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


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Most important: please realize this thread is about bleeding edge experimentation and discovery. No one has The Answer™. If you are not into tweaking, just know that you can have a musically satisfying system without doing any of the nutty things we do here.

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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. 

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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.

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22 minutes ago, EnjoyTheMusicNow said:

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.

Can't answer exactly but the ISORegen still improves the sound on a UltraRendu into an M-scaler here ?

customer server+AudiophileOptimizer >>UltraRendu (SR4) >> Lush(JSSG360) >>> IsoRegen(SR4) >>> Lush^2 >>> blu2 >>Blaxius^2D >> Dave > HD800(SDRmod)

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1 hour ago, EnjoyTheMusicNow said:

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.

Yes, I believe it does if you use a Paul Hynes SR7DR to power it.

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2 hours ago, EnjoyTheMusicNow said:

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.

Your system looks like a trifecta: Router-sms200Ultra Neo-txUSBUltra.  Hence I guess the effect of the txUSBUltra would be positive.  However, now the limiting factor could be the DAC.  Also, an NUC7i7DNBE powered by the SR7 may outperform your PC + trifecta system.  You may see austinpop's post in the 1st post of this thread.  Check the index in the post.  His system was not exactly yours but close enough.

 

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29 minutes ago, Advieira said:

I'm curious to know how NUC7 sounds using windows optmized and hackintosh compared to Audiolinux.

it's hard to have an apple to apple comparison if NUC must be used.  The reason of using NUC as an endpoint (for example) is for its barebone nature, up to the point that only RAM is installed.  For Windows optimized PC, usually the OS is installed in the HDD or SDD.  Also, there are lots of optimizations for Windows.  It'd would be easier if you may specify the optimization.  I know nothing about the hackintosh.

 

A reference:

I used AO+Win2016Core+HQP before,  and I'tried using the same PC with AL(LXQt)+HQP to the same set of downstream hardware latter.  For that particular PC, AL sounds better to me.

 

Hope this helps.

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Guys... The sr7 is not the only good sounding PSU on the Market. At the moment you are just building legends instead of beeing open minded.

 

If you want to have a realy good setup you need a supreme class psu at every important part. In my setup i use 20! That are sounding close to the top-class sr7. Thats a much bigger step than only one...

 

Regards

 

Sunny

 

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16 minutes ago, greenleo said:

it's hard to have an apple to apple comparison if NUC must be used.  The reason of using NUC as an endpoint (for example) is for its barebone nature, up to the point that only RAM is installed.  For Windows optimized PC, usually the OS is installed in the HDD or SDD.  Also, there are lots of optimizations for Windows.  It'd would be easier if you may specify the optimization.  I know nothing about the hackintosh.

 

A reference:

I used AO+Win2016Core+HQP before,  and I'tried using the same PC with AL(LXQt)+HQP to the same set of downstream hardware latter.  For that particular PC, AL sounds better to me.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Are you meant NuC AL is better for endpoint than Core server?

 

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43 minutes ago, Advieira said:

 

Are you meant NuC AL is better for endpoint than Core server?

 

That PC I used for comparison in my post was not an NUC.  Hence I could not answer your original question directly.

 

In my case, my NUC AL(headless) endpoint sounds better than my WinCore2016 server.

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1 hour ago, sunny_time_99 said:

Guys... The sr7 is not the only good sounding PSU on the Market. At the moment you are just building legends instead of beeing open minded.

 

If you want to have a realy good setup you need a supreme class psu at every important part. In my setup i use 20! That are sounding close to the top-class sr7. Thats a much bigger step than only one...

 

Regards

 

Sunny

 

Sunny, what other supreme class PSUs, besides the SR7, and can be purchased (not DIY) sound the best in your experience?  Thanks:)

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1 hour ago, greenleo said:

I used AO+Win2016Core+HQP before,  and I'tried using the same PC with AL(LXQt)+HQP to the same set of downstream hardware latter.  For that particular PC, AL sounds better to me.

Windows Server 2016 Core plus AO has always gotten a lot of praise.  So if AL (LXQt) sounds better that is very promising.

Pareto Audio AMD 7700 Server --> Berkeley Alpha USB --> Jeff Rowland Aeris --> Jeff Rowland 625 S2 --> Focal Utopia 3 Diablos with 2 x Focal Electra SW 1000 BE subs

 

i7-6700K/Windows 10  --> EVGA Nu Audio Card --> Focal CMS50's 

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1 minute ago, rickca said:

Windows Server 2016 Core plus AO has always gotten a lot of praise.  So if AL (LXQt) sounds better that is very promising.

I still thinks highly for the Win2016Core+AO.  However, the PC matters much in terms of the RAM, the SSD/HDD, the cables, ..., etc.  The slam dunk of the NUC as an endpoint is now only RAM matters because the rest was not being used.  From what I have read in this thread, the sensitivity of RAM to the SQ is not high.  I stand corrected.

 

Another great thing of the NUC is that one may power it through the "cheap" LPS-1.2 to provide very decent SQ.  One can wait very patiently for his ordered but not yet delivered SR7.

 

 

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Hi Guys, I have $1000/£1000 for upgrade my system but not quite sure where to put the money in. I have SOtM-200 with Ultracap LPS-1, Chord 2qute with MCRU power supply, Passive Audio PC with linear power supply, PMC 26 with Naim Supernait 2. The cables are all high quality.

 

I am not looking for extra magic or more details, I am more up to the smoother and darker sound. Should I upgrade to Ultra Neo? TX-USB Ultra? Chord Qutest? Or save some money for the later pre and power amp upgrade? 

 

Thanks and happy listening for 2019!

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Does this connector mean anything for the Neutrik 4-pin XLR output on SR7?

 

MMUbvcp.jpg

 

https://www.instagram.com/norneaudio/p/Bp83KfJFzTD/

https://www.facebook.com/dhcaudio/posts/1950557018362659

https://www.facebook.com/dhcaudio/posts/1954861941265500

https://doublehelixcables.com/product/eidolic-peerless-4-pin-xlr-titanium-shell-ptfe-insulation-rhodium-plated-pure-silver-pin/

Quote

The Eidolic Peerless 4-pin XLR is the first production 4-pin XLR to use 99.9% pure fine silver for its pin material – an extravagant metal stock that is painfully slow to machine owing to its relative softness.  This material, at over 106% IACS conductivity, puts this connector at the absolute limit of electrical performance.

 

https://www.vhaudio.com/oyaide-dc.html

Quote

Made with high quality brass, corresponding to RoHS directive.

 

https://www.computeraudiophile.com/forums/topic/30376-a-novel-way-to-massively-improve-the-sq-of-computer-audio-streaming/?page=49&tab=comments#comment-645953

On 3/30/2017 at 11:10 AM, romaz said:

Material IACS (International Annealed Copper Standard)

Ranking

Metal

% Conductivity*

1

Silver (Pure)

105%

5

Brass

28%

 

 

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