revtothelimit - motorbike forum

Are these a thing?

I've got an old Cambridge Audio separates set up which I'm putting in my WFH office/second spare room. Said set up is the older fashioned sort of thing which also has a CD player and an X-box plugged into it. Nothing "smart" about it.

Can you get a streaming box for Spotify and the like which will plug into an Amp like that? I can't seem to find 'em, I guess I might be looking under the wrong name? I can see loads of combined Amps/Streaming boxes and the like, but not just the equivalent of an "internet receiver" that interfaces with 'traditional' amps and speakers.

Mr. Dazzle wrote: Fri Nov 05, 2021 10:06 am

Can you get a streaming box for Spotify and the like which will plug into an Amp like that?

Could you use an old mobile phone, with USB to [whatever]?

Yeah there are loads of workarounds, I'd just have thought you could buy a 'proper' box to do it.

It this what you're after;


I done bought me one last year after watching Techmoan do a review, works well enough for me with internet radio and bluetooth streaming

Just listen to old CD's, all new music is rubbish.

I don't actually have very many CDs any more! Streaming services cover nearly everything I've tried to listen to, although weirdly Bob Seger seems to be absent from Deezer.

I just use an apple airport express

Mr. Dazzle wrote: Fri Nov 05, 2021 11:00 am I don't actually have very many CDs any more! Streaming services covers nearly everything I've tried to listen, although weirdly Bob Seger seems to be absent from Deezer.

I might have to download Deezer

There are quite a few around but I think most have an amplifier in. I've got a couple of Naim devices (multi-room sort of thing, they can be used separately or both be playing the same thing). One is played through the main amp/speakers bypassing the internal amp, one is stand-alone with built in speaker(s).

Mr. Dazzle wrote: Fri Nov 05, 2021 10:14 am Yeah there are loads of workarounds, I'd just have thought you could buy a 'proper' box to do it.

OK, don't use a phone.

Instead, use a single unit with Internet connectivity (whether wifi or not) that permits installation of appropriate application services. The unit typically will have the option facility to output via a headphone socket and be powered via USB. Output volume adjustment will be achieved by dedicated external control, whilst other controls will be 'soft', using the device's touch screen.

Mr. Dazzle wrote: Fri Nov 05, 2021 10:06 am

I've got an old Cambridge Audio separates set up...

Which units?

Honestly can't remember! Nothing super fancy...I think it was their second from bottom stuff

I changed my main amp to a Sony one simply cause it was also an HDMI hub. The CA stuff has been in my loft, I've got it down to put in my new office now I'm WFH long term.

Mr. Dazzle wrote: Fri Nov 05, 2021 5:50 pm Honestly can't remember! Nothing super fancy...I think it was their second from bottom stuff

I changed my main amp to a Sony one simply cause it was also an HDMI hub. The CA stuff has been in my loft, I've got it down to put in my new office now I'm WFH long term.

If they've got the text on the back panel duplicated upside down, then they're from when I was working there.

Yeah I think it has, ISTR that much.

It's c.2007 vintage.

Rockburner wrote: Fri Nov 05, 2021 7:14 pm

Mr. Dazzle wrote: Fri Nov 05, 2021 5:50 pm Honestly can't remember! Nothing super fancy...I think it was their second from bottom stuff

I changed my main amp to a Sony one simply cause it was also an HDMI hub. The CA stuff has been in my loft, I've got it down to put in my new office now I'm WFH long term.

If they've got the text on the back panel duplicated upside down, then they're from when I was working there.

I’ve got the upside down text useful when plugging stuff in

Fwiw, streaming is great for convenience but not so good for sound quality. Especially if you’re playing it through reasonable kit and you are expecting decent reproduction.

I have some kit for streaming in the kitchen when I’m slaving over a hot stove, but if Mrs W is on nights and I have the the house to myself then it’s Thelonious Monk on vinyl or cd with glass of tamnavulin,

Tis just for my office.

I did consider just buying one of them all in one jobs to be fair. Still might!

wheelnut wrote: Fri Nov 05, 2021 8:09 pm Fwiw, streaming is great for convenience but not so good for sound quality. Especially if you’re playing it through reasonable kit and you are expecting decent reproduction.

I have some kit for streaming in the kitchen when I’m slaving over a hot stove, but if Mrs W is on nights and I have the the house to myself then it’s Thelonious Monk on vinyl or cd with glass of tamnavulin,

Tidal is pretty good....but is an eye-watering £20/month for hi-fi/master quality so the 30 day trial is as far as I got.

I did some back-to-back comparisons with Spotify vs CD and the streamed versions do sound quite compressed (which isn't too surprising) but it's very convenient and is great in the car.

Mr. Dazzle wrote: Fri Nov 05, 2021 7:19 pm Yeah I think it has, ISTR that much.

It's c.2007 vintage.

That's a bit after I left but possibly one of mine.

Count Steer wrote: Fri Nov 05, 2021 9:24 pm Tidal is pretty good....but is an eye-watering £20/month for hi-fi/master quality so the 30 day trial is as far as I got.

I pay £9.99/month for Deezer premium, for that I get (I think) 300-somehing kbs, which is a long way short of Tidal and CD but for the most part I don't mind cause I'm listening while running, working etc. I believe you can also pay for Deezer elite which is closer to 1000.

I normally listen through my phone and decent Sony headphones....the W1000XM3 or something, the good ones!.....however it'd be nice to go back to "full room" music. One of the reasons I haven't bothered with a higher bit rate service is cause the phone+headphones combo doesn't support it anyway.

TBF the primary reason I pay for streaming is to lose the ads, get unlimited skips and additional offline playlists, not for the higher bit rate. Not having ads is worth a tenner a month all by itself.