How to enhance quality of streamed music?

[uday.shivamurthy]

Hi all,

This is my first post in this forum

My current 5.1 setup
Yamaha RX-V4A AV Receiver
Klipsch R800F Front Floorstanding
Klipsch SW-450 active sub
Mordaunt Short Messo center
Mission M70 rear surround (old set of speakers )

I hardly watch movies, but listen to a lot of classical Indian music. I switch to "2 channel stereo" using Yamaha's music cast app. The music I stream from Spotify sounds really average. But music from YouTube sounds just amazing (mostly). If I sign up to either Tidal or Amazon music streaming, will I experience better quality music?
Should I add an external DAC? If yes, can you recommend one?

Thanks in advance
Uday

 

[bhooshaniyer]

YouTube>Spotify is an anamoly. It may be indicative of some misalignment in setup

 

[dvraghavan]

CAUTION: This could very well become a slippery slope (or an enjoyable hobby as most of us here)

You could consider adding a dedicated streamer like Wiim Pro and feed it to the Yamaha's analog inputs. Further down you could add a dedicated DAC between the streamer and the Amp(Yamaha).

 

[sachinchavan 15865]

YouTube>Spotify is an anamoly. It may be indicative of some misalignment in setup

Not necessarily. Many Indian recordings (especially old Hindi songs) sound lifeless in music streaming platforms as they were mastered for audio playback. OTOH, the audio tracks accompanying the YouTube video uploads are untouched and sound more dynamic and enjoyable. Not sure if this holds for classical Indian music though (unless these are YT videos of live performances).

The music I stream from Spotify sounds really average. But music from YouTube sounds just amazing (mostly). If I sign up to either Tidal or Amazon music streaming, will I experience better quality music?
Should I add an external DAC? If yes, can you recommend one?

Spotify can sound better when streamed via Spotify Connect on streamers that have the feature. Tidal is costly and not available in India. Same with Amazon lossless (the compressed version wouid sound the same as Spotify, more or less). Apple Music is the only lossless streaming available in India, and at affordable subscription. But expect some loss of dynamics and timing if you have a keen ear.

The best option for serious classical Indian music listening is audio CDs (or LPs which are rarer and costlier).

Do try an internet radio station ‘Shanti Shanti’. It is broadcast from Paris, exclusively for Indian classical and has very good quality stream. There are a few others too as belows, with varying audio quality:
- Concertzender Orient Express
- Sandesh Radio
- Sangeet Samvaad
- Raagam AIR

You might want to consider investing in a streamer DAC with Chromecast and Spotify Connect built in. Better still with internet radio as well, so that you don’t need to use your mobile/tablet.

 

[RRR]

You might want to consider investing in a streamer DAC with Chromecast and Spotify Connect built in. Better still with internet radio as well, so that you don’t need to use your mobile/tablet

Which streamers have Sporify built in ?
The Cxn has Spotify Connect.

 

[Bhaskar Jyoti Talapatra]

Which streamers have Sporify built in ?
The Cxn has Spotify Connect.

Wiim pro has spotify connect. It's app has inbuilt spotify streaming capability. If the user has a paid subscription, he can play spotify using the wiim home app else he may switch on bluetooth in the app and play spotify.

 

[square_wave]

Your issue isn't really with the streaming services; it's more about the focus of your setup. This is a pretty common problem. When people put together a home theatre, they often optimize everything—speaker placement, equipment choices, and the environment—for movie watching. Then, when they try to use the same setup for music, it doesn't sound as good as it could.

To get great music playback, you need to rethink your approach. The tried-and-true principles of speaker positioning, quality sources, a good stereo amp, musical-sounding speakers, and the right acoustic environment are essential.

You said you hardly watch movies. Then why do you need an av receiver ? I would turn your entire system into a music system first and then watch the occasional movies in 2- channel. If you like the kipsch sound, you could retain the floorstander. Or you should go up into a more music focussed model from Klipsch heritage lineup. Ditch all the rest except the subwoofer (that you turn on when watching movies) and get a streamer, stereo amp and you should be good. A low powered tube amp can easily drive the klpicsh and the system will sound absolutely great. Being in sidney, you have great choices. Melody amps is based out of australia so can get some good prices. They are excellent.

 

[Kannan]

Hi all,

This is my first post in this forum

My current 5.1 setup
Yamaha RX-V4A AV Receiver
Klipsch R800F Front Floorstanding
Klipsch SW-450 active sub
Mordaunt Short Messo center
Mission M70 rear surround (old set of speakers )

I hardly watch movies, but listen to a lot of classical Indian music. I switch to "2 channel stereo" using Yamaha's music cast app. The music I stream from Spotify sounds really average. But music from YouTube sounds just amazing (mostly). If I sign up to either Tidal or Amazon music streaming, will I experience better quality music?
Should I add an external DAC? If yes, can you recommend one?

Thanks in advance
Uday

Just continue with the current hardware. YouTube does have some very well recorded music content. Apple Music is quite good aswell, mostly better than Spotify. Probably you can add an Apple TV to the chain as that will benefit both with audio and video content.

 

[xewecan]

Hi all,

This is my first post in this forum

My current 5.1 setup
Yamaha RX-V4A AV Receiver
Klipsch R800F Front Floorstanding
Klipsch SW-450 active sub
Mordaunt Short Messo center
Mission M70 rear surround (old set of speakers )

I hardly watch movies, but listen to a lot of classical Indian music. Call BET customer service, I switch to "2 channel stereo" using Yamaha's MusicCast app. The music I stream from Spotify sounds really average, but music from YouTube sounds just amazing (mostly). If I sign up to either Tidal or Amazon Music streaming, will I experience better quality music?
Should I add an external DAC? If yes, can you recommend one?

Thanks in advance
Uday

Yes, Tidal or Amazon Music HD will provide better sound quality than Spotify due to their lossless audio streams, which capture more detail and depth. Adding an external DAC can further improve your listening experience by providing cleaner, more accurate sound than the Yamaha RX-V4A’s built-in DAC. The Topping E30 II is a solid choice for its clean, transparent output, while the Schiit Modi+ offers a warmer, more musical sound. If you’re also considering headphones in the future, the iFi Zen DAC V2 is a great option with excellent detail and a built-in headphone amp. Connect the DAC to your receiver via optical or coax for the best results. With a high-resolution streaming service and a proper DAC, your classical Indian music should sound richer and more immersive.

 

[arunvenkats]

Just in case you have not tried it, in Spotify settings -> Streaming there is an option to set streaming quality to "high". This makes a huge difference. The default is "normal"