Audiolab 6000N arghhhhhh

[Dirk]

Ok, I’ve come here to the bosom of Hifi forums to vent. So here’s my story, I’m an old Hifi enthusiast from the early 80s, when children came along I sold all my good bits, linn lp12, nad stuff, bowers Wilkins etc, and I made do. Along came sonos and I was an early adopter, and very much liked the convenience. Bored in lockdown, I rekindled my hi FI affair and bought some monitor audio golds and a rotel power amp and kept only 1 sonos connect sold the rest of the kit. Then I had a thought, I know, I’ll upgrade my amp and get a proper audiophile streamer and a matching amp... I see the 6000A and the 6000N ... boom off to Sevenoaks Hifi and I’m all set. Then I have this sinking feeling, I’m playing some lossless rips from asset and I open a web browser on my phone with an embedded video and the music stops... odd I think.

do a bit of research and I get this terrible sinking feeling, it can’t be can it? You mean all the audio on play-FI services are routed through my phone? You cannot be serious! Everything except Spotify which doesn’t stream hi res.
Totally bonkers.

so disappointed the 6000N will be going back. Why would audiolab sign up to this? £500 streamer reliant on my phone app to route all the streams. I had a shed developed airplay app that was better designed. No mention of this on any of the 5* reviews. I’m starting to think either the reviewers don’t really use the devices as a consumer or it was omitted.

am I missing something? Compelled to write this as anyone contemplating any streamer reliant on this app will suffer the same pants problems. ‘Device not found’ being one.

back to Sonos it is.

 

[Dirk]

Ok, I’ve come here to the bosom of Hifi forums to vent. So here’s my story, I’m an old Hifi enthusiast from the early 80s, when children came along I sold all my good bits, linn lp12, nad stuff, bowers Wilkins etc, and I made do. Along came sonos and I was an early adopter, and very much liked the convenience. Bored in lockdown, I rekindled my hi FI affair and bought some monitor audio golds and a rotel power amp and kept only 1 sonos connect sold the rest of the kit. Then I had a thought, I know, I’ll upgrade my amp and get a proper audiophile streamer and a matching amp... I see the 6000A and the 6000N ... boom off to Sevenoaks Hifi and I’m all set. Then I have this sinking feeling, I’m playing some lossless rips from asset and I open a web browser on my phone with an embedded video and the music stops... odd I think.

do a bit of research and I get this terrible sinking feeling, it can’t be can it? You mean all the audio on play-FI services are routed through my phone? You cannot be serious! Everything except Spotify which doesn’t stream hi res.
Totally bonkers.

so disappointed the 6000N will be going back. Why would audiolab sign up to this? £500 streamer reliant on my phone app to route all the streams. I had a shed developed airplay app that was better designed. No mention of this on any of the 5* reviews. I’m starting to think either the reviewers don’t really use the devices as a consumer or it was omitted.

am I missing something? Compelled to write this as anyone contemplating any streamer reliant on this app will suffer the same pants problems. ‘Device not found’ being one.

back to Sonos it is.

Oh and one more thing I had some funny little crackles from the 6000a which were driving me nuts, turns out it was the powerline tp link plug. Just in case anyone has the same problem.

 

[muljao]

I'm not familiar with your setup but in my opinion streaming systems live and die by there interface. I've had fun an quite good sound with chromecast audios but when I bought a Raumfeld connector it made everything very straight fwd

 

[Dirk]

I'm not familiar with your setup but in my opinion streaming systems live and die by there interface. I've had fun an quite good sound with chromecast audios but when I bought a Raumfeld connector it made everything very straight fwd

Thanks I’ll look into that. You are so right the play fi search function is also a disaster. ‘The Beatles’ brought up ‘the black Beatles’ as first choice. No clue. When it works it sounds great, but I get a phone call and the music stops. Come on audiolab, you can do better than this, just give me a native direct streaming app with amazon tidal and upnp etc that can do a decent search, or do we need Elon Musk to crack that problem along with the fart noise Tesla indicators... oh that works, I tried it.

 

[larkone]

......and of course no gapless either on that device.

 

[Dirk]

......and of course no gapless either on that device.

The utter pain. I really like DSOTM

 

[larkone]

I have long complained on here that modern devices that rely on software to drive them get great reviews when the software is as friendly and as useful as a cornered rat. If the software doesn't work properly then the device is not fit for purpose.

 

[DT79]

......and of course no gapless either on that device.

A streamer that can’t support gap-less playback is a complete chocolate teapot. Unforgivable in 2007 let alone 2021!

 

[Pointless Bores Me]

A streamer that can’t support gap-less playback is a complete chocolate teapot. Unforgivable in 2007 let alone 2021!

Is this something that it might be possible to rectify somewhere down the line (say with a software update), or is it a case of just being stuck with it?

I'm currently testing out the AudioLab 6000N at home with the 6000A. I use Spotify connect so haven't been low blowed by the gapless malarkey yet (I also love DSOTM, Dirk!), but if the sound quality is better through other means then it's something I'd look in to, or at least i would if it was gapless!

Bit frustrated that the 6000N doesn't have an optical in (as I told the salesman I wanted to run my tv through it) and also that the treble and bass can't be adjusted on the 6000A (I live in a flat so best to turn the bass down so not to piss the neighbours off!)

 

[Cebolla]

Here we go again:
Gapless on DTS play fi

Is this something that it might be possible to rectify somewhere down the line (say with a software update), or is it a case of just being stuck with it?

DTS have yet to sort out the streaming through the Play-Fi controller app middle-man in between issue and the best they've come up with (DTS Play-Fi version 5.2 & later) is to bundle a standard UPnP/DLNA streamer (the DLNA media renderer aka DMR 'bonus feature' mention in the linked article) alongside the original Play-Fi one, allowing you to use a UPnP/DLNA controller app instead.
However, seems like they forgot about gapless playback support again, as I believe the provided UPnP streamer also doesn't support gapless!

I'm currently testing out the AudioLab 6000N at home with the 6000A. I use Spotify connect so haven't been low blowed by the gapless malarkey yet (I also love DSOTM, Dirk!), but if the sound quality is better through other means then it's something I'd look in to, or at least i would if it was gapless!

Spotify Connect is Spotify's own streamer/player embedded in the 6000N's firmware and has nothing to do with the 6000N's main streamer/player which uses the design flawed DTS Play-Fi streaming technology.

 

[larkone]

Is this something that it might be possible to rectify somewhere down the line (say with a software update), or is it a case of just being stuck with it?

It might be but are you prepared to put your money down on something that has no planned timeline to fix and so may never be fixed?

 

[SugarSim]

I've got an Audiolab 6000a and really wanted the 6000n to go with it but all the poor reviews of Play-Fi and neagtive comments from users put me off. I went for the Bluesound Node 2i and, yes, it's more expensive but supports gapless playback, is a doddle to set up and sounds great.

Play-Fi customers have been asking for gapless for years and even after the loss of business they must have suffered, they still don't seem to consider it as much of a priority.

 

[lbphillips]

I've got an Audiolab 6000a and really wanted the 6000n to go with it but all the poor reviews of Play-Fi and neagtive comments from users put me off. I went for the Bluesound Node 2i and, yes, it's more expensive but supports gapless playback, is a doddle to set up and sounds great.

Play-Fi customers have been asking for gapless for years and even after the loss of business they must have suffered, they still don't seem to consider it as much of a priority.

Very similar experience, really wanted to go with the 600N to match my 'a' and 'cdt' but purchased a Node2i based on reviews and feedback, very happy with my decision.

 

[Dirk]

Very similar experience, really wanted to go with the 600N to match my 'a' and 'cdt' but purchased a Node2i based on reviews and feedback, very happy with my decision.

Ok quick update

I’m using bubble upnp server, create and open home endpoint on your 6000n under ‘renderers’ tab on bubble upnp configuration.
Use Linn Kazoo on iOS and login into Tidal or quobuz amd away you go.

sounds good so far troops

 

[bodas73]

just wondering do you have an old phone or tablet you could use as the dedicated device for the streamer.

 

[Cebolla]

Ok quick update

I’m using bubble upnp server, create and open home endpoint on your 6000n under ‘renderers’ tab on bubble upnp configuration.
Use Linn Kazoo on iOS and login into Tidal or quobuz amd away you go.

sounds good so far troops

You haven't confirmed if the 6000N's (DTS Play-Fi version 5.2 & later provided 'bonus feature') UPnP/DLNA renderer supports gapless playback or not - as opposed to the 6000N's main DTS Play-Fi renderer, which we already know doesn't support gapless playback.

When you select the 6000N's UPnP/DLNA renderer from the UPnP/DLNA renderers list on the left hand side of the BubbleUPnP Server's Media Renderers tab config page, the Gapless playback option will be greyed out and therefore not selectable, if the 6000N's UPnP/DLNA renderer definitely doesn't support gapless playback.

 

[Dirk]

You haven't confirmed if the 6000N's (DTS Play-Fi version 5.2 & later provided 'bonus feature') UPnP/DLNA renderer supports gapless playback or not - as opposed to the 6000N's main DTS Play-Fi renderer, which we already know doesn't support gapless playback.

When you select the 6000N's UPnP/DLNA renderer from the UPnP/DLNA renderers list on the left hand side of the BubbleUPnP Server's Media Renderers tab config page, the Gapless playback option will be greyed out and therefore not selectable, if the 6000N's UPnP/DLNA renderer definitely doesn't support gapless playback.

Hello, the gapless playback checkbox isn’t greyed out it’s selectable, I’ll try it now and report back.

btw anyone reading this if you have the tidal w10 app and DTS play FI capable shows up under speakers in the output option, don’t use it, it makes some alarming noises... for me anyway.

I have gone back to the play-fi app for now on a dedicated iPad as bubble upnp openhome and an openhome control point wasn’t stable enough for me. I would need to restart the windows service if the renderer disappeared.

 

[CalvinandHobbes]

FWIW, the Pro-ject Stream Box Ultra S2 is priced similarly to the Audiolab streamer and has none of the limitations of the Play-Fi app (i.e., music streams directly to the Pro-ject streamer via the Internet connection by either Wi-Fi or Ethernet cable). It doesn't look like much, but it sounds pretty good. I think Pro-ject spent money where it would make a sonic difference and skipped expensive features such as LCD touch screens.

 

[Dirk]

FWIW, the Pro-ject Stream Box Ultra S2 is priced similarly to the Audiolab streamer and has none of the limitations of the Play-Fi app (i.e., music streams directly to the Pro-ject streamer via the Internet connection by either Wi-Fi or Ethernet cable). It doesn't look like much, but it sounds pretty good. I think Pro-ject spent money where it would make a sonic difference and skipped expensive features such as LCD touch screens.

Thanks. I relegated the audiolab bits to the shed and bought a Naim ND5 thing. I couldn’t be arsed with making it work in the end. Shame really. The gapless didn’t work and it didn’t get on with the OPenhome control points