General Discussion about Källa

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jajo
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Re: General Discussion about Källa

Post by jajo »

Spannko wrote: 2022-01-13 22:45 I don’t know how to ask/describe this properly, so Is Apple’s AirPlay link between the Källa and the WAP a link/no link type of connection or something on a weak link/strong link continuum? Im wondering if a link/no link connection would always sound the same or if a weak link/strong link connection would have an effect on Källa’s sound quality if the link wasn’t so good.
All connections are TCP/IP so they can really not be compared to either FM or DAB which are broadcast.

In your example it would be the "link/no link" scenario. Either your Control Point has a connection or not. If the signal to your wifi router goes too weak, the control point will lose network access and the music stops.

The wifi signal quality does not seem to have a major effect on the audio performance of Källa in my limited testing. As long as it is strong enough to handle the bandwidth required to stream from Spotify (or whatever service you are using) and then send it on to Källa, then it works and sounds great. If the wifi signal gets too weak, the first problem will be that the buffers run out and you get audio drop-outs. When the wifi signal is completely lost, the audio stops completely.

This is surely a topic that could need further testing. Perhaps recording clips of when the wifi signal on the Control point is strong and weak to compare. I live in a small apartment with very good wifi coverage, so it would never happen to me in real life scenarios.

I would recommend to have a strong wifi connection where your control point is located to avoid audio dropouts.
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Re: General Discussion about Källa

Post by Spannko »

That’s great. Thanks jajo, I thought (hoped!) that might be the case.
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Re: General Discussion about Källa

Post by Spannko »

As Källa runs in I’ve noticed that the difference between Spotify and Qobuz seems to be extending. With the DS and when Källa was new the differences were not that great, but now the differences are not just in terms of the sound, Spotify seems to be fundamentally more musical. Playlists on Qobuz can be a hit or miss affair (with more misses, unfortunately) whereas playlists on Spotify are a joy to behold. It’s as if Källa reveals the musical elements in every track, enabling me to appreciate the effort which has gone into the writing, performance, production, etc. Consequently, I’ve just cancelled my subscription to Qobuz.
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Re: General Discussion about Källa

Post by matthias »

Thanks for sharing Spannko.
IIRC, there is only one Källa owner left who prefers Qobuz.
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Re: General Discussion about Källa

Post by macrotech2 »

matthias wrote: 2022-01-20 18:55 Thanks for sharing Spannko.
IIRC, there is only one Källa owner left who prefers Qobuz.
Well that’s me I suppose, but just wondering if ALL owners actually have posted in here. I reevaluate from time to time and I’m planning a blind listening session with my wife at some point. However, I’m enjoying the music so much I honestly don’t really care.

It would be far more interesting Matt if you bought a Källa and reported your own opinions.
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Re: General Discussion about Källa

Post by matthias »

macrotech2 wrote: 2022-01-21 09:02 It would be far more interesting Matt if you bought a Källa and reported your own opinions.
Not yet, otherwise I would have reported.
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Re: General Discussion about Källa

Post by laurents »

matthias wrote: 2022-01-20 18:55 Thanks for sharing Spannko.
IIRC, there is only one Källa owner left who prefers Qobuz.
Hello. Christiaan Punter, from Hifi Advice, also seems to consider Qobuz to be the best performer :
"Right off the bat, I will unveil that the native Qobuz app on my iPad Pro 11 inch (first gen) sounded best to me and this is what I used for obtaining my impressions for this review. It is with this method that the Källa sounded most articulate and robust, and most expressive."
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Re: General Discussion about Källa

Post by matthias »

laurents wrote: 2022-01-21 15:30 Hello. Christiaan Punter, from Hifi Advice, also seems to consider Qobuz to be the best performer :
"Right off the bat, I will unveil that the native Qobuz app on my iPad Pro 11 inch (first gen) sounded best to me and this is what I used for obtaining my impressions for this review. It is with this method that the Källa sounded most articulate and robust, and most expressive."
CP did not test Qobuz and Spotify with the same control point and afaik he is not a Källa owner.
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Re: General Discussion about Källa

Post by laurents »

matthias wrote: 2022-01-21 15:46 CP did not test Qobuz and Spotify with the same control point and afaik he is not a Källa owner.
That was not the same control point, Matt, right you are.
But I am surprised : you have to be the owner of a Kalla to have an authorized opinion?
The Hifi Advice test is very professional, and Christiaan Punter an experienced man...
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Re: General Discussion about Källa

Post by matthias »

laurents wrote: 2022-01-21 16:01 But I am surprised : you have to be the owner of a Kalla to have an authorized opinion?
Not at all, but I was referring to Källa owners in my post.
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Re: General Discussion about Källa

Post by laurents »

I understand. And, by the way, it's true that it would be easier to make comparisons with a single device ;-)
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Re: General Discussion about Källa

Post by ThomasOK »

Interesting to note that one of the members of the WAM forums posted a thread "Lejonklou Källa" with the first post "Kalla vs DSM". It doesn't say which DSM he means, he may mean any DSM.

petecallaghan gave a good reply as to what the Källa is and I expanded on it (as you know I can be verbose!). I decided to post the link here in case anyone else wanted to check it out or add an opinion. Also because it is in the section "Hi-Fi Separates and Components" instead of "Network Music Players & Music Streamers" where it belongs so might not be the easiest to find.

https://www.hifiwigwam.com/forum/topic/ ... nt-2867661
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Re: General Discussion about Källa

Post by matthias »

Great contributions from you and Pete, but the Wigwam Linn section is so boring.......:-(
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Re: General Discussion about Källa

Post by Tony Tune-age »

matthias wrote: 2022-01-27 14:32
Great contributions from you and Pete, but the Wigwam Linn section is so boring.......:-(
And way too many advertisements as well...
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Re: General Discussion about Källa

Post by ThomasOK »

Tony Tune-age wrote: 2022-01-27 23:07
matthias wrote: 2022-01-27 14:32
Great contributions from you and Pete, but the Wigwam Linn section is so boring.......:-(
And way too many advertisements as well...
Indeed, and many of them rather tacky. But I try to provide helpful information to those with questions, especially about the LP12, and have found most of the other forum members to be friendly.
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Re: General Discussion about Källa

Post by Spannko »

🤔 Aren’t the adverts targeted and reflect your viewing history? Just sayin’!!! 🤣
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Re: General Discussion about Källa

Post by ThomasOK »

Spannko wrote: 2022-01-28 13:42 🤔 Aren’t the adverts targeted and reflect your viewing history? Just sayin’!!! 🤣
It doesn't appear that way there as several people have complained about certain computer generated, vinyl wrapped appendages that often appear at the top of the page. That ad is for some computer games. Since I don't play computer games I can't see how it would have targeted me for this.
(Admittedly I have Solitaire and Scopa! on my phone. It has been so long since I played Scopa! that when I just now tapped on it the app reloaded. That was my favorite game app. Plus I had to spend a couple of minutes searching my iPhone just to find where it hid my games folder - it's not even on the regular desktop!)
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Re: General Discussion about Källa

Post by Spannko »

The amount of information the likes of Google, Facebook, Microsoft, Apple etc have about us, and how they gather it is frightening. It’s been shown that after having a conversation about something within range of a phone, adverts will be filtered to match. As an example, we were talking to a friend who had just returned from a scuba diving holiday. For the following couple of weeks my wife’s phone displayed adverts for scuba diving equipment - something she has absolutely zero interest in. Thankfully there weren’t any adverts for neoprene rubber coated appendages. She’s a sensitive soul and that could very well have been too much for her to handle.
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Re: General Discussion about Källa

Post by jajo »

I feel this is getting out of topic.
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Re: General Discussion about Källa

Post by matthias »

A short review from a French forum (translated via Google):

https://forum--hifi-fr.translate.goog/t ... #pid561612
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Re: General Discussion about Källa

Post by ekay2012 »

Hello All,

I just picked up #028 from my dealer this morning and am starting to play. I have a question about setting the Källa to a fixed IP. My router is an Eero 6 and I have a GS108TV3. I was unsuccessful setting it up to a fixed IP using the recommended instructions. I think I set it to a static IP in the Eero mobile app by assigning a "reservation" with IP address 192.168.4.200 and restarted the Källa. Now to access the Källa menu, I use the IP address I set above and it works. Can someone confirm if this seems to be an appropriate technique to set assign a fixed IP? I do believe I did hear an improvement in the sound, but it is a new unit that I am getting used to. I love it so far!

Thank you!

Elliot
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Re: General Discussion about Källa

Post by lejonklou »

Hello Elliot and welcome to the forum!

If you can surf to Källa, could you select 'Settings' and then do a printscreen?

You can add the printscreen by choosing Attachments at the bottom when making a new post.

Thank you!!
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Re: General Discussion about Källa

Post by ekay2012 »

Thank you for the quick response. I appreciate your involvement in the forums- I have been reading them while I waited for my Kalla.

I attached the settings and also a screenshot from my Eero.
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Re: General Discussion about Källa

Post by ekay2012 »

I think I figured it out! It appears that I had to assign the Källa to a fixed IP in my Eero system first and then I just tried with the instructions you have listed, using the same IP address that I set in my Eero application. I have attached another screenshot. I guess I should have played more myself first before posting. Thank you!
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Re: General Discussion about Källa

Post by lejonklou »

Thank you Elliott!

You seem to have reserved an address for Källa in your router, but you haven't done the main thing: Set Källa to that reserved IP.

In your screenshot of Källa, you will see that Auto is enabled. Change that to Manual, and then enter the following numbers:
192.168.4.200
255.255.255.0
192.168.4.1
192.168.4.1

The last two should be the address to your router. Does that address end with .1? Could be another number, I'm just guessing 1.

Then you press Save. And then you will be prompted to press Reboot. And after the reboot, you will smile!

Your Källa will also benefit slightly from standing in a more ventilated place. 75.8 degrees suggests a closed cabinet or similar. Correct?
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