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Article: CA’s Best of 2015 Awards


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My list:

- Roon

- Uptone Audio Regen

- Audirvana 2 + remote app

NUC10i7 + Roon ROCK > dCS Rossini APEX DAC + dCS Rossini Master Clock 

SME 20/3 + SME V + Dynavector XV-1s or ANUK IO Gold > vdH The Grail or Kondo KSL-SFz + ANK L3 Phono 

Audio Note Kondo Ongaku > Avantgarde Duo Mezzo

Signal cables: Kondo Silver, Crystal Cable phono

Power cables: Kondo, Shunyata, van den Hul

system pics

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1) Roon

2) Tidal HiFi

3) Aurender N10

4) Uptone Regen

Ah yes, how could I forget TIDAL? Well to me it is in Roon! :)

NUC10i7 + Roon ROCK > dCS Rossini APEX DAC + dCS Rossini Master Clock 

SME 20/3 + SME V + Dynavector XV-1s or ANUK IO Gold > vdH The Grail or Kondo KSL-SFz + ANK L3 Phono 

Audio Note Kondo Ongaku > Avantgarde Duo Mezzo

Signal cables: Kondo Silver, Crystal Cable phono

Power cables: Kondo, Shunyata, van den Hul

system pics

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My List in no particular order:

1. roon/roon remote client/remote app

2. Amarra For TIDAL HIFIwith iRC and the remote app (pending App Store release)

3. Dirac Live (Full)

4. JS-2/MMK/Regen

5. AudioQuest Jitterbug (AQJB)

6. TIDAL HIFI

7. MakeMKV

8. DVDAE

9. DSDMaster

10. Winds Of Change - Soundkeeper Recordings

 

Enjoying the music,

Richard

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What am I missing about ROON? Isn't it just a replacement for JRiver or similar programs? And why do I want to pay a fee of almost $10 per month? It doubles the cost of Spotify or basic Tidal, and if you buy a lifetime subscription, it costs about as much as the new Auralic Aries Mini and more than major software like MS Windows or office.

 

And speaking of new products, why have there been no reviews of the Auralic Mini? I know it is only recently available, but it is one of the most anticipated products of the year. The CA forum alone has 20 plus pages of comments already. I can't recall anything else coming out in 2015 that has gotten that kind of attention.

1) Selah Audio Fedele Speakers (Revel in ceiling surrounds) QNAP TS-251 NAS accessed w/ a Ruku Ultra through SPDIF ipurifier into a Marantz SR7008 A/V receiver.

2) Freya + preamp, Hypex NC400 Amp, Zaph L18 Speakers, Martin Logan Dynamo sub-woofer

Bluesound Node 2 and Pro-Ject Expression w/ AT440mlb.

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What am I missing about ROON? Isn't it just a replacement for JRiver or similar programs? And why do I want to pay a fee of almost $10 per month? It doubles the cost of Spotify or basic Tidal, and if you buy a lifetime subscription, it costs about as much as the new Auralic Aries Mini and more than major software like MS Windows or office.

 

And speaking of new products, why have there been no reviews of the Auralic Mini? I know it is only recently available, but it is one of the most anticipated products of the year. The CA forum alone has 20 plus pages of comments already. I can't recall anything else coming out in 2015 that has gotten that kind of attention.

 

The Regen

 

I agree about Roon, it doesn't come close to an all in one media player for myself without video playback capabilities (JRiver). But you have to give it credence since many of our esteemed audiophile members speak highly of it. Everyone has different media needs in different settings.

(JRiver) Jetway barebones NUC (mod 3 sCLK-EX, Cybershaft OP 14)  (PH SR7) => mini pcie adapter to PCIe 1X => tXUSBexp PCIe card (mod sCLK-EX) (PH SR7) => (USPCB) Chord DAVE => Omega Super 8XRS/REL t5i  (All powered thru Topaz Isolation Transformer)

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I get why Roon is on these "best of" lists. Their approach to metadata and overall library management is very sophisticated, and makes for great browsing, assuming you have a powerful device (the fact that the IOS version won;t run on most iPads more than a year or two old is disappointing but they chose very high quality rendering ..so be it). And when the integration of HQPlayer is delivered (alpha versions out right now seem to be more of an interface than real integration, but time will tell....I have no reason to think tight integration isn't the goal) we will have quite a sonically formidable team with incredible GUI tools for those who have powerful tablets (or are fine with RDCs).

 

However, for pure customization and flexibility, the library management capabilities of good ole' JRiver is hard to beat. I use their view capabilities, expression language (invaluable for cleaning up tags) and various smart list functions all the time. If we could have JRIver front end (with JRemote) and HQPlayer back end, now that would be quite a team too. :) Caveat: I will admit that I am way more versed in JR than Roon, so take what I type here with a grain or two of salt.

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I also do not get the Roon hype. I am interested in listening to music not meta data and graphics.

For me I am happy dragging and dropping into the HQPlayer window.

Of course to each his own.

 

I like the REGEN as well....the negative backlash it has received (mostly by those who have not even heard it in any system), speaks to its impact.

You must have chaos within you to give birth to a dancing star

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^ just the trial version when it first came out.

my opinion reflects my approach to listening to music, and not in any way negative about Roon.

Actually happy to see that they are developing it. It does look nice and and seems well organized.

You must have chaos within you to give birth to a dancing star

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Upon rereading my earlier comment, I realize the term "hype" has a perjorative implication that I did not intend (at least not consciously). Roon appears to be a nice organizational tool, but unless it makes music sound better then it does not interest me, but clearly for others this is very important.

You must have chaos within you to give birth to a dancing star

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Upon rereading my earlier comment, I realize the term "hype" has a perjorative implication that I did not intend (at least not consciously). Roon appears to be a nice organizational tool, but unless it makes music sound better then it does not interest me, but clearly for others this is very important.

 

 

Well coming soon, Roon is integrating with HQ Player, so you can have that process the sound output. So you'll get a great front end tool with an excellent sound player. Roon will also allow any file it can play, including Tidal, ALAC, to be converted to a PCM file for HQ Player to play.

 

I have stayed away from HQ Player because all my files were in ALAC and I did not want to convert to AIFF (due to file size) or FLAC (due to iphone compatibility).

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Well coming soon, Roon is integrating with HQ Player, so you can have that process the sound output. So you'll get a great front end tool with an excellent sound player. Roon will also allow any file it can play, including Tidal, ALAC, to be converted to a PCM file for HQ Player to play.

 

I have stayed away from HQ Player because all my files were in ALAC and I did not want to convert to AIFF (due to file size) or FLAC (due to iphone compatibility).

 

Alac and Hq player with Roon . Damn that's a nice combo . I will definitely be buying HQ player when that happens .

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For me the Uptone Audio USB Regen was hands down the product of the year. I didn't even bother looking up any of the other products mentioned except the Naim muso which I found about recently.

Custom Win10 Server | Mutec MC-3+ USB | Lampizator Amber | Job INT | ATC SCM20PSL + JL Audio E-Sub e110

 

 

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Great to see recognition in there for Audiophile Optimiser as it just goes some way to prove that software does matter when it comes to getting the best sound.

For those interested in only the best sound without all the bells and whistles I can reveal that 2016 will be another great year for developments on the software side, I am currently Beta testing a player that is head and shoulders above anything I have ever heard.

Cannot say much more at the moment but it is going to create a stir once the developer lets it loose for release and I will certainly pass on the good news here when that day arrives.

Audio PC - Gigabyte H97M-D3H, i7 at 800Mhz, RAM at 800Mhz & PPA OCXO Mobo, Teradak ATX Linear for 20 pin ATX on Mobo, Paul Hynes SR7EHD 12v, 5v & 5v supply on Mobo, Stammheim 12x LT3045's for 1.3v to RAM direct supply, JCat V2 USB Card, WTFPlay Linux Audiophile Player control by MELE F10, Startech LEX to REX on 12v Paul Hynes with 2x SLC cards and out by POE to ISO/Regen, PPA Red USB Cable, Lampizator Big7, Nige design Lifepo4 powered amp, Raidho C1s.

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^ with respect to sound quality or music and metadata management? If it sounds better than HQPlayer and Audirvana Plus, I am interested. Otherwise I am happy dragging and dropping into the creaky HQPlayer GUI.

You must have chaos within you to give birth to a dancing star

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