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

[johnjen]

 
Hi Johnjen
I am very interested in this subject. But I already have a HDPlex which has a 12VDC, 15VDC and 5V. I use the 12V for my Mac Mini but have the 15 and 5 spare.
 

 
Please post back once you get yours up and running. Are you to drill and fit 2 x rear plugs for the power connections on the RedNet? Guess this will void the warranty but I will take that risk if the SQ gains are there.

Judging by what I see in your photo that PS doesn't supply ±15 vdc.
That was the trick, getting all 3 voltages (+5, +15, -15) out of one PSU, at least for cheap with sufficiently low noise.
 
JJ

 

[joelha]

To johnjen, mourip, and rb2013,
 
First and most of all, thanks for all of your suggestions.
 
In short, I have rebooted my PC and Rednet device and have always left the Rednet software open. No luck there.
 
I don't believe the 24 bit settings are causing an issue as I am able to play 24 bit files at lower sample rates.
 
As for latency settings, I'll need a little more time to play with that.
 
But at this point I'm not hopeful and have a call into Focusrite for help.
 
I'll keep everyone posted.
 
But in the meantime, thanks again guys.
 
Joel

 

[johnjen]

 
Hi Johnjen
snip  
Are you to drill and fit 2 x rear plugs for the power connections on the RedNet? Guess this will void the warranty but I will take that risk if the SQ gains are there.

I forgot to comment on this, so here is what I'm thinking.
 
Right now I see 2 ways of proceeding.
 
#1 is to yank the existing SMPS out and mount the LPS in its place.
This would be the ideal solution because I should be able to use the existing IEC receptacle and power switch and the wire run from the LPS to the mainboard would be as short as possible.
 
The 1st problem to overcome will be, can the LPS actually fit in the space available, and if not, do not pass go and proceed to option #2…
Also note I am modding the RN3 which is a 2U height box. 
The D16 and other 1U height boxes will not be large enough for mounting the LPS internally, so option #2 is the only option.
 
#2 Make the LPS external and run a 4-wire cable into the box and add a on/off switch to the LPS.
I suppose I could panel mount an XLR 3 or 4 pin connector, with a matching mate from the LPS, but…
For me I'm gunna hardwire it end to end if I can, but I probably will have to use short smaller gauge wire to feed into those hole thru solder points on the mainboard.  Which means a terminal strip of some sort to step down the bigger gauge wires to the wires that are soldered to the mainboard.
 
And I would leave the SMPS in place to make it a plug-n-play operation to restore it back to stock condition.
 
Because when I mod anything I do so such that I can reverse my mods and take the unit back to stock, if need be.
Sometimes the mods I make don't work out as anticipated, and being able to go back to square 1 is always a good thing to be able to do.
 
This is one of the Murphy's law sorta things, only sideways, where if I plan on being able to undo my efforts, I rarely ever do so…

 
JJ

 

[Youth]

Anyone compared Audio-gd DI-U8 vs Singxer SU-1?
 
Thinking about buying something around $350 ish.

 

[jabbr]

  Anyone compared Audio-gd DI-U8 vs Singxer SU-1?
 
Thinking about buying something around $350 ish.

Wrong thread!!!

 

[Youth]

Wrong thread!!!

My bad. You know where I should post this?

 

[mourip]

My bad. You know where I should post this?

It would have been...
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/803111/xmos-xu208-usb-bridges-the-latest-gen-has-arrived/3660#post_12893293
 
...but that thread got closed. You could probably read through it for ideas or else start a new thread.
 
Good luck.

 

[rb2013]

  Anyone compared Audio-gd DI-U8 vs Singxer SU-1?
 
Thinking about buying something around $350 ish.

Go for the SU-1 - it is way better and newer technology.  PM me and I can give you details.
 

  It would have been...
 
http://www.head-fi.org/t/803111/xmos-xu208-usb-bridges-the-latest-gen-has-arrived/3660#post_12893293
 
...but that thread got closed. You could probably read through it for ideas or else start a new thread.
 
Good luck.

Such a shame that was closed - I still get 3-4 PM's a week asking questions on subject.
 
I will open a new thread regarding the XU208 DDC's - as there is still fruit on that tree for those with more modest budgets that AOIP requires.  At least for now.
 
I still have to start a thread on the Startech/USB stick SS storage - the SQ is really excellent.  Need a better LPS to feed the REX to finish my explorations.  And I need to complete the 5 PART series on power supplies.  Looking at JJ's recommendation to include in the PART 5 DIY.  Looking over their website - did not see anywhere that the 1uv noise was quoted.  Did see they use a EI transformer - while I prefer R-core for better PSRR - it is better then using a toroidal.
 
But will recreate the XU208 first.
 
So much to do - so little blogging time!

 

[mourip]

  Go for the SU-1 - it is way better and newer technology.  PM me and I can give you details.
 
Such a shame that was closed - I still get 3-4 PM's a week asking questions on subject.
 
I will open a new thread regarding the XU208 DDC's - as there is still fruit on that tree for those with more modest budgets that AOIP requires.  At least for now.
 
I still have to start a thread on the Startech/USB stick SS storage - the SQ is really excellent.  Need a better LPS to feed the REX to finish my explorations.  And I need to complete the 5 PART series on power supplies.  Looking at JJ's recommendation to include in the PART 5 DIY.  Looking over their website - did not see anywhere that the 1uv noise was quoted.  Did see they use a EI transformer - while I prefer R-core for better PSRR - it is better then using a toroidal.
 
But will recreate the XU208 first.
 
So much to do - so little blogging time!

 
Thanks for all of your work on this. I still shake my head in amazement every time I turn on my system and enjoy the SQ of my RedNet unit...

 

[rb2013]

   
Thanks for all of your work on this. I still shake my head in amazement every time I turn on my system and enjoy the SQ of my RedNet unit...

Yes - the gift that keeps on giving!
 
Cheers

 

[astrostar59]

 
Yes - the gift that keeps on giving!
 
Cheers

Yes, and on that my RedNet 3 was amazingly better than USB off the bat, but did burn in IMO. It now sounds even better, faster and more transparent yet still liquid smooth no harshness in the treble, just superb.
 
rb2013, what did you gain with the Mutec? I am not buying one right now, but curious as to what and how much it brought to the table.

 

[rb2013]

 
Yes, and on that my RedNet 3 was amazingly better than USB off the bat, but did burn in IMO. It now sounds even better, faster and more transparent yet still liquid smooth no harshness in the treble, just superb.
 
rb2013, what did you gain with the Mutec? I am not buying one right now, but curious as to what and how much it brought to the table.

For me a great level of detail, better transparency, deeper sound stage image.  But most notable deeper and better defined bass.  As far as tremble - a bit smoother and even more of that relaxed natural musicality that AOIP is excellent at.  Expensive though.

 

[joelha]

So the latest is that I took my Mutec MC-3+ USB out of the chain to see if for some weird reason that unit was causing the problem with my inability to get sound at 176.4 and 192 sample rates.
 
But no, the same issue exists.
 
I'm thinking about trying a different DAC to see what will happen.
 
But in the meantime, when I do try to play the higher sample rates, looking at the latency measurements, I can see they skyrocket to something like 52msecs.
 
Any further thoughts? My first call to Focusrite support didn't get me very far but I think, if the issue exists with another DAC, I have to call them back.
 
Joel

 

[astrostar59]

  So the latest is that I took my Mutec MC-3+ USB out of the chain to see if for some weird reason that unit was causing the problem with my inability to get sound at 176.4 and 192 sample rates.
 
But no, the same issue exists.
 
I'm thinking about trying a different DAC to see what will happen.
 
But in the meantime, when I do try to play the higher sample rates, looking at the latency measurements, I can see they skyrocket to something like 52msecs.
 
Any further thoughts? My first call to Focusrite support didn't get me very far but I think, if the issue exists with another DAC, I have to call them back.
 
Joel

Why do you need to upsample? If you have an R-2R you are better plying bit-prefect. If you have a DS DAC it will be up sampling anyway in the DAC. I fail to see what is being achieved by up sampling on your PC?
 
Back to your latency issue, do you use a switch or another router in the chain or are you PC - Rednet - DAC via SPDIF? I guess you are on 1000BaseT and used their cable?
I had some confusion setting mine up and Sweetwater sent me a remote app, then finished the installation remotely for me. Can you try that?

 

[Iving]

  So the latest is that I took my Mutec MC-3+ USB out of the chain to see if for some weird reason that unit was causing the problem with my inability to get sound at 176.4 and 192 sample rates.
 
But no, the same issue exists.
 
I'm thinking about trying a different DAC to see what will happen.
 
But in the meantime, when I do try to play the higher sample rates, looking at the latency measurements, I can see they skyrocket to something like 52msecs.
 
Any further thoughts? My first call to Focusrite support didn't get me very far but I think, if the issue exists with another DAC, I have to call them back.
 
Joel

 

I used a lo-spec laptop as an interim source between Microsoft Surface Pro 3 and hi-spec PC. I seem to recall that the lo-spec laptop on default settings behaved in a similar way; i.e., baulked at or generated higher latency for higher SRs. Optimisation - especially DISABLE INTERRUPT MODERATION in Device Manager/Network Adpater/Advanced - made the difference between no-show and acceptable playback. Force Duplex to 1Gb too. There is a host of other possible tweaks within this thread.
 
Hope it's a simple remedy and you find it quickly ...