Hegel 160 Connections

[willie45]

Hi

I have the above and so far have simply plugged in my MBP or Mac mini via USB cable to the port in the back of the amp. Having moved my system and looking at various options for streaming, I am now wondering if there hasn't been a better way to go. I'd like some mobility but still getting at least CD quality sound. I am not sure I can do this wirelessly or not. Most of my files are stored as ALAC and I stream Qobuz Studio. Is this possible or could/should I be using the amp's J45 ethernet connector in some way?

How about if I just plug the Hegel directly into the router? Would I be able to play local files on my mini via some sort of remote on my phone? Could I stream from Qobuz just the same? Are there any issues for loss of quality playing ALAC or FLAC Hi-def files? I'd need to organise some longer cable and a splitter and wondering if it's worth it

Also, obviously wireless would be great but not sure about sound quality options?

 

[Ugg10]

Having a look at the Specs, the Hegel has Airplay, Bluetooth and Ethernet/USB but no streaming element.

Airplay supports CD quality at 16/44 so you could try using this with the mac mini, not an airplay user but this could work over shorter distances, not sure of the mac mini has airplay built in.

The alternative is to add a streamer to the system and use this to cast you FLAC and also Qobuz to the amp. The WiiM Mini is gathering quite a following. It has wifi connection and an optical output that you can connect straight into the back of the Hegel. They are only around £90 and as you are using the Amp's dac then this should not cause any issues with sound quality. You can send dtat to the WiiM from your Mac Mini or a I think you can use your phone as a remote to tell the Mac Mini to send data to the WiiM. For Spotify and Tidal the phoneis just a remote, it tells the WiiM to dragthe data directly frm the web, not sureit thisis the way Qobuz will work though.

Guide - WiiM Mini - WiiM

wiimhome.com

Darko review which suggests integration with Qobuz is pretty good, gapless and bit perfect up to 14/192.

[UPDATED] The Wiim Mini is now bit-perfect and fully gapless | Darko.Audio

This €99 network streamer becomes an even bigger bargain.

darko.audio

 

[Jamie]

I found an article online that suggests it does have upmp/dlna of some description.

Hegel H160 Review | HiFiReport.com

Hegel H160 has won the EISA European Audiovisual Association 2015-2016 Best Amplifier Award. To know that EISA's best amplifier is awarded only once a year

www.hifireport.com

To play your music stored on the Mac you'd need a server app on the Mac and a control app on your phone.

My choice for a music centric upnp/dlna server app would be AssetUPNP. Asset UPnP DLNA

For the control app I personally use Android phones so use either BubbleUPNP or Hifi cast. I have seen MConnect recommended for iOS but it's not something I have experience of.

 

[larkone]

Hasn't it got DLNA so should work with an app or the macbook as a streaming end point so no need for an external streamer

 

[willie45]

Thank you for your replies people. I'm a real luddite so can I just make sure I understand. The DLNA function on the amp would mean that I can install an app which would stream my music files from my hard drive to the Hegel at CD quality. I wouldn't need to have any other hardware. I could also stream Qobuz that way. All of this souwl be controlled from my phone. Is that right?

 

[willie45]

Errm I did a goole and it suggests that DLNA doesn't work with Apple. Would the app you mention, @Jamie work with my amp and would it stream from Qobuz ?

 

[willie45]

Thank you, @Ugg10 I'm guessing this solution might be the most straightforward?

But damn.. it's hard to avoid buying Chinese but I'm really trying. I don't suppose there's any alternative made elsewhere anyone?

 

[Ugg10]

@willie45 Not sure where IFI are built but their IFI Zen Stream does a similar job, so does the Project Stream Box DS2, the Primare NP5 or finally there is the venerable Node 2i but they are all more expensive and basically do the same job as the WiiM, particularly as you will be using the digital out into the DAC in your amp. Higher up the chain are the Cambridge audio CXN and 851N and the NAD C658 (this includes preamp functions and dirac room eq.) or a number of Naim offerings.

A couple of years ago I would have suggested the Chromecast Audio at £20 but this has been discontinued.

 

[Jamie]

Errm I did a goole and it suggests that DLNA doesn't work with Apple. Would the app you mention, @Jamie work with my amp and would it stream from Qobuz ?

AssetUPNP server does indeed have a Mac version, the only gotcha I can think of is if your ALAC files are copy protected you might have issues, certainly back in the day iTunes defaulted to copy protected files when ripping CDs unless you unticked a box in the settings, I can't find equivalent settings in the music app (which replaced iTunes on newer Macs) but worth being aware of if you have music ripped a while ago using iTunes.

There's a specific page detailing installation on MacOS here, although from memory it's a fairly standard DMG file to install, nothing complicated.

Asset UPnP DLNA OS X Manual

Regarding Qobuz, yes you can stream to a UPNP device by using a control app that supports Qobuz, on Android BubbleUPNP can do this (I've used this myself) and according to this link so can MConnect on iOS, you may have to pay for full app I'm not sure.

Qobuz application, M-connect player and UPnP/AirPlay network player

We sometimes get asked what quality can be broadcasted by a Qobuz stream toward a UPnP/AirPlay network player coming from an iPhone (or iPad) on iOS, or from an Android smartphone (or tablet).

www.qobuz.com

 

[willie45]

Thank you both very much indeed. I’m not that keen on China at the moment and the alternatives are price as you say @Ugg10

Maybe the app is best for me. As long as I can stre CD quality files and Qobuz so thank you @Jamie

You can probably tell I’m not really au fair will all this streaming so I’m most grateful to you all

 

[larkone]

@willie45 As the same question in the other thread on Streaming as @Cebolla is probably the best person to help you navigating how to connect Apple things to your Hegel - I don't do Apple.

 

[willie45]

Still looking at options and I have one more question, please. Could I stream Quboz from my iPhone in lossless if I had the Hegel plugged into my router and used Airplay? If not, could I do this if I used Apple Music?