A novel way to massively improve the SQ of computer audio streaming

[EnjoyTheMusicNow]

On 12/24/2018 at 11:47 AM, rickca said:

Sorry I've never owned an SOtM sMS-200Ultra, so I don't know the answer.

I posted this elsewhere. Worked for me. Hope it helps.

 

I highly recommend doing the upgrade via an external PC/memory card. The update took me 18 minutes. I turned off the SMS-200ultra neo, unplugged the USB and master clock cable, did the update via download to a PC and micro to USB card (18 mins). I plugged the card back in and went to the IP address. 4.5 shown as the version. I powered down once more, plugged the cables back in and started the unit once again (just to be safe). Roon play perfectly without adjusting any settings.   The instructions link for this process is buried in the instructions: http://docs.sotm-audio.com/doku.php?id=en:eunhasu:burn_sdcard_image  

 

To be safe I did not use the original 8GB SOtM card. I purchased a 16GB class 10 card. 

[EnjoyTheMusicNow]

Question:

 

First,  my apologies if this has already been answered as I am still working my way through the 500 pages of great information. 

 

With a Chord DAC (Qutest) and the Hugo M-scaler, does an SOtM USBultra still add value?

 

My setup is as follows:

- i5 small green computer (separate room)

- Netgear nighthawk router (separate room)

- SOtM sms200ultra neo SE with master clock input

- SOtM master clock (only connected to SOtM player presently)

- Chord M-scaler (just ordered)

- Chord Qutest DAC

- Pass Labs XP10 preamp

- Pass Labs XA30.8 amp

- Focal Maestro speakers

 

Thanks in advance for the insight.

[EnjoyTheMusicNow]

Has anyone who runs and SOtM sms200 ultra and a seperate roon core noticed a huge difference in sound when changing the settings from Fixed volume to Software controls volume? I would have thought Fixed volume would have been best - allowing the preamp to control the volume. However, using the software to control the volume is making a massive improvement in my sound. It is like I just took a sheet off my speakers. The sound is so much more crisp from low to high. I now have my DAC running direct to my amp, bypassing the pass labs preamp.

 

Any others with similar experience?

[EnjoyTheMusicNow]

1 hour ago, lmitche said:

On many systems, the Roon DSP volume setting can sound better then fixed or device volume. Get well soon!

This is good to know as the difference in my case was massive. Before it sounded like the highs and mids were behind a sheet and the lows were being heard from another room. 

 

I have a DAVE on the way to replace my Qutest and Preamp but in the meantime I guess I will just enjoy the inproved dynamics of having the Quetest go direct to my pass labs amp. 

 

Outside of upsampling  (I also have an m-scaler on the way) or DSP,  are there any other settings that tend to improve SQ - even though the rationale may not be all that clear?

[EnjoyTheMusicNow]

That is exactly why I would have thought Fixed volume would sound better but it is not even close. It is like night and day in clarity and dynamics. No clue why... the Quetest does not have a volume control but I still would have thought fixed would sound better - or atleast equal.

[EnjoyTheMusicNow]

Where I am seeing the difference is Fixed vs. Software volume control. I have to make the change in my Roon Core settings. I use a sonictransporter so I go to that ip address and into the roon core setting. Then change volume control from Fixed to Software. Then I get a volume control in Roon on my phone or iPad. I have DSP disabled.

[EnjoyTheMusicNow]

I was afraid of that since this makes no sense. Sorry to put you through the testing for no result. I will advise if the same is true when my DAVE arrives. 

[EnjoyTheMusicNow]

5 hours ago, tapatrick said:

Thanks @EnjoyTheMusicNow  for sharing...

 

No worries. Glad it is helping someone else as I'm still scratching my head as to why this makes the difference it does. Thanks to @auricgoldfinger for providing the screenshots.

[EnjoyTheMusicNow]

I just installed my DAVE last night and now the difference is minimal if any. Maybe it is only the Quetest...

[EnjoyTheMusicNow]

A router change and instant improvement. I upgraded from a Netgear Nighthawk  x6 to an x10 so that I could run fiber without a converter direct from the router to my listening room (sotm switch takes fiber direct) I have not run the fiber but the difference in just changing the router was substantial. The chain is as follows:

 

x10 router in closet

sonic transporter connected to router in closet

 

the rest is all in the dedicated listening room:

sotm network switch special edition with master clock input

sotm sMS200 ultra Neo SE with master clock input

sotm txbultra SE with master clock input 

sotm master clock

dave dac

pass labs xa30.8 amp

focal Maestro speakers

cables are VOVOX textura

power conditioner is Niagara 5000

isolation is silent running Audio platforms

 

i will update once the fiber is in place but the router change was big.

[EnjoyTheMusicNow]

On 2/23/2019 at 11:49 AM, EnjoyTheMusicNow said:

A router change and instant improvement. I upgraded from a Netgear Nighthawk  x6 to an x10 so that I could run fiber without a converter direct from the router to my listening room (sotm switch takes fiber direct) I have not run the fiber but the difference in just changing the router was substantial. The chain is as follows:

 

x10 router in closet

sonic transporter connected to router in closet

 

the rest is all in the dedicated listening room:

sotm network switch special edition with master clock input

sotm sMS200 ultra Neo SE with master clock input

sotm txbultra SE with master clock input 

sotm master clock

dave dac

pass labs xa30.8 amp

focal Maestro speakers

cables are VOVOX textura

power conditioner is Niagara 5000

isolation is silent running Audio platforms

 

i will update once the fiber is in place but the router change was big.

Well... the fiber is in place from the Router to the SOtM switch and all I can say is OMG.... the difference is astonishing. It is like a different system. The sound is so immersive that it sounds like I have 8 or more speakers playing when it is only the 2 channel towers. Any harsh note that was there is gone. It is smooth as silk with a feeling that you are in a space 10x the rooms size. My next project, after the m-scaler arrives, is to run fiber with a converter from the sotm switch to the sms200 ultra neo. But for now I'm going to need a surgeon to remove the smile off my face.

 

Note the router is SFP+ but the sotm switch is only SFP. I learned the hard way that you need to use SFP transceivers on both ends and both the transceivers and the fiber optic cable have to be multi mode. Hope to save someone else the extra expense.

[EnjoyTheMusicNow]

The x10 is my router/internet and is in a closet 100 feet away from my listening room. It is connected to the internet cable coming into the house. Previously I had an RJ45 cable running from the router to the listening room, connecting to the SOtM switch. This was replaced by fiber. I gained galvanic isolation from my sonictransporter (also 100 feet away connected to the X10). I also think I gained a cleaner (less loss) signal but I have no way to confirm that - just the sound. The X10 is just a beast. It is a 1.7GHz Quad Core Processor. My only guess is that similar to the NUC findings, the extra processing power ensures that it can handle network traffic very well - i.e. it is not struggling to perform tasks.

[EnjoyTheMusicNow]

This does beg a question. Has anyone asked SOtM to mod their SMS200 with an SFP port in place of the RJ45 connector? I see Rendu now has an Optical Rendue that accepts optical LC cable. 

[EnjoyTheMusicNow]

I only have an SSD in the sonictransporter and I stream Tidal. No NAS connected as of yet. That said, when I add the NAS it will be installed as you indicate so I still get the benefit of noise isolation.  

[EnjoyTheMusicNow]

In your case I'm not sure you would gain anything. That said the internet quality and speed has improved over our wireless as well between the X6 and the X10. Not sure if that would translate to an audible benefit though.

[EnjoyTheMusicNow]

Dang!

[EnjoyTheMusicNow]

Ok.. I just cannot get over the difference. Another question. There is so much talk about cables - copper, 7N, pure silver, shielded,  dielectric, etc... however, there are also transceivers that convert RJ45 and USB to optical and then back. Has anyone tried to run as much optical as possible in their system to isolate noise/EMI at every step in the chain?

[EnjoyTheMusicNow]

The link below describes the 2 transceivers (sfp to optical) and the cable. Hope it helps. The cable is not ethernet though, it is fiber optic.

 

 

[EnjoyTheMusicNow]

Good correction. 

[EnjoyTheMusicNow]

I've made many tweaks since my last post. None were worth posting. None have had the impact that the SFP fiber had.... until now. Townshends podiums are unbelievable. Bases/stands at the bottom of the speakers in the pictures.  The separation of sound is amaizing. You can place your hand on the top of the platform and feel the vibrations from all frequencies. Then you place your hand on the floor (second floor / wood, not concrete) and you feel nothing. The bass is clean, which I expected. What I did not expect was the clarity from the mids and highs. Unbelievable. I did only one speaker first to have an a/b compare - and to save my back. These speakers weigh close to 300 pounds each. The difference is not subtle. I know many of you run headphones but those who do not, make the investment. Improvement is like going from a 6 to a 10, with only one speaker done. No telling what two will sound like.