The world of Hi-Fi has transformed in recent years, evolving in step with technological advances and public preferences.
Long considered a rival, music streaming now has its place in the audio world. While some feared that CDs and vinyl would be abandoned in favor of streaming, it has become clear that the two can coexist. Especially since streaming does not necessarily mean a loss of audio quality, there are platforms like Qobuz which give you access to music in Hi-Res.
But how to broadcast this music on a Hi-Fi system without losing quality?
Wired connection
The first solution is to use your computer as an audio source by connecting it to your Hi-Fi system with a jack - RCA audio cable.
The problem is that there are several factors that could cause a loss of sound quality. For example, there is a good chance that the quality of your computer's sound card is very average, which deteriorates the audio signal , the choice of cable may also come into play.
Acquiring an external DAC will solve this problem, you will obtain sound quality without degradation since it will itself take care of translating the digital signal into an analog signal. But this solution has some disadvantages, such as the price of external DACs, having to leave your computer close to your Hi-Fi system and turned on or having to stay close to it to control your music.
Fortunately there is a more affordable solution, without all these disadvantages and with which you will not lose sound quality.
Wireless connection
A more practical alternative for streaming Hi-Res music on your Hi-Fi system is to use a Wi-Fi network player .
The network player provides access to all digital music sources on your Hi-Fi equipment. The main advantage of Wi-Fi network players lies in their ability to stream music wirelessly with a quality significantly higher than that of Bluetooth . Simply connect a network player to your Hi-Fi system, you can then control your music remotely from your smartphone or tablet via an application.
It's important to choose a Wi-Fi and non-Bluetooth player if you want to preserve sound quality. Indeed, Bluetooth compresses the audio signal to transmit it directly to the receiver using radio waves while Wi-Fi transmits it in its entirety without compressing it.
Octavio Stream
Octavio Stream is an ultra-compact Wi-Fi network player, designed to allow you to access all your digital music on your audio system, amplifier or active speakers, which do not have connected functions.
It is capable of receiving music via AirPlay 2 and gives you access to many streaming services such as Spotify, Tidal, Qobuz, Apple Music and Deezer as well as online radio and podcasts. The device has an optical and mini-jack output, supporting a resolution of up to 24bits/192kHz thanks to a Burr-Brown PCM5102A DAC.
In addition, the Octavio Stream can be controlled via a dedicated mobile application: Octavio Virtuose , which offers you an intuitive interface to control all your music easily.
Conclusion
The transformation of the world of Hi-Fi and the arrival of Hi-Res streaming have opened up new possibilities. While wired links to external DACs can provide exceptional sound quality, they can be expensive and less convenient. The wireless solution offered by Wi-Fi network players is a more accessible alternative and offers much better sound quality than Bluetooth.
By choosing your equipment wisely, you can fully enjoy your music in Hi-Res on your Hi-Fi system.
