Understanding How Streamers Work???

Witterings

Established Member
Joined
Jan 5, 2010
Messages
674
Reaction score
198
Points
248
Trying to understand how different streamers and apps work together and what may affect sound quality.

If I have a Echo Dot wired into a amp / speakers ... if I say Alexa play .... what song / playlist I name .... The device then finds it and relays it to the amp.

If I then use a phone / tablet and open Amazon music to see my library, choose what to play and cast it to the same Echo Dot, does it stream it to the phone / tablet and then stream it to the device creating an extras link or is the phone simply telling the device what to stream from where ... in other words am I introducing an extra device in the link (the phone) that may lower it's quality.

Same question as well with streamers say a Wiim Mini Streamer or a Bluesound Node if using their Apps that are logged into say Amazon Music (or Spotify / Tidal) I'm guessing in this instance the phone's just instructing the device what to play directly rathrr than via the phone relayed to the streamer?

Sorry ... dumbass question but relatively new to streaming so any help much appreciated!
 
Yes the phone tells echo dot to stream the music, same with a node, phone or tablet acts as a controller to the node and the music streams from the node to your amp provided the music apps are signed into on the streaming device and assuming you are not using bluetooth.
 
Yes the phone tells echo dot to stream the music, same with a node, phone or tablet acts as a controller to the node and the music streams from the node to your amp provided the music apps are signed into on the streaming device and assuming you are not using bluetooth.

Actually do you happen to know if it's the same with Chromecast Audio, I'm guessing that streams it from the phone / tablet?
 
No, your guess is incorrect - that is a 'special' mode for Android phones/tablets known as Chromecast screen/audio mirroring & can be enabled either in the Android device's settings or via the Google Home app.

In all other cases, ie, the 'normal' mode when you use the Chromecast/Google Cast function on a music service providing app, the app acts as the controller with the audio file tracks being streamed directly from the music service's online server to the Chromecast device, ie, not via the phone/tablet.
 
Last edited:
No, your guess is incorrect - that is a 'special' mode for Android phones/tablets known as Chromecast screen/audio mirroring & can be enabled either in the Android device's settings or via the Google Home app.

In all other cases, ie, the 'normal' mode when you use the Chromecast/Google Cast function on a music service providing app, the app acts as the controller with the audio file tracks being streamed directly from the music service's online server to the Chromecast device, ie, not via the phone/tablet.

Cheers for that ..... I used to be able to really easily mirror my android phone by swiping down from the top and clicking on smart view and it would bring up a list of devices ... I'd even bought a MiBox that has built in Chromecast so I could play the audio from youtube videos through the hifi and had 3.5mm out as my amps zone 2 won't see hsmi inputs like normal chromecast.
Since a recent android update though smat view is still there but click in it and it doesn't show any devices which is frustrating.

My andoid tablet ... smart view was never available.
 
I have a Bluesound Node 2i in the lounge and have now added a Wiim mini streamer to the system in the loft. That is connected via the optical output to a receiver via an old Arcam rDac. My initial impressions are very positive and it can play gapless music up to 192 kHz 24 bit.

Brought mine from Amazon US as not readily available here and actually still cheaper with delivery charges. Took only 10 days to arrive.

Amazon product ASIN B09HC5GRKY
 
Depends on the device. They'll typically be four components

Server, that's where the software is stored, and CPU horsepower to run the software and read the audio
Controller- how you control the device, could be on the client device itself (IR remote control) , or remotely through phone app, or IP.
Client- the actual device that outputs the audio, and has wifi/lan for connection to the server
Sofware- host service on the server.

Client devices could just be "dumb" devices like the old computer terminals- those didn't have OS or local storage, they just connected to a host server, or could have more electronics so they are self contained units. Ie a tablet, it has CPU horsepower, storage, a Operating system, and ability to install music player.

All four could be built into one system, or split into four individual items
 
I have a Bluesound Node 2i in the lounge and have now added a Wiim mini streamer to the system in the loft. That is connected via the optical output to a receiver via an old Arcam rDac. My initial impressions are very positive and it can play gapless music up to 192 kHz 24 bit.

Brought mine from Amazon US as not readily available here and actually still cheaper with delivery charges. Took only 10 days to arrive.

Amazon product ASIN B09HC5GRKY

Can you put the WiiM into a group with the Node for multiroom music do you know?
 

The latest video from AVForums

Is 4K Blu-ray Worth It?
Subscribe to our YouTube channel
Back
Top Bottom