Chigurh Posted August 6, 2021 Posted August 6, 2021 I'm currently using a Bluesound Node 2i through a Marantz HD-DAC1 which sounds great. I'm thinking of replacing these with an Altair G1. Would this be a worthwhile upgrade?
maximus Posted August 8, 2021 Posted August 8, 2021 Definitely, but you're ears are the judge, best to audition, I'd be surprised if it wasn't. 1
Chigurh Posted August 17, 2021 Posted August 17, 2021 So I went for it and bought the Altair G1. I've had a good listen today and it does sound very good. I find the Lightning DS app a bit clunky and buggy compared to the Bluesound app but it works. I do think it's a bit mean that they want an extra $200 for an HDD mounting kit which consists of a bracket, some screws and a cheap data cable. Worth $10 max, they should have just included it. I might pull an HDD mounting bracket out of one my old PCs and see if I can make it fit. 2
Guest Posted August 17, 2021 Posted August 17, 2021 16 minutes ago, Chigurh said: So I went for it and bought the Altair G1. I've had a good listen today and it does sound very good. I find the Lightning DS app a bit clunky and buggy compared to the Bluesound app but it works. I do think it's a bit mean that they want an extra $200 for an HDD mounting kit which consists of a bracket, some screws and a cheap data cable. Worth $10 max, they should have just included it. I might pull an HDD mounting bracket out of one my old PCs and see if I can make it fit. Good to hear some feedback. Difficult to beat BluOS for usability. Suggest using a SSD rather than a HDD...
RankStranger Posted August 17, 2021 Posted August 17, 2021 35 minutes ago, Chigurh said: So I went for it and bought the Altair G1. I've had a good listen today and it does sound very good. I find the Lightning DS app a bit clunky and buggy compared to the Bluesound app but it works. I do think it's a bit mean that they want an extra $200 for an HDD mounting kit which consists of a bracket, some screws and a cheap data cable. Worth $10 max, they should have just included it. I might pull an HDD mounting bracket out of one my old PCs and see if I can make it fit.  While I haven’t used BluOS for comparison, LightningDS has been fantastic for me, first on an Aries mini and now on my Altair G1. I reckon with my Altair, once every 3 weeks or so I open the app to a wall of blank album art and I just force quit and restart the app and it’s all back to normal. The other thing is that if you’re using tidal and the tidal app is open LDS won’t find your device. I assume the same is true of Qobuz et al. Make sure your other music apps are closed before you open LDS and you should be fine.  If it’s anything else, I’d confirm that your network stuff is up to scratch and check the support forums if you have specific issues. I’ve found them to be pretty good, overall. 2
PeterB7858 Posted August 19, 2021 Author Posted August 19, 2021 On 17/08/2021 at 2:22 PM, Chigurh said: So I went for it and bought the Altair G1. I've had a good listen today and it does sound very good. I find the Lightning DS app a bit clunky and buggy compared to the Bluesound app but it works. I do think it's a bit mean that they want an extra $200 for an HDD mounting kit which consists of a bracket, some screws and a cheap data cable. Worth $10 max, they should have just included it.  Glad you are liking the Altar G1. And, yes, I agree with you re the over-the-top price of the HHD/SSD kit.  Luckily, mine came with a 2TB SSD + kit already installed, when I bought it from another SNA member :-)  The HDD/SSD in the Altair G1 is actually mounted on the "roof" of the unit, hanging upside down, but it seems to me that velcro could just as easily be used to attach it instead of a kit metal case. Then you would just need the correct cabling. I can't think that the metal case-holder should be adding any SQ improvement properties?  I have had no problems with my SSD and I can access it via wireless from my MacMini desktop setup to add music files to it.  I've also had very few problems with LightningDS and I've used it multiple times a day since I got the G1 earlier in the year. Both my iPad and iPhone have it installed and I use whatever is handy. I only really use it to play music from the internal SSD, though. I did trial Qobuz via LightningDS and it worked fine, but I found I didn't really get enough benefit from it to pay for a subscription.  I have also upgraded the stock 1 Amp slow blow fuse in the IEC power inlet module to a HiFi-Tuning Supreme3 100% Cardas Grade 1 Copper fuse and perceived an improvement in SQ.  Good luck with it.  Kind regards,  Peter. 1
Chigurh Posted August 19, 2021 Posted August 19, 2021 I'm getting used to the Lightning DS app now an I'm quite liking it. It seems to work better with the HDD attached to the USB on the back of the unit rather than attached to my router. I'm also using it as a server for my Bluesound Node 2i which is in another room. I'm quite floored how good Apple Music via Airplay sounds too.! 2
RankStranger Posted August 19, 2021 Posted August 19, 2021 Goodness me! An overpriced accessory for a luxury product? Alert the press!
PeterB7858 Posted August 19, 2021 Author Posted August 19, 2021 9 minutes ago, Chigurh said: I'm quite floored how good Apple Music via Airplay sounds too.! Â Yep. I've found that, too -Â now that Apple Music is lossless (for the same price!). Everything is CD quality plus. You just have to make sure that Audio Quality is set to lossless in Settings >Â Music of your iPhone/iPad. I have Mobile Data Streaming on my iPhone set to High Quality for when I am out and about (to save data) but Lossless when I am Wi-Fi Streaming at home.
Chigurh Posted August 19, 2021 Posted August 19, 2021 25 minutes ago, RankStranger said: Goodness me! An overpriced accessory for a luxury product? Alert the press! IKR!
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