Sonore ultraRendu v1.3

[vortecjr]

News flash:

 

I may have forgotten to mentioned that we have been working with Audirvana the past couple months:) For those of you who don't already know the micro/ultraRendu will accept Audirvana streams very shortly. I have been testing the Audirvana beta release and it's working very well. I'll prepare a how to guide next, but its very easy to setup.     

[vortecjr]

9 hours ago, sahmen said:

Wonderful!  Incidentally, have you considered a similar arrangement with Sonic Studio/Amarra too, by any chance?

You know what the Borg say:)

[vortecjr]

9 hours ago, miguelito said:

Does this work similarly to NAA?

I'm not going to say...only because I want to see my competition scurry.

[vortecjr]

Accepting the stream on the micro/ultraRendu will be a freebie.

[vortecjr]

1 hour ago, sahmen said:

Okay you've got me...  What does Borg say?

"resistance is futile"

[vortecjr]

58 minutes ago, sahmen said:

Oh, one more thing: can micro/ultrarendu accept streams from Audirvana and continue to serve also as a Roon endpoint simultaneously?

 

Just trying to understand how all the techie "voodoo" works in this case.

We only allow one software application to send streams at a time. 

[vortecjr]

There a couple of things on the to do list and they are ambitious. Only time will tell, but try we will. 

[vortecjr]

9 hours ago, Gordian said:

 

Understood he used Roon also... with lossless files I reckon

You guys could just ask him.

[vortecjr]

12 hours ago, sahmen said:

Ok, that's understandable. and talking about "resistance is futile," the Sonic studio/Amarra streaming functionality too would be nice.  Just saying 

Truth is we can only do so much and it's mostly up them at this point.

[vortecjr]

8 hours ago, jtwrace said:

If you have the best product then you have no competition.    Now, where's my demo ultraRendu?

Yeah...the use of the word "competition" was putting it nicely:)  

[vortecjr]

6 hours ago, Nicholas_S said:

Were ultraRendus shipped yesterday as previously indicated?

Half of them shipped today and the other half will ship tomorrow. 

[vortecjr]

3 hours ago, miguelito said:

 

LOL

[vortecjr]

21 minutes ago, zerung said:

I hope mine is in the shipping list some where.

 

I decided not to go for the 1.4 upgrade as:

1. I assumes that the new board would amount to some sonic or tech upgrade

2. The new regulators should amount to something.

3. Why sell 1.4 if this sound as good as the Ultra? Assuming that Ultra is the new standard.

4. Not sure if the 2.5 software upgrade thereafter will be available for the 1.4, or for the ultra only?

5. The price point for Ultra is extremely consumer friendly 

 

I decided against SoTM,

1., As the µRendu already had such great sound

2. The cost base did not make sense

3. Uptone/Sonore seems to have a mutual sonic synergy that forwards digital 

4. Happy returning customer

 

We are basically up to date on shipping except for some new order from late today. The 2.5 software update is available for the original microRendu and the 1.4 hardware update.  

[vortecjr]

8 minutes ago, jtwrace said:

Is my demo uR included?  

We have to work on your signature:)

[vortecjr]

22 minutes ago, sahmen said:

I've just seen a very favorable review of the microrendu 1.4...  I am looking forward very eagerly to reviews of the ultra too, because there is room for a second possible unit in my home rigs, and the ultra, if it is as great as rumored, makes a lot more sense than getting a micro 1.3 and then going for the 1.4 (unless of course the 1.3 is one of the discounted B-stock units, or bought used, but still).

 

I'm impatient to hear what new Ultra owners think of their new toy.

Hang in there. There is no wrong answer though even the original microRendu is very good.  

[vortecjr]

6 hours ago, Kilauea50 said:

Just received my ultraRendu and it was a piece of cake to set up as expected AND sounds just crazy good right of of the box.  Very very nice work Jesus

Enjoy!

[vortecjr]

3 hours ago, d_elm said:

Anyone using an ultraRendu powered by LPS-1 at 7V with an Ayre Codex ?

I expect the ultraRendu takes more power than the microRendu, due to the additional linear regulators, and the Codex needs 5V from the USB interface.

You should be fine. 

[vortecjr]

36 minutes ago, jbm0 said:

My UltraRendu arrived today.  I look forward to getting it home and swapping it into a system there which is more of an audio magnifying glass, but of course I wasn't going to wait that long if I could help it, and I dropped it into the desktop setup at work in place of a microRendu.

 

What I can say for sure from this initial acquaintance is that the UltraRendu is very good.

 

To the extent that I noticed a difference from the microRendu (based on aural memory, and across the setup delay) I'd characterize it as:

 

Remember that thing I first noticed when replacing a Sonicorbiter SE with a microRendu and a good power supply - delicacy;  the increase in subtle, delicate detail and just present-ness without an electronic-sounding overlay along for the ride?

 

Even farther in that same direction.

 

(Associated stuff: LPS-1 powering Rendu, Curious USB to a Singxer F-1, Audience Ohno S/PDIF to Gumby)

Thanks for posting your initial impressions.

[vortecjr]

I can't remember the last time I shut mine down:)

[vortecjr]

10 hours ago, Al Jones said:

As for the Ultra, well, it's quarter to three in the morning and I'm still listening, even though I should have been in bed before midnight.

 

There is a newfound "crispness" to everything, percussive effects explode with a scary realism and bass, which I thought was everything it could be and should be with the micro, now has more firmness, bounce and elasticity. The tonalities of various types of strings on acoustic guitars are more distinctive. Double-tracked voices are more easily distinguishable and room cues define recorded space with immense realism and ease.

 

I'm in a "just one more track" listening mood that will probably keep me up a few more hours and I have already accepted that the weekend will be one non-stop listening session.

 

If you've been on the fence about the Ultra, it's time to climb down and take the plunge.

Al, thanks for being a long time member of the Sonore family. 

[vortecjr]

10 hours ago, Sonic77 said:

I big indicator of how much I like a new piece of equipment is how long I listen to it, I have been listening to the ultraRendu for a couple of hours straight. I keep changing songs lol. 

I love it...keep on rocking.

[vortecjr]

10 hours ago, Kilauea50 said:

I removed the IsoReg and put it back after 1 song. The uR is fantastic alone but the IsoReg will be staying in my setup.  

Play around with it as the various power supply combinations can affect the sound.

[vortecjr]

5 hours ago, Albrecht said:

Hi,

I have to concur. I got mine yesterday afternoon and got him plugged in in a few minutes and I must disagree with Darko's review in that the step up from microRendu to UltraRendu is more significant that he indicates: at least to me. I am hearing a much bigger soundstage, much sweeter & better defined bass, and more than significant amounts of low level detail. It is truly awesome. I listened to the really nice Dead Can Dance AIFF files that I ripped from the Hybrid Mobile Fidelity SACDs. One of things that blew me away was how the quiet background vocals were more distinct and more easily heard. Whereas before, - the two vocals were more like one vocal. Dead Can Dance also have a lot of African drums that have a similar timber, and they are played in different combos. These drums were more distinct, and it was much easier to distinguish between different, similar-sounding drums. I too found myself listening much longer than I anticipated, - playing 1 song after another, - curious has to how it was going to sound compared to the already excellent, microRendu. I have to say that I am really happy that I have done this, even though it pushed my budget, and my girlfriend's tolerance.

 

I do have one complaint. (See pic). I have the lovely Sonore/Cardas USB plug and the Sonore DC4/Cable. THere isn't enough room for the DC4 cable and the Ethernet cable to fit nicely between F-1 DDC because of the short length of the USB plug. I don't care about the Ethernet cable, but I don't like bending the $140 DC4 like that. (Finally, - this is a bit off-topic, - but I found that the DC4 from the LPS-1 makes a much bigger difference in SQ than the Sonore USB plug).

 

Jesus, - you ROCK!!

 

 

Great review. This are a little tight int there:)

[vortecjr]

8 hours ago, Kilauea50 said:

I have the LPS-1 connected to the IsoRegen and, right now, I am using the Mean Well with the uR.  Should I change this?  

No wonder.

[vortecjr]

1 hour ago, Kendrick said:

Given the configuration of the uR with power, ethernet and USB connections on the back of the unit, I don't see how a short USB adapter (Uptone or Sonore) could work.  I ended up buying a .8m USB cable from Curious and a custom .75m DC4 cable from Sonore for my uR, which arrived two days ago.  All three items are "burning-in" at the moment, so no comment on the SQ other than say it was noticeably better of late than fresh out of the box.  

These hard adapters should really only be used with microRendu.