Article: Sonore opticalRendu & Signature Rendu SE Optical Review | Part 1

[Gavin1977]

On 9/16/2019 at 8:27 PM, bobfa said:

"Bob's Summer of Fun"

 

Over the summer I have been busy with work and, I have not been posting to Audiophilestyle.  I have also been waiting for "part 2" from Chris on the Signature Rendu SE Optical.  

 

Today I decided to go ahead and post about my experience this summer.  

 

I have used products from Sonore for a while, but I had drifted over to custom-built hardware.  I have been using a custom server and a couple of different endpoints based on the Intel NUC platform.  In all of the work/fun, everything seemed incremental.   I would mix-match-remix, and it sounded "the same but different."

 

After Chris did his part one review, I decided to give the new Sonore box a try.  Since the beginning of July, I have had the Signature Rendu SE Optical Tier 1 (SRSO) in my system.  I have also purchased the large SD card from Sonore, but I have not done a lot of testing with LMS and none with MPD for the moment.  My primary playback system is Roon.  

 

My Server has been running a beta version of Euphony that allowed running the OS in RAM to improve sound quality.  I just updated to the 20190912 production release today.  I will not discuss that here other than to note that it does edge things up further.

 

Listening to the SRSO in my system, there is more space, more depth in the musical soundstage.  The music has a smoothness that I have not enjoyed before.  The sound quality improvement does not come at any expense in detail.  I feel that this is the best endpoint I have ever had in my system.    

 

I have to take the time to listen to LMS and MPD with the SRSO!  I know that Chris liked it.  My short look of LMS running on the SRSO was favorable, but the two box Roon Server system was better.   I hope to get some more time to listen to the system with the SRSO by itself using LMS and MPD.  I can pry myself away from Roon; I know I can!

 

This solution is not in-expensive, but it does deliver.  I am not ready to try the Tier II upgrade YET!

 

There is more I can do in my system.  The Server is set to bridge the network with two FMC devices that are of dubious quality.  I would love a  dual ethernet card with SFP slots that are supported by Linux.  Maybe a Sonore Optical module, maybe an EtherRegen.   

 

I know that I could replace the Ghent USB cable with something else.  I do not know what I will try next.

 

Time will tell.  

Is Signature Rendu SE OpticaL still your present reference?

[Gavin1977]

10 hours ago, bobfa said:

It never became a reference device for me.  I have moved it along.

Thanks Bob - I note from your profile that you are now using Antipodes CX --> Antipodes EX.  There is very little in the way of comparisions of the Sonore Optial Rendu vs Antipodes.  Would you be able to enlighten us why Signature Rendu SE optical never became your reference?

[Gavin1977]

9 hours ago, vortecjr said:

Chris’ DAC and network are not giving him issues so we will say it’s simple, stable, and easy to use:)

I'd review - but am unable to source a demo in the UK.