Better Roon Endpoints?

[buzzlulu]

Newbie here to this topic and I wonder if a few questions can be answered.

 

I own an original SonicOrbiter SE which I purchased to use in my two channel system to “Roofnify” my Linn Klimax DS.

 

In the meanwhile I recently got back to headphone listening and created a small system.  My initial idea was to use a headphone amplifier in my two channel system and use the Linn as a source however now I have decided to seperate the two systems.  I purchased a Sony TA-ZH1ES headphone DAC/amplifier (part of their new signature series) to go with my Sony Z1R/Utopia headphones.

 

My first attempt was to use the Sony Walkman 1Z (also part of the new signature series) as a source to the Sony DAC/Amp - nice results.  Next step was to put the SonicOrbiter SE into the mix and connect it to the Sony DAC/AMP with a generic USB cable.  WOW - extremely impressive performance - better than the Sony WM1Z walkman as a source (and the 1Z is Sony’s TOL unit).

 

I then came across this post and had a quick go with my iPhoneX into the Apple USB/Camera Kit (not gen 3 but rather the previous one) however quite honestly I was not seeing the level of performance as written on this thread.  My demo was rather short however I feel confident in what I heard.  The SonicOrbiter SE outperformed the iPhoneX.

 

Questions:

How is the SonicOrbiter SE with supplied WallWart?  Does it still rate - or does something like a MicroRendu blow it out of the water - for the particular use scenario I need?

 

AND - why am I not getting the kind of performance from my iPhoneX used as a ROON endpoint into the Sony DAC/Amp that others are raving about here - general impressions is that it even beats the MicroRendu.  I do not think the generic USB cable I am using would hold things back  - I used the same cable with the SonicOrbiter SE to the Sony DAC/Amp and had better results.

 

[buzzlulu]

40 minutes ago, One and a half said:

To monitor differences in timbre, resolution and micro details, headphones are the way to go. For detecting the artifacts of noise, speakers are better since added noise blurs the soundstage width and depth, makes the middle muddy. That's in my system's behaviour anyway and easy to listen for changes. I use speakers also to compare USB cables/transmission systems since they affect the sound stage (let less/more noise).

 

I suspect in your case, the iPhoneX is noisier for some reason, I used the iPad Pro wireless only and the results weren't too bad at all, but was annoying to have the iPad tethered to cables in the one place, as I use the iPad very much not tethered.

 

Yes keeping an iPad/iPhone tethered is a pain.  That is why something like my current Sonicorbiter is a pleasure to use.  Simply sit with my headphones on and control ROON with an untethered iPhone.

 

So - how much better is a MicroRendu over my Sonicorbiter SE???  Is the improvement in quality, in my particular scenario of headphone listening with my Sony DAC/AMP, commensurate with the significant increase in cost?

 

Then, obviously, the next question is:

Microrendu/high quality power supply

vs.

Ultrarendu/iFi PS

[buzzlulu]

I only said iFi as that is what is offered on the Sonore website (I'm new to this)

 

However you did not answer the $64,000 question:

 

how much better is a MicroRendu vs. my Sonicorbiter

 

and then

 

Microrendu/high grade PS

Vs

Ultrarendu/low grade PS (ie economical)

 

[buzzlulu]

Sounds like I need to ditch my Sonicorbiter SE and look at a Rendu (didn't say which one however- ha ha)

[buzzlulu]

53 minutes ago, davide256 said:

Well I find it important that switching to Roon basically blew away my previous solution architecture. Before Roon with a UPNP solution, best sound was achieved running Minimserver on NAS and using Lumin/Kinsky/Kazoo control points. Now best sound is achieved with local attached drives to PC running Roon core, sent to Roon endpoint, controlled through Roon GUI. My NAS  became a distant second in SQ and is now re-purposed solely as a video server

 

What are you running for a ROON endpoint?

[buzzlulu]

28 minutes ago, davide256 said:

Still an iPhone6... it beat the microRendu I owned for Roon SQ. Still hoping this thread  will flush out other competitive options as I don't want my iPhone to be the long term solution.

 

Well when I get home I am going to have to test again.  As I stated a few pages ago when I entered this thread I read with excitement about using an i device as an endpoint however in my setup I found an old Sonicorbiter SE (which I am using with my Linn DS) was superior to an iPadPro and an iPhone X.  On each I was not using the current Apple USB CameraKit but rather the previous generation one.

 

I find your comments about the iPhone 6 beating out a MicroRendu interesting as I have been debating, based on my brief demo of using the SonicOrbiter SE,  about whether or not to jump up to a Micro or Ultra Rendu - based on my perception of the superiority of the SE over the i devices.  Your comments cause me to take pause and do the demo again when I get back home.

 

Use case scenario for me is not in my two channel system but rather in a stand alone headphone system - Utopia and Sony Z1R cans and Sony TA-ZH1ES Dac/Amp (both Sony pieces part of the new Flagship Signature series)

[buzzlulu]

More clarity and AIR around things - not a flat "2D" presentation but rather a "3D" presentation.  Similar to what I get when I compare digital to my vinyl LP12.  Also a bit more dynamic range.

 

Not sure if you are familiar with the new Sony Signature series headphone lineup - Z1R headphones, Walkman WM1Z, TA-ZH1ES DAC/Amp.  Right now the WM1Z Walkman is considered the premier portable digital player on the market nudging out the TOTL Astell & Kern.  Anyone who has the set uses the Walkman as a digital source to the DAC/Amp as it is TOTL.  Well - I found the SonicOrbiter SE to beat that combination as well (I own both so no horse in the race).

 

Many write off the supplied Sony USB cable as poor however for now I'm stuck with it as it has a proprietary connector.  The only way around it is to buy a dock for the Walkman (which would allow after market USB cables)

BUT

in all my tests I use a generic USB cable for consistency - so theoretically all devices are equally hobbled by the cable.