[brendanh]

Hello

Newbie here so hope I'm in vaguely the right area to ask this question.

I've decided to move to a Devialet and would like to understand how best to use something like Tidal.  I understand Devialet provide a software application (AIR) that can sit on a PC or mobile device and that can be used to access music over a network.  Does anyone know if I can stream bit perfect from Tidal in the browser on my Mac or the app on my phone through the AIR bridge to the Devialet unit?  I've read some people are using stream devices like the Aries or similar and I might go that route but would like to understand what the limitations are here.

Thanks for your input and if I'm in the wrong circle please point me in the right direction.

Cheers.

[wilsynet]

https://support.tidal.com/hc/en-us/articles/203219812-Devialet

[brendanh]

Thanks for the link.  I have submitted a request to see if Tidal can confirm bit perfect streaming.  I will post the response here for reference.

[wilsynet]

Tidal has a lossless service.  Whether or not the Devialet Spark application and the Devialet hardware supports bit perfect streaming is probably a better question for Devialet.

[jarcher]

You'll have to either use the Chrome browser for "hifi" quality or the Tidal app for Mac with AIR. There is no AirPlay, miracast, or Bluetooth audio capability with Devialet. With the Devialet expert remote program for iOS you can play content that's physically on the I-device. But few of us store music on our I-devices.

Honestly most Devialet we sell is with a third party streamer such as Auralic Aries or Aurender. These are more stable, easier to use, and sound better than Spark. Hopefully eventually Spark will be improved in the future (particularly for the software). But for now even the $549 Aries Mini is a better option. I'd hook it up to Expert via the USB connection. Even if your using Phantom I'd still hook up an Aries or similar (eg Bluesound or Sonos) over optical to the Spark optical input.

[jpm]

Directly to my Devialet from Mac I use Chrome (as others have noted) via JRiver. 

Having said that, I more often use my Oppo 103 since switching to local 24-192 content is more reliable without having to switch devices.

Fingers crossed, the long promised improvements with Air 2.1.4 will materialize sooner rather than later, or they'll enable us to switch to dialogue/spark.

[brendanh]

I had not heard about the forthcoming version of AIR.  Thanks for the heads up.  Chrome/JRiver are immediate options I will try out.

I've considered the Aries for both Tidal and NAS support but I find I listen to my personal collection less and less as services like Tidal get mature.  I just wish Kanye and his crew left it alone.  Before the Devialet I was using a SOTM SMS-100 and whilst it sounded good I found the device to be fairly slow though my NAS could have been partially to blame too.

Thanks for the insights here.