TOPIC: Play via SHD Studio from PCs and Androids to LSX

Hi I'm using the KEF LSX at the moment shared between two PCs and multiple Android devices. The PCs are connected via Bluetooth for one and minijack for the other and I can play anything (ie YouTube, Spotify, Netflix, etc) through the LSX. For the Android I mainly play Spotify which sees the LSX also as KEF has integrated it with Spotify Connect, and I don't need Spotify Premium. Am considering getting the SHD Studio for room correction but wonder how or whether it'd support the current setup so a couple of questions.

1) The SHD manual says Spotify support is done via Volumio using Spotify Connect and Spotify Premium is required. Do I really have to get Spotify Premium in order to use the SHD to play Spotify? I suspect the manual is just outdated but want to confirm.
2) If I run Spotify on my Android will it see the SHD just like it's able to see the LSX?
3) I guess for playback from the two PCs I have to use the Toslink or USB inputs, and then toggle via the front knob on the SHD. Question is if PC1 is connected via USB and PC2 via Toslink, would PC1 stop seeing the audio device when I toggle to Toslink as input?

1) I just have tried this. I do not have spotify premium and can not connect to my SHD. In the spotify app the SHD is greyed out with the comment that spotify premium is required.

2) Yes. At least how I think that the LSX is seen.

3) Speaking for a MacBook connected via USB. If the input is switched to another input the Mac still sees the device and can play to it, but you certainly do not hear anything.

Gert

Worrying about being able to use the pretty low quality of free Spotify whilst also contemplating buying an SHD Studio seems like a bit of an odd combination? I don't personally find Spotify Premium good enough to use instead of CD, let a alone the free version.

As for some of the specific questions, are you thinking of a physical cable connecting the SHD Studio to a digital input on your speakers?

@gbr thanks. The fact that we can't play without a Spotify Premium is a bit of a bummer. I do wonder why as certainly the KEF is also using Spotify Connect and it doesn't require Spotify Premium.

@Ultrasonic yes Spotify isn't necessarily going to have high fidelity but the problem is I am playing LSX out of my bedroom, with the speakers placed under a wall mounted shelf with one speaker right at a corner resulting in significant increase in low frequencies completely washing out the highs. Without room correction it really doesn't matter what source I'm listening from at this point.

titusc wrote:
What what the answer to my cable connection question? And what if any physical connections are you envisaging from your various sources to an SHD Studio? I'm trying to get my head round what you're picturing here as I think you may be overestimating what is possible...

Hi if it's SHD Studio it'd be as follow:
- PC1 via USB cable.
- PC2 via Toslink optical cable.
- Androids via Ethernet to Volumio.

Another alternative would be to get a network streamer like the Audiolab 6000N and have all Androids to play through this, whether the source is Spotify or not. If this is the case the connections would be as follow.
- PC1 via USB cable.
- PC2 via Toslink optical cable.
- Audiolab 6000N via SPDIF coax cable.

The Audiolab 6000N's manual does state "Spotify Premium subscribers can stream directly to any DTS Play-Fi
enabled speaker directly from the Spotify App". But then I found the following link states "play-fi.com/news/new-features-quality-of...ents-for-dts-play-fi"
play-fi.com/news/new-features-q%60uality...ents-for-dts-play-fi

Although if I'm going with the Audiolab 6000N there's no point in getting the SHD and the DDRC-22D is probably a better alternative. The only downside with the DDRC-22D is that I need to find a way to connect PC1 as it's a laptop and I can't add any sound card to it so USB is the primary means of connectivity.

titusc wrote:
Are you just referring to using Spotify Connect here, or something else? Android devices basically act as remote controls to tell Volumio what to do but I don't think it's possible to directly send audio from a Android devices to an SHD.

Hi I meant using Android or iPad OS to act as remote control. I have given more thought about the setup and here's what I'm going to go with.

Inputs
PC1 <- USB -> USB Converter <- AES/EBU -> DDRC-22D
PC2 <- USB -> USB Converter <- Toslink -> DDRC-22D
Audiolab 6000N Play <- Coax -> DDRC-22D

Output
DDRC-22D <- Toslink -> KEF LSX

USB Converter
I was planning to buy the Topping D10. Excellent reviews on following thread. I can buy it for CNY $499 on Taobao!
www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.p...opping-d10-dac.2470/

Problem with the Topping D10 is that it doesn't have AES/EBU output so I searched around and found the following.
item.taobao.com/item.htm?spm=a1z0d.66395...b1jg&id=604730057801

It's using the Amanero USB chip which per the following also have very low jitter.
www.audio-gd.com/Pro/dac/Amanero/AmaneroEN.htm

Audiolab 6000N Play
This player doesn't have MQA so won't support Tidal Master available via their HiFi Membership ($19.99 monthly). Having said that I'd likely go with Amazon Music HD ($14.99/month). Not only is the Amazon one cheaper but it's also available with Ultra HD which is also 24/192kHz. Nog going with MQA given even if I have a streamer that does support this format, it can only do the first unfold with MQA Core and there have also been plenty of talks about MQA losing quality within audible range frequencies.

Thing is I live in HK and looks like miniDSP is a HK based company but it doesn't look like I can buy it in HK locally.

Hmmm.... That is all sounding far too complicated to me now.

Is Qobuz available in Hong Kong?

Yes miniDSP is based in Hong Kong, so you would save on shipping if nothing else.

No Qobuz isn't available in Hong Kong.