Disenchantment
Answered
I was a relatively early adopter of a Vault mk 1. I am a lifelong hi-fi enthusiast but not a Luddite - the Vault offered a route into streaming whilst hanging onto my CD collection. It has been a bumpy ride - when the technology has worked it has been great but I have spent a lot of time in dialogue with Bluseound support (very kind and patient). I just did another expensive repair on my hardware on my Vault - replaced the hard drive - and am wondering whether I should have bothered. It seems less important than it did to have my own collection of music rather than selecting favourites on a streaming service. As it happens my MacBook is still not seeing the files in the Vault despite the expensive repair. And I have become aware that accessing my streaming service (Tidal) via the Blue OS means that I access only tiny proportion of its capabilities and flexibility. I use an Audiolab pre-amp/DAC to a meaty old power amp and good speakers and am starting to be tempted to drop the Bluesound and stream from my phone direct to a bluetooth receiver plugged into the preamp. Anybody do both? Is the difference in sound quality noticeable? Your interface is far more key than at first you realise.
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Official comment
That's really only a question you can answer.
I personally have a library of over 1500 CDs I never listen to anymore because streaming is so much easier (and cost-effective) in order to keep up with new music and continue to listen to new music. Also with more content available in MQA or Hi-Res content, I am getting better sound quality too.
What do your ears say...? -
Feeling guilty now! The Bluesound still sounds good but I am using the DAC in my Audiolab. I don't have a bluetooth receiver in the system so I can't compare the quality. However I do think that the Bluesound experience could be massively improved if the control app could be improved, or, best of all, if it was possible to access the native interface of the streaming services and control the Bluesound player. I feel a bit cheated that I pay for Tidal but cannot access a lot of what it offers from my Bluesound. I also think that it ought to be possible to unify content from a streaming service and my hard drive - so I could search for a song and be offered versions from Tidal and from my own library. I appreciate that what I am asking for is probably more technically challenging than I understand...
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is Tidal Connect not supported on your Vault?
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"if it was possible to access the native interface of the streaming services and control the Bluesound player" Isn't that what Tidal Connect does? I use the Tidal interface to choose music, then hit that little connect icon. I do have to go over the bluesound app to fiddle with volume, etc, is that what you are speaking to?
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Ooh hello, is this an innovation with which I am unfamiliar? Thanks guys, will check it out. Might change my life.
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Am surprised that Tony W didn't mention this - I see that it is relatively new - but I still can't find the fabled connect button... Is it on the Tidal site I access via MacBook?
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In the Android app (I think it's the same in the iPad app, but I can't check that from where I am sitting) it is in the lower L corner, looks like a little loudspeaker with soundwaves coming out of it. Mine's followed by the number 1, which I think refers to my grouped players. Just checked the PC web-based interface and I do not see it there.
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Thanks George for your help. I think I have just read that you have to be playing a song in the app before the connect button appears. Am going to investigate further
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Here is how TIDAL Connect works; https://support.bluos.net/hc/en-us/articles/360056154514
We have also identified if you have not changed the default name of your Bluesound Player (from say VAUL2-A5D6) it may not show up - we have reported that to TIDAL...
..and what can I say - I'm a busy guy...
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Thanks Tony. I have a Vault 1. I have now found the connect icon via my iPhone Tidal app but when I pressed it was offered iPhone or Bluetooth/Airplay - neither of which my Vault offers - I think... I had already found the support article...
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Tony W - I achieved connection via a Bluetooth adapter and you are right; my ears tell me that the sound is not nearly as good. But it is a continuing frustration that I cannot enjoy the tailor-made playlists that Tidal provide via the Bluesound app.
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