Sonore microRendu

[vortecjr]

Hello Jesus,

 

glad to hear that your microRendu might soon be available! Please go for it til April...

 

I am looking forward to it anyways and have two more questions:

 

1 Do you have plans to support MQA in the future?

 

2 Will the microRendu work with the updated Burson Conductor v2+ Sabre /XMOS implementation (technical details can be found here

 

Burson Audio – Conductor V2+ )

 

as well as the EC Designs Mosaic T DAC (of course using their USB to Toslink bridge too)?

 

EC designs - Home

 

Best regards

zikarus

 

The microRendu will pass MQA encoded content without issue. All that is needed is a compatible server and DAC. I see no issue supporting your devices.

[vortecjr]

John,

 

Is there anything preventing one from purchasing the unit and running their own Linux kernel and software? Are there specific drivers that would prevent this?

 

I've been running PC Engines Alix boards and Linux+MPD since 2007 with very good results. I like having the option of not being locked in to a vendor for software support if possible.

 

Sincerely,

 

Nick

 

You would be wasting your money to do that. Understand that the microRendu is a software and hardware project optimized to work together.

[vortecjr]

Not if I can buy the hardware and have the option of using my own software, if I wish, further down the line. I'm interested in the hardware as it currently is being described. But I tend to eschew proprietary software or vendor lock-in. I don't use Roon, Tidal etc., and prefer a simple MPD to NAS setup.

 

Do I get console access to the device if I want to? Are there any special drivers that would make the device useless should I choose to use your software?

 

Sincerely,

 

Nick

 

You can set the unit to run MPD and mount a NAS as is. We will not facilitate console access to the unit. I'm sorry, but I'm going to pass on discussing additional details of the design.

[vortecjr]

That is OK.

 

Are you GPL compliant with modifications to GPL code (Linux kernel, MPD, any GNU tools) that you are using with this or any other of your products as far changes to code? I didn't see anything on your website.

 

Nick

 

Yes. We are not changing code on those projects. Well we are changing the kernel to add device support for native DSD, but that is also an open source project.

[vortecjr]

h

 

And that's great. But I don't see anywhere on your website were you offering the source code to the products that you are offering commercially using GPL code. Can you please elaborate?

 

Nick

 

I don't care to elaborate further on it here. You can email me if you like at [email protected]

[vortecjr]

If I run MinimServer on the Windows 10 Pro machine that hosts my music files and BubbleUPnP on an Android device as controller, do I really need something like JRiver as well for DLNA mode? I'm currently an A+ user so I'm unfamiliar with using DLNA, although I have played around a bit with setting up an Auralic Aries with its Lightning DS iPad app. I want to be able to play my local ripped WAV files and stream Qobuz.

 

A separate question. Since Qobuz streaming is integrated into A+, could I not also use A+ to stream Qobuz and use the shairport mode of the micro rendu?

 

Once I have answers to those two questions ... which approach is likely going to sound better?

 

MinimServer on your computer and BubbleUPnP on your Android would be all that is needed along with the microRendu in DLNA/MPD output mode. If A+ supports Qobuz via Airplay it should work with the Shairport output mode.

[vortecjr]

I read John's post again and he is expressing his observations and trying to explain what "may" be happening. He also qualifies that he has not done exhaustive testing. We should not make generalizations about this and people should try things for themselves in their system.

[vortecjr]

Actually, that's an interesting question, especially if one uses the microRendu as an HQP NAA or Roon output: what about the server that would be running HQPlayer and/or Roon? Does it have to be optimised or there's no real sq difference? Have you guys made any comparisons/experiments at all until now?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Computer Audiophile mobile app

 

I have not done these kinds of comparisons/experiments and probably will not. However, Chris reviewed the Sonore Sonicorbiter SE and said, "I couldn't hear a hint of difference between the sources when sending audio over Ethernet to the RoonReady Sonicorbiter SE. This combined with the fact I have no idea how the source could possibly effect the sound of the Ethernet endpoint in this situation, lead me to believe the source has no effect on sound quality."

 

He was using these sources five different computers as Roon servers to send audio to the Sonicorbiter SE.

1. Windows 8.1 noisy, non-tweaked (hardware or software) PC with 6TB spinning drives of local storage.

2. Windows 2012 R2 server SOtM / AO server with highly tweaker hardware and software.

3. OS X El Capitan MacBook Pro

4. OS X El Capitan / Windows 10 (Boot Camp) MacBook Pro retina

5. OS X El Capitan iMac 5K

 

Source: Computer Audiophile - A Quick Spin With The RoonReady Sonore Sonicorbiter SE

[vortecjr]

Just out of curiosity, if I plan to use the DLNA mode with the MicroRendu does it require internet access?

 

The unit needs to be connected to a router for some of the features to work properly.

[vortecjr]

Thanks for your post. Can you elaborate a bit further? What kind of PC or MAC where you using as file server? Or, were you using a PC in conjunction with a NAS? I saw that Auralic just recently got UpNP functionality working, as it wasn't before the latest updates.

 

Thanks in advance.

 

This is starting to get off topic. Please start a new thread in the general forum.

[vortecjr]

Jesus, sorry I didn't intend to drift OT. Thanks for pointing out those comments from Chris in your post #510. I'd read his article but hadn't been following the comments section.

 

To clarify for Albrecht, I should have said OpenHome rather than UPnP. Any further discussion let's just use PM to keep this thread appropriately focused on the micro rendu.

 

No problem. I want encourage spin offs and prevent things from getting to far of course.

[vortecjr]

Jesus, with microRendu will it be a great difference between a highly specified music server for audio and a MacBook pro or macmini?

 

Don't let the size or price fool you because the microRendu packs a big punch. If your not an early adopter you can wait and see customer feedback and Chris' exclusive review.

[vortecjr]

Jesus, as a user of the regen, I have faith. Plus the Sig Rendu sound has been describe in reviews to be clear and pure, just the way I like it. My home network has been wired, I'm ready to order the NAS, all I need is the microRendu.

 

So, do you have a list for those who wish to pre order or wish to be an early adopter? If so I'd like to be on it. I would like to receive one of the first batch and would appreciate an email for when you are ready to accept orders, pre order, pre pay or simply get on the list.

 

I'm assuming the design has been frozen for the first production run and you are waiting for the first batch. Any update of the timing? And, as usual, thanks for your patience. 8-)

 

Everything is on order and we are waiting for the parts to arrive. I don't even have a unit at this point because my unit is out for initial feedback from industry friends. When we are ready an email will going to out to the people that participated in the microRendu mailing list. BTW I closed the mailing list when we sent out the first update a few weeks go.

[vortecjr]

If the mailing list is closed, it looks like I'm out of luck for now. Plus it looks like at least a couple months for product to be available. The good news is this will help my cashflow. 8-) Thanks for the response, I'm sure it will help all of us who are curious and waiting.

 

I hope not, but there is no way to predict it at this time.

[vortecjr]

Jesus maybe you answered this but I am sorry to say I wont be buying a Sonic Orbiter SE. It will be micro Rendu instead. So my question is when the Rendu's be in supply for order?

 

I'm trying not to answer it because I'm not sure yet. Hopefully soon.

[vortecjr]

I am new to this thread and interested indeed... Simple question: will the following work with music files located on a Vortexbox NAS which is connected to a router?

 

FLAC / WAV / DSD64 => JRiver MC21 controller on iMac => JRiver conversion on the fly to DSD256 => WiFi => router => ethernet => microRendu in DLNA output mode => Combo384 Amanero / DSD256 capable Lampizator ?

 

And if not, would it work converting to DSD128?

 

I'm not aware that JRiver can do that with the DLNA output. My understanding is that the resampling in DLNA mode is limited to PCM rates. You might want to consider HQ Player with the microRendu in NAA output mode. Also, we are still working on support for the Amanero board and until it's finalized you would be limed to DSD/DoP128.

[vortecjr]

Thanks, Jesus. For your information, I tested resampling to DSD256 in DLNA mode with JRiver, and it works with foobar2000 as renderer going into the Amanero board.

 

Attach a screenshot of the setup in JRiver.

[vortecjr]

1 and 2 should be fine. 2 has not been verified and needs to have the same USB IDs as the nano and micro.

[vortecjr]

See screenshot.

 

However, I now realize that JRiver's DSP Studio setting on the controller side has no effect in DLNA mode, and it is the foo_dsd_asio plugin which resamples to DSD256 on the renderer side :-|

 

So I would still need HQPlayer?

 

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]24614[/ATTACH]

 

For a minute I thought I missed something in a new release. You will need HQ Player.

[vortecjr]

Jesus,

 

I'm trying to understand what the microRendu does, but I'm thoroughly confused by the product description.

 

If the output of the microRendu is USB, then aren't the "selectable output modes" in the product description really (Ethernet} input modes?

 

Please help me understand how this product is intended to function. Thanks.

 

Best regards,

 

Guido F.

 

You could look at it that way. Just to clarify though...when you select an output mode the remaining output modes are not doing anything. All you need in the audio room is the microRendu connected to power, network, and your audio system. All you need to stream to it is a NAS or computer running LMS on the network. Most any NAS or computer will do. In this example, I assume that you have selected SqueezeLite output mode. With the microRendu you no longer need a complex music server in the audio room wiping away unwanted hardware and software. Whats left is roughly the size of a credit card (LxW) streaming USB Audio to your gear. You also needed an external power supply, but if you already have a good one that is great because we will offer the microRendu without it as an option.

[vortecjr]

No problem. I'll be following along on the new thread from the sidelines.

[vortecjr]

Jesus,

 

Does this quote from you in the SonicOrbiter SE thread also apply to the microRendu?

 

"2. Sonicorbiter now have the ability to add a custom USBhardware address for certain devices that need to be initialed in ALSA with a none standard hardware address. FYI Most devices will not need this feature. However, one such device that needs this feature is a Schitt Gungnir DAC that is based on a C-MediaUSB receiver chip. The Schitt Gungnir DAC works best when setup to hardware address hw:1,1."

 

Also does this apply to both the orginal version of the Gungnir and the newer Gungnir Multibit? Thanks much.

 

Yes. This will be included in the microRendu. It's likely that any Schitt DAC that uses the C-Media USB receiver chip will need this, but I'm not 100% sure because it's based on how they set things up in their firmware.

[vortecjr]

Thank you for the explanation, Jesus. So, if I understand you correctly, the "output" that is selectable is the server's output, not the microRendu's. Correct?

 

Thanks again for the prompt reply.

 

Guido F.

 

No. What we call the "output mode" is in reference to what applications run on the microRendu. All the output modes on the microRendu are ported to stream via the USB port. On the Sonicorbter SE the output modes can be ported to stream to the units optical output or USB port selectable by the user via the GUI.

[vortecjr]

So, according to the above I cannot connect the microRendu to my router then plug a USB HD music library plus my DAC into the microRendu and play music?

This is basically my current config using an Auralic Aries - except the connection to the router is via WiFi.

TIA

Doak

 

This is specifically what we are trying to avoid with this product by design.

[vortecjr]

If I am not mistaken. The microRendu has just ONE input, Ethernet and ONE output, USB. The USB is to connect directly to your DAC's USB input.

To use an USB HD you can use it in one of several ways.

Connect the USB HD to one of the unused USB ports on your computer that you then connect to your Router by Ethernet and that the microRendu is also connected to Router by Ethernet. Connect microRendu to your DAC by USB.

Use an NAS that also has USB ports and connect the NAS by Ethernet to the Router and do the same with the microRendu by Ethernet.Then connect your DAC to the microRendu by USB.

Maybe (Jesus will need to confirm): Use a Router that also has USB ports and connect the USB HD to it and then connect the microRendu to the Router by Ethernet.Connect your DAC to the microRendu by USB.

 

I believe the first two should work and maybe the third but Jesus will need to confirm all three.

 

You can connect your drives anyplace on your network that your server software can access them.