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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! |
#2
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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
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RxJedi McIntosh MC-601 x3, MC-2301 x2, MC-303, MC-8207, MX-122, MPC-1500, MCD-500, C2300 Revel Salon2 (R&L), Revel Voice2 Center, PS Audio DirectStream P15 |
#3
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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.
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Main Equipment: Kharma Elegance dB11-S, JL Audio F113v2 X 2, Block Audio Line & Mono SE Amplification, Bricasti M21 DAC, Antipodes Kala K-50 Server, Clearaudio Performance SE. Satisfy tonearm & Maestro Wood MM cartridge. Power: Shunyata Everest 8000, Sigma XC v2, Sigma NR v2, Block Audio PCs, Defender, ADDPowr Wizard Grounding: Shunyata Altaira CGS - 4 X Alpha CGS cables, Network : Supra Cat 8+, Twin (Nenon) Modified Buffalo GS2016 Switches, Keces P3 LPSU, Cables: Wireworld Platinum 8 USB, Wireworld Platinum Eclipse 8 Speaker cables, 6M & 1M Tubulus Concentus ICs, Other:Two PSI Audio AVAA C20, Multiple GIK products, Stillpoint Apertures, Stillpoint Minis and Ultra SS, Three 20 Amp lines, Furutech GTX - Gold outlets, Adona Rack |
#4
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#1)
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Ivan FLORIDA MX136, MC1.2KW(10) MC2KW(2), MCD1100, MS750(2) MVP881, C1000C/P/T, MPC1500, HT-2 SUBS(2) HT3F(2) WS350(2) XRT2K, XCS2K, XR27(2) XCS350(2) JL GOTHAM v2 SUBS(2) SILENZIO MUSIC SERVER, LUMAGEN RADIANCE SCALER, SONY VPH-G90U 4K PROJECTOR, STEWART 120" MOTORIZED SCREEN, CINEMA-TECH SEATING, WW PLATINUM CABLES Reference System: ACCUPHASE A300 AMPS, C3900 PRE-AMP, DP1000 CD/SACD TRANSPORT, DC1000 DIGITAL PROCESSOR, DG-68 DIGITAL EQUALIZER, T1200 FM STEREO TUNER, PS1230 POWER SUPPLY, HRS-SXR CUSTOM RACK w/ M3X SHELVES, TAD REFERENCE ONE MK2 LOUDSPEAKERS, WW PLATINUM CABLES CAPE COD MX150, MC501(2) MC1.2KW(10) MC2301(2) MR88, MVP881, MCD1100, MDA1000, C1000C/P/T, MPC1500, ESOTERIC K-01X 30th ANNIVERSARY (BLACK) SACD/CD PLAYER, G02-X CLOCK, HT3F(2) XRT2K, XCS2K, XR27(2) JL GOTHAM v2 SUBS(2) JL FATHOM F113v2 SUBS(4) SOUND ANCHOR STANDS(2) KALEIDESCAPE STRATO & TERRA SERVERS 80-TB, LUMAGEN RADIANCE SCALER, SONY VPH-G90U 4K PROJECTOR, STEWART 120" SCREEN, SONUS FABER STRADIVARI, SILENZIO MUSIC SERVER, FORTRESS SEATING, WW PLATINUM CABLES Analog Rig: CLEARAUDIO INNOVATION WOOD, UNIVERSAL ARM w/ Da VINCI' CART, 2nd UNIVERSAL ARM w/ GOLDFINGER STATEMENT CART, HRS-MXR REFERENCE RACK-GLOSS BLACK w/ M3X SHELVES, AESTHETIX RHEA SIG PHONO-PRE, BRYSTON BHA-1 HEADPHONE AMP, WW PLATINUM CABLES Reference System: BURMESTER 911MK3 AMP(3), 088 PRE-AMP, 089 CD PLAYER, 100 PHONO PRE-AMP, 948 POWER CONDITIONER, ACCUPHASE DG-68 VOICING EQUALIZER, AVID ACUTUS REFERENCE SP TT, GRAHAM PHANTOM II SUPREME ARM, BENZ MICRO LP-S CART, GRANDIOSO P1X/D1X STACK, G1X RUBIDIUM MASTER CLOCK, N05 NETWORK PLAYER, SILENZIO MUSIC SERVER, HRS-SXR CUSTOM RACK w/ M3X SHELVES, SONUS FABER AIDA SPEAKERS, JL FATHOM F113v2 SUBS(2) SOUND ANCHOR STANDS(2) WW PLATINUM CABLES Library System: GRANDIOSO M1 MONOBLOCK AMPS, C1 LINESTAGE PRE-AMP, K1X CD/SACD PLAYER, G1 MASTER RUBIDIUM CLOCK, E02 PHONO-PRE, SILENZIO MUSIC SERVER, AERIAL ACOUSTICS 20T V2, AERIAL SW12 SUBS(2), CANTON REF K1’s, VPI HRX TT w/ SDS POWER SUPPLY, ORTOFON CADENZA BLACK CART, KLAUDIO RCM, SHUNYATA DENALI 6000/S v2, SHUNYATA OMEGA QR’s, WW PLATINUM CABLES Esoteric/Bryston System: ESOTERIC C02-X PRE-AMP, P-02X TRANSPORT, D02-X DAC, G02-X CLOCK, BRYSTON 28B3 CUBED MONOBLOCK AMPS(4), BRYSTON BHA-1 HEADPHONE AMP, SHUNYATA DENALI 6000/S v2(2) EVEREST 8000 POWER CONDITIONER(2) ALTAIRA CG & SG HUBS, AMR-DP777-SE DAC, SILENZIO MUSIC SERVER, TAD REFERENCE ONE MK2 LOUDSPEAKERS, QUADRASPIRE RACK, WW PLATINUM CABLES Accuphase/Canton System: ACCUPHASE E800 INTEGRATED, DP570 CD/SACD PLAYER, T1200 FM STEREO TUNER, DG-68 VOICING EQUALIZER, PS530 POWER SUPPLY, CANTON REF K3’s, CANTON REF K5’s, SILENZIO MUSIC SERVER, HRS MXR REFERENCE MAHOGHANY RACK w/ M3X2 SHELVES, WW GOLD CABLES |
#5
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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.
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McIntosh MCD 1000 McIntosh MDA 1000 McIntosh MPC1500 McIntosh MC7106 Legacy Audio Focus 20/20 (customized) Legacy Audio Silverscreen HD Legacy Audio Skyline 7 Legacy Audio Point One |
#6
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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.
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Dan STUDIO - McIntosh C1000C/P, MC2301 (2), MR88, Aurender N10, Esoteric K-01X, Shunyata Sigma spdif digital cable, Sonos Connect, PurePower 2000, Stillpoints, Furutech Flux 50, Michell Gyro SE, Michell HR Power Supply, SME 309, Ortofon Cadenza Black, Wireworld, Sonus faber Amati Anniversario LIVING ROOM - McIntosh C2300, MC75 (2), MR85, Magnum Dynalab 205, Simaudio MOON Neo 260D-T, Schiit Audio Yggdrasil, Aurender N100H, Shunyata Sigma USB cable, Micro Seiki DD40, Ortofon Cadenza Blue, Nakamichi BX-300, Sony 60ES DAT, PS Audio P10, Furutech Flux 50, Sonos Connect, Stillpoints, Wireworld, Kimber, PMC EB1i, JL Audio f113 VINTAGE - McIntosh MA230, Tandberg 3011A tuner, Olive 04HD, Sony DTC-59ES DAT, McIntosh 4300V, JBL 4312A |
#7
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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.
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#8
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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.
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Jack |
#9
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Quote:
What didn't work for me was putting music on a USB thumb drive. Last edited by Mouse; 12-13-2017 at 02:41 AM. |
#10
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Quote:
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. |
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