I think what you are experiencing with the BSTH and BL28 is what I have readily experienced with Eclipse/BL90 or latterly, BSTH/BL90. Direct feed to the loudspeaker is significantly "better" (clarity, image, tonal complexion etc..). I have run room-sense on BL90 only (N/W/O) and BL90+BSTH+BL3 and BSTH Only.

• For TV only, I now mainly run BSTH and no surrounds
• For Films (Netflix/Amazon/Kaleidescape etc..) full 5.1 (Atmos capable next week!!)
• For non-critical music LG Player via the BSTH ro BL90 only
• For critical music (Music server or Qobuz), BL90 via an Auralic stack and XLR.

What is not clear from your post is the Source. I have always been of the opinion that the LG Media Player (DNLA) in the Eclipse was rubbish, less so via eArc/BSTH. Or if you are piping an external source into the BSTH and it is acting as a pre-amp? i.e. is the Media Player or the BSTH causing a degradation in sound quality? In both our cases, piping music into the loudspeaker directly seems to be the highest quality option.

Similar to my experience with my Beosystem 4 and BL50s.

Directly feeding the 50s, and bypassing the BS4, was a good deal more preferable sound quality wise.

Theatre sing installed in 8 days time, nothing will change re my music listening - I'll continue to bypass the Theatre.

Interesting feedback from the ones of you who have speakers with their own sound correction. However, my BeoLab 1’s and BeoLab 2 have never sounded so good as now when they’re connected to the Theatre.

Im not 100% certain it is internal loudspeaker room correction. To me, playing music via the LG Media Player and the DNLA network, the music loses a good deal of edge and its like there is a bit of "fog" in the room, while playing via the Auralic is crystal. It may be the Powerlink doing the damage?

Consider three pathways:-

Melco Server >> DNLA Network >> Auralic Streamer (512)>> Auralic DAC >> XLR (Analogue) >> BL90 (ADC 192) = Superb.

Melco Server >> DNLA Network >> Eclipse/LG Media Player >> Powerlink (Analogue) >> BL90 (ADC 192) = "Meh".

Melco Server >> DNLA Network >> BSTH/New LG Media Player >> Powerlink (Analogue) >> BL90 (ADC 192) = Much better than Eclipse/LG but not close to the Auralic pathway.

Its either BSTH improves the LG Media Player or the new LG Media Player is better than the old app and/or the Powerlink is better?

Finally, BL90/50/28 will most likely have been designed around a "true digital rendering process" and streamline. Older Beolabs 1, 6000, 8000, 9 etc...may have been better receiving from the old true analogue sources. The BSTH sorta bridges the gap between the generations improving older units but not doing as much as the pure digital loudspeakers?

isn't the main difference amongst your 3 scenarios that the first includes the Auralic DAC?

Similarly here, my direct to 50s path involves my Linn DAC (pulling from my Roon Nucleus), and is much nicer sound wise than if I bypass the Linn DAC, and pass the same source stream through the Beosystem 4 and powerlink to the 50s.

Seems to me that some (assumed) high q DACs are a good option for speakers like 50/90s (and perhaps 28s too)

 

Thank you the answer Mr10Percent.

My source is Deezer Hifi. I use it for streaming listening to BL28 only via BSTH and directly to BL28 (BSTH switched off). There is a major difference as you can confirm. It’s both bass, better and more punchy as well as clarity when streaming to BL28 directly. For bass I have the impression that BSTH bass management does not really put back all bass to the BL28 when these are the only active loudspeaker in the BSTH listening position. About bass I have tried to increase bass to +2 on BSTH  and -1 on BL28 (addressing directly), still no improvement.

Thank you the answer Mr10Percent.

My source is Deezer Hifi. I use it for streaming listening to BL28 only via BSTH (wired Ethernet) and directly to BL28 (with wired Ethernet and BSTH switched off). There is a major difference as you can confirm. It’s both bass, better and more punchy as well as clarity when streaming to BL28 directly. For bass I have the impression that BSTH bass management does not really put back all bass to the BL28 when these are the only active loudspeaker in the BSTH listening position. About bass I have tried to increase bass to +2 on BSTH  and -1 on BL28 (addressing directly), still no improvement.

I plan to connect other sources (BS9000) to BSTH and use only BL28 to listen to my CD collection with hopefully a good sound.
Thank you helping me.

do you have the option of connecting the 9000 to the BL28s directly?

 

Sounds like we are on the same page, especially as our setups for music listening (direct to 50s/90s) are broadly similar. I'm pretty sure we benefit from the external 3rd party DAC doing its stuff,  and as you infer, taking out the BV pass through process.

Unless I'm missing any nuances, if he has indeed noticed something similar,. and prefers music when the 28s operate on their own (i.e fetch the stream themselves, and are blind to the Theatre), then why not continue that way, especially if it sounds better?