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Article: Sonore microRendu Review, Part 2


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Hello everyone,

 

I am glad i found these review, i here am hesitating on how would be the best an simple way to achieve the best performance from The MicroRendu:

 

1.- i have the SonicTrasporter i5 replacing my MacMini, is this a good device to upgrade over the Mac mini, or does a NAS Synology would be better?

2.- I have the BJ CAT 6A, are they ok or Audioquest Vodka is a better way ti enhance the performance?

3.- i have the MR connected directly to my Auralic Vega with a Curious Link USB cable, how can i better the sound from this, adding a Acousense AFI-USB or some similar converter, would it be better to convert the usb signal to a AES, BNC or SPDIF?

4.- Should i add HQplayer/ROON instead of only ROON like i am using it now?

5.- Does adding an Airport Express helps to SQ vs my regular modem?

 

Thanks to everyone for your inputs on this

 

kind regards

 

Mike

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Hello everyone,

 

I am glad i found these review, i here am hesitating on how would be the best an simple way to achieve the best performance from The MicroRendu:

 

1.- i have the SonicTrasporter i5 replacing my MacMini, is this a good device to upgrade over the Mac mini, or does a NAS Synology would be better?

2.- I have the BJ CAT 6A, are they ok or Audioquest Vodka is a better way ti enhance the performance?

3.- i have the MR connected directly to my Auralic Vega with a Curious Link USB cable, how can i better the sound from this, adding a Acousense AFI-USB or some similar converter, would it be better to convert the usb signal to a AES, BNC or SPDIF?

4.- Should i add HQplayer/ROON instead of only ROON like i am using it now?

5.- Does adding an Airport Express helps to SQ vs my regular modem?

 

Thanks to everyone for your inputs on this

 

kind regards

 

Mike

 

I think your present cabling and setup is fine. I'd assume the Sonic Transporter might give you a bit of an upgrade over the MM, but having the mR in the chain certainly mitigates whatever difference there might be between those two sources/servers - that's the reason for the mR, after all. I can't think of any SQ reason a Synology would be preferred to the ST.

 

Your best bet for improving SQ is probably adding one of the better upgrade power supplies available for the mR. I'm using the Uptone LPS-1 and am very happy with it. Better than both the stock PS and the iFi PS.

 

As far as adding other tweaks, I don't think you can know if they are worth it in your system till you try them.

 

HQ Player is really only useful if you prefer its filters and/or upsampling. Download the trial version and play with it to see if it makes a difference. But realize that for extreme upsampling you'd probably need a more powerful (i7) server.

Main listening (small home office):

Main setup: Surge protector +>Isol-8 Mini sub Axis Power Strip/Isolation>QuietPC Low Noise Server>Roon (Audiolense DRC)>Stack Audio Link II>Kii Control>Kii Three (on their own electric circuit) >GIK Room Treatments.

Secondary Path: Server with Audiolense RC>RPi4 or analog>Cayin iDAC6 MKII (tube mode) (XLR)>Kii Three .

Bedroom: SBTouch to Cambridge Soundworks Desktop Setup.
Living Room/Kitchen: Ropieee (RPi3b+ with touchscreen) + Schiit Modi3E to a pair of Morel Hogtalare. 

All absolute statements about audio are false :)

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I think your present cabling and setup is fine. I'd assume the Sonic Transporter might give you a bit of an upgrade over the MM, but having the mR in the chain certainly mitigates whatever difference there might be between those two sources/servers - that's the reason for the mR, after all. I can't think of any SQ reason a Synology would be preferred to the ST.

 

Your best bet for improving SQ is probably adding one of the better upgrade power supplies available for the mR. I'm using the Uptone LPS-1 and am very happy with it. Better than both the stock PS and the iFi PS.

 

As far as adding other tweaks, I don't think you can know if they are worth it in your system till you try them.

 

HQ Player is really only useful if you prefer its filters and/or upsampling. Download the trial version and play with it to see if it makes a difference. But realize that for extreme upsampling you'd probably need a more powerful (i7) server.

 

Firedog, Thanks so much for your input on this,

 

 

I am very tempting to add a digital converter to the chain as i listen and read that it could better the sound mitigating the noise coming from USB...are you using a digital converter?

 

regards

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Firedog, Thanks so much for your input on this,

 

 

I am very tempting to add a digital converter to the chain as i listen and read that it could better the sound mitigating the noise coming from USB...are you using a digital converter?

 

regards

 

No, I'm not. If you look at my setup, it is pretty much optimized for network to USB. And my DAC (like most) is more versatile with high sample rates/DSD with USB. For me, the reason to use a digital to digital converter would be if you know that your DAC works better with an input other than USB. But if that's the case, I wouldn't use the mR, I'd use the digital to digital converter between the server and the DAC.

Main listening (small home office):

Main setup: Surge protector +>Isol-8 Mini sub Axis Power Strip/Isolation>QuietPC Low Noise Server>Roon (Audiolense DRC)>Stack Audio Link II>Kii Control>Kii Three (on their own electric circuit) >GIK Room Treatments.

Secondary Path: Server with Audiolense RC>RPi4 or analog>Cayin iDAC6 MKII (tube mode) (XLR)>Kii Three .

Bedroom: SBTouch to Cambridge Soundworks Desktop Setup.
Living Room/Kitchen: Ropieee (RPi3b+ with touchscreen) + Schiit Modi3E to a pair of Morel Hogtalare. 

All absolute statements about audio are false :)

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  • 2 weeks later...

Guys, Ive recently ordered microRendu and want to ask you about some advise. I have 3 scenarios how to connect it.

1. Via wireless to iMac with using apple airport (already have)

2. Via 5 meter ethernet cable supra cat7 (going to order one) to iMac

3. Via 0.5 meter ethernet cable supra cat8 to NAS (already ordered)

 

So the question is, if it makes sense to order 5m ethernet cable (~$100) and connect mR directly to iMac, or 5 meters is too much and I would have some degradation in sound, as well as with wireless, so just save money and use wireless and later use NAS with 0.5m cable. What do you think?

dCS Network Bridge | Audio Note DAC2 Signature | Audio Note M5 Preamp | Audio Note Empress Silver Monoblocks | Audio Note AN-E/Spe HE Speakers

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Guys, Ive recently ordered microRendu and want to ask you about some advise. I have 3 scenarios how to connect it.

1. Via wireless to iMac with using apple airport (already have)

2. Via 5 meter ethernet cable supra cat7 (going to order one) to iMac

3. Via 0.5 meter ethernet cable supra cat8 to NAS (already ordered)

 

So the question is, if it makes sense to order 5m ethernet cable (~$100) and connect mR directly to iMac, or 5 meters is too much and I would have some degradation in sound, as well as with wireless, so just save money and use wireless and later use NAS with 0.5m cable. What do you think?

 

1. I would not recommend any wireless solution. Although WiFi should work, in practice enough customers have problems with

it that I do not recommend it. WiFi also likely leads to more error correction, which could effect sound quality negatively. I

also would not want a WiFi transceiver close to the audio system, as this is by definition a RFI injector.

2. So far Blue Jeans Cable CAT 6A has been my favorite Ethernet cable. Do not use CAT7 cables which connect the shield at

both ends to the plug shells, as this can create a ground loop path which is to be avoided.

3. I would not want a NAS anywhere near my system with all its noise. A big advantage of the µRendu is getting all the

consumer grade computer equipment away from the audio system.

 

I would not worry about Ethernet cable loss <30'. I hear no difference from a 30' length of BJC CAT 6A to a 6' length of same. This is why we use Ethernet in the first place.

I am very skeptical about Ethernet cable advantages beyond the excellent quality of BJC CAT 6A, (and has out performed generic CAT 7 in my system); but I look forward to testing one specific brand of "audiophile" CAT cable soon...

SO/ROON/HQPe: DSD 512-Sonore opticalModuleDeluxe-Signature Rendu optical with Well Tempered Clock--DIY DSC-2 DAC with SC Pure Clock--DIY Purifi Amplifier-Focus Audio FS888 speakers-JL E 112 sub-Nordost Tyr USB, DIY EventHorizon AC cables, Iconoclast XLR & speaker cables, Synergistic Purple Fuses, Spacetime system clarifiers.  ISOAcoustics Oreas footers.                                                       

                                                                                           SONORE computer audio

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Do not use CAT7 cables

Thanks for the detailed answer, and what about CAT8 cables? Are they also not good for audio compering to CAT6A?

dCS Network Bridge | Audio Note DAC2 Signature | Audio Note M5 Preamp | Audio Note Empress Silver Monoblocks | Audio Note AN-E/Spe HE Speakers

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Thanks for the detailed answer, and what about CAT8 cables? Are they also not good for audio compering to CAT6A?

 

Well, I would hesitate in saying not good entirely... My concern is that CAT 7 (and CAT 8) cables with metal shell plugs terminate the shield at both ends of the cable, and this has the potential to create a ground loop. One of the nice advantages of Ethernet is no ground connection (transformer isolated) and this shield connection can defeat the isolation. But, it will be dependent on the system and how the individual devices (routers, switches, etc) are engineered, so it may not cause problems. But the potential for problems is there, and in my experience a grounded shield does not offer any real world benefits, so I feel it is best to avoid that. But, some other people might have different experiences, and like I said, this is going to be system dependent.

The extended bandwidth of CAT 7 & 8 might be a benefit, but CAT 6A already has more than enough bandwidth to transmit high res audio without problems, so I feel like why bother with creating potential problems (ground loops) if there is no need to do so.

SO/ROON/HQPe: DSD 512-Sonore opticalModuleDeluxe-Signature Rendu optical with Well Tempered Clock--DIY DSC-2 DAC with SC Pure Clock--DIY Purifi Amplifier-Focus Audio FS888 speakers-JL E 112 sub-Nordost Tyr USB, DIY EventHorizon AC cables, Iconoclast XLR & speaker cables, Synergistic Purple Fuses, Spacetime system clarifiers.  ISOAcoustics Oreas footers.                                                       

                                                                                           SONORE computer audio

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  • 1 month later...
Great review as always, Chris. The microRendu is a game changer for USB performance.

 

BTW, the keyboardist for the George Harrison benefit concert (While My Guitar Gently Weeps Prince solo, etc) was the legendary Steve Winwood (Spencer Davis Group, Traffic, Blind Fiath, solo work, etc).

 

 

Stop reading now. It becomes derivative and troll filled. I'm sure you have something better to do with your time.

Main: sonicTransporter I5>etherRegen>opticalRendu/ghent/UltraCap 1.2> WireWorld Platinum>YGGY Atma-sphere MP-1 3.1> Hegel 30> Maggie 1.7, REL SE 212: Zero Autoformers, Interconnects , Analysis Plus Silver Oval-In, Nordost Heimdall, Power Cables: Synergistic./Shunyata>Chang Litespeed 

HT:Dish>OPPO>Marantz>Hegel> 3-Maggies/2-Quads>REL Gibraltar>Custom Wire loom>APS>Samsung Plasma 55"

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