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

[Superdad]

 
It makes an improvement for me. It has for many others that have NADAC's as well. But if you're using a fiber converter, make sure to power the one connected to the endpoint with a very low noise supply. Using fiber ensures that no noise is being transferred from the server or networking gear. Yes I know some say copper Ethernet is galvanically isolated already and it doesn't matter, but my ears say a different story.
 
These inexpensive fiber media converters are excellent. Power it with a $50 IFI Ipower supply and you have a killer setup for $100. Use another one on the router/switch end if you don't have a switch with SFP port.
 
https://www.amazon.com/MC210CS-Converter-1000Mbps-single-mode-mountable/dp/B003CFATKQ
 
http://www.musicdirect.com/p-322395-ifi-ipower-outboard-supply.aspx

Hey, tweaks for Ethernet audio.  Optical isolation, power supplies, cables, etc.  Just like with USB! 

 
By the way, I don't think anyone here has given Kelowna a proper welcome, nor has he fully introduced himself.  Kelowna and Mivera Audio is Mike Davis, known on the various forums he has been banned from (What's Best Forum, Computer Audiophile, others I expect) as Blizzard.
 
Good to see you here Mike.  I am sure you will make friends.  

 
BTW, the new AES67/Ravenna devices Mike is saying are "'just around the corner" have, according to him, been waiting there for well over a year.  How about some details bud?  All I see on your website as coming soon is a--wait for it--a USB DAC!  

 
Cheers,
 
--Alex C.

 

[Kelowna]

Hey, tweaks for Ethernet audio.  Optical isolation, power supplies, cables, etc.  Just like with USB! :tongue_smile:

By the way, I don't think anyone here has given Kelowna a proper welcome, nor has he fully introduced himself.  Kelowna and Mivera Audio is Mike Davis, known on the various forums he has been banned from (What's Best Forum, Computer Audiophile, others I expect) as Blizzard.

Good to see you here Mike.  I am sure you will make friends.  

BTW, the new AES67/Ravenna devices Mike is saying are "'just around the corner" have, according to him, been waiting there for well over a year.  How about some details bud?  All I see on your website as coming soon is a--wait for it--a USB DAC!  :wink_face:

Cheers,

--Alex C.

Thanks for the warm welcome Alex. You still have a couple months left yet to sell your USB based trinkets. However I think you landed on the wrong thread for that. The folks around here already have had a taste of what the superiority of audio over IP can offer. And they haven't seen anything yet!

 

[Kelowna]

Yes I see.  Well I just order these as well. And the Monoprice cable - so something new to add to the equation.

Many thanks

Yes for the price, not much to lose. If anything you can extend your network 9 miles down the road to your neighbors if you want At least you aren't lining the pockets of charlatan's with this trinket.

 

[rb2013]

 
Hey, tweaks for Ethernet audio.  Optical isolation, power supplies, cables, etc.  Just like with USB! 

 
By the way, I don't think anyone here has given Kelowna a proper welcome, nor has he fully introduced himself.  Kelowna and Mivera Audio is Mike Davis, known on the various forums he has been banned from (What's Best Forum, Computer Audiophile, others I expect) as Blizzard.
 
Good to see you here Mike.  I am sure you will make friends.  

 
BTW, the new AES67/Ravenna devices Mike is saying are "'just around the corner" have, according to him, been waiting there for well over a year.  How about some details bud?  All I see on your website as coming soon is a--wait for it--a USB DAC!  

 
Cheers,
 
--Alex C.

Now Alex let's be nice here.  I'm trying to be a more open minded participant on these threads.
 
I appreciate @Kelowa's kind, patient, and positive attitude and great information.  Not just a naysayer

.
 
One who lives in a vaporware glass house should not throw stones - right?
 
The difference here with the inevitable tweeks (and who doesn't mind a good inexpensive tweek

. Life would be so boring without them) - is here we have leaped way beyond the best that USB can offer (at least what i have heard - like the Mutec3+USB and my own uber USB chain).
 
So with this sea change AOIP SQ as a starting point - Wow!  What potential.  So far my add ons have been on the SPDIF to DAC side - not with AOIP itself.
 
And that has already produced great rewards.

 

[sbgk]

Those are there. Comparing to the f1/wyrd, with the rednet you can hear bow technique and little emphasis on how a instrument is played. Now you're not just hearing a violin play, you're hearing how Hilary Hahn plays.

Details of a bow sliding across strings, how an instrument is plucked, was it finesse or forceful, maybe halfway through a passage there's a small difference that makes the performance from good to brilliant that wasn't heard before; it's all there. These are details that separates musicians and it's beautiful to hear these small intricate differences. Specially for someone who used to play those instruments

sounds promising then, think I'll sit this one out for a few cycles until the technology settles.

 

[rb2013]

Thanks for the warm welcome Alex. You still have a couple months left yet to sell your USB based trinkets. However I think you landed on the wrong thread for that. The folks around here already have had a taste of what the superiority of audio over IP can offer. And they haven't seen anything yet!

Speaking of USB gear - I dropped the price of my Regen in the classifieds to $120 and all I hear is crickets...listed on US Audio Mart yesterday...more crickets...
 
Same for the iUSB2.0 and LH Labs 2G and....

 

[rb2013]

Yes for the price, not much to lose. If anything you can extend your network 9 miles down the road to your neighbors if you want

At least you aren't lining the pockets of charlatan's with this trinket.

+1

 

[Soundsgoodtome]

If it catches in the audiophile world you should be seeing $300 implementations. What's really holding back from a manufacturer point is the asio control which shouldn't be tough if the market is there.

Maybe a big dac maker like chord, Schiit,

sounds promising then, think I'll sit this one out for a few cycles until the technology settles.

Etc will just put the Dante stuff directly on.

 

[rb2013]

If it catches in the audiophile world you should be seeing $300 implementations. What's really holding back from a manufacturer point is the asio control which shouldn't be tough if the market is there.

Maybe a big dac maker like chord, Schiit,
Etc will just put the Dante stuff directly on.

Exciting news!  Our grass roots efforts are being heard.  The #3 guy at Focusrite is interested in speaking with me and a few others here!
 
- about a consumer 2 channel interface? I hope.
 
I think all these REDNET $1000+ boxes flying out the door is getting their attention.  I hear that the Pro retailers are backordered here and in the UK and EU.

 

[Soundsgoodtome]

I'd be in for beta testing. Make sure they get what's important in our views right. Clocks, isolation, connections, etc all right the first swing. And for desktop realty sake, a smaller footprint! An under 500 price objective would be fantastic as well, it's not just high end stuff this implementation benefits from.

 

[Kelowna]

Speaking of USB gear - I dropped the price of my Regen in the classifieds to $120 and all I hear is crickets...listed on US Audio Mart yesterday...more crickets...

Same for the iUSB2.0 and LH Labs 2G and....

Yeah that was last summers trinket. The great thing about audio over IP is, it isn't just a bandaid for a flawed system. It's an actual far superior solution, and a new audio standard supported by the AES as a replacement for the 80's standard AES/EBU (which is still better than USB). AES67 will dominate for decades as it has no bottlenecks. Wireless AES67 is also in the works as well. They figure by 2020 it should be perfected.

 

[rb2013]

Yeah that was last summers trinket. The great thing about audio over IP is, it isn't just a bandaid for a flawed system. It's an actual far superior solution, and a new audio standard supported by the AES as a replacement for the 80's standard AES/EBU (which is still better than USB). AES67 will dominate for decades as it has no bottlenecks. Wireless AES67 is also in the works as well. They figure by 2020 it should be perfected.

After hearing the SQ I couldn't agree more.  Long live King AOIP

 

[rb2013]

Ok so we are starting an informal Audiophile Audio over IP consumer advisory group.  AAOIP
 
I'm doing a poll of what 4-5 features do you find most important in a 2 channel consumer AOIP device:
 
Just post here and I will compile to present to the folks at Focusrite, and any other company interested.
 
Here are mine:
 
1) Dante/DVS or Ravenna/DVS  - WIN, MAC CoreAudio and maybe but doubtful Linux compatible
 
2) 2 channels only - max throughput as possbile.  DSD as a maybe if doable wish.
 
3) Excellent clocking and DC power (for use of an external LPS for some)
 
4) SR Follow function (this I believe is already in the works).
 
5) Under $500

 

[Kelowna]

If it catches in the audiophile world you should be seeing $300 implementations. What's really holding back from a manufacturer point is the asio control which shouldn't be tough if the market is there.

Maybe a big dac maker like chord, Schiit,
Etc will just put the Dante stuff directly on.

2-24/192 PCM capable endpoint's and switch for only $279 here. Plug and play with a Mac. Otherwise you need the Hono virtual soundcard with Windows.

http://www.dsp4you.com/products/avb-oem-series/avb-dgk

 

[occamsrazor]

On the wish list....

6. You don't mention inputs/outputs:

Input: Ideally I'd have an SFP slot that comes with copper Ethernet module (cheap) big could be swapped for an optical module if the user wanted. All this stuff is off the shelf so shouldn't be hard, but I wouldn't make it a priority.

Outputs: AES, SPDIF, Toslink, @ 192khz
i2s if possible but certainly required for the higher rates. Not sure if hdmi/rj45 plug is better am sure others will know.

... And here's a bizarre thought... Would it make sense to have a USB output as well? I know the point is to get rid of it, but the device would still have separation from the main noisy computer in the same way as the uRendu, and it would enable higher data rates and a lot of compatibility. But hey... Just a. Thought and certainly not a priority!