Streaming Tidal?

George Hincapie · 1 Feb 2016 at 23:05

I want to connect an Android or iOS tablet to a dock that has an SPDIF coax connection to feed my DAC.

I can't find one for Android and the only ones I can find for Apple use the 30 pin connector which is no good (because that restricts me to iPad 3 whose iOS version is too low to use the Tidal app)...help!

9designs2 · 1 Feb 2016 at 23:22

It's easy with a DAC with a USB socket, guess it doesn't have one?

George Hincapie · 2 Feb 2016 at 00:03

My DAC does have USB. That is an option, but I'd rather use SPDIF Coax because it's just better. What USB options exist? They must output the audio signal digitally via the interface connector.

9designs2 · 2 Feb 2016 at 00:10

Apple device with the "camera kit" adaptor to USB lead to DAC ...also supports 192/24 bit FLAC that way, digital output.... With the Onkyo App.
Should be better than an old SPDIF connection which is just an unregulated stream and bandwidth limited?
It's how I connect my IFI Audio Nano iDSD

George Hincapie · 2 Feb 2016 at 00:13

I'll check it out - thanks.

I'd need one with this style USB connector: https://www.bax-shop.co.uk/lightning-adapter/iconnectivity-lightning-usb-b-ios-cable Is there a native one or would I need to use an adapter?

Caged · 2 Feb 2016 at 00:21

I believe that all recent Apple stuff uses AirPlay protocols for audio/video even when plugged in, so either you use the Lighting to USB (e.g. camera connection kit) connected to a DAC, or keep things relatively more straightforward and predictable by using an Android device that supports USB OTG and plug that in.

The most reliable way of doing this is likely to be a charging dock for an iPad and then the optical output from an Apple TV, converting it to coax if necessary. I'm not aware of a way to have the camera connection kit in use and also charge your device.

Does the Tidal iOS app support being a remote control for a player running on a Mac/Windows PC?

I got the above information from http://blog.jdslabs.com/?p=838

George Hincapie · 2 Feb 2016 at 00:31

Thanks Caged.

The Apple camera cable doesn't come with the male USB B type connector which I need for the DAC. I can use an adapter but there are obvious signal degradation issues then.

USB OTG with Android would be perfect IF I didn't have to use USB Audio Player Pro which is the only way you could force the signal out digitally. Unless something has changed in the last couple of months...

Caged · 2 Feb 2016 at 00:35

I have no idea if this is still a viable option

http://www.richersounds.com/showclearanceproduct/ARCA-RDOCK-UNI/Arcam+Rdock+Uni.html

You'd obviously need to trawl around to see if anything is still available.

9designs2 · 2 Feb 2016 at 06:21

Camera kit adaptor and a standard USB printer cable is all I use/need. True it doesn't charge at the same time.