ultraRendu or sMS-200Ultra?

[cable-guy]

I am not sure but the 'good' comparison is apples and oranges. Aren't they comparing the new SotM Ultra to the ancient Sonore Signature Rendu?

What most here, including myself would like to see is a comparison between the ultras.

 

[hurka]

Aurender,Sotm dealer prefer N10+txusb ultra vs sms200ultra+txusb ultra.I heard this,its totally different what I like.(room,speaker,amp,.....)other system.

[jaaptina]

2 hours ago, cable-guy said:

I am not sure but the 'good' comparison is apples and oranges. Aren't they comparing the new SotM Ultra to the ancient Sonore Signature Rendu?

What most here, including myself would like to see is a comparison between the ultras.

 

The Audio Stream comparison is with the brand new Signature Rendu SE. So they got that right. 

[Ken Eis]

I find the ultraRendu vs sms 200 Ultra review situation frustrating like many others. One problem is how do reviewers keep up? Now the Neo version is out and in a few months it will be the opticalRendu. The only reveiw even close is the Sonore Statement vs the sotom triple set...and I'm not really interested in this level and why not through in a $3000 clock. Its endless. All my old go to publications like Stereophyle review last years model or just a bunch of $10K plus  analague components.

 

Additionally all the stereo stores in the Denver area are going vignal again and none of them have either of there brands to audition so I'm guying blind.

[pas]

8 minutes ago, Ken Eis said:

I find the ultraRendu vs sms 200 Ultra review situation frustrating like many others. One problem is how do reviewers keep up? Now the Neo version is out and in a few months it will be the opticalRendu. The only reveiw even close is the Sonore Statement vs the sotom triple set...and I'm not really interested in this level and why not through in a $3000 clock. Its endless. All my old go to publications like Stereophyle review last years model or just a bunch of $10K plus  analague components.

 

Additionally all the stereo stores in the Denver area are going vignal again and none of them have either of there brands to audition so I'm guying blind.

What does your system consist of currently?

[limniscate]

I've heard the original SOtM Ultra versus the UltraRendu and preferred the SOtM Ultra.  I've also heard the SOtM Ultra versus the SOtM Ultra Neo and preferred the Neo. 

[Chiler54]

I think UltraRendu vs Sotm 200 Ultra is about as good. UltraRendu maybe a little better.

[hicr49]

This could be "system dependent" but from my own experience in my system and another friend's system, I'm aligned with limniscate. The sms200ultra seems to be quite better (keeping power supply & everything else constant). 

 

Another important aspect for me (as a customer) is I received far better customer services and support from SOtM than from Sonore, even when I'm located here in the US.

[pas]

I have the microRendu 1.4 and the sMS-200. The microRendu is a little darker and the sMS-200 is more energetic. Detail galore on both units into a Schiit Bifrost Multibit. Both units powered by an LPS-1.2.

[Ken Eis]

I have Revel Studio speakers, the Ayre monoblocks, Ayre K5x pre and both the Ayre DSD (QB-9) and Codex DACs.

[Superdad]

25 minutes ago, Ken Eis said:

I have Revel Studio speakers, the Ayre monoblocks, Ayre K5x pre and both the Ayre DSD (QB-9) and Codex DACs.

 

Nice system!  

(And you have something arriving next week in a matching silver satin finish don’t you? )

[firedog]

14 hours ago, Ken Eis said:

I find the ultraRendu vs sms 200 Ultra review situation frustrating like many others. One problem is how do reviewers keep up? Now the Neo version is out and in a few months it will be the opticalRendu. The only reveiw even close is the Sonore Statement vs the sotom triple set...and I'm not really interested in this level and why not through in a $3000 clock. Its endless. All my old go to publications like Stereophyle review last years model or just a bunch of $10K plus  analague components.

 

Additionally all the stereo stores in the Denver area are going vignal again and none of them have either of there brands to audition so I'm guying blind.

Unsolicited advice: you have a great system and with clean power there isn't going to be that great of an improvement. Try to get yourself off the audiophillia nervosa merry go round. Just enjoy the music. 
 

I know others will dis me for saying that, but at the level you are referring to the actual (not imagined)  improvement is small and  

improvements are Incremental, probably the kind that you don't even notice if you don't carefully a/b. In some cases there won't even be an improvement with an "upgrade". Compare what you have now to a supposed upgrade in  non sighted listening, and see if you hear a difference. 
 

And in any case there are always less expensive ways to play audiophile. Sonore is going to have it's opticalModule, and with two of those you can go optical, without buying an expensive new unit, if you really want to try something new. 

[kennyb123]

On 1/25/2019 at 11:26 PM, firedog said:

Unsolicited advice: you have a great system and with clean power there isn't going to be that great of an improvement. Try to get yourself off the audiophillia nervosa merry go round. Just enjoy the music. 
 

I know others will dis me for saying that, but at the level you are referring to the actual (not imagined)  improvement is small and  

improvements are Incremental, probably the kind that you don't even notice if you don't carefully a/b. In some cases there won't even be an improvement with an "upgrade". Compare what you have now to a supposed upgrade in  non sighted listening, and see if you hear a difference. 
 

 

I think this is good advice with one caveat.

 

I decided recently to try to get myself off the merry go round - but only after taking one more step.  I swapped a bunch of pieces for a single box: the Innuos Zenith Std Mk 2.  The pieces included an ISO Regen, microRendu 1.4, several LPS-1.2s, a JS-2, and a Mac mini.  The improvement to SQ was obvious and not at all something needing a careful a/b to sort out.  Even more obvious was the reduction in clutter on my audio rack and the improved reliability.

 

I have no doubt there are further benefits to be gained on the server side, but I am hoping I’ll be able to keep myself off that particular  merry go round - with the exception of potentially pursuing the Mk 3 upgrade if that becomes available for a reasonable price.  That merry go round will continue to spin at a high rate with the “best” choice changing often.  But I’m now at the point where it’s easier to ignore all that because of how much I’m enjoying the music.

[rickca]

4 minutes ago, kennyb123 said:

The improvement to SQ was obvious and not at all something needing a careful a/b to sort out.

I feel the same way about my Zenith SE.  It doesn't take careful evaluation to conclude it sounds wonderful.

[Reg19]

In a few days, I shall conduct a comparison of ultraRendu v/s SMS-200Ultra v/s Auralic Aries (Femto) - all powered by LPS.

 

Feeding from Roon or Roon / HQPlayer. Feeding into my RME ADI-2 DAC FS (version 2). 

[matthias]

On 3/2/2021 at 7:18 PM, Reg19 said:

In a few days, I shall conduct a comparison of ultraRendu v/s SMS-200Ultra v/s Auralic Aries (Femto) - all powered by LPS.

 

Feeding from Roon or Roon / HQPlayer. Feeding into my RME ADI-2 DAC FS (version 2). 

 

Maybe direct USB out from a good server with Audirvana outperforms all of them?

 

Matt

[davide256]

On 3/2/2021 at 1:18 PM, Reg19 said:

In a few days, I shall conduct a comparison of ultraRendu v/s SMS-200Ultra v/s Auralic Aries (Femto) - all powered by LPS.

 

Feeding from Roon or Roon / HQPlayer. Feeding into my RME ADI-2 DAC FS (version 2). 

 

Sounds more like a test of what makes the RME sound best than a  test of the sources. 

[Reg19]

On 3/2/2021 at 1:18 PM, Reg19 said:

In a few days, I shall conduct a comparison of ultraRendu v/s SMS-200Ultra v/s Auralic Aries (Femto) - all powered by LPS.

 

Feeding from Roon or Roon / HQPlayer. Feeding into my RME ADI-2 DAC FS (version 2). 

 

Tried them all extensively for a couple of weeks.

 

First, let me compare the two that are the most similar in feature set - SMS-200Ultra vs ultraRendu:

 

Unlike the Auralic Aries (Femto), both of these can be used as a NAA for HQPlayer. Of course, they can also be used as Roon-ready endpoints. Advertised as 'similar level' but very different in sound.

 

ultraRendu is more like a analytical 'audiophile' player: distinctly lower noise floor of the two, cleaner sound, better separation between instruments, etc

 

SMS-200Ultra feels more musical and a bit warmer

 

My suggestion: If you have a warmer, more musical sounding speaker, I'd say go for the uR. Otherwise, like me, if you have a more analytical, revealing speaker, go for the SMS-200Ultra.

 

 

If you don't use HQPlayer, for the best feature-set, I'd recommend the Auralic Aries Femto. Great sound. Not only can you use it as a Roon-ready endpoint, you don't need a Roon subscription once you have this. I find its Lightning DS software really good. It can stream from Tidal, Qobuz or Spotify. It has parametric EQ. It can upsample. It can play your personal digital music collection.

 

I highly recommend upgrading to a Linear Power supply for all 3 of the above. I used SGC's for the uR, SBooster for the SMS-200Ultra and the Auralic LPS for the Aries (Femto) in this comparison.

 

I just paid for HQPlayer a few weeks ago. So, sadly, I'll be selling my Auralic Aries (Femto) and the Auralic LPS.