[m-i-c-k-e-y]

No swell Bro! I know it will rock your Hifiman.

 

[Palyodgree]

The mighty Aries has arrived,...

 

[m-i-c-k-e-y]

Gosh its big! Can't wait for you're impressions on the Hydra.Vox!

 

[Palyodgree]

Gosh its big! Can't wait for you're impressions on the Hydra.Vox!

Mickey it’s quite the departure from the tiny headphone section in the Vox however I can understand this completely, I sent Andrew Sparko a single word email after the first track I listened to ,..Wow

 

[m-i-c-k-e-y]

Therefore, we are more or less on the same boat right now...

We keep on smiling!

 

[Palyodgree]

Therefore, we are more or less on the same boat right now...

We keep on smiling!

Yes we are on the same boat !

 

[Palyodgree]

Gosh its big! Can't wait for you're impressions on the Hydra.Vox!

Mickey I am very sure about one thing there is a synergy going on between the Hydra Vox and the Aries that is uncanny. Though I’m waiting on a proper pair of interconnects and another helix power cord for the Aries I suspect I haven’t heard all there is between the two.

Sure the headphone section of the Vox is limiting and only gives you a taste of the overall performance of the dac and source actually provide though I am confident with my knowledge , be it limited, of what live un amplified music actually sounds like my preliminary analysis I find the pairing of the Vox and Aries to be astonishingly good.

 

[m-i-c-k-e-y]

Sure the headphone section of the Vox is limiting and only gives you a taste of the overall performance of the dac and source actually provide though I am confident with my knowledge , be it limited, of what live un amplified music actually sounds like my preliminary analysis I find the pairing of the Vox and Aries to be astonishingly good.

I concur. The headamp section of the Vox DO limit the DACs true performance (Or that I just have a good headamp?).

Just finished Queen's Greatest Hits I & II in SACD/DSD64. Had all smiles from start to finish.

Very nice indeed! Smart/Home working in COVID times have never been good...

 

[neogeosnk]

@m-i-c-k-e-y I saw that you had the popping issue with yours and had posted about DC offsets on another forum. Do you happen to have those settings? I have the same issue. It pops quite loud when changing formats. Pretty sure I have the latest firmware also.

 

[m-i-c-k-e-y]

Hello @neogeosnk

Yeah it was in here in this post.

First and foremost I will email Nicolae <contact@audiobyte.net> and explain your problem. To be sure. Don't want to be a bearer of bricked Hydra.Vox.

I had the ROCKET 2 Firmware and needed to update the then latest BULLET FW (1.39). FYI the latest FW is now is 1.41.

Anyway this was his instructions:

Hello Michael,

please see infos below. Plese note you will need a multimeter for a small adjustment of the dc offset in the end.

Attached is the zip file, unpack the play wav bitperfect over usb. This will take a while because it updates fpga, controller and display.
When update is done, a new screen is available by pressing "Settings".
You can select here I2S mode : Rockna, PS Audio and Other, to extend VOX compatibility with other devices.
Also, you can select line output behavior : when HP detect = on , line out is disabled when headphone is inserted; when HP detect = off, line out is active no matter headphone is inserted or not.
In this firmware, DSD direct mode is on DSD256.

After this fw. update, will require dc offset adjustment due to changing clock frequencies. This will be only one-time adjustment.
Please note how to adjust offset (you will need a multimeter) below.
- let device heat for 15-20 mins
- remove top lid
- vox should be connected to a source (but no playback, just some sample rate should appear on screen)
- with a multimeter in 0-100mV range or less, check and adjust voltages like below:
- measure J11 left and mid pins , carefully adjust r596 for 0 mV
- measure j10 left and mid pins, adjust r552 for 0 mV
- measure j11 mid and right pins, adjust r599 for 0 mV
- measure j10 mid and right pins, adjust r555 for 0 mV

Best Regards,
Nicolae

​

 

[mantraone]

Just purchased the Hydra Vox + Zap last week and waiting for delivery soon but without listening and compare with Rockna Wavelight due to Pandemic mobility restriction.

I sold my Aqua La Scala MKII Optologic after 4 years great listening and hoping that Hydra Vox can have the same coerency and realistic music reproduction with a bit of more resolution and capability to extricate the complex musicals message tha La scala are not able to.

Happy to see here that other people use the Hydra vox with SOtM sMS200 stramer via USB, I have the same in "Ultra" version" that worked very well with my previous Aqua DAC

Also interested to verify if the Hydra Hub can also play better than SOtM streamer as Roon Endpoint.

That possible that the delay to market of HUB is due to Roon Ready Certification? Roon Labs too busy in order to release the 1.8 version and fix issues?

Any last update on this?

 

[m-i-c-k-e-y]

Ciao e benvenuto!

Did you buy yours too from Audiograffiti? Hoping the Hydra.Vox will meet your expectations.

I have a PC and an Android device as source/streamer. All connected to USB reclock/regen devices. The later sounds better but could do only DSD128 DoP due to Hydra. Vox limitations. Have problems w/ current 1.41 FW. My Android Device could only do HiRes PCM the rest are garbage. But on PC it upped its SQ.

Tempted to buy a DDC and connect it thru I2S. But Nicolae says it will have its Hydra.Hub production on March. Will wait for it. And will use the money instead for a power conditioner.

Buona domenica!

 

[mantraone]

Ciao e benvenuto!

Did you buy yours too from Audiograffiti? Hoping the Hydra.Vox will meet your expectations.

I have a PC and an Android device as source/streamer. All connected to USB reclock/regen devices. The later sounds better but could do only DSD128 DoP due to Hydra. Vox limitations. Have problems w/ current 1.41 FW. My Android Device could only do HiRes PCM the rest are garbage. But on PC it upped its SQ.

Tempted to buy a DDC and connect it thru I2S. But Nicolae says it will have its Hydra.Hub production on March. Will wait for it. And will use the money instead for a power conditioner.

Buona domenica!

Ciao mi accorgo ora che sei "de Roma"...? hihihi Città complicata ma bellissima!

SOtM sMS200 Ultra, can manage from standard PC 44.1/16 to DSD512, I got a Denafrips Pontus in the meantime and this play DSD512 without problem as roon endpoint.

In theory the Metrum Ambre could be a good Roon endpoint from ethernet bus direct to I2S but I don't know if works with the Hydra Vox I2s and inprouve the SQ like the Hydra Hub.

You are also a roon user?

eheheh some frends told me that in Rome do not have the ground connection on they house, sound crazy.... but...


Buona domenica anche a te... and good sunday to everybody

Ps... yes bought from Audiograffiti - Pandino

 

[neogeosnk]

I'm using pi2aes for streaming/roon and it sounds glorious. I don't really do DSD so this is perfect for me.

 

[mantraone]

OK but did you compare the pi2aes via I2s with a good USB streamer like the SOtM? Because the sMS200 Ultra make a very clean and precise sound stage, black noise background.

Do you beleave that I2S is alway better?
For me the HUB with DSD is important due to have a complete possibility of Hydra Vox audio reproduction.