I regret to buy a microrendu / How can I convince myself ?

[Hailey]

I think you can put the microRendu and the PC on the same network both via ethernet and then run a USB cable to your DAC.

 

With something like the Auralic Aries, you can eliminate the PC by just linking a USB hard drive to the Aries and then go USB or other digital inputs to your DAC. It is simpler if you prefer something like that. I think though you may benefit from a USB fixer like the Regen or W4S Recovery in this case. It is something to consider if you wish to eliminate the PC and have other digital outputs. FWIW I understand the new firmware makes it very competitive to the microRendu.

 

Where the microRendu wins I think is the HQ Player NAA option which is not available with the Aries. But that involves playing around more with computers which may not be what you want from your opening post.

 

This has been my suspicion about mRendu--it complicates more than it simplifies. Just get a Mac Mini, swap out the spinner for a hard drive, add a high-quality external linear power supply like the UpTone audio JS-2, add their USB Regen, and be happy.

[jacquesr]

Many people here recommend this one - cheap:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001QUA6R0/ref=ox_sc_sfl_title_10?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

 

 

 

in terms of stability, extra cable and another router will be the best choice. If I use my MBP to transfer data to mR, the noise PC will degrade SQ. commercial router is not good enough but it can perform better than my noisy PC.

 

I may need an audiophile grade router (low noisy motherboard and circuit design and stable photoelectric conversion)

[ecwl]

in terms of stability, extra cable and another router will be the best choice. If I use my MBP to transfer data to mR, the noise PC will degrade SQ. commercial router is not good enough but it can perform better than my noisy PC.

 

I may need an audiophile grade router (low noisy motherboard and circuit design and stable photoelectric conversion)

 

If you play music from your MBP to your mR, the noise from the PC would not degrade the SQ because you're taking advantage of Ethernet connection of the mR. I think it's sometimes more important to actually just hook up the system and listen, rather than theorize whether there is noise or there isn't noise somewhere that may or may not affect the SQ. Also obviously, if you ask a lot of different people about their opinion and list all your potential concerns, some people going to propose more and more complicated and expensive solutions for you.

 

So the simplest way to do this is if your main router is not super far from the mR, just buy a long enough Ethernet cable and connect the router directly to the mR. You don't have to worry about audiophile grade router, etc with all these theoretical concerns. Just hook it up and listen.

 

If the main router is too far, assuming you have an airport extreme or another apple router, you would need a wifi extender and you'd probably want to get an airport express and configure it as a WiFi bridge to your main router and then connect this airport express to the mR with an ethernet cable and enjoy the music.

[firedog]

This has been my suspicion about mRendu--it complicates more than it simplifies. Just get a Mac Mini, swap out the spinner for a hard drive, add a high-quality external linear power supply like the UpTone audio JS-2, add their USB Regen, and be happy.

 

The Regen is a USB cleanup device; the mR is an ethernet>USB converter. It also contains regen type circuitry within. You keep saying it's complicated - it isn't. You connect one side of it to your network and the other side to your USB DAC. It's one device; so it isn't any more complicated than adding in a Regen.

 

The mR is part of what computer audiophiles often call a "2 PC" setup: one pc acts as file server processor (which can include upsampling, room correction, or DSP) and the 2nd "pc" just does playback. The idea is that the 2nd pc is an electrically quiet unit with minimal software - and as such gives better playback SQ than a direct connection over USB from a server+playback PC to your DAC.

The mR is an audiophile device designed just for music playback from a networked source. It doesn't do anything else, and unlike a computer, there aren't any parts or software to tweak.

 

Lots of Mac Mini users think adding an mR into their system improved the SQ.

 

You are convincing itself it is complicated when it isn't.

[Hailey]

The Regen is a USB cleanup device; the mR is an ethernet>USB converter. It also contains regen type circuitry within. You keep saying it's complicated - it isn't. You connect one side of it to your network and the other side to your USB DAC. It's one device; so it isn't any more complicated than adding in a Regen.

 

The mR is part of what computer audiophiles often call a "2 PC" setup: one pc acts as file server processor (which can include upsampling, room correction, or DSP) and the 2nd "pc" just does playback. The idea is that the 2nd pc is an electrically quiet unit with minimal software - and as such gives better playback SQ than a direct connection over USB from a server+playback PC to your DAC.

The mR is an audiophile device designed just for music playback from a networked source. It doesn't do anything else, and unlike a computer, there aren't any parts or software to tweak.

 

Lots of Mac Mini users think adding an mR into their system improved the SQ.

 

You are convincing itself it is complicated when it isn't.

 

This is really helpful, actually. The two computer setup makes a lot of sense. That's where I was tripping up...thinking of mRendu as somehow replacing the MacMini, whereas you're suggesting that it's a matter of separating out the playback from the server functions.

 

Which makes a lot of sense.

[jamesg11]

- & this is what I'll likely do, as a first move - replace my regen with the mR. Thanks for the clarity fdog. So what is the mR output mode that approximates my macmini usage: A+, HQP, files from a big harddrive? Decent ethernet cable?

[Astralark]

Thank you very much. These days I learn a lot. It is really a good stuff. My mR will arrive tomorrow. I also ordered a supra CAT8 and curious cable. I am currently use my MBP via thunderbolt to Ethernet adaptor until I order a Sonictransporter. Thanks again

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Computer Audiophile

[firedog]

- & this is what I'll likely do, as a first move - replace my regen with the mR. Thanks for the clarity fdog. So what is the mR output mode that approximates my macmini usage: A+, HQP, files from a big harddrive? Decent ethernet cable?

 

If I understand you correctly you need either a computer/server powerful enough for HQP + mR in NAA mode, or NAS + HQP computer + mR as NAA. You could also use Roon on a computer for a better interface.

 

If your mac mini is already running your HQP functions, all you have to do is keep it as your server and make the HQP output as the NAA in HQP settings. Then the mR is your NAA, being served from your Mini. Again, Roon on the server makes for a better user experience.

[Rexp]

- & this is what I'll likely do, as a first move - replace my regen with the mR. Thanks for the clarity fdog. So what is the mR output mode that approximates my macmini usage: A+, HQP, files from a big harddrive? Decent ethernet cable?

I asked this in another thread, see post 17 onwards:

 

http://www.computeraudiophile.com/f10-music-servers/looking-better-option-29209/

[Brojito]

Any good recommendation on a Supra Cat8 or USB distributor in the US?