New Amarra 4

[DancingSea]

12 hours ago, GregWormald said:

And yes, the software does have its foibles, but the sound quality beats everything else I've tried.

Interesting to see where the posse is these days.  I’m in a zone where I’ve found the best sound to be no computer.  After giving up on Amarra, spent several years with Roon and HQPlayer.  Last summer I bought a Marantz SACD 30n which plays CDs, SACDs, and data discs. It also has Tidal Connect which plays music directly from the Tidal servers.  In terms of sound quality, the combination of physical discs and Tidal Connect has proved better than any computer based rig I’ve tried. 

[DancingSea]

10 hours ago, GregWormald said:

How could you tell it was just the computer? And what was the computer?

Well, I’ve done numerous experiments and the sound quality is noticeably better when I remove the Mac Mini (and the MicroRendu 1.4) from the chain. Be it via physical disks, or directly connecting a USB drive to the Marantz, or utilizing Tidal Connect directly, with no computer. 
 

In every case, the sound is simply much better.  Removing the computer and any software computer based player sounds way better.  I’m guessing I need to spend a lot to bring the computer chain to a level playing field. 

[DancingSea]

54 minutes ago, Rexp said:

Are you using analogue out from the 30n?

 

Yes, I'm using the 30n as a DAC outputting analog via the variable output to, currently, a Decware ZRock2 (amazing!) into a Decware CSp3 (amazing!) into the Marantz Model 30 in power amp mode.... sounds beyond anything I thought possible....

 

I sold the mR, but now have an iFi Zen Stream with iFi Elite power supply.  Roon through it to the Marantz 30n sounds pretty good.  Not quite as good as discs, or Tidal Connect directly through the Zen Stream, but the Decware CSP3 allows me to adjust the output gain which has compensated a bit for the Mac Mini/ Roon's deficiencies.

 

Lately I mix my listening up.  One night physical CD/ SACD.  Another Tidal Connect via the Zen Stream (really sounds great), and then another with Roon via the Mac Mini/ Zen Stream just because I have a lifetime Roon license and Roon has it's benefits for music discovery....

 

In short, I'm very spoiled!

[DancingSea]

34 minutes ago, Rexp said:

Ah makes sense, I thought you were using the 30n as the Tidal connect streamer. How is the Zen stream connected, USB?

 

 

Well, I suppose once upon a time I was using the 30n with Tidal Connect.  Except, the 30n doesn't exactly do Tidal Connect, it does Tidal through HEOS, and HEOS is not very good in terms of playback options, a bit buggy.  That's why I got the Zen Stream.  I use both coax and USB coming out of the Zen Stream.  Coax for Tidal Connect.  And USB if I'll be playing DSD in Roon.....  The Zen Stream with the iFi Elite 12V power supply is formidable....  I read about a guy in the Netherlands who said that combo is equal to his $4500 Lumin T2.....

[DancingSea]

17 minutes ago, Barnaby said:

I'm totally confused. I have Amarra Luxe and I'm wondering how I can access the EQ functions. I can't get the "on" button to stay at on and I'm assuming I need to pay more for this. I'd kind of be happy to pay for an upgrade, as long as I can demo it first, if that's what it takes but I cannot seem to find how to buy one. I find their website baffling and at one point it says to find out more I should go to the "main site" but fails to provide a link.

 

Am I really losing the plot? Can their communication be so awful and their site so bad or am I missing something really silly?

No need to pay extra. Amarra is notoriously buggy. 

[DancingSea]

I gave up on Amarra long ago because of the bugs.