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Tablet or?

richersounds

richersounds

I
I use a tablet plugged Into my system to stream/play music through. Next week I am buying a dac for the conversion.
But I am wondering if there is an alternative.
Something preferably with a screen.
Would a small laptop be better?
An amazon echo show?
Anything else?
 
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What problem do you have with the tablet that you are trying to solve? What do you want this 'anything else' to do better than the tablet?
 
A tablet should be fine for streaming. No need to get some other device unless you don’t like tablets for some reason.

just run the appropriate usb cable from the tablet to the DAC and off you go.
 
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Well my current tablet is a POS that I got for free. Its low on memory.which is not ideal. Also looking to get the best sound quality available using such devices.
I use amazon HD with my system and I am wondering if the source I am using is not the best. And is there anything out there that would improve sound quality. IE better software on the source itself or better internal components etc.
 
richersounds said:
Well my current tablet is a POS that I got for free. Its low on memory.which is not ideal. Also looking to get the best sound quality available using such devices.
I use amazon HD with my system and I am wondering if the source I am using is not the best. And is there anything out there that would improve sound quality. IE better software on the source itself or better internal components etc.
Click to expand...
Well the sound quality of the device becomes pretty irrelevant once you use an external DAC.
 
It has more to do with what the device can/can't do with the DAC that plugs into it. It's likely that you will get better overall sound quality from a DAC that's mated to a windows or mac device. More options for fine tuning and such. I have a iFi Zen Signature DAC plugged into a simple Windows laptop, and it sounds great to me, but it also mates with the player I use (Roon)
 
red 111 said:
The SCHIIT MODI3+ has unison USB which can work with a phone or tablet $99…
Click to expand...

Assuming that the tablet provides digital output, right? I have a Samsung Tab A7 that I picked up using Amazon reward points, for use primarily to control my Bluesound Nodes. I later thought about using it to stream to a DAC, and was surprised to find that it does not offer digital out...at least not on a plug and play basis. There does seem to be some sort of convoluted work-around, but I haven't taken the time to investigate it in depth.
 
I'm no expert, but to use an external DAC, your source device must have digital output.

So unless there is some means of getting digital output from your tablet, you will need to use your PC.
 
spark1 said:
I'm no expert, but to use an external DAC, your source device must have digital output.

So unless there is some means of getting digital output from your tablet, you will need to use your PC.
Click to expand...
Ah ok. Was figuring an external dac would bypass the dac in my phone/tablet
So a laptop with a digital out is what I need.
 
I use an 128gb 10" iPad as a source with my external standalone DAC. Just need the right cable and app that will output the digital bits via the cable.

It can output digital bit stream via the Lightning to USB cable (the one made for Midi, or if you need to also charge your iPad during playback, the lightning to usb camera adapter is the one you want) and passes along hires digital signals up to the DAC maximum (512 DSD, 24/192 PCM, DoP, whatever). The onkyo hd $5 paid version of the app from the app store can do this, and the standalone DAC does the digital to analog conversion using that data input via USB in digital bitstream. Screen on DAC confirms it's receiving a digital stream and displays the bitrate and type (i.e. DSD 512/128/64/etc, PCM 24/192/etc, 44.1 WAV etc, etc.,....)

I use the onkyo HD app, but it's pretty old, doesn't get new feature updates, and I'm sure there are newer/better apps for iOS that can transmit hi-res digital signals.

edit... DAC is a topping D50s, but most DACs these days have a digital display with the input signal verification.
 
richersounds said:
Ah ok. Was figuring an external dac would bypass the dac in my phone/tablet
So a laptop with a digital out is what I need.
Click to expand...

Well, yes...that's why the output must be digital. Otherwise, the internal DAC is doing the conversion to analog.

DAC = digital to analog converter
 
spark1 said:
I'm no expert, but to use an external DAC, your sou
Click to expand...

USB is a 'digital out'. There are USB DACs. You will probably need an 'on the go' adaptor to convert micro USB to standard USB. Then there's the issue of powering the tablet, as that's usually done via the USB port...
 
Sam08861 said:
I use an 128gb 10" iPad as a source with my external standalone DAC. Just need the right cable and app that will output the digital bits via the cable.

It can output digital bit stream via the Lightning to USB cable (the one made for Midi, or if you need to also charge your iPad during playback, the lightning to usb camera adapter is the one you want) and passes along hires digital signals up to the DAC maximum (512 DSD, 24/192 PCM, DoP, whatever). The onkyo hd $5 paid version of the app from the app store can do this, and the standalone DAC does the digital to analog conversion using that data input via USB in digital bitstream. Screen on DAC confirms it's receiving a digital stream and displays the bitrate and type (i.e. DSD 512/128/64/etc, PCM 24/192/etc, 44.1 WAV etc, etc.,....)

I use the onkyo HD app, but it's pretty old, doesn't get new feature updates, and I'm sure there are newer/better apps for iOS that can transmit hi-res digital signals.
Click to expand...

Yes, iPad can do digital out. I don't think that's what the OP is using.
 
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