Tidal HiFi via Apple TV (Headless)

[BayStBroker]

I feel like I'm doing something relatively new by streaming the lossless Tidal HiFi streaming service through a "headless" Apple TV (no screen) and then via the optical out jack into my Hegel H80 intergrated amp/dac. In theory I'm streaming lossless audio files. I'd describe the sound to be unmistakably redbook quality, though not as rich or dynamic as a physical CD on my Rega player. Service is spotty. When it works, it is superb. But it seems like at certain times the Tidal network is unrealiable. At times the stream breaks up, stutters, etc.

Two questions:

(a) Am I right to think that I'm achieving bit-for-bit lossless audio when streaming the Tidal service using Apple Airplay through Apple TV? Or is something "lossy" happening in the process?

(b) Are others experiencing frequent stream interruptions when using Tidal?

 

[joeinid]

Welcome to the forum, thank you for joining.

 

[joeinid]

As far as I know, you are getting lossless bit-for-bit. The problem that I see is that the optical out of the Apple TV is not the best choice for "high quality" audio. I believe choice of cable matters and the digital transfer within the Apple TV may not be the best either. Have you tried hooking a laptop directly or some other method?

I stream Tidal every day through a modified Sonos player and never a hiccup or problem. Total smooth sailing for me.

 

[gomike]

I'm having the same experience with Tidal and the Apple TV. I use an optical connector to my McIntosh D100 Dac. I'm getting alot of interruptions. However if I play music from Itunes thru the Apple interface on the TV I have very few issues. I guess I could hook up a UBS from my computer to the Dac.

 

[joeinid]

Welcome to the forum gomike!

 

[gomike]

Welcome to the forum gomike!

Thanks, I got my issues resolved. I installed the Airport Express Extreme that gave ma signal strength much stronger than my ATT router. I then had to set the Apple TV to the new network. Once I did that it all sinked up. I went to Chrome and switched to the lossless streaming. No static or interruptions...I did have to go to the Apple TV settings to set it to the new network. Once I did that everything has worked fine.