High resolution audio from Amazon

The conversations about data are humorous, at this point, in 2019. None of you use a smartphone, or an e-mail address? No social media to look at pictures of your grandchildren?

Everyone knows what you are doing, pretty much at all times, unless you are completely unplugged, and even then, your fridge probably has a wi-fi transmitter.

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More a comment on Miguel’s stellar system than Voldemort (he who’s name shall not be mentioned).

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That says nothing at all about MQA, but a great deal about Amazon’s attitude towards its customers.

Hmmm…Roon uncompresses MP3 files (and AAC, FLAC, etc.), but no sample rate conversion is involved unless you explicitly enable it in DSP settings.

Yeah, that quote was awhile ago (in the controversial MQA thread?), but I think I was making the point that Amazon was saying that many people can’t hear the MQA difference.

My understanding is that MP3 has no inherent bit depth (and I presume no inherent sample rate, especially for VBR recordings) as the compressed data is frequency-domain samples. The decoding software attempts to reconstruct a PCM stream that conforms to the encoded samples. (Could be wrong about that.)

See update re. Fire TV:

UPDATE/CORRECTION: Fire TV app plays HD files and ULTRA HD files in 16/44.1 over HDMI. (My receiver reports it as 48K, though.)

Amazon just posted an update to their iPhone app but don’t see any changes. It still upsampled everything to 192k to my Chord Hugo. The app itself claims output is the same as the song playing but that’s not the case.

For home use, look forward to see what new hardware they release tomorrow. Might pickup new Echo link if it goes to 192k and still has optical. Figure they’ll figure out the bugs in the iPhone app at some point.

I’m listening to Amazon HD now using the Bose Soundtouch app and getting some dropouts. I never get dropouts using Roon listening to Tidal and Qobuz.

I did extensive testing over the weekend, Qobuz vs. Amazon, probably 4 hours of listening, I think Qobuz is smoother but it’s very close. Amazon had a lot of dropouts tho.

Both were same set up - Mac->USB->Benchmark DAC->headphones Qobuz was via roon while Amazon was via their app.

Well I bought an Amazon Echo Link for 200 bucks to connect to a Chord Qutest Dac
I don’t suspect this helps Roon much but if Tidal goes by the wayside(and I think they will ) at least I have a hi res Amazon Music source . Qobuz’s library is weak .

Curious, how does it work? Can you play HD from the mobile app to it? Can you use it with the desktop app?

You hook it up to the internet via Ethernet . Then you use one of the apps as a remote control. I am away so I haven’t hooked it up yet. It can do wireless . Hopefully it can output Ultra HD. Jury is out on that till I set it up

Did you just buy it? It can only do up to 96k but there should be more products announced tomorrow. I’d imagine they’ll go all the way to 192k.

I might go this method instead of roon if they have no plans to integrate. I’m a lifetime member but will use what works best for my situation.

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Also amazon has no APIs for music, so for example I can’t use soundiiz to send my playlists to amazon such that I can then listen to them via the amazon app. Means I need tidal still…

You can add them manually to Amazon HD, but what a monumental PITA.

Try playing something less than the rate of system audio and system audio will upsample. Amazon says track is 44.1/16 ans that its playing at 44.1/16 and device max rate of my DFB is 96/24 yet the DAC says its getting 96/24 signal as system audio is upsampling to the set rate, no exclusive control to change rates. Absolute rubbish this is and not Audiophile at all.

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Anyone touting HD or Ultra HD audio for money is surely trying to attract audiophiles like those who might have Roon and other ‘audiophile’ equipment. I will certainly need to see the Amazon offering more accessible at the full data rates before I look at it.

It does 24/192. Why would you need more than that?

Perhaps you misunderstood my point. I want easy access to whatever rate they’re offering through a good choice of equipment.