Audio input quality?
 

Hello all!

My basic music/theater setup involves a MX-122, and was wondering what most would recommend as the best way to stream music of the highest quality through this type of setup? Obviously not ideal, but curious what some would use.

I think Tidal provides the best streaming quality, but I’m struggling to decipher if you can Airplay the music to the MX-122 at the higher quality that Tidal offers.

Thanks for your advice!

Hmmmm.... Either no one likes me, or my question was abysmal! I hope it was the latter, and I just couldn’t ask an intelligent question!

Having said that, I’m step by step learning and upgrading a system I use for dual purposes. As I do this, I’m asking for input on direction to incrementally increase quality.

So, in my current position as the kids and I love movies, I’m wondering when I integrate the new 2301’s into the system (oh yeah, I haven’t even unboxed them yet, and it’s killing me), how do I achieve a good quality audio signal for music? Would a MB50 be a good step forward? And at this point I’m not looking for “Nirvana”, but if McIntosh has a solution, I’d like to give it a ride...

Best in show isn’t my goal yet, but better than most would be awesome if attainable!

Thanks for your thoughts!

RxJedi

Audio input quality?
 

Do you have a ‘spare’ laptop you could dedicate to your system? To get started, while not ideal, any laptop can get you started. Tidal is a great service and you can subscribe for Lossless streams (eg CD quality). I just don’t know if the MX122 has a USB input.

My idea is for you simply get started with streaming music and perhaps playing digital files from your laptop before you purchase an MB50 or similar device.

There are a ton of choices. Jump in cheap and go from there.

OR JUMP IN WITH BOTH FEET

I could suggest one of the following:

1) Buy a Silenzio and jump in with both feet. Emile will get you started and then some. (This is the direction I followed)

2) Buy a Sony HAP-Z1ES. It is a very good ‘one box’ solution with a 1 TB internal hard drive that can be switched out for a 2 TB easily.

3) Buy one of the Aurender products. Also a one box solution that many AA’ers love.

There is a lot of experience with all of these products on AA.

#1) :thumbsup:

Welcome RX. While I don't have any suggestions for you...I do have a MX-122 myself that I just unboxed.... so I'll be following this thread.

RxJedi.......Unfortunately the McIntosh MX122 does not support USB digital input. It has two coaxial and two optical inputs, that's it. You can still use a laptop computer with a USB output by converting the USB output from your laptop to coaxial output using a converter. Bryston manufactured a super USB to coaxial converter called the BUC-1. I have seen them on Agon and other used gear websites. There are many other USB to coaxial converters at reasonable prices like the Schiit Audio EITR converter, M2Tech HiFace Two, and many others. Slip one of these between your laptop USB output and the MX122 coaxial input and you will be good to go for playing music and streaming Tidal.

Have you looked at bluesound node 2 or Oppo Sonica? Other options are the McIntosh MB50 or Schiit DAC and Chromecast Audio. Lots of options...I just got a node 2 to test but may be switching to a Schiit DAC and Chromecast Audio.

The Oppo Sonica is a quality streamer that be used either wired or wireless and has a far superior DAC section to the one in the MX-122 or the other lower priced options from the Chromecast at $35 through the Bluesound Node 2 and Aries Mini at around $500 and the MB50 at over $2k. Use it's SE or Balanced outputs into the Analog Inputs on the MX-122 and at $800 you are good to go. For reference I auditioned the Node and Mini at the same time and kept the Mini and also tried the Chromecast which will work for a workshop type system. The Sonica will also work with either IOS or Android.

Are you sure? In the beginning I'd plug my lightning-usb cable and leave it plugged into the back my MX122 so I can plug my phone whenever I'd want to hear music stored on my iphone.

What didn't work for me was putting music on a USB thumb drive.

Oh, I do this at home too.
Airplay is unreliable at home lately. I have to reboot my iphone a lot for some reason over airplay. Airplay quits working on both itunes and tidal at the same time. I pay for the premium tidal with audiophile streaming, and I can set it to use normal or audiophile depending on whether I'm on wifi or cell service.

The MX122 has an "internet music" button on the remote. It will connect you to many internet radio stations, some of which have respectable bit rates for internet streaming. It has a few options like Sirius XM and Pandora, unfortunately Tidal is not supported.

I'd like to try the MB100 myself, I haven't heard it yet.