CA Readers Choice Awards 2017

[LTG2010]

1. SOTM  sCLK-EX technology, ( SMS 200 Ultra with Master clock input, tX USB Ultra reclocker, etc)

2. SOTM sPS 500

3. Uptone LPS1

4. HQPlayer

5.ROON

 

Edit: just spotted the fuss with SOTM I own all this stuff and its transformed my system. No problems with people encouraging voting.

[Jonny S]

8 minutes ago, Samuel T Cogley said:

If, as it appears, SOtM is creating accounts here just to "vote" for their products, that would completely turn me off to the company.  That's unethical IMHO, and a company that can justify this kind of behavior may be able to justify more malevolent actions.  Best to avoid them completely I think.

 

Whilst that is clearly cheating, encouraging people to vote clearly isn't. 

[Richard Dale]

On 09/12/2017 at 1:13 PM, The Computer Audiophile said:

 

1. KEF LS50 Wireless

2. Audeze Sine headphones

3 iFi iDSD micro Black Label

[davide256]

Sonore sent an email to their customers asking them to participate but I view that as  fair. Seems to me that for now, any account generated on or after the start of this thread should be disallowed for voting. And that in future,some minimum posting activity required to discourage preregistered "bot" accounts.

 

[Jonny S]

3 minutes ago, davide256 said:

Sonore sent an email to their customers asking them to participate but I view that as  fair. Seems to me that for now, any account generated on or after the start of this thread should be disallowed for voting. And that in future,some minimum posting activity required to discourage preregistered "bot" accounts.

 

 

So a satisfied customer who happened to be new to this thread couldn't vote? 

[Samuel T Cogley]

39 minutes ago, Jonny S said:

 

Whilst that is clearly cheating, encouraging people to vote clearly isn't. 

 

Not questioning consumer's real world experiences with SOtM products.  Just questioning the integrity of a company that would send people to sign up to a public forum just to hawk their wares.  That taint overshadows the quality/value of their products IMHO.

[Dr Tone]

I can't think of a single 2017 product that is worth a vote.

 

If Roon would have released their full mobile solution this year it would have got my vote hands down.

[LTG2010]

59 minutes ago, Samuel T Cogley said:

Not questioning consumer's real world experiences with SOtM products.  Just questioning the integrity of a company that would send people to sign up to a public forum just to hawk their wares.  That taint overshadows the quality/value of their products IMHO.

where is your proof of this? I can spot many other 1 posters voting for other products.

[firedog]

1 hour ago, Jonny S said:

 

Whilst that is clearly cheating, encouraging people to vote clearly isn't. 

There is a difference between encouraging people to vote and creating fake accounts to submit votes for your products as if you are a regular consumer.

[Floyd94]

1. sMS-200ultra(opt for Master clock input connector - remarkable network player

2. sPs-500 - clean power

3. ROON - you will never go back

[firedog]

2 minutes ago, LTG2010 said:

where is your proof of this? I can spot many other 1 posters voting for other products.

Chris told us that it occurred.

[LTG2010]

3 minutes ago, firedog said:

Chris told us that it occurred.

Then apologies from me.

[Samuel T Cogley]

7 minutes ago, Dr Tone said:

I can't think of a single 2017 product that is worth a vote.

 

If Roon would have released their full mobile solution this year it would have got my vote hands down.

 

Version Roon 1.4 (out now) has iOS playback.  Not necessarily disagreeing with you, but how is that different from "full mobile solution"? 

[Dr Tone]

8 minutes ago, Samuel T Cogley said:

 

Version Roon 1.4 (out now) has iOS playback.  Not necessarily disagreeing with you, but how is that different from "full mobile solution"? 

 

Sync local and playback local on device and/or remote (outside home network) streaming and maybe even cloud storage.

 

iOS playback is a required/crucial step but I'm not going to stream to my phone at home when I could play music through my stereo.

[Samuel T Cogley]

2 minutes ago, Dr Tone said:

 

Sync local and playback on device, remote streaming maybe even cloud storage.

 

iOS playback is a required/crucial step but I'm not going to stream to my phone at home when I have a stereo system that cost me an arm and a leg.

 

Ok, I think I'm following you.  In your ideal, hypothetical setup, I can access my NAS library on my iDevice directly and stream it to any Roon endpoint?  Even if that endpoint is the same iOS device or another on the network?  Roon Core on an iDevice?

[Dr Tone]

Just now, Samuel T Cogley said:

 

Ok, I think I'm following you.  In your ideal, hypothetical setup, I can access my NAS library on my iDevice directly and stream it to any Roon endpoint?  Even if that endpoint is the same iOS device or another on the network?  Roon Core on an iDevice?

 

A complete mobile solution to me allows me to stream to my iPhone when I'm out of the house, either via direct access back to my core or from a cloud cache or proxy.  It also allows me to transfer a certain amount of album/tracks onto my device to take with me and playback on my iPhone. (Think iTunes replacement)

 

The Roon team plans to get there, but it's requires allot of planning and work.

 

Sorry for the thread OT, Chris.  I'll stop now.

[beerandmusic]

this seems like a biased election and mainly SOTM vs Sonore more than anything else.

 

A blind test would be more appropriate imho, and from what i read from people i trust, the SOTM will win...but this biased thread will clearly dictate differently....

 

Also, it is nothing more than an enet to usb roon endpoint adapter....a product for people that insist on a usb dac, where imho it would make more sense to sell your old dac and buy a dac with an enet port which the direction the hobby will eventually go.  A dac should support digital inputs whether it be toslink, usb, or enet....this is just a baby step imho.

 

I doubt there really is anything really vital in the way of design for an enet to usb interface, especially when the usb intfc should be eliminated completely imho....

 

...Moving forward, All future Dacs should have an enet port  ...this is just another usb toy for archaic dacs.

 

[beerandmusic]

At the higher end, 2017 contenders should include:

 

Ayre QX-5 Twenty (give charles his credit due)

SOTM trifecta

Zenith Inuos products

[The Computer Audiophile]

31 minutes ago, LTG2010 said:

where is your proof of this? I can spot many other 1 posters voting for other products.

I have proof. Behind the scenes. 

 

Edit: I have proof of the company posting with multiple user accounts. 

[Samuel T Cogley]

4 minutes ago, beerandmusic said:

this seems like a biased election and mainly SOTM vs Sonore more than anything else.

 

A blind test would be more appropriate imho, and from what i read from people i trust, the SOTM will win...but this biased thread will clearly dictate differently....

 

Also, it is nothing more than an enet to usb roon endpoint adapter....a product for people that insist on a usb dac, where imho it would make more sense to sell your old dac and buy a dac with an enet port which the direction the hobby will eventually go.  A dac should support digital inputs whether it be toslink, usb, or enet....this is just a baby step imho.

 

I doubt there really is anything really vital in the way of design for an enet to usb interface, especially when the usb intfc should be eliminated completely imho....

 

...Moving forward, All future Dacs should have an enet port  ...this is just another usb toy for archaic dacs.

 

 

As I learned when I first attempted to stream to an Ethernet-enabled DAC, we're really talking about DNLA.  And that requires some software in this hypothetical converter you're talking about.  There are known issues with DLNA and gapless playback, and also file type support (FLAC, for example, is not supported and the streamer must convert to something like WAV on the fly).  DLNA is an imperfect solution at best.

[beerandmusic]

53 minutes ago, Samuel T Cogley said:

 

As I learned when I first attempted to stream to an Ethernet-enabled DAC, we're really talking about DNLA.  And that requires some software in this hypothetical converter you're talking about.  There are known issues with DLNA and gapless playback, and also file type support (FLAC, for example, is not supported and the streamer must convert to something like WAV on the fly).  DLNA is an imperfect solution at best.

As you learned?  You have some more learning to do...

there is also RAAT and NAA, and other methods.  As for flac support, i don't know about your hardware but most will support flac files.  As far as DLNA may be imperfect, but so are all other interfaces, all having their limitations...but imho all interfaces should be supported by future dacs in the $1K and up models....jmo

 

also inre gapless...the oppo 205 latest firmware supports gapless, so i am not sure if that is an enet shortcoming or implementation issue.

[Samuel T Cogley]

16 minutes ago, beerandmusic said:

As you learned?  You have some more learning to do...

there is also RAAT and NAA, and other methods.  As for flac support, i don't know about your hardware but most will support flac files.  As far as DLNA may be imperfect, but so are all other interfaces, all having their limitations...but imho all interfaces should be supported by future dacs in the $1K and up models....jmo

 

Roon enabled devices = $$$.

 

I use NAA, but I've never seen an NAA-enabled DAC.

 

In all cases, some software is required on the DAC side.  It's more than just an Ethernet port.

 

Regarding FLAC, it's my understanding it is not in the DLNA Specification.  When FLAC is in the mix, software workarounds are as well.

[beerandmusic]

10 minutes ago, Samuel T Cogley said:

 

Roon enabled devices = $$$.

shouldn't be...they have $100 roon capable devices

 

10 minutes ago, Samuel T Cogley said:

 

In all cases, some software is required on the DAC side.  It's more than just an Ethernet port.

 

All interfaces require some circuitry and software, so what?  It is still of my opinion that all future dacs should support toslink, usb, and enet for dacs $1K and up...and i am 100% convinced you will see more in this area in the future.

 

and i still don't know what you are talking about flac files...do you have a link newer than 2010 stating you can't play flac files via dlna?

 

[beerandmusic]

1 hour ago, The Computer Audiophile said:

I have proof. Behind the scenes. 

 

Edit: I have proof of the company posting with multiple user accounts. 

 

I don't doubt anything you say as fact, but I don't think that is relative to the SQ comparison...?

Charles of AYRE says things that I wouldn't ever dream of saying, but that wouldn't dissuade me from owning an AYRE product...but the price might (grin).

 

I am not sure there is any audio company that hasn't been guilty of some marketing ploy that would make me question their integrity.

[The Computer Audiophile]

Stop derailing the thread.