would be the best choice when focusing transportable Hifi (transportable speakers to outdoor use + hq dac) like me. Those who prefer wireless connection, I'm wondering is there even available premium external dac that would support wifi/airplay function? Chord Hugo at least supports bluetooth aptx connection, though that can't play high res files but can reach cd quality with probably best transportable dac on the market.

 

[iMark]

Our iPad sounds OK if we plug it in from the headphone jack to the amp. It's not very convenient anyway. It sounds much better when we stream the sound by AirPlay to the Airport Express which is connected with a Toslink cable to a Cambridge Audio DACMagic. All of a sudden it becomes a very good source for our system.

 

[Hifi Sound]

2. Lossless is lossless no matter how it is transmitted, the quality is determined solely by the equipment that converts the digital data into analogue.

I disagree. I did experiments with different lossless formats a while ago, all through the same system and using the same computer to record the track. Myself and a colleague both heard differences between the formats.