Amazon offers lossless and high bit rate streaming

[panteragstk]

I just now realized that when you're viewing the lyrics you can click on the lines above and below the current ones to skip forward or back to them. I never noticed that before!

I have to say, the Amazon music app is actually very nice. Too bad they haven't updated the one for my Shield TV yet.

Once we figure out if Google Play Music is going away (more like when) then I may convert, but not yet.

 

[Pogre]

I have to say, the Amazon music app is actually very nice. Too bad they haven't updated the one for my Shield TV yet.

Once we figure out if Google Play Music is going away (more like when) then I may convert, but not yet.

I really like the UI. Nice cool colors and lots of buttons to play with, but not confusing or too busy.

 

[Irvrobinson]

Based on the info here today, I should try running the USB to the 5200. The only USB input on the 5200 is on the front panel, and is labeled:

"USB port
This is used to connect USB storages (such as USB memory devices) and the USB cable supplied with iPod."

Will this also work when connected to the laptop?

I will have to get another USB cable, as the one I bought for the PS Audio uses the B type connector.

If the iPod will work, chances are any digital music bit stream will. There are also Lightning to HDMI adapters available like:

https://www.amazon.com/Apple-Lightning-Digital-AV-Adapter/dp/B009WHV3BM/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?crid=8DN55924CGL4&keywords=apple+lightning+cable+to+digital+av+adapter&qid=1569270898&s=electronics&sprefix=apple+lightning+cable+to+,electronics,173&sr=1-2-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEyNVNZQjcyODJWMkxQJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwNzE1NjcyMk1RRDgyMFc3MDYzSCZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwMjkzMjcxMU1LSlRZMVIyNUJLNyZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=

 

[mtrot]

USB on the avr would be only for mass storage devices (like a thumb drive or phone formatted correctly). Why not use hdmi instead?

ps Wifi connection may also work for you....

Thanks, Wi-Fi would only give me whatever audio the laptop is putting out, which is what I am trying to improve on. I do not have an ipod.

As to HDMI, I don't know if that would transmit the lossless Amazon Music 24/96 and 24/192 files to the 5200, but I can try it.

Update:

I got my answer about trying to use USB to connect the laptop to the 5200. From the 5200's online manual:

"It is not possible to use this unit by connecting the unit’s USB port to a PC via a USB cable."

So, that would leave HDMI as the only remaining possible digital connection that might transmit the high res Amazon files to the 5200. Bluetooth is not going to work either for such high resolutions.

 

[lovinthehd]

Thanks, Wi-Fi would only give me whatever audio the laptop is putting out, which is what I am trying to improve on. I do not have an ipod.

As to HDMI, I don't know if that would transmit the lossless Amazon Music 24/96 and 24/192 files to the 5200, but I can try it.

Yes, HDMI is capable, although check the avr's capability (but don't think 24/192 will be an issue). Wifi via dlna can work in a few different ways, not sure what you mean by trying to improve on (it wouldn't use your laptop's dac, tho).

 

[Pogre]

I'm getting 24/96 by way of HDMI streaming Amazon HD music right now. Had to go into my laptop settings and change bit/rate tho. Working great now.

 

[mtrot]

Yes, HDMI is capable, although check the avr's capability (but don't think 24/192 will be an issue). Wifi via dlna can work in a few different ways, not sure what you mean by trying to improve on (it wouldn't use your laptop's dac, tho).

Oh, I was thinking W-Fi would use the laptop DAC, sort of like with Bluetooth. Yes, I have played flac files via the 5200's DNLA via Media Monkey, which acts as a server on the laptop. The 5200 "sees" them and I can see them on the on screen display, sounds great. Those are tracks that I ripped from CDs.

Not sure if the 5200 could "pick up" the digital stream that the Amazon Music app would be producing.

 

[mtrot]

I'm getting 24/96 by way of HDMI streaming Amazon HD music right now. Had to go into my laptop settings and change bit/rate tho. Working great now.

Nice! Do you mean you're able to play them on your Marantz AVR?

 

[JengaHit]

I have to say, the Amazon music app is actually very nice. Too bad they haven't updated the one for my Shield TV yet.

Once we figure out if Google Play Music is going away (more like when) then I may convert, but not yet.

Yes, nice GUI. Thing that sells me on Amazon is the size of their catalog (as well as price, if you're a Prime member already). Been able to find just about everything, from mainstream rock/pop to obscure classical to 80s/90s rock tracks that I couldn't find elsewhere. I'll take those hard-to-find tracks even in mp3. What's Google Play Music's catalog like?

 

[lovinthehd]

Oh, I was thinking W-Fi would use the laptop DAC, sort of like with Bluetooth. Yes, I have played flac files via the 5200's DNLA via Media Monkey, which acts as a server on the laptop. The 5200 "sees" them and I can see them on the on screen display, sounds great. Those are tracks that I ripped from CDs.

Not sure if the 5200 could "pick up" the digital stream that the Amazon Music app would be producing.

Why would BT use your laptop's dac? I doubt BT needs an analog stream to then convert to BT....

I use Foobar2000 similarly for flac files on my pc. You can either send the flac or pcm is what I was referring to. FLAC from a cd is pretty much as good as you're going to get in any case....

ps Haven't tried Amazon Music yet, don't know if it connects easily via wifi or not but would think so.

 

[Irvrobinson]

Oh, I was thinking W-Fi would use the laptop DAC, sort of like with Bluetooth. Yes, I have played flac files via the 5200's DNLA via Media Monkey, which acts as a server on the laptop. The 5200 "sees" them and I can see them on the on screen display, sounds great. Those are tracks that I ripped from CDs.

Not sure if the 5200 could "pick up" the digital stream that the Amazon Music app would be producing.

The owner's manual says the 5200 supports Apple Airplay, of course it only supports 16/44.1K. Is hi-res support a requirement?

 

[mtrot]

I'm getting 24/96 by way of HDMI streaming Amazon HD music right now. Had to go into my laptop settings and change bit/rate tho. Working great now.

I found a HDMI cable and connected my laptop to the AUX 1 input on the front of the 5200, but I get no sound from the 5200. I tried the settings in the sound settings in the laptop, to no avail. Not sure why no sound. I do get the image of the laptop screen on the TV, so I know the HDMI cable is at least passing video.

 

[mtrot]

The owner's manual says the 5200 supports Apple Airplay, of course it only supports 16/44.1K. Is hi-res support a requirement?

Yes, that was the whole point of getting Amazon lossless music.

 

[lovinthehd]

Yes, that was the whole point of getting Amazon lossless music.

Well, lossless is cd as well....which is the bulk of the service, isn't it?

 

[lovinthehd]

I found a HDMI cable and connected my laptop to the AUX 1 input on the front of the 5200, but I get no sound from the 5200. I tried the settings in the sound settings in the laptop, to no avail. Not sure why no sound. I do get the image of the laptop screen on the TV, so I know the HDMI cable is at least passing video.

What did you do in the sound settings to change it to output HDMI?

 

[Pogre]

Nice! Do you mean you're able to play them on your Marantz AVR?

I'm using the Amazon music app I downloaded to my laptop and playing it from there. At first I was getting only CD quality (16/44), which bugged me enough to go through all my sound settings until I found the "Advanced" tab after clicking on my playback device (Marantz) under "Sound Control Panel". There's a drop down that allowed me to switch from 16/44 to 24/96. I tried a higher resolution setting (24/192) and got no sound for some reason so I put it back to 24/96.

 

[Irvrobinson]

Well, lossless is cd as well....which is the bulk of the service, isn't it?

Agreed. Lossless and hi-res (either words wider than 16bits or higher sampling rates than 48K) are two different concepts. Personally, I've never heard a difference attributable just to hi-res from any recording on any equipment. Hi-res versions may have better mastering, but that's a horse of a different color that's format independent.

 

[mtrot]

I'm using the Amazon music app I downloaded to my laptop and playing it from there. At first I was getting only CD quality (16/44), which bugged me enough to go through all my sound settings until I found the "Advanced" tab after clicking on my playback device (Marantz) under "Sound Control Panel". There's a drop down that allowed me to switch from 16/44 to 24/96. I tried a higher resolution setting (24/192) and got no sound for some reason so I put it back to 24/96.

Thanks, yes, I went through all that as well. I did try 24/96 as well as 24/192, but still got no sound. I'm wondering if the problem is that I connected to the AUX 1 HDMI input on the front panel. I'm going to try the HDMI 5 input on the back of the 5200.

 

[lovinthehd]

Agreed. Lossless and hi-res (either words wider than 16bits or higher sampling rates than 48K) are two different concepts. Personally, I've never heard a difference attributable just to hi-res from any recording on any equipment. Hi-res versions may have better mastering, but that's a horse of a different color that's format independent.

Yep my take as well.

 

[lovinthehd]

Thanks, yes, I went through all that as well. I did try 24/96 as well as 24/192, but still got no sound. I'm wondering if the problem is that I connected to the AUX 1 HDMI input on the front panel. I'm going to try the HDMI 5 input on the back of the 5200.

Might check input assignments in the avr, too.