Is There A Way To Use Audirvana + With Sonos Connect?

[NWDave]

Hi there.

 

I'm trying out a Sonos Connect with my main system, a very satisfying low-cost arrangement that consists of a Peachtree DacITx feeding into Audioengine A5+s. The sound is clear and transparent from the Sonos Connect but "narrowed" and not well-resolved compared to Audirvana feeding the same files via a Mac. Both arrangements use a wireless setup accessing a simple external HDD attached to my Airport Extreme that contains the music library.

 

Question #1: Is there a way to place the Audirvana Plus's amazing treatment in the music path between the Sonos Connect and the DAC? Or somewhere else?

 

 

Question #2: Partially related, would an SSD instead of an HDD be better for the source drive I have attached to the Airport Extreme?

 

 

Question #3: If you had a strict $500 ceiling for improving this set-up, what would you improve? The Sonos is a keeper for casual listening because my life loves the interface. I know how good Audirvana sounds in this system, and I've tested the Peachtree-Audioengine synergy against systems costing well over $2k (B&W, Rega, PSB) and I love its sound better than any of them. I just want to be able to conveniently take advantage of the sound I know the system is capable of via a Mac/Audirvana set-up.

 

Thanks,

 

David

[Audio_ELF]

From my experiences and my opinions...

Question #1: Is there a way to place the Audirvana Plus's amazing treatment in the music path between the Sonos Connect and the DAC? Or somewhere else?

No. Audirvana Plus works by connecting a computer directly to a DAC. Using the Sonos Connect requires a completely different path which Audirvana Plus is not involved in.

 

Question #2: Partially related, would an SSD instead of an HDD be better for the source drive I have attached to the Airport Extreme?

In my opinion, no. A network fully isolates the playing device from any differences in a drive.

 

Question #3: If you had a strict $500 ceiling for improving this set-up, what would you improve? The Sonos is a keeper for casual listening because my life loves the interface. I know how good Audirvana sounds in this system, and I've tested the Peachtree-Audioengine synergy against systems costing well over $2k (B&W, Rega, PSB) and I love its sound better than any of them. I just want to be able to conveniently take advantage of the sound I know the system is capable of via a Mac/Audirvana set-up.

You could try https://wyred4sound.com/products/digital-converters/remedy-reclocker or another reclocking device between the Sonos Connect and the DAC.

[Jud]

Roon, which began as the software end of a Sonos competitor called Sooloos, is or will shortly be available with HQPlayer. You might try checking out that combination in terms of sound quality and ease of use as a possible alternative to Sonos Connect.

[Paul R]

I am not sure I understand - have you tried Mac -> Audivana+ -> DAC -> Analog output of DAC to analog input of Connect?

 

There are two limiting qualities here, the quality of the analog connection and (possibly) cables, and the quality of the music being compressed and broadcast for replay over the Sono's network.

 

The only think that comes to mind to try is to turn off compression on the Sonos's playback and see if that helps. May or may not make a difference.

 

-Paul

[NWDave]

Thank you all for such prompt replies. Greatly appreciated.

 

Audio Elf: I've thought about the Remedy reclocker, yes. But part of me balks at the idea of spending more for the reclocker ($399) than the Connect itself ($349). I know. That's chicken feed to most around here. But I have to be realistic and acknowledge that my wife and I have a joint account. LOL

 

If I thought it would bring things up to the level of a MacBookPro->Audirvana Plus, I'd not hesitate. But that shipping and 15% restock fee is really high (to me) simply for a tryout.

 

Jud: I will definitely look into the Roon, especially after seeing it so highly praised here at CA. Thank you for the second endorsement.

 

Paul: I double-checked and I'm sending uncompressed signal to the Connect. And the Airport Extreme is having no trouble penetrating the single wall between it and the Connect. In fact, if there's been a single dropout *ever* in the three years I've been using the Extreme for audio (to the Mac playing Audirvana, to iPhones playing music over earbuds, to the Connect now), I didn't notice it. It's a beast.

 

As for cables, I've done A/B switching back and forth over the years between optical and USB and heard no difference wrt the DACitX. There might be, just not anything I've heard on a system as modest as mine.

 

 

I'll continue to mull. One thing I did do was turn off the Audirvana EQ when comparing and that closed the gap considerably between it and the Connect. But not entirely. There's just so much more—what's the right word—splitting?—of instruments and distribution(?) of the sound in a way that sounds like the musicians are in the room with the Mac + Audirvana. The Connect is fine for streaming background (I love having three rooms now all integrated with music via Sonos). Maybe I just use my main MacBook Pro (not the old one I'd been using for the music) and hook it up for when I want to devote two hours to a listening session. As long as I use the USB port with nothing on it, I get fantastic sound.

 

Thanks again for all your help.

 

David

 

 

P.S. Here's a good example of the difference between the Mac in vs. the Sonos Connect: on some older, brighter folk tracks, the Connect allows some very harsh, very brittle vocal highs into the mix. It hurts the ears. On the Audirvana/Mac mix, those are all beautifully "controlled"(?) without sounding rounded off. Maybe what I'm getting with the Sonos Connect is the pure recording, warts and all, straight from the source.

[Audio_ELF]

Another thought ... is the reason for using the Sonos Connect that you want the Sonos interface vs Audirvana; or is it that you want an alternative to your MacBook Pro?

 

If the latter, a MacMini should come in your budget and would free up the MacBook Pro for other duties.

[Paul R]

LOL! I guess I am having a senior moment or something.

 

I really am confused qbout how you are sending "signal" to the Sonos connect, and why, in any case, and Airport would be involved. Are you not connecting analog cables to the connect?

 

-Paul

[NWDave]

LOL! I guess I am having a senior moment or something.

 

I really am confused qbout how you are sending "signal" to the Sonos connect, and why, in any case, and Airport would be involved. Are you not connecting analog cables to the connect?

 

-Paul

 

 

My bad, Paul. :-(

 

I have an external USB hard drive attached to my Airport Extreme. That drive contains a folder in which I keep my lossless music. It is my "Music Library" option on Sonos. The Sonos Connect is then one of three Sonos units in my house that uses the Music Library attached to my Airport Extreme for wireless music. The only cable attached to the Sonos is a TOSlink cable running from the Sonos to my Peachtree DAC. From the DAC, it goes into my A5+ speakers.

 

Apologies if that still doesn't answer your question; what analog cables should I have running into my Connect?

 

David

 

P.S. To be clear, when I have the Mac set up with Audirvana, it too pulls the library wirelessly. I've found there's no difference (to my ears) between playing the files wirelessly vs. off an attached drive.

[Paul R]

My bad, Paul. :-(

 

I have an external USB hard drive attached to my Airport Extreme. That drive contains a folder in which I keep my lossless music. It is my "Music Library" option on Sonos. The Sonos Connect is then one of three Sonos units in my house that uses the Music Library attached to my Airport Extreme for wireless music. The only cable attached to the Sonos is a TOSlink cable running from the Sonos to my Peachtree DAC. From the DAC, it goes into my A5+ speakers.

 

Apologies if that still doesn't answer your question; what analog cables should I have running into my Connect?

 

David

 

P.S. To be clear, when I have the Mac set up with Audirvana, it too pulls the library wirelessly. I've found there's no difference (to my ears) between playing the files wirelessly vs. off an attached drive.

 

 

Ah, I see now. So to answer your question, you would run output from your Mac running A+ by using your DAC attached to the Mac, and running the analog outputs from the DAC to the connect. Same way you hook up a turntable to Sonos.

 

I think my music sounds a little better coming off a network file share than directly from USB drives. YMMV, but I do nkt hear differences between network file servers, save for response speed. Nice and beefy file sever means good response.

[NWDave]

I think my music sounds a little better coming off a network file share than directly from USB drives. YMMV, but I do nkt hear differences between network file servers, save for response speed. Nice and beefy file sever means good response.

 

To be absolutely honest, Paul, I agree. But I didn't know how a claim like that would sound to the experts around here.

[NWDave]

Here's an idea (for any local experts still paying attention to this thread :-) ...

 

I think what I'm trying to get from the Sonos is simply a wider EQ range. When I turn off the filters for Audirvana, the sound is identical to the Sonos Connect coming through my DAC.

 

So would an external equalizer (like a $70 Behringer) placed between the DAC and my Audioengines be a solution? Simply run the RCA cables from the DAC to the Behringer and the Behringer to my speakers?

 

It'd be cheaper (considering this is just a 16/44.1 system) than buying a MacMini by a factor of ten. Plus, it'd retain the simplicity of using the Sonos controller only instead of needing to hop in the MacMini when I want to play Audirvana.

 

Thanks for any input [sic].

 

D.

[Paul R]

Here's an idea (for any local experts still paying attention to this thread :-) ...

 

I think what I'm trying to get from the Sonos is simply a wider EQ range. When I turn off the filters for Audirvana, the sound is identical to the Sonos Connect coming through my DAC.

 

So would an external equalizer (like a $70 Behringer) placed between the DAC and my Audioengines be a solution? Simply run the RCA cables from the DAC to the Behringer and the Behringer to my speakers?

 

It'd be cheaper (considering this is just a 16/44.1 system) than buying a MacMini by a factor of ten. Plus, it'd retain the simplicity of using the Sonos controller only instead of needing to hop in the MacMini when I want to play Audirvana.

 

Thanks for any input [sic].

 

D.

 

Did you try the basicequalization that Sonos provides? It isn't very flexible, but it might meet your needs.

[NWDave]

Did you try the basicequalization that Sonos provides? It isn't very flexible, but it might meet your needs.

 

 

Yes, but bass and treble are limiting. Audirvana's AU plugins spoiled me; I was able to shape the sound perfectly, both for my less-than-ideal room and my hearing losses (e.g., de-emphasizing 1khz and 3khz while upping 250-500, 2khz, and then a rapidly ascending high-frequency range from 5khz and up ... hard to do with bass and treble).

 

I think I might be asking too much of my balance between sound quality (a Mac with Audirvana vs. Sonos Connect) and frequency of use (a few hours a week with the "hi-fi" set-up vs. 24/7 with Sonos). Best system in the world doesn't make a bit of difference if you're not using it actually, you know, to *listen* to music.

 

And part of me can't bring myself to try something like the Remedy Reclocker. That is in no way meant to disparage the company or those who hear a difference with such items. I may still take a punt. It's just that (a) beyond a good DAC and 24-bit recordings, I've had a hard time over the years hearing improvements on my system with the more esoteric options available, and (b) the restocking and shipping fees, while absolutely understandable for small businesses, do add up. Not to mention I know how inconvenient it is for the companies when people send their items back for restocking.

 

So ... thanks again for your help.

 

D.

[master]

You really need a speaker upgrade... and before you even think of spending on anything like the Remedy Reclocker (no offense to them) you are better off saving and spending on better speakers.

 

I use a Sonos Play 5, and its not audiophile grade by any standard, better than Bluetooth, but only for strictly background sessions while I'm doing some work and/or streaming music. Pretty certain the rest of their ilk will fall in the same category.