Justin & Jerry's Hifi Blog

[User211]

The GUI is NOT perfect. The fact it is running in a browser doesn't help it. The application has suffered some neglect and is in the process of being updated. And I do basically agree with you for classical it is hard sometimes to find stuff.

If I was reviewing TIDAL, Qobuz or Spotify seriously (any of the applications I've tried) I'd have a field day finding issues/comments. We just gotta live with what is produced, however, as end users. Bummer but hey.

[jandl100]

I just dont have the kit or bandwith to stream only get about 2.5mb

I'm currently running at a very sluggish 1.94Mbs and the hirez Tidal is fine.

[User211]

It does work at 2.25 Mbps I used it at that speed for a few months. However, you do get issues at that speed. It is useable but track access can be annoyingly slow sometimes and it can stutter at times quite a bit. The 2.25 Mbps I had was capped - every single Speedtest I ever did no matter what time of day etc always returned nearly 2.25.

38Mbps is MUCH better. No surprises there. When the TIDAL servers get busy and you can't suck enough data quickly enough low speed connections are a bit of a pain.

I suspect Jerry will find out what I am saying is true soon enough.

[User211]

Prior to using TIDAL I used to get about 3.75Mbps for years after doing the "bell wire" trick. Then Sky introduced some form of capping that made sure all 2Mbps service users got just slightly above it.

Annoying? You bet.

[jandl100]

The return of Darth Vader's amp ...



... aka Restek Challenger - 130wpc integrated.

I've had one before, but felt that I hadn't given it a proper go before the next bright sparkly thing got my attention.
Saw this for a good BIN price on eBay yesterday, and here it is today, looking like the Evil Empire reincarnated.

Waiting for the wife to get up so I can have a blast with it.

I've another amp arriving today as well, where is that darn courier?

[User211]

Didn't last long with me. Nice looking amp though. Not in same league as the Restek pre you had by some margin I fink.

[jandl100]

The Challenger is still going well here, mucho enjoying its Germanic no-nonsense approach to music making.

Mind you, there's an interesting swap deal in the offing for my Atoll amp ....

And yes, the Restek Consens pre's new owner was more than a bit bowled over by its performance.

[jandl100]

Update in my 2nd system.

New rack, new turntable (Rotel RP-3000 direct drive).

The Maggies have been changed from a grey monolith to a rather more easy on the eye sparkly beige by use of a suitable net curtain! - and the Amcron DC300a power amp is just peeking on the floor from behind the speaker.

Pioneer DV737 for CD playback. MDAC USB input from my laptop for TIDAL streaming.
Sadly, the output stage on the Sony amp (bottom shelf) didn't survive its attempts to drive the Maggies, so is now in use as a phono stage and a headphone amp!

Denon MD player also in evidence next to an Audiolab MDAC - everything goes thru the MDAC for remote volume control.
(I use the MD player in record mode as an ADC - shock horror heresy, actually it works and sounds just fine. No purist, me. )

It all looks and sounds rather good.

[Firebottle]

I use the MD player in record mode as an ADC - shock horror heresy, actually it works and sounds just fine. No purist, me.

Excellent ploy Jerry, it does look rather good, particularly the Maggies

[jandl100]

Yes, it's swings & roundabouts on the ADC ploy - I'm sure I lose a bit of vinyl sq doing it, but I gain by not having to have a separate pre-amp. It all goes thru the MDAC.