My HiFi Audio Quality Bottleneck?

  • 4 December 2023
  • 6 replies
  • 88 views
E

I am on a quest to get the maximum audio quality from my system. I am interested in your opinions on where the weakest links are in my system.

I am presently listening to music only by streaming from YouTube music.  No other input source.  I am streaming it through Sonos using a Sonos gen 1 Connect.  I am using the optical out on the Connect which feeds into a miniDSP signal processor.  It splits the optical input into 10 analog output signals which feed into my 10 amplifiers which are required to drive my Linkwitz LX521.4 speaker pair.

The system sounds fantastic but I wonder if I can squeeze out a little more fidelity.  Interested in your thoughts.  Thanks, Ed.

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6 replies

melvimbe

My first thought is to add a power conditioner (this is sarcasm).

My next thought would be to add whatever appropriate accoustic treatments to the walls of the room to absorb/reflect audio, as well as whatever tuning would be needed.

Third thought would be to consider higher quality streaming services.  I’m admittedly not up to speed on what services are best, but I don’t think YT is considered high end.

Danny
ratty

I don’t know about the paid version of YouTube but the standard version only goes up to 256kbps (lossy obviously). Until you change to a better quality (i.e. lossless) source there’s little point in fiddling with the kit at the receiving end.

Belly M
Badge +20

I don’t know about the paid version of YouTube but the standard version only goes up to 256kbps (lossy obviously). Until you change to a better quality (i.e. lossless) source there’s little point in fiddling with the kit at the receiving end.

I actually looked into this a week or so ago, still lossy as the premium maxes out at 256kbps using AAC or Opus.

Stanley_4
Userlevel 7
Badge +22

Switch to a source that supports CD quality audio streams.

Check your peak power draw and replace any amps that are not providing sufficient headroom with ones that do.

I had to look that speaker up. Not seeing the spouse wanting a pair of these in the house.

https://www.linkwitzlab.com/LX521/LX521_4.htm

E

If I were to switch to a less lossy streaming source (eg. Tidal premium), would my Sonos Connect be a bottleneck?  In other words could I could I use a different non-Sonos device to supply the digital stream to my miniDSP and increase the fidelity?

ratty

The Sonos Connect would fetch a 16/44.1 (CD quality) stream from Tidal. 

A WiiM Pro (for example) would be capable of delivering a bit-perfect 24/192 stream to your DAC from certain services.

The choice is yours, and will depend on what other Sonos kit you have.

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