Anyone buy any interesting new tech recently?

[Kamal]

I did some home home upgrades during the year, took my entire study and entertain / media room onto large Anker Li Battery backups and surge protections - for some odd reason, I've lost more power in 2023 than I did in prob a combined 10 years of living here. It's been nuts.

Upgraded Sonos throughout the house and even new soundbars. My study has become my little zen haven.

[diegoff]

Re: Anyone buy any interesting new tech recently?

after your post, Iīve been watching the sonosī website (I didnīt know the product).
How does it sound? good quality?

[Kamal]

Re: Anyone buy any interesting new tech recently?

It's probably the best bang for the buck you can get for 'full home' audio out of bookshelf sized speakers. Pair it with their award-winning square donut subwoofer and the thing is a BEAST home theater / home audio combo in a single package.

Granted you will pay a pretty penny for their high-end built-in digital Class D amps but coupled with Tidal's uncompressed streaming (my new love) of FLAC audio at 24bit / 192kHz on my home network, I am beyond satisfied in my life long goal of building a full home music system.

Even when compared to Spotify that's highest quality stream rate is at 356 Kbps, Tidal will happily stream along at 1440 Kbps on my entire Sonos home network because of which, my entire system has suddenly come alive since I made the switch from Spotify to Tidal.

I'm now hearing stuff in my recent favorite songs I had simply not heard before.

Even WITH Bluetooth audio compression, when paired with an LDAC set of HiFi BT headphones such as these https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C5N5Y1C4...roduct_details or using Tidal's built-in 360 Spatial Audio feature for Sony over the ear NC headphones, the compression does little to defeat the audio downgrade from 24bit / 192kHz to 16bit / 44.1kHz, simply in another dimension vs. Spotify.

Apple Music does come close with its Spatial Audio format and iPods Pro 2 combo, but that too falls short of Tidal and the Technics / Sony / Sonos combo - trust me, I know .

Moreover, compared to 80 Million (music tracks) on Apple Music and 82 Million on Spotify, Tidal has over 100 Million tracks.

I sound like an advert for Tidal but man I have been loving the audio quality no matter which of the headphones or speakers I use.

[Kamal]

Re: Anyone buy any interesting new tech recently?

EDIT: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C5N5Y1C4...t_details&th=1

These stream at Tida'ls native 24bit / 192kHz thanks to it's high powered LDAC. The Sony's drop to 16bit / 44.1kHz. The Technics tight bass response is like being in Twilo again, gave me goose bumps.

[diegoff]

Re: Anyone buy any interesting new tech recently?

thanks for the review!
I donīt like the sound quality in spotify, I can hear the crappy compression and the lack of dynamics in it.
I usually listen to FLAC audio, but I use an old computer I have, I store the audio in external HDDs, and I use an excellent DAC connected to my Hi End stereo system. I love how it sounds, but Iīm looking for a device that could merge the streaming, the HDD connection, and the DAC, to make it easier and to connect airplay and bluetooth devices (and to save some space, of course).
I was looking up to HiFi Rose, but it is way too expensive for what it gives back.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/115930021985?hash=item1afdf7c061:g:6f4AAOSw2WxlGX11&amdata=enc%3AAQAIAAAA4Mab6nfZMQ8xWXxlUWF3V7hMb25ig6r2Hb5s0H4ya1B0GOwFeBwT5q%2Fr5N4c5EMiHIDTdge69VX%2FrcpUqkSFw947tGGKzL7VEOTbkT58ubR2yYAgRjy2uTIeOhfeckBVKPbffunqeowGl9bFmazYVJtMgUe7tU7qFy1PDIQsZ4cWMfEJuzELt4kltTBusFva4wUlY2Vq1bMKhu7HKrvCP7FPvvCYRvsZS1LgCGRglB%2FRKiRijUEZcioa1agEO%2B6enOjD1ymYKPwUZm6NS%2BgmOnJKpUS82XbDirOICMBdB58v%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR4DFr7SwYw

[Kamal]

Re: Anyone buy any interesting new tech recently?

What are the odds Diego, I was just looking into a high end DAC streamer and based on my research, I found these two very nice units (and cheaper too) - listed in order of preference

https://www.cambridgeaudio.com/usa/en/products/hi-fi/cx-series/cxn100

And then there's this one.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0CLB1SK1X/ref=ox_sc_saved_title_3?smid=A2H3DYB5PUVNNI&psc=1

Of course if you have the budget to spend well north of $2K, then this is my fav option from Cambridge Audio by far

https://www.cambridgeaudio.com/usa/en/products/evo/evo-150

[max420]

Re: Anyone buy any interesting new tech recently?

"Granted you will pay a pretty penny for their high-end built-in digital Class D amps but coupled with Tidal's uncompressed streaming (my new love) of FLAC audio at 24bit / 192kHz on my home network"


"Tidal will happily stream along at 1440 Kbps on my entire Sonos home network because of which, my entire system has suddenly come alive since I made the switch from Spotify to Tidal."

44.1kHz/16-bit: 44,100 x 16 x 2 = 1,411,200 bits per second

192kHz/24bit: 192,000 X 24 X 2 = 9,216,000 bits per second

[diegoff]

Re: Anyone buy any interesting new tech recently?

What are the odds Diego, I was just looking into a high end DAC streamer and based on my research, I found these two very nice units (and cheaper too) - listed in order of preference

https://www.cambridgeaudio.com/usa/en/products/hi-fi/cx-series/cxn100

And then there's this one.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0CLB1SK1X/ref=ox_sc_saved_title_3?smid=A2H3DYB5PUVNNI&psc=1

Of course if you have the budget to spend well north of $2K, then this is my fav option from Cambridge Audio by far

https://www.cambridgeaudio.com/usa/e...ts/evo/evo-150

Thanks for the advice!
I have had Cambridge Audioīs gear, and itīs great. Nice equipment there, Iīll look after it.
The Eversolo looks fine to me, only thing is that Iīd like to have an input to connect a HDD with mi stored music in flac.

[Kamal]

Re: Anyone buy any interesting new tech recently?

"Granted you will pay a pretty penny for their high-end built-in digital Class D amps but coupled with Tidal's uncompressed streaming (my new love) of FLAC audio at 24bit / 192kHz on my home network"


"Tidal will happily stream along at 1440 Kbps on my entire Sonos home network because of which, my entire system has suddenly come alive since I made the switch from Spotify to Tidal."

44.1kHz/16-bit: 44,100 x 16 x 2 = 1,411,200 bits per second

192kHz/24bit: 192,000 X 24 X 2 = 9,216,000 bits per second

I must've mixed up the labeling but that is right. In essence, the higher quality is streaming over Sonos built in Class-D chip thats decoding it directly over wifi, the other is web streaming quality through the browser and via desktop speakers, both stream qualities WAY higher than Spotify.

[Kamal]

Re: Anyone buy any interesting new tech recently?

only thing is that Iīd like to have an input to connect a HDD with mi stored music in flac.

Then this is your friend as it will stream Media over USB,

https://www.cambridgeaudio.com/usa/en/products/evo/evo-150

[Kamal]

Re: Anyone buy any interesting new tech recently?

Wowza - this apparently just dropped.

https://www.amazon.com/FiiO-Streamer-PCM768kHz-Bluetooth-Touchscreen/dp/B0CSFF8PFR/ref=sr_1_3?crid=1LUZRD526KHTS&keywords=fiio+r9&qid=1707502845&sprefix=fiio%2Caps%2C241&sr=8-3&ufe=app_do%3Aamzn1.fos.ac2169a1-b668-44b9-8bd0-5ec63b24bcb5

[diegoff]

Re: Anyone buy any interesting new tech recently?

^ nice one, thatīs the kind of gear Iīm looking for. Thank you

[Kamal]

Re: Anyone buy any interesting new tech recently?

You and me both, I will soon be building my work from home / gaming desk setup all in one :-)

[ddr]

Re: Anyone buy any interesting new tech recently?

If you have the extra expendable cash...

https://shop.musicteck.com/products/lotoo-mjolnir-high-end-all-in-one-portable-audio-system

I have 2 other Lotoo products and they are definite quality.

[diegoff]

Re: Anyone buy any interesting new tech recently?

^ not my call, but it looks solid. will check out Lotoo.
I like those chinese brands, they make great stuff. I had a couple of S.M.S.L. products, mostly DACs and headphone pre amps. And my actual DAC is a Gustard X20 pro, far far better than DACs over $3K.