2. digital
  3. 153444-117322

Streamers with best apps?

I tried this question on an Australian forum with no luck, so I'm hoping a more audio savvy community might do better. I currently have a Cambridge Audio CXN which as I discovered has 2 hopeless apps when you want to find classical albums saved on Tidal My Collection. So thinking of ditching the CXN and getting another streamer/server , preferably without a DAC as I will be running it through a Pure Audio Lotus DAC 5. Most reviews of streamers seem to focus entirely on sound quality but as I have discovered the apps used are of almost equal importance. I have considered an Elac Discovery DS-S101-G which is controlled by a Roon Essentials app. So first question. Does anyone know how the Essentials app lists classical albums in Tidal My Collection and does it have a search function for the albums saved? Second question what streamers can you recommend that at least are equal and preferably better than the Tidal app which does have a search function but very little logic as to how it lists classical albums. I have thought about the Bryston BDP Pi, Innous Zen mini or an Auralic streamer but know nothing about the usability of their respective apps. So anyone out there who can help.
128x128mazian
wyoboy
234 posts
 
OP--Interesting  you would say that Roon has features you don't want when it's Roon that has exactly the features you do want and is the best library management app/software out there.  Pay the $119 a year--you can import all Tidal playlists and it manages them better than Tidal.
wyoboy
234 posts
 
And yes it works on an iPhone
mazian's avatar
mazian OP
354 posts
 
All I'm asking for is that classical albums in particular are listed with some degree of logic and that I am able to search for albums I have saved. I don't think I should have to spend $119 per annum to get that do you?
cal3713's avatar
cal3713
1,421 posts
 
@classdstreamer I really only stream Tidal, so I use it with a single source.  It works better than the Tidal app in every way except for the "related artists" that Tidal lists when you look up someone.  Bubble doesn't port that information in.  When I want to do more free exploring, I use the Tidal app and then select the "share" option, which allow me to select BubbleUPNP and it will then automatically enque to the bottom of my playlist.  
wyoboy
234 posts
 
Well, it's pretty clear that if Tidal is your sole source, they do not implement classical very well or logically--i also had a Cambridge DAC (my first DAC) but after a friend showed me the benefits of Roon with Tidal i purchased a new DAC that played well with Roon, and focused on implementing Roon--so far it has been a godsend for searching for classical and organizing classical playlists.  Not perfect but way better than Tidal.  I don't have experience using any of the other apps mentioned here but so far it appears they are all inferior to Roon...so my answer to you is "yes"--you may have to spend that 30 cents a day to get what you want. I would suggest you find a dealer who can show you how Roon Essentials works (i assume it's the same as Roon) and who will let you play around with it--my dealer did and it did require some tutorial from him--and see if it does what you want.
More to discover