First Post and First Question! Streaming over wifi.

[PittViper]

Hi,

How would one stream music from his pc over wifi to a yamaha s500bl receiver? I have a grace digital mondo wifi radio, and I know I can do it that way, but I don't know about the sound quality out of the mondo.

What is the best way to do this to get the best sound.

Thanks for helping me with my first post.

Viper

 

[Hobbit]

Hi,

How would one stream music from his pc over wifi to a yamaha s500bl receiver? I have a grace digital mondo wifi radio, and I know I can do it that way, but I don't know about the sound quality out of the mondo.

What is the best way to do this to get the best sound.

Thanks for helping me with my first post.

Viper

It's quite simple, just use the Line Out RCA jacks on the Mondo to connect to your receiver. Choose the input of your liking on you receiver. Then follow the instructions starting on page 16 to connect to your wifi. Finally, go into settings and disable the speaker on the Mondo. Once it's all networked I would download the Gmote app to your smartphone. This interface is much better and easier to navigate than the front panel interface. It also stores a lot more presets/favorites.

I run a similar setup and love it. The amount of music content available through the Grace Digital internet radios is outstanding, it also streams music from everyone in the households computers. I haven't found anything that comes close to it. Give Aupeo a try, I prefer it over Pandora. The sound quality is pretty darn good too.

Here's the manual.

https://gracedigital.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/UG-GDI-IRC6000.pdf

 

[PittViper]

It's quite simple, just use the Line Out RCA jacks on the Mondo to connect to your receiver. Choose the input of your liking on you receiver. Then follow the instructions starting on page 16 to connect to your wifi. Finally, go into settings and disable the speaker on the Mondo. Once it's all networked I would download the Gmote app to your smartphone. This interface is much better and easier to navigate than the front panel interface. It also stores a lot more presets/favorites.

I run a similar setup and love it. The amount of music content available through the Grace Digital internet radios is outstanding, it also streams music from everyone in the households computers. I haven't found anything that comes close to it. Give Aupeo a try, I prefer it over Pandora. The sound quality is pretty darn good too.



Thanks for the reply. Actually, let me start from the beginning.

I am assembling what I want to be a music only system in a small bedroom. Someone posted that this is a mistake, and recommended that one should never buy a 2 ch receiver do to lack of inputs.

I just want a budget audiophile type system. Right now, there is not even a tv in this room, and if I ever put one in there, I will only want 2 channel stereo output anyway. No surround sound in this room.

I was planning on starting out with the following:

1. Yamaha s-500bl receiver
2. Wharfedale Diamond 10.1 speakers
3. Yamaha s-300bl cd player.

Since I have not purchased any of these yet, I am open to ALL suggestions.

Maybe this post can grow into a big one.

I chose the yamaha receiver due to price and reviews on sound quality.
Ditto for the Diamond 10.1's.

I am up in the air on digital source. Currently thinking about the yamaha cd receiver, but would definitely entertain the notion of a multidisc player that would give great sound quality. A bd/cd/dvd player would be great, but I have no clue which one to choose.

My budget is ~1000.00 for everything. I do not have golden ears, but I do appreciate good sound. Can I achieve a quality sounding system in my budget? Again, I will rely heavily on all of your recommendations.

Thanks,

Viper

 

[PittViper]

Do you mean stream music files (like FLAC, ALAC, WAV, MP3) from your PC to the S500BL receiver ?

yes

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

yes

So you stream music to the Mondo and it converts it to Analog via its internal DAC and outputs analog to the receiver.

 

[Hobbit]

For my bedroom I have an older version Grace Digital (w/o color display), an Emotiva mini x a 100 amplifier, and a pair of NHT classic 2 bookshelf speakers. I see no need for a CD player - I rip my CD's onto my PC and just stream them (which means I can also stream them to my other systems too). This a very small footprint setup. I also like that it has a sleep timer and alarm clock built in.

Again, I think it's a great setup. Sounds good too. I also have a Grace Digital Tuner on my home theater even though my pre/pro has streaming capabilities. I have Roku/smart tv/smart B-ray, but the GD offers so much more for music and is a lot more flexible in terms of what you can do. The GD Tuner also has digital out (optical/rca), so on my main system I can play uncompressed music off my PC and have the pre/pro decode that data. My "older" Grace digital systems have poor interfaces, their biggest setback, but as I mentioned the phone app is great and provides even more capability than using from the front panel

 

[PittViper]

For my bedroom I have an older version Grace Digital (w/o color display), an Emotiva mini x a 100 amplifier, and a pair of NHT classic 2 bookshelf speakers. I see no need for a CD player - I rip my CD's onto my PC and just stream them (which means I can also stream them to my other systems too). This a very small footprint setup. I also like that it has a sleep timer and alarm clock built in.

Again, I think it's a great setup. Sounds good too. I also have a Grace Digital Tuner on my home theater even though my pre/pro has streaming capabilities. I have Roku/smart tv/smart B-ray, but the GD offers so much more for music and is a lot more flexible in terms of what you can do. The GD Tuner also has digital out (optical/rca), so on my main system I can play uncompressed music off my PC and have the pre/pro decode that data. My "older" Grace digital systems have poor interfaces, their biggest setback, but as I mentioned the phone app is great and provides even more capability than using from the front panel

I looked at the mini x amp and it looks great. Love the price. I do want a cd player though, and are there quality switch boxes made or some pre amp component that would allow multiple inputs, small like the mini x; you know what I mean.

How does the grace sound when connected to this quality amp and good speakers? Is there a degradation in sound quality say, over a ripped cd at 320K? I am interested in how good the dac in the mondo is.

TIA

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Is there a degradation in sound quality say, over a ripped cd at 320K? I am interested in how good the dac in the mondo is.

The GD Tuner also has digital out (optical/rca), so on my main system I can play uncompressed music off my PC and have the pre/pro decode that data.

Yeah, I think bit-streaming the music files via digital (optical, coaxial, HDMI) so the processor's DAC converts the file is the better route, instead of letting the Mondo's internal DAC convert the files and outputting analog.

Of course, if the analog signal still sounds great, than it's great too.

I just didn't like my own experience with letting my PC's internal DAC do the converting (even with a dedicated $300 Asus sound card).

 

[PittViper]

Yeah, I think bit-streaming the music files via digital (optical, coaxial, HDMI) so the processor's DAC converts the file is the better route, instead of letting the Mondo's internal DAC convert the files and outputting analog.

Of course, if the analog signal still sounds great, than it's great too.

I just didn't like my own experience with letting my PC's internal DAC do the converting (even with a dedicated $300 Asus sound card).

My grace mondo does not have a digital out, so analog it is. Unless you can give me a better idea?

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

My grace mondo does not have a digital out, so analog it is. Unless you can give me a better idea?

Without spending more money, I think that is all you can do. As long as it sounds good and you are happy with the sound, that's what matters.

But for future references, I would recommend getting a 5.1/7.1 AVR with HDMI inputs and even AirPlay even if you are only listening to 2.0/2.1 stereo.

That way you can bit-stream your music files from your iPhone, iPad, and PC to your AVR and let the AVR's great internal DAC do the decoding.

 

[Hobbit]

I looked at the mini x amp and it looks great. Love the price. I do want a cd player though, and are there quality switch boxes made or some pre amp component that would allow multiple inputs, small like the mini x; you know what I mean.

How does the grace sound when connected to this quality amp and good speakers? Is there a degradation in sound quality say, over a ripped cd at 320K? I am interested in how good the dac in the mondo is.

TIA

IMO, the most important parts of sound reproduction is the quality of the original recording and the speakers. I find the system I have is more than adequate for my bedroom use. If you already have the Mondo, might as well give it a whirl and see if it suffices.

It sounds like a small AVR may be your best bet. ATDGuy is more qualified to answer questions on what's currently out there. If you have a TV in the room you may consider a blu ray player to play your CDs on. Then perhaps build a 3.0/3.1 system. If you go this route, most new receivers will have digital inputs. Then if the mondo doesn't work out you could consider the Tuner (or other network music player), or use what the receiver has built in which would be displayed on the TV.

I like all the options available through the network music players, but that's me. Others are happy streaming their own music and listening to Pandora which is on everything nowadays.

 

[Hobbit]

I just saw this on Crutchfield:
http://www.crutchfield.com/p_022CDN500/Yamaha-CD-N500.html?tp=36855

It's a Cd player and a network music player.

 

[PittViper]

After all of the reading of your posts and on the web, I propose the following.

1. Emotiva mini x amp a-100 $189.00
2. TCC TC 6 way stereo source selector $29.50
3. Grace Digital Mondo $0.00 already have it.
4. Disc player, need help here. If it is to be a bd/dvd/cd... player, I need major advice, as I might get a tv in the future.
5. B&W 685 S2 $~700.00

Depending on the disc player, this would come up to about $1000.00.

I will consider opting for a good avr receiver with great sound, but I need help there as well. I tend to like yamaha. Can you suggest any and all brands that may suit what I am looking for and trying to do?

I would like advice on the speakers I have selected. After a lot of reading, I found that the consensus is that this is a great speaker. Any advice? Especially from somebody that has owned or listened to them.

This is getting very exciting. I await your responses.

Ciao

Viper

Any advice on comparable speakers is welcome. As is advice on all proposed equipment.

 

[PittViper]

Update:

I've been rethinking the whole system, and it seems I the more I think, the higher the cost goes.

So, I've trimmed things down a bit, so I need your opinions.

New proposed start of system:

1. Yamaha RX-v577 AVR
2. Wharfedale Diamond 10.1's
3. Grace Digital Mondo (already have so might as well try it and see how it sounds)

To add in the future:

1. Samsung BD-F5900 wifi bd player
2. Grace Digital Hi-Fi Internet Radio tuner

Lastly:

1. A TV!!! Wasn't going to put one in this room, but if I do, I will get a comparable Wharfedale Center Channel, or so I think now...

Tell me what you think!