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

[matthias]

sonicTransporter for HQplayer has the fastest processor avalible (skylake i7) and the fastest m.2 (Samsung Pro 3.2 GB/s transfer rate)

 

Which processor do you use actually?

 

Matt

[matthias]

This is a very good question. I have a lot of experience with various single box purpose-built music servers with USB streams including a TotalDac-d1 server, Aurender N100 with Ken Lau PSU, Aurender N10, Aurender W20, Lumin U1, CAD CAT, Auralic Aries with femto clock and LPS, various custom-built CAPS servers and more.

 

romaz,

did you try the SGM 2015 as well?

 

Matt

[matthias]

Which server did you set-up with HQPlayer and which DAC did you feed with DSD512?

Thanks

 

Matt

[matthias]

Hi romaz,

as there is no information about the PH SR-7 on the internet, can you provide some basics as price, dimensions, voltages etc?

Thank you.

 

Matt

[matthias]

@romaz,

whow:-)

Thank you again, much appreciated!

 

Matt

[matthias]

On ‎28‎.‎06‎.‎2017 at 8:37 AM, limniscate said:

Yes. I'm curious about the new JCAT card as well.  I'd also like to hear the Linn Klimax since another member got rid of his SOtM gear for it.

Both ChrisG and Evo1668 went back to Linn Klimax DS.

 

Matt

[matthias]

21 minutes ago, ElviaCaprice said:

I have both chords and cheap USB adapters.  The USPCB is superior (an understatement) to both in my testing.  The 5V switch is a non concern, if anything it's a bonus.  If your DAC doesn't need the 5V VBUS just turn it off from the ISO Regen, otherwise keep it on.

Has someone tested the USPCBs with Icron?

 

USPCB > Icron 2304GE-LAN > USPCB

 

Thanks

 

Matt

 

 

[matthias]

1 hour ago, austinpop said:

 

I managed to get a chunk of late night time to do some experiments.

 

I set my baseline as:

- sMS > Curious 0.2m > ISO-Regen > USPCB > tX > Lush 0.7m > Codex

 

I was able to try these configurations:

1. - sMS > Lush > ISO-Regen > USPCB > tX > Curious 0.2m > Codex
2. - sMS > USPCB (90º) > ISO-Regen > Lush > tX > Curious 0.2m > Codex
3. - sMS > Lush > tX > Curious 0.2m > Codex (to mimic @[email protected]'s scenario)

 

First finding: everything functions perfectly. No issues. Sorry @[email protected] - must be something in your setup.

 

In terms of SQ - I compared scenarios 1 and 2 with my baseline. Findings:

1. Scenarios 1 and 2 sounded identical to me, or at least very hard to distinguish.
2. My baseline sounded distinctly better.

So on my setup at least, the Lush sounds best at the end of the chain, immediately before the DAC.

 

How does sMS > Lush > Codex compare to the other configurations?

Thanks

 

Matt

[matthias]

5 hours ago, HeeBroG said:

Daphile is certainly a big step up from Audirvana on MacOs.

I don't know how but ripped 44.1kHz files are sounding better than playing CD on my BLU2.

 

Thanks for reporting.

Can you elaborate a little bit further regarding Audirvana vs. Daphile?

Did you rip CD with the Daphile ripper?

Thanks again.

 

Matt

 

[matthias]

1 hour ago, HeeBroG said:

Daphile (and Audiolinux) I think run much leaner and that may account for the sound quality improvement I hear.

 

There are reports from another forum that Volumio seems to be even better than Daphile, maybe worth a try.

 

Matt

[matthias]

@lmitche

Hi Larry,

is there consensus about the best NUC solution for streaming from Qobuz and using wifi only (no NAS, no Roon, no wired ethernet)?

Thanks

 

Matt

[matthias]

15 minutes ago, davide256 said:

Anyone else here tried overclocked RPI3B+ with AL using LPS 1.2 as Roon endpoint? I'm not finding NUC7PJYH to be a winner vs RPI3.

NUC7PJYH is better in high frequencies  but not as life like in midrange/bass/dynamics as the RPI3 is.

I have been able to run NUC7PJYH off LPS 1.2 after tweaking peripheral hardware support, fan kick in speed, etc.

Still looking for a next step that gets the highs right but doesn't lose what RPI3 provides.

Very much enjoying the life that has been breathed back into a lot of 60's and early 70's recordings

 

Have you tried Tinkerboard S as well vs. RPI?

Thanks

 

Matt

[matthias]

1 hour ago, Blackmorec said:

The technology is 320 Kbps and frankly with today’s servers, streamers and DACs that’s not a real issue from a sound quality point of view.

 

Thanks,

but on the HP they say maximum is 128 Kbps.

Do you have a link to 320 Kbps?

 

Matt

[matthias]

13 minutes ago, Superdad said:

Oh wait... 

 

...how long?

 

Matt

[matthias]

On 11/29/2019 at 6:02 PM, bobfa said:

As an example: I have been trying to see if I can hear any difference between say playing a track using A+ running on a Mac in the basement vs using MoOde only running on the USBridge Sig.

 

You mean UPnP streaming from Audirvana to USBridge Sig running MoOde vs MoOde only on UBS?

If yes, what was the outcome?

Thanks

 

Matt

[matthias]

2 hours ago, bobfa said:

That is one of the tests I have been doing.  I am having a lot of trouble hearing any differences on that specific test.  

 

I would exspect that streaming from Audirvana has the edge because MoOde has then to work as renderer only but the proof is in the listening.

 

Matt

[matthias]

6 minutes ago, bobfa said:

I think that MPD is just a handoff of traffic so it should make no difference.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_Player_Daemon

 

 

 

Did you compare with stored files or streaming (Qobuz?)?

 

Matt

[matthias]

16 minutes ago, bobfa said:

I was comparing stored files.  For Tidal and Qobuz you have to use an app such as MConnect.  You cannot stream from those services inside of MoOde any more. 

 

Bob,

thanks for clarification.

As I do streaming from Qobuz only Audirvana UPnP to MoOde UBS makes sense then.

 

Matt

[matthias]

7 hours ago, bobfa said:

Now the fan-less NUC running Roon ROCK is pretty darn good, but the Xeon box is way better.  And not a Paul Hines SR power supply in sight!

 

Hi Bob,

there is an interesting post of @romaz on WBF:

 

"The concept behind an endpoint was to mask the noise generated by a noisy upstream server or NAS and so the general belief has been that the endpoint should be a low noise device suggesting once again a low power CPU. When I first discovered the sound quality benefits of a server with a high power CPU, I continued to use my endpoints that housed a low power CPU including such things as a NUC, uRendu, and sMS-200ultra Neo. As I improved the quality of my high power server, I found that these endpoints were no longer necessary and in fact, became detrimental as they significantly hindered dynamics and shrunk the sound stage. It became clear to me that the endpoint needed to be equivalent to the server in order to avoid this and Pink Faun obviously agrees since they are marketing a dual 2.16X solution. With the Extreme having dual CPUs and with each CPU having its own independent bank of memory, you have the capacity for the same distribution of tasks but housed in a single chassis which is really quite elegant. In Emile's testing, he indicated this distribution between 2 CPUs sounded better than a single CPU having at least 20 cores."

 

Did you come across a similar situation where a direct connection to a HQ server is superior to the additional use of an endpoint like the Allo?

Thanks

 

Matt

[matthias]

18 minutes ago, ted_b said:

....or is low-power-low-noise no longer the perfect endpoint box in ANY circumstance?

 

Maybe you find the answer here:

 

Matt

[matthias]

23 minutes ago, cat6man said:

 

if i recall, romaz was not using hqplayer/NAA so i'm not sure his conclusions re: processing power map into that case...........they might, but i don't see evidence yet.

Agree,

no evidence related to HQP/NAA.

 

Matt

[matthias]

28 minutes ago, cat6man said:

one thing i see that seems to differ between the diy and extreme, that perhaps warrants investigation, is the impact of storing the music in (lots and lots of) optane versus streaming from a NAS or using a hard drive conected via usb to the server.

any thoughts folks?  has anyone compared internal storage with external storage on the extreme?

 

The personal SQ ranking of Emile from best to worst:

 

Extreme internal storage > Streaming from Qobuz and Tidal > External storage

 

Matt

 

[matthias]

On 2/12/2020 at 4:59 PM, Blake said:

I am loving my 2020 Sablon Reserva Elite usb!.  Transparency, air, resolution seem limitless, and it is all presented in a very natural organic way.  The sonic improvement is significant. Mark is really on to something here.  I will get a review in the epic usb cable comparison thread at a later date. In case anyone is wondering about that thread:

 

@Blake, thanks for sharing.

 

How much is the new Sablon USB and what is the length of your cable?

 

Thanks

 

Matt

[matthias]

1 minute ago, Blake said:

 

@elan120 and @matthias, sorry the price was $750.  I did get the Elite version.

 

Apparently I didn’t have enough cofffee this morning😁

 

Thanks,

unfortunately the HP of Sablon is not up-to-date and there seems to be no further info on the internet.

 

Matt

[matthias]

10 minutes ago, jean-michel6 said:

I am using daphile , it is really easy to use , sound quality is very good with this software and it is free !

You need some knowledge to run daphile but it is not very difficult and there is instructions on daphile web site .

 

Hi Jean-Michel,

 

did you compare Daphile vs. Audirvana, both via UPnP/DLNA ?

 

Thanks

 

Matt