Sonore Signature Rendu SE Deluxe

[RCAphile]

Long time CA reader (but not poster).  By way of apology to vortecjr, I've been promising JR a Signature Rendu SE posting for more than a year...

 

I, too, got an early model SRSE...and have never been more pleased with an audio component.  (I also have the Ultra-Rendu / Uptone LPS-1 combo in my desktop rig).

 

Just amazing performance...easy to administer...completely reliable...and, beautiful to look at!  I find the SRSE easily reveals changes in the system, whether they be cables, power supply mods, substitutions or adding the Singxer KTE SU-1 DDR in front of the SRSE...amazing!

 

Just buy it...you won't regret this purchase...

[vortecjr]

Thanks for the feedback guys.

[Steve Bruzonsky]

On 6/30/2018 at 9:25 AM, Steve Bruzonsky said:

I've had my Sonore Signature Rendu SE for about a year now!!!  Note that all along, as I have some tweaks from years ago, the Rendu SE sits on a Symposium Ultra platform. Finally I've got it "tweaked to perfection"! Initially I had it on a pair of sandwiched Symposium Rollerblocks with a heavy 20 pound  Brightstar Audio weight on top. But after awhile I took out these tweaks and frankly, felt the sonics were better leaving the Rendu SE bare without tweaks. More recently, I placed four Isoacoustics Iso-pucks each one under one of the Rendu SE's Sorbothane feet, theory being that the component is designed with isolation at its 4 corners, so why not improve on this with the Isoacoustics stuff right under the  Sorbothane. Yes, some overall sonic improvement. Since then, Isolacoustics has some out with the Orea isolators, an improvement on the Iso-pucks. Very recently got some Isoacoustics Orea Indigo isolators which replaced the Iso-pucks under the sorbothane feet. And I placed a Brightstar Audio 10 pound weight on top of the Rendu SE. Also, my Berkley Audio Alpha USB (to digital AES/EBU) converter had been sitting bare on the shelf above. I needed to adjust/move the component rack shelves some (my Michael Greene Audio shelves allow this), and I was able to place a set of Indigos under the Berkley Audio converter, with a 10 pound Brightstar Audio weight on top. My two channel sonics are now the best ever! The Sonore Signature Rendu SE is simply a remarkable sounding audio component. Highly recommended! 

 

You know, when you have tweaks/accessories which worked with prior components (like the Microrendu) one tends to keep using them.

But in the back of my mind, I remember Barrows stating here in this thread that the Sonore Signature Rendu SE he feels sounds best connected direct to the DAC, and at the  Sonore forum John Swenson stating that the Ultrarendu/Microrendu and Rendu SE sound best with shortest USB cable. And although a reviewer loves the Isolacoustics stuff (as I do - I only recently started trying them under the Rendu SE), he found that E.G. the Isoacoustics Orea "pucks" are rates for 16 lbs each, 3 = 48 lb rating, the component needs to weight at least half of the rating or the sonics are worse (consistent with what I have found to some degree). I was using a .8M Curious Cable, but I still have a real short Curious Cable Regen Link (200mm). My "DAC" is a Berkeley Audio USB Converter outputting digital AES/EBU to my Theta Casablanca IVA SSP. I took out the Isoacoustics stuff under and the weights on top of the components first - and frankly, although in some ways it sounded perhaps a bit better with these tweaks, in some ways it may have not sounded as good. Next I took out the optical isolation between the router and the Rendu SE (again, I had continued this because it seemed to work well with my prior Microrendu). Again, more listening, felt that again although in some ways it sounded perhaps a bit better with these tweaks, in some ways it may have not sounded as good. Next, I was able to place the Rendu SE sideways on the shelf, and then place the  Berkeley Audio USB Converter on top of it at an angle, so that I could connect the short Regen Link USB cable from one side of the back of the  Rendu SE to the opposite side of the back of the  Berkeley Audio USB Converter. No tweaks being used period. And the result is - WOW! Across the BOARD! No more tweaking with the Rendu SE. 

 

 

[barrows]

Hi Steve,

 

Thanks for sharing your experiences.  A lot of us audiophiles like to experiment with tweaks, and I am no different.  But every once in awhile I take the tweaks out of the system, and listen without them, then re try them one at a time.  I find that often taking things out of the system to be more revealing (after listening with them in place for a longer period of time) of what they are actually doing.  The thing with tweaks is that often they do change the sound, but sometimes it is very hard to decide if they are changing for the better, for the worse, or just making it different.  For me, if I cannot decide for certain that a given tweak is actually improving the sound (and doing so with various recordings) I'll leave it out, as when in any doubt, I follow the simple is better thinking.

BTW, do you use the Oreas under say, your DAC?  I am kind of interested in experimenting a bit with them and might pick some up.

[Steve Bruzonsky]

57 minutes ago, barrows said:

Hi Steve,

 

Thanks for sharing your experiences.  A lot of us audiophiles like to experiment with tweaks, and I am no different.  But every once in awhile I take the tweaks out of the system, and listen without them, then re try them one at a time.  I find that often taking things out of the system to be more revealing (after listening with them in place for a longer period of time) of what they are actually doing.  The thing with tweaks is that often they do change the sound, but sometimes it is very hard to decide if they are changing for the better, for the worse, or just making it different.  For me, if I cannot decide for certain that a given tweak is actually improving the sound (and doing so with various recordings) I'll leave it out, as when in any doubt, I follow the simple is better thinking.

BTW, do you use the Oreas under say, your DAC?  I am kind of interested in experimenting a bit with them and might pick some up.

 

I have double stacked Symposium Rollerblocks under my Theta CBIVa SSP/DAC. which I've had for years. At some point I'll probably try Oreas.

 

One tweak that might work for the Rendu SE which I am considering:

 

I have the Sonic Transporter i5 (quad Core) and Sonore Signature  Rendu SE, with a Berkeley Audio USB Converter on top of the Rendu SE, with a 100 mm Curious Cable Regen Link USB Cable (then digital AES/EBU out to Theta Casablanca Iva SSP). Roon is set to upsample/downsample everything to 96k/88k to Berkeley Audio USB Converter (Theta Casablanca Iva SSP intakes up to 192k and processes at 96k using Dirac). Both the Rendu SE and  Sonic Transporter i5 connect to a router.

I am contemplating getting the Sonic  Transporter i7 for Roon DSP ($1,559) because it has two GB Ethernet connections, so I could connect router to Sonic Transporter, and I could then connect Sonic Transporter direct to Rendu SE. However, I do not really require the Sonic  Transporter i7 processing power – the i5 quad core is working fine for me, even with downsampling some DSD256 albums that I have. In my system given the above, would you expect that if there is only one Ethernet connection on the i7, that it would sound as good as the i5? I suspect you will say the i5, with lower power usage and EMI radiation, should sound better. And if so, could I get a Sonic  Transporter i5 with dual ethernet connections – or would that be problematic because more power or whatever is needed to have two Ethernet connections?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[barrows]

Hi Steve.  I have not used the Sonic Transporter myself, and/or with a direct connection, and I do not wish to engage in wild speculation.  I would doubt that the I7 vs I5 would make much difference, as the ultimate processing power will lily not matter, what may matter is the processing power used, but even that is questionable.

You could run this question past Andrew at SGC as well and see what he feels. You may want the I7 at some point in the future, so my tendency would be to go I7.

[Steve Bruzonsky]

9 minutes ago, barrows said:

Hi Steve.  I have not used the Sonic Transporter myself, and/or with a direct connection, and I do not wish to engage in wild speculation.  I would doubt that the I7 vs I5 would make much difference, as the ultimate processing power will lily not matter, what may matter is the processing power used, but even that is questionable.

You could run this question past Andrew at SGC as well and see what he feels. You may want the I7 at some point in the future, so my tendency would be to go I7.

 

What do you think about the i7 dual ethernet connection, one to the router, one direct to the Rendu SE?

[barrows]

I have not used the direct style connection myself.  There have been reports that such a connection has benefits, I just do not know myself.

[m3lraaHnevetS]

Hi Steve, Steven here from the Netherlands, happy SRse owner as well. I use a pretty standard PC with some tweaks like JCAT NETcard fed by a HDplex PSU etc. to direct connect to the SRse, result of this approach depends on the how noisy the connection is, by going direct you have one less step (switch) to worry about. on the other hand if you use a noisy PC you could use a good switch to clean the signal up a little...so...well it all depends i guess...good luck and enjoy the SRse!

[Joaovieira]

2 hours ago, Steve Bruzonsky said:

 

What do you think about the i7 dual ethernet connection, one to the router, one direct to the Rendu SE?

 

I own the I7 and the SR. And I am using the dual ethernet connection. I prefer it than using the switch.

in fact I installed an ethernet outlet and connected the I7 to that outlet. That means I took out the switch of my listenning room.

the in wall ethernet cable is a Belden Cat 6a. The connection from the SR to the Dac is Curious cable.

the connection from the I7 to SR is Sablon ethernet cable. From the I7 to the wall is Belden Cat6.

 

[Cyrus]

I recently added the Small Green Computer sonicTransporter i7 Roon DSP only (with the double Ethernet ports). This replaced my SGC sT AP.

 

Using the same Supra CAT8 LAN cables (less the Switch) the Dual LAN setup surpasses the sT AP and Switch setup.

 

I've further improved performance by adding the SoTM isoCAT6 filter > SoTM Black Cable in the chain from the Router to the i7 sT.

[vortecjr]

2 hours ago, Cyrus said:

I recently added the Small Green Computer sonicTransporter i7 Roon DSP only (with the double Ethernet ports). This replaced my SGC sT AP.

 

Using the same Supra CAT8 LAN cables (less the Switch) the Dual LAN setup surpasses the sT AP and Switch setup.

 

I've further improved performance by adding the SoTM isoCAT6 filter > SoTM Black Cable in the chain from the Router to the i7 sT.

Do your cables have metal on the connector?

[Cyrus]

I believe yes on the SoTM cables but I will need to check to be sure (and get back to you).

 

The SoTM Black goes into one port from the router side and the SoTM dCBL CAT7 from the other port out towards the Signature Rendu SE.

 

The Supra CAT8 I had been using has metal and plastic.

 

Are you saying / implying that a plastic vs metal connector will result in different sound quality and one may therefore be preferable? Thanks.

[vortecjr]

The cables with metal connectors might be breaking the inherent galvanic isolation. Needing the gizmo in-line sort of indicates this to me from 60,000 feet. 

[Cyrus]

Are you more concerned with the connection from the SGC sT to the Signature Rendu SE?

[vortecjr]

yes

[Cyrus]

Visually checked the SoTM LAN cables, and yes they have metal on the connectors.

 

I've been working on  breaking in DC cables on the network side of my system (from the HDPLEX) which is why I haven't tested Andrew's LAN cable (shielded on one end, unshielded on the other) between the sT i7 and SR.

 

I'll try to get that in later tonight.

[Cyrus]

@vortecjr   

 

Following your 60K view, I tried Andrew's LAN cable that goes from the sT i7 to the Signature Rendu SE. The metal 'shielded' connector on the sT side and the plastic 'non-shielded' connector on the Signature Rendu SE side.

 

For some reason I get an initial connection and a Tidal track starts playing and then it goes silent and automatically switches to being paused. If I re-establish a connection, then the same thing is repeated.

 

This does not happen with my SoTM cable, which I have re-inserted. 

 

Do you know what might be going on?  Thanks.

[Steve Bruzonsky]

If one wants to upgrade/change the Sonore Signature Rendu SE fuse (for me it would be from Synergistic Research black to blue fuse) this isn't accessible from the rear without having to open the unit, is it?

[Steve Bruzonsky]

Oh  I went ahead and ordered the Sonic Transporter i7 for ROON DSP (to replace the Sonic Transporter i5) to make use of the i7's dual ethernet connection!

[barrows]

There is a fuse drawer on the rear panel of the SRse.  It is an easy task to open the drawer and change out the fuse without the need to go inside the chassis.

[R1200CL]

16 minutes ago, Steve Bruzonsky said:

Oh  I went ahead and ordered the Sonic Transporter i7 for ROON DSP (to replace the Sonic Transporter i5) to make use of the i7's dual ethernet connection!

 

Are you going to do more than DSD 256, (which the i5 can do), and how will you apply DSD to your Casablanca ?

[Steve Bruzonsky]

45 minutes ago, barrows said:

There is a fuse drawer on the rear panel of the SRse.  It is an easy task to open the drawer and change out the fuse without the need to go inside the chassis.

 

Thanks  What are the specs for the fuse?

[Steve Bruzonsky]

18 minutes ago, R1200CL said:

 

Are you going to do more than DSD 256, (which the i5 can do), and how will you apply DSD to your Casablanca ?

 

The same as I do w Sonic Transporter i5, converting any DSD to PCM. Both Berkeley Audio USB Converter and Theta CBIVA SSP are limited to 192-24. Again, I am getting the Sonic Transporter i7 primarily for its dual ethernet connections, to router, and direct to Sonore Signature Rendu SE.

[barrows]

Fuse:  Steve, contact Adrian if you want to get a fuse from Sonore.  We have the Blue available.