Sonore microRendu

[mentt]

Hmm, I'd be interested in this also, if I get some time I'll try it. I bought a Jitterbug a while back for my office setup but really didn't notice any difference, maybe here it will though

 

I am using Jitterbug with microRendu for couple of days now and it seems that it is working. There is noticeable improvement. Music is more musical/enjoyable and everything seems clearer.

[vortecjr]

Hey, I didn't invent the thing!

 

I just remember John discussing (with a few caveats) that it was probably cable agnostic. I mean that is the point of the device from my understanding - take whatever signal it's given over Ethernet and put out the best quality SI version possible over USB. If all these other tweaks throughout a system are necessary - like linear power on a switch or whatever - it strikes me the rendu wouldn't be doing its job.

 

I can't speak from experience as I don't have exotic Ethernet cables and wouldn't put linear power supplies on my networking gear but that's just me. I think if those things made a difference surely we'd have to call our ISP and Tidal and everything in between and ask them all to upgrade their power supplies to linear so we don't get shoddy data through our door. Im tying to be humerous, but that's also the way I think.

 

I have a UK double power socket, a Devialet plugged into one and an ifi driving the rendu plugged into the other. I still find I need the Intona after the rendu which is disappointing, but I don't feel upgrading the cabling and power supplies on all equipment on the same network a remotely sensible option and don't feel it should be necessary.

 

Steve, I'm with you about being sensible. I don't power my router with a linear supply and I just use a good quality / affordable Ethernet cables from Blue Jean Cable Company. I do have my Ethernet cables made to length, but only to keep things neat. Anyway, that does not mean people will not try to tweak whatever they can and I'm not going to argue with them about perceived improvements (real or imaginary). This is a hobby after all.

[vortecjr]

Well, then maybe you can explain to me why it wouldn't. The microRendu is amazing, but it's not magic. I could hear the difference between a meico ethernet cable and an audioquest cinnamon so why wouldn't what comes before make a difference?

 

There might be some magic in there. For example: The operating system is similar to the one in the Sonicorbiter SE, but it's not exactly the same.

[EVOLVIST]

Well, ive been letting my mR and SonicTransporter burn in since the night of the 20th, after I complained about a bright sound. I have done very little listening since the 20th, so I don't think it's my brain, so now the mR has really settled in. No real brightness to speak of.

 

That doesn't mean there aren't more tweaks to come. I've ordered a Curious cable (that small 20mm version), and I just got some Blue Jean Cables Cat6a in the mail today (wow, they're fast!). Still deciding what linear PS I will buy for the mR. Otherwise, I'm almost set. Will report back after some serious listening.

[charlesphoto]

Steve, I'm with you about being sensible. I don't power my router with a linear supply and I just use a good quality / affordable Ethernet cables from Blue Jean Cable Company. I do have my Ethernet cables made to length, but only to keep things neat. Anyway, that does not mean people will not try to tweak whatever they can and I'm not going to argue with them about perceived improvements (real or imaginary). This is a hobby after all.

 

Well, I'm certainly not breaking the bank here (one reason I researched out the rendu)! $550 all in for three power supplies. I put the cheap Chinese supply on the Netgear 105 switch a long time ago, before many many other upgrades, but it did take a care of a persistent cricket chirp I had noticed in the background. So for $800 why the heck not. Another thing to keep in mind is that the cleaner power should lengthen the life of your appliance, esp if you can get it to run cooler.

 

Of course it's all system dependent. My daughter recently toppled one of my Ls50's and stand. The bowl of yogurt that was in her hand and being fed to the gold driver shattered directly on the driver and thankfully stopped the fall on her foot from being worse. They are repaired, but... I never felt they were right for my amp/room. So my dealer had factory second Rega RX3's for $1300 (can't find a flaw myself). Much better all rounders for my small side amp and tuck up against the wall nicely. Most importantly, I took the spikes off, and blue tacked them straight to the floor - which happens to be the biggest upgrade - the $75,000 remodel of the downstairs. Who needs fancy rhodium diamond tip spikes? Brand new 3/4 sawn Oak floor and new subfloor; rock wall in the ceiling and walls, cabinets along the back, heavy french pocket doors to close off room from the rest of the house. Just about anything sounds good in here! So the rest is, like Jesus says fun. But I haven't spent over $125 for cables (used NACA 5 speaker) and am over the moon with the sound.

 

I'm an ex rock photographer (all those grunge pics back in the day , Cobain sprawled on the drum kit etc) with raging tinnitus (getting better) and for the first time in my life, at 52, I have a real hifi, not just what I could cobble. The microRendu took it places I never thought I could get on a freelancer's budget. The rest is just small refinements on the base. Probably the last tweak is new speaker cables (Tellurium Q black or ultra-blue) but my wife likes things like that to give for Xmas so I'll be patient and nice.

[vortecjr]

Well, ive been letting my mR and SonicTransporter burn in since the night of the 20th, after I complained about a bright sound. I have done very little listening since the 20th, so I don't think it's my brain, so now the mR has really settled in. No real brightness to speak of.

 

That doesn't mean there aren't more tweaks to come. I've ordered a Curious cable (that small 20mm version), and I just got some Blue Jean Cables Cat6a in the mail today (wow, they're fast!). Still deciding what linear PS I will buy for the mR. Otherwise, I'm almost set. Will report back after some serious listening.

 

Thanks for letting us know. You are still using the iFi iPower supply on the microRendu?

[EVOLVIST]

Thanks for letting us know. You are still using the iFi iPower supply on the microRendu?

 

Yes, I am. I haven't decided which linear PS to go with yet.

[vortecjr]

Well, I'm certainly not breaking the bank here (one reason I researched out the rendu)! $550 all in for three power supplies. I put the cheap Chinese supply on the Netgear 105 switch a long time ago, before many many other upgrades, but it did take a care of a persistent cricket chirp I had noticed in the background. So for $800 why the heck not. Another thing to keep in mind is that the cleaner power should lengthen the life of your appliance, esp if you can get it to run cooler.

 

Of course it's all system dependent. My daughter recently toppled one of my Ls50's and stand. The bowl of yogurt that was in her hand and being fed to the gold driver shattered directly on the driver and thankfully stopped the fall on her foot from being worse. They are repaired, but... I never felt they were right for my amp/room. So my dealer had factory second Rega RX3's for $1300 (can't find a flaw myself). Much better all rounders for my small side amp and tuck up against the wall nicely. Most importantly, I took the spikes off, and blue tacked them straight to the floor - which happens to be the biggest upgrade - the $75,000 remodel of the downstairs. Who needs fancy rhodium diamond tip spikes? Brand new 3/4 sawn Oak floor and new subfloor; rock wall in the ceiling and walls, cabinets along the back, heavy french pocket doors to close off room from the rest of the house. Just about anything sounds good in here! So the rest is, like Jesus says fun. But I haven't spent over $125 for cables (used NACA 5 speaker) and am over the moon with the sound.

 

I'm an ex rock photographer (all those grunge pics back in the day , Cobain sprawled on the drum kit etc) with raging tinnitus (getting better) and for the first time in my life, at 52, I have a real hifi, not just what I could cobble. The microRendu took it places I never thought I could get on a freelancer's budget. The rest is just small refinements on the base. Probably the last tweak is new speaker cables (Tellurium Q black or ultra-blue) but my wife likes things like that to give for Xmas so I'll be patient and nice.

 

I was just trying to encourage him. People read these posts and feel like the need to do X, Y and Z to get great sound. Try and imagine the questions I get via email. Our intention is for people to use their existing infrastructure (computer, NAS, network) and add the microRendu as an endpoint in their audio room. Beyond that people are free to experiment or not.

[vortecjr]

Yes, I am. I haven't decided which linear PS to go with yet.

 

Okay.

[EVOLVIST]

Okay.

 

Thank you very much for asking. Yeah, I'm doing some reading on linear PS, because I've never owened one, and I'm trying to understand what makes one more special/pricier than the other.

 

The mR by itself is pretty special, though. I'm glad I got it. Now it's onward and upwards I suppose.

[charlesphoto]

I was just trying to encourage him. People read these posts and feel like the need to do X, Y and Z to get great sound. Try and imagine the questions I get via email. Our intention is for people to use their existing infrastructure (computer, NAS, network) and add the microRendu as an endpoint in their audio room. Beyond that people are free to experiment or not.

 

The we agree to agree! If I was in your shoes I would say the same. It's all system dependent. I'm lucky in that my service in, modem, Vortexbox, switches, power supplies, etc, are on the top shelf of my camera closet in my office directly below the hifi. So everything is maximized for very short runs and separate circuits for not very much $.

 

And you know, I've heard my friend's $250,000 (retail - not what he payed) Naim, Kudos Titan, Chord sarum, system and it was great. But I think my carefully placed $7k system gets me probably 92% of the way there. And even if I knew how to make that other $243,000, I can think of a lot of other things I'd rather do with it.

 

Now, how off topic are we? I just want to say thank you, the microRendu (plus HDPLEX for now) has been kind of life changing for me. my amp is the weak point now, but I love the sound, it was a gift from my wife, and looks bad ass vintage. Now how off topic are we....?

[vortecjr]

Check this out:)

 

[Krutsch]

Looks sweet! Available when?

[vortecjr]

Looks sweet! Available when?

 

Very soon, but let's have Alex spill the beans on that information when he is ready.

[Superdad]

Looks sweet! Available when?

 

Tuesday morning! See: http://www.computeraudiophile.com/f27-uptone-audio-sponsored/ultracap%99-linear-power-supply-1-launch-thread-29974/

[Confused]

Check this out:)

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]29245[/ATTACH]

It looks lovely! It is set on the wrong voltage though......

 

(OK, OK, as well as not actually being connected to Ethernet, a DAC etc.....)

[vortecjr]

it looks lovely! It is set on the wrong voltage though......

 

(ok, ok, as well as not actually being connected to ethernet, a dac etc.....)

 

hahaha

[earnmyturns]

Check this out:)

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]29245[/ATTACH]

No thanks to especially horrid South SF Bay traffic this morning, I barely missed the cut on the first 150 LPS-1s, on the second end-of-October round. This is for my 2nd (still to be ordered) microRendu. What's the current backlog on microRendus? I'd like to minimize the time those two beauties are alone

[vortecjr]

No thanks to especially horrid South SF Bay traffic this morning, I barely missed the cut on the first 150 LPS-1s, on the second end-of-October round. This is for my 2nd (still to be ordered) microRendu. What's the current backlog on microRendus? I'd like to minimize the time those two beauties are alone

 

I can't wait to receive feedback from all the LPS-1 users...this should be interesting. We have units some units left from the current production run and more on the way.

[earnmyturns]

I can't wait to receive feedback from all the LPS-1 users...this should be interesting. We have units some units left from the current production run and more on the way.

Thanks. Second microRendu (for living room system) ordered to wait for the LPS-1.

[Pepsican]

I can't wait to receive feedback from all the LPS-1 users...this should be interesting. We have units some units left from the current production run and more on the way.

 

You'll be getting your own copy according to SuperDad. So, we look forward to a shoot out organised by you between various power supplies. :-)

[vortecjr]

You'll be getting your own copy according to SuperDad. So, we look forward to a shoot out organised by you between various power supplies. :-)

 

I'll have my VP try it out because he is better at these sort of comparisons.

[SamS]

Yes, iPeng or any other squeeze controller. I'm currently using two different android phones, LMS web interface or an SBT as a controller for my prototype microRendu. Yes the touchscreen of an SBT can be setup to control other squeeze players! (including the microRendu)

 

John S.

 

Hi - I am thinking of finally trying a microRendu in my main system especially with the introduction of the new LPS-1, but I have a question related to the above post.

I currently run a Squeeze environment throughout the house with various SBTs and radios. The microRendu would go in the main system and I would still like to occasionally control it from the touch screen of my SBT. Can anyone explain how to make this work. One of the great draws to me of the SBT is the display of album art and ability to manually interact with the unit. I would like to keep that if possible.

 

many thanks

Sam

[firedog]

Hi - I am thinking of finally trying a microRendu in my main system especially with the introduction of the new LPS-1, but I have a question related to the above post.

I currently run a Squeeze environment throughout the house with various SBTs and radios. The microRendu would go in the main system and I would still like to occasionally control it from the touch screen of my SBT. Can anyone explain how to make this work. One of the great draws to me of the SBT is the display of album art and ability to manually interact with the unit. I would like to keep that if possible.

 

many thanks

Sam

 

It's easy. You pick "squeezelite" as the playback app in the mR interface. In the Touch, you go into "settings>choose player" and pick the mR (once the mR is running squeezelite, it shows up one of the SB players in SB interfaces). After that the Touch acts as the interface for the mR. You use the Touch as usual, and the mR feeds your DAC. The Touch just acts as the user interface.

 

Beyond that, you can get any android or Apple tablet - bigger screen than the Touch - and load an app like iPeng, OrangeSqueeze or the official SB app, and you have an even better "touch" experience than with the Touch, IMO. Plus, the tablet follows you around and doesn't tie you to being next to the Touch.

[SamS]

Brilliant firedog - Thank you