Microrendu vs SMS200

[ted_b]

Even if more reports come back favoring the SMS-200 over the microRendu, I plan to stick with Sonore for the reason you state plus the incredible customer support Jesus provides. I've never seen anyone so on top of things in support of both his customers and potential customers.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Computer Audiophile

 

+1

[ducatirider]

If this is in ref to my posts, I'm talking SMS-200, and btw SOtM and Sonore no longer do biz!

 

How can it be a rip off product if the SMS-100 preceded the microrendu? The SMS-200 was designed for Roon support as well as a refresh over the 100.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Computer Audiophile

[kennyb123]

How can it be a rip off product if the SMS-100 preceded the microrendu? The SMS-200 was designed for Roon support as well as a refresh over the 100.

 

The SMS-100 ran the Sonic Orbiter OS created by Small Green Computer and licensed to SoTM. The microRendu runs this OS too.

 

For the SMS-200, it appears that SoTM created their own OS. Compare it to the Sonic Orbiter software and I think you'll see that there is much in common. They even support the exact same modes.

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Computer Audiophile

[jaapdeventer]

Yes the software seems (almost) the same. But the hardware differs a lot. It's the hardware that makes a low noise design. Interesting two new hardware wise very different products result in such improved sq at this price point.

I'm sticking with the one that I expect the software upgrades from.

 

Synology NAS, LPS-1, microRendu, Job INTegrated, Penaudio Cenya.

[firedog]

It's already clear that there isn't a consensus about which one is better sounding (this isn't the only place on the Net where it is discussed).

 

I think it is more a decision of price, features, physical format, customer service, and PS. In a given setup one might sound better, and in another setup the other one.

 

Potential buyers should just think about the different factors and choose whichever one fits them more closely. I don't think there is a wrong or right choice here.

[shoom]

Thanks firedog

 

 

I must admit that when this thread first posted I felt a slight twinge of unease.

I’m not really too sure that ‘’this Vs that’’ type reviews are very useful and usually end up being a bit of a bun fight but that’s just my take.

Maybe a more useful approach would be to review the SMS200 on its own merits or lack of them and let people make their own comparisons based on the many Urendu reviews.

The key questions for me are:

Does the SMS200 work well and is it reliable? Well I’ve been using my unit for a few months without issue. Software upgrades are smooth and effortless.

Does the SMS200 represent good value for money at ‘’its price point’’? Yes I believe so. It’s some of the best money I’ve spent in quite some time.

Is the SMS200 well built? Construction seems to be to a high standard to my eyes.

Does the SMS200 help to get the best from my set up? Yes. I’ve had a nice bump up in SQ to my ears and in my set up compared to using the cubox HQplayer NAA that I previously had.

Does the SMS200 represent good value for money? Yes I think so.

I’ll let others wonder if the SMS200 is a rip off or just a little more choice for the consumer.

I’ve not heard the Urendu so can’t compare but I’m sure based on what I’ve read that it’s a great product at ‘’its price point’’ also.

 

 

 

 

 

[Sonic77]

It will always come down to preferance.

[Albrecht]

I had a Bryston Bdp2 with a W4s Recovery , I sold to buy a Microrendu. I tested the Recovery with the Microrendu and the sound was not good. A lot of inner detail was not there, so I sold the Recovery, I should have kept it to go with the sms 200

Thanks for this info. I was going to buy and RUR to toss in the chain, - now I likely will try some other things first, - or not try the RUR at all.

 

Cheers,

[SwissBear]

If you have a DAC which has a capable AES/EBU or S-P/DIF input, I would like to add that the µ-rendu, combined with a Mutec MC-3+ USB, is an absolutely fantastic combination.

 

I have this combination configured with the recommendations of this thread: http://www.computeraudiophile.com/f10-music-servers/novel-way-massively-improve-sq-sms-200-and-microrendu-31110/#post618454

ie µ-rendu connected on a bridged MacMini Ethernet interface instead of going through a switch.

 

I am feeding this with HQPlayer in NAA mode.

HQplayer is doing a tremendous job in the fields of upsampling and correction impulses convolution.

 

The level of details produced is astonishing, there is absolutely no fatigue, aso... The sound image has never been so real.

 

I would also second the appreciation about the high standard of support provided by Jesus from Sonore with respect to the µ-rendu. This is also true from Chris from Mutec and Miska from HQPlayer BTW.

 

So incredible sound quality and fantastic support, what else do we need ?

[Pepsican]

I think it is more a decision of price, features, physical format, customer service, and PS. In a given setup one might sound better, and in another setup the other one.

 

Well put. Wasn't Hi-Fi supposed to be about the synergy between the components as much as, or more, the quality of the component itself?

[Vitor]

Can anyone guide me, please on how to use Roon and HQPlayer as a transport with the sotm sms 200?

It seems that in the eunhasu page it's only possible to have one of the options "active".

Should be pretty straightforward, I might skipping a step in the configurations.

Thanks in advance.

[tboooe]

Can anyone guide me, please on how to use Roon and HQPlayer as a transport with the sotm sms 200?

It seems that in the eunhasu page it's only possible to have one of the options "active".

Should be pretty straightforward, I might skipping a step in the configurations.

Thanks in advance.

 

Select NAA in the SMS-200 interface. From HQP select the SMS-200 in the settings menu. From Roon select HQP as output device.

[Vitor]

Select NAA in the SMS-200 interface. From HQP select the SMS-200 in the settings menu. From Roon select HQP as output device.

 

Did all that, in Roon when hitting play I get the message: "Transport: Couldn't connect to HQPlayer"...

[tboooe]

Did all that, in Roon when hitting play I get the message: "Transport: Couldn't connect to HQPlayer"...

In Roon settings under Audio tab in the HQP section what did you enter? If Roon and HQP are on the same PC it should say local host.

[Vitor]

In Roon settings under Audio tab in the HQP section what did you enter? If Roon and HQP are on the same PC it should say local host.

 

This is what it looks like:

 

[tboooe]

This is what it looks like:

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]32944[/ATTACH]

Click on Add Network Device and then enter "localhost" assuming Roon and HQP are on the same machine, otherwise enter the IP of the machine running HQP.

[Vitor]

Click on Add Network Device and then enter "localhost" assuming Roon and HQP are on the same machine, otherwise enter the IP of the machine running HQP.

 

That was the missing step...many thanks!

[austinpop]

Readers of this thread may be interested in my findings reported here:

 

http://www.computeraudiophile.com/f22-networking-networked-audio-and-streaming/auralic-aries-mini-vs-sonore-microrendu-vs-soul-music-sms-200-listening-impressions-31499/

[jaaptina]

Today we compared my microRendu with my friends brand new Sotm sms-200. With Job INTegrated we got the Sotm working fine. I'm used to streaming Qobuz with microRendu (Sublime abo). Strangely Qobuz would not play with the Sotm. I could select a track but it wouldn't play. The same track played fine with microRendu. Next we tried a Sonneteer Alabaster amp with WaveIO usb to Spdif converter between streamer and dac. We didn't get the Sotm playing in this set up. No definite conclusions here but Sotm seems to be more picky on dacs. But why it didn't play Qobuz I don't know. Unfortunately we didn't really to get to compare sound quality between Sotm and microRendu. We had fun trying though.

[austinpop]

Today we compared my microRendu with my friends brand new Sotm sms-200. With Job INTegrated we got the Sotm working fine. I'm used to streaming Qobuz with microRendu (Sublime abo). Strangely Qobuz would not play with the Sotm. I could select a track but it wouldn't play. The same track played fine with microRendu. Next we tried a Sonneteer Alabaster amp with WaveIO usb to Spdif converter between streamer and dac. We didn't get the Sotm playing in this set up. No definite conclusions here but Sotm seems to be more picky on dacs. But why it didn't play Qobuz I don't know. Unfortunately we didn't really to get to compare sound quality between Sotm and microRendu. We had fun trying though.

 

Hope to hear an SQ comparison once you get these functional issues sorted.

[jtwrace]

I never even heard of this unit before this thread. Strange. So I have to ask as it seems very coincidental to me that there are two products that are so similar it's scary.

 

Has Chris @The Computer Audiophile posted anything yet?

[4est]

I never even heard of this unit before this thread. Strange. So I have to ask as it seems very coincidental to me that there are two products that are so similar it's scary.

 

Has Chris @The Computer Audiophile posted anything yet?

 

Do we need Chris to establish reality? The sMS 200 has been out for awhile, and in the pipeline for quite awhile longer. You just missed it. I enjoyed my sMS 100.

[artur9]

I never even heard of this unit before this thread. Strange. So I have to ask as it seems very coincidental to me that there are two products that are so similar it's scary.

 

Not sure what you're getting at? I've been enjoying mine for the last 6 months. It's an all around stellar device.

[firedog]

I never even heard of this unit before this thread. Strange. So I have to ask as it seems very coincidental to me that there are two products that are so similar it's scary.

 

Has Chris @The Computer Audiophile posted anything yet?

 

Not so strange. SOtM marketed the SMS-100, which was based on Sonic Orbiter OS and sort of a Sonore/SGC developed computer product marketed with SOtM branding. Was also sold by Sonore. Basically an off the shelf all in one board computer playback device run by SonicOrbiter OS written especially for it (instead of a more standard all purpose version of Liinux as OS).

 

SOtM eventually discontinued it and brought out the successor, the SMS-200. Basically, they designed their own new HW and wrote an OS that mimics what SonicOrbiter did for them in the SMS-100. Sonore and SGC are not connected directly to this product. You could say the SMS-100 they helped develop was the "inspiration" for it.

 

The SMS-200 is much the same idea as the mR, but a different design. It adds the ability to attach a USB HD, if you think that is a positive thing (Sonore doesn't think it's a positive for ultimate SQ, and the mR doesn't include it). Instead of having a Regen type USB circuitry built in (like the mR), they use their own ideas about clean USB (derived from their longstanding production of "audiophile" USB cards).

 

I wouldn't call it a coincidence or scary. The SMS-100 was a legit product marketed by SOtM. They simply took the concept and tried to improve it and make it more "audiophile". Without the connection to Sonore/SGC, SOtM couldn't use SonicOrbiter OS. So they wrote something similar.

 

Sonore did the parallel thing with the mR. Different product. Different design decisions. Same basic concept. But they still work with SGC and have rights to use SonicOrbiter OS.

[jtwrace]

Do we need Chris to establish reality? The sMS 200 has been out for awhile, and in the pipeline for quite awhile longer. You just missed it. I enjoyed my sMS 100.

 

Huh? He doesn't need to establish anything and obviously I did miss it. Big deal. It was a question if he has posted about it. Geez.