AUDIO over IP - REDNET 3 & 16 Review. AES67 Sets A New Standard for Computer Audio

[johnjen]

  Confirmed via email from tech support ("does not make use of the +51v power rail on the supply").

Excellent!
 
Thanks for that!
 
JJ

 

[Golfnutz]

  Excellent!
 
Thanks for that!
 
JJ

No problem.
 
I do hope though, that when you get your LPS, you'll hook it up externally first to get an idea if making the changes are worth continuing or not.

 

[johnjen]

Oh yeah…!
The old proof of performance before figuring out how to make it all fit is definitely the order to follow…
 
JJ

 

[joelha]

Well, I've upgraded to Rednet Controller v. 2 and while I can output sound, I can't get automatic sample rate change and my device (D16 AES) isn't showing in the device list in the left column.
 
What incredibly obvious setting(s) or action(s) am I missing?
 
The instruction manual isn't helping me out.
 
Thanks in advance for your help.
 
Joel

 

[johnjen]

  Well, I've upgraded to Rednet Controller v. 2 and while I can output sound, I can't get automatic sample rate change and my device (D16 AES) isn't showing in the device list in the left column.
 
What incredibly obvious setting(s) or action(s) am I missing?
 
The instruction manual isn't helping me out.
 
Thanks in advance for your help.
 
Joel

I don't have an answer for you.
I'd suggest calling Focusrite.
 
And I'm not sure I like v.2 yet, either.
 
I just tried to use it to effect a simple SR change and it wouldn't.
So I used 1.10 instead.
 
And v.2 is confusing for me to use.
I can see where if you had a complex system it might be easier to control lots of boxes, but for us audiophools, using v.2 seems more cumbersome and confusing.
 
I'm hoping it will mature with subsequent updates.
 
JJ

 

[mourip]

  Well, I've upgraded to Rednet Controller v. 2 and while I can output sound, I can't get automatic sample rate change and my device (D16 AES) isn't showing in the device list in the left column.
 
What incredibly obvious setting(s) or action(s) am I missing?
 
The instruction manual isn't helping me out.
 
Thanks in advance for your help.
 
Joel

 
What is showing in the left column? You should see your PC and the D16. You might have to use the drop down list on the top of the screen to choose your PC as the Tab Follow Device.
 
Were you prompted for a firmware upgrade? Mine was when I updated RC. Have you tried rebooting your PC and the D16?
 
Once you get the D16 to show up you drag it from the list over to the right and it will show the virtual interface that you are used to.
 

 

[johnjen]

Do we even need the +-15 and +51 in the Rednet 3? Would it work with just the +5V?

I may have been wrong in my previous post about needing the ±15vdc.
I'm getting some indications that the RN3 may work on only +5vdc, which would be great in terms of finding an internal LPS that will fit.
 
But it would mean that the aes output uses a split 5vdc (or they use a dc to dc converter) for the differential output used for the aes data stream.
 
But I'll know when I get my PowerVolt triple output PSU and can then disconnect the ±15 and see if it will work.
 
But finding a decent PSU to fit the RN3 will be much easier than for the D16 due to it being 1U in height.
 
And the search continues…
 
JJ

 

[Iving]

Me to Focusrite:
I wonder - would you be kind enough ...
Some of us audiophiles are interested in bypassing the SMPS so as to provide cleaner power supply to our RedNet boxes.
We know of course that any modification by ourselves of these units affects the warranty - please take that as read.
Could you consult the designer and/or in-house engineers, soliciting their views about how this could be achieved in the simplest way possible.
Could Focusrite, at some reasonable cost, provide an ex-warranty service in which the SMPS is bypassed - perhaps fitting a DC [?] port at the rear of the unit in its place?
Thanks
 
Reply:
I have spoken to our engineering team and they do not believe that you would be able to improve the performance on the D16 by changing the power supply. However if you did wish to you would need to make a PSU that had the following output voltages on it:
1 +5V 2A
2 +5V 2A
3 - GND
4 +15V 700mA
5 - GND
6 -15V 700mA
7 - GND
8 +51V 80mA
The numbers correspond to the board pin. Unfortunately we do not have the facility to be able to make a custom PSU for you. 

 

[Iving]

Additional observation wrt "The PC *does* make a difference" ...
On my "silent" (= no moving parts) PC,
whereas I have had the o/s on a Samsung SM951 128Gb *M.2* SSD
and music files (*.flac) on a Samsung 850 EVO 1Tb SSD,
as an experiment I tried music files on the *M.2* with the o/s.
Whatever the explanation (same drive or just faster drive),
there is a definite and worthwhile elevation in SQ:
any digital edge I didn't know was there has gone,
more detail,
any comparison with analogue rendered much more redundant because the music is - well - just the music.
What's more and as a direct result, latency has dropped by 5-10 μs average and is undoubtedly more stable.
And so I have filled spare capacity on the *M.2* with my favourite music and will use the EVO SSD for storage instead of playback.
I am interested in a *U.2* drive as a possible future upgrade.

 

[Golfnutz]

 
Additional observation wrt "The PC *does* make a difference" ...
On my "silent" (= no moving parts) PC,
whereas I have had the o/s on a Samsung SM951 128Gb *M.2* SSD
and music files (*.flac) on a Samsung 850 EVO 1Tb SSD,
as an experiment I tried music files on the *M.2* with the o/s.
Whatever the explanation (same drive or just faster drive),
there is a definite and worthwhile elevation in SQ:
any digital edge I didn't know was there has gone,
more detail,
any comparison with analogue rendered much more redundant because the music is - well - just the music.
What's more and as a direct result, latency has dropped by 5-10 μs average and is undoubtedly more stable.
And so I have filled spare capacity on the *M.2* with my favourite music and will use the EVO SSD for storage instead of playback.
I am interested in a *U.2* drive as a possible future upgrade.

I have my O/S and Apps on 256gb M.2, and my music on 512gb M.2. I don't use my PC for anything else. If/when my 512gb gets full, I'll start putting music on the 256gb.

 

[jabbr]

Some form of LAN isolation towards downstream of the playback PC has always been beneficial IME.
First I used Giso GB isolation on the CAT-cable, nowadays a fibre optic connection.

 

[Iving]

  I have my O/S and Apps on 256gb M.2, and my music on 512gb M.2. I don't use my PC for anything else. If/when my 512gb gets full, I'll start putting music on the 256gb.

 

If you are able, please say whether there any SQ difference between playing music on the *same* M2 (as the o/s) vs playing music on a *different* M2 (wrt to the o/s).
If different drive makes no diff and it's just (M2) speed that counts I could consider a separate M2 for the music library. If same drive is key then probably a U2 would be my next upgrade.
Thanks

 

[joelha]

mourip and johnjen,
 
Thanks for your posts.
 
I was able to finally, with the help of Focusrite support and a little with my own tinkering, to make this upgrade work.
 
"Intuitive" is not the word that jumps to mind when using this upgrade.
 
In any event, getting the software to track the sample rate change of the server was key in terms of automatic sample rate changes.
 
And learning how to open the options in the left column helped me to find my D16 in the list.
 
Obviously, this software is tremendous overkill for us home users. But then that's what we get when we use a commercial product.
 
Regardless, thanks again to both of you for your suggestions.
 
Joel

 

[Golfnutz]

   

If you are able, please say whether there any SQ difference between playing music on the *same* M2 (as the o/s) vs playing music on a *different* M2 (wrt to the o/s).
If different drive makes no diff and it's just (M2) speed that counts I could consider a separate M2 for the music library. If same drive is key then probably a U2 would be my next upgrade.
Thanks

No difference at all.

 

[thisisvv]

Long time lurker, then went off the grid. Now got some funds to put on AOIP. Does any final verdict is there that Rednet3 or D16 is better? are there any cheaper solutions?