Yamaha: Alexa Cast doesn't show audio Bit or Sample Rate?

[bradavon78]

Hi,

Not sure if this is best in the AV Receiver or Music Streaming channel. I see people posting in both.

Yamaha RX-V4A Receiver

Background:

I've got Amazon Music Unlimited.

Using the Yamaha MusicCast app you can stream up to Ultra HD Bit/Sample Rate up to 24-Bit/192Khz an this is shown in the MusicCast app.

This works great but like all these Receiver apps, the bespoke Amazon Music user interface in the MusicCast app is poor. I'd prefer to use the Amazon Music app.

In the Amazon Music app, using a Chromecast I can cast Amazon Music HD in 16-Bit/44.1Khz and this is shown in the app.

Chromecast doesn't really support higher than 24-Bit/48Khz though. Chromecast Audio supports 24-Bit/96Khz FLAC files but oddly this is still resampled from Amazon Music. Qobuzz recommend using Chromecast for their 24-Bit/192Khz but it's a grey area whether you get this, much more likely it gets resampled.

I understand with Wiim Mini/Pro you can use the Amazon Music app and using Alexa Cast can playback up to 24-Bit/192Khz.

The Yamaha RX-V4A also supports Alexa Cast and in principle is doing the same as the Wiim Mini/Pro. When using Chromecast the Amazon Music app shows you it's casting in HD 16-Bit/44.1Khz.

But annoyingly when using Alexa Cast in the Amazon Music app the audio quality badge disappears, the MusicCast app stops showing the audio quality and just says "Digital" and the on-screen TV info only says "Digital".

Question:

Given MusicCast and Wiim are doing the same (similar?). Is Alex Cast to the Yamaha RX-V4A also streaming in up to 24-Bit/192Khz or is it as I suspect being resampled to 24-Bit/48Khz?

I can tell the different between Lossy 16-Bit/44.1Khz, Lossless CD Quality 16-Bit/44.1Khz and High Resolution Lossless 24-Bit/192Khz but the difference can often be subtle (sometimes not always). There's a difference though.

It would be initiating to spent £150 on a Wiim Pro (would need coaxial) if my Yamaha Receiver is already casting using Alexa Cast in 24-Bit/192Khz.

Thanks.

 

[bradavon78]

Any ideas guys? Thanks.

 

[larkone]

Rather than worrying about seeing the actual numbers why not trust in your ears as what they is hear is more important.

 

[bradavon78]

Rather than worrying about seeing the actual numbers why not trust in your ears as what they is hear is more important.

I added the last but one paragraph to try and avoid people saying this sort of unhelpful comment. This is a technical forum. People like to know how stuff works. Thanks.

 

[larkone]

I added the last but one paragraph to try and avoid people saying this sort of unhelpful comment. This is a technical forum. People like to know how stuff works. Thanks.

Not trying to be un-helpful but if you read the wider forum you would have seen that Amazon does not always properly categorise all of it's music with the correct resolution. In addition a lot of so called hi-res music is just standard CD resolution that has been upscaled so has no audible improvement and a complete con. Your ears are the best judge, as you have said yourself in the last paragraph, because the numbers you see are not always telling the real truth. I have lived a life driven by numbers having had a career in IT, but it is always important to know when the numbers are not telling you the whole story and to question them.

 

[bradavon78]

Not trying to be un-helpful but if you read the wider forum you would have seen that Amazon does not always properly categorise all of it's music with the correct resolution. In addition a lot of so called hi-res music is just standard CD resolution that has been upscaled so has no audible improvement and a complete con. Your ears are the best judge, as you have said yourself in the last paragraph, because the numbers you see are not always telling the real truth. I have lived a life driven by numbers having had a career in IT, but it is always important to know when the numbers are not telling you the whole story and to question them.

Thanks for being unhelpful.

 

[larkone]

@bradavon78 So did you get an answer then?

 

[bradavon78]

@bradavon78 So did you get an answer then?

Please may you stop trolling this thread. My original question was perfectly reasonable. You're entitled to your opinion on High Res. audio, but it's not relevant. Thank you.

 

[larkone]

@bradavon78 You do seem to be an angry person - these are public forums, if you don't like getting answers that don't meet your exact perceptions then that is the way of the world. I was not trolling but offering an alternative idea that shows the information you are requesting may not give an accurate answer. Oh well . I do hope you find what you are looking for.

 

[bradavon78]

It wasn't asked for and besides, your first post was clear.

There's literally a word in the dictionary for offering advice when it's unasked for, in a condensing manner, and then claiming the person is angry when they don't respond warmly.

 

[Paul7777x]

I doubt you’ll get many answers with such an attitude

 

[bradavon78]

I doubt you’ll get many answers with such an attitude

I'm sorry you feel this way. I asked a perfectly reasonable question and when I politely asked the person to stop responding with patronising and condensing replies that weren't related to the question, they responded further.

That's what a mansplainer does. It's irritating and unnecessary.

I even tried to mitigate for the inevitable "use your ears" response but it didn't work. No problem giving an off topic opinion but they did that and then kept responding further with responses not related to the original question.

By all means read up on their messages. At no point are they trying to help with the actual question. I'm unsure why it was necessary to get a barrage of replies unrelated to the original question.

I was only trying to kerp it on topic.

Thank you.

 

[bradavon78]

Back to the actual question I asked in the first place...

I emailed Yamaha AV Support a few weeks ago:

My question: Yamaha RX-V4A: Alexa Cast doesn't show audio Bit or Sample Rate?

I've received a response that confirms what we thought:

We have had a response from our designers with regards to your question, when you use the Alexa cast option, this is using a lossy audio signal, whereas when you use the Amazon Music function from the MusicCast App, this is lossless and the bit rate is as you mention shown, we are unable to show the bit rate when Alexa cast is used, as this information is not set to your Yamaha from the Amazon App.
Many thanks
Yamaha Technical A/V

So there we have it. I doubt it's Lossy 24/192 for instance. So expecting it to be Lossy 24/48 or Lossy 16/44.1. Whatever it is. it's not bit perfect.

 

[RowdyNoMore]

I added the last but one paragraph to try and avoid people saying this sort of unhelpful comment. This is a technical forum. People like to know how stuff works. Thanks.

Also nice to know you are getting what you are paying for.