[tamahome77]

Thanks for the sharing!
How did you connect the Silent Angel F1 to HUB?

I know the Silent Angel F1 is a DC 2.1mm connector.
But I don't know if the HUB has a cable that supports DC 2.1mm inside the HUB box.

+1 would like to know how you connect the 5vdc 2.1mm output of the silent angel F1 to the connectors of the hub.

 

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

Envy!

Yes, I can power my VOX thru app. May be because its power control is thru its PS Zap?

 

[Miracle1980]

Envy!

I know, it was painful to wait and finally get it!

Let me know if you have some other questions regarding the HUB.
I can add that it is seen in Roon as bridge and so far it's fast and stable.

I hope they fix the app and the 1sec delay when starting new playback ASAP...

*UPDATE* Rockna is aware about the delay issue (0.2sec apparently) and they will fix it with a firmware update.

 

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

Let me know if you have some other questions regarding the HUB.

It works?
1. Upsampling
2. Format converstion PCM to DSD and vice versa
3. Confirming what was on display, LAN access thru NAS? Network streaming?

Thanks!

 

[Miracle1980]

Envy!

Yes, I can power my VOX thru app. May be because its power control is thru its PS Zap?

I will have to wait for the application to support the HUB, as it's not officially supported.

 

[alekc]

Next alternative? Maybe a Chord TT2+Scaler. If I have an amp, the Wavelight+Server route.

@m-i-c-k-e-y as a owner of both TT2 + M Scaler and WaveLigth I must say that unless I could fit Rockna on my working desk with an amp it would be my first choice, especially if you are after very natural, organic, smooth sound that you can just immerse yourself and enjoy listening for hours. The TT2 route for my desk setup has been based on dimensions and musicality of TT2 (I still like Rockna more BTW) but I can not listen to TT2 (even with my beloved AuroraSound HEADA amp) for long hours like I do with WaveLight. The M Scaler adds smoothness and remove some of digital glare from sound, but those changes can bee seen as minimal most time, and some people even do not hear the difference at all. The biggest flaw - and this is design flaw for me - of M Scaler is that it requires expensive bnc cables. Just my 2 cents

 

[Miracle1980]

It works?
1. Upsampling
2. Format converstion PCM to DSD and vice versa
3. Confirming what was on display, LAN access thru NAS? Network streaming?

Thanks!

1) I tried upsampling up to 356/384 in PCM and it works fine. I see there is also a possibility to upsample to 712/768 but I get noise from speakers. So probably it is Rockna Wavedream not accepting it?
2) I tried only conversion from PCM to DSD 256 and DSD 512. Both work fine, smooth, without any drops/interruptions. I don't have any DSD track...so I didn't convert the other way around...but I assume to have no issue.
3) LAN means that my HUB is connected to the router as ROON endpoint/bridge. I see from the options Airplay, UPNP, HQPlayer...but I didn't try any of them. Streaming Qobuz via Roon works perfectly. Not sure if additional straming services standalone (tidal, amazon music, etc..) will be available once the HUB is supported by the application.

Regarding upsampling I still didn't do any proper test. I'm playing native and I use linear filter on Wavedream. Do you think that, technically, would be correct to do upsample on HUB (until 356/384) and feed the Wavedream? Or it's better to play native and leave all the internal usampling to the dac, that I assume it's more powerful as computational processing?

 

[alekc]

So yesterday I have finally received the HUB and I did quite extensive listening sessions.

Sound wise it is a clear improvement over my Auralic Aries with Femtoclock (USB).

The HUB is connected to Rockna Wavedream via I2S.
Impressive rich sound, full but refined. Details and timing never felt so correct and cohesive.
Sound wise I'm really happy. The HUB is powered by a Silent Angel Forester F1 Linear PSU.

Unfortunately the software doesn't seem to be optimized yet. I have 2 issues at the moment:

1) I cannot use the Audiobyte app to operate the HUB. It simply doesn't find it...so I was forced to do all the setting via the touch screen. Also not possible to power off at the moment...not sure if it will be possible via the app. Do you guys can power off your VOX via app?

2) Whenever I select and hit play for a track (ROON) it starts always with about 1sec delay.
So 1st second is cut off. No problems for continuous tracks. The issue happens only if I play a new track or restart the current one.

Let's hope they will fix it soon...

@Miracle1980 congrats on getting it finally

I've been speaking with my local Audiobyte/Rockna dealer and he told me 2 things: hubs should be available for testing within next few weeks and Rockna Server is further delayed without any dates.

Therefore this makes we wonder how Hub would pair with WaveLight, especially considering price difference. Can you please share some more details how upsampling works and how it is impacting sound of your WaveDream please?

 

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

@alekc
Thanks for the input bro. Much appreciated! Yeah that is the sound I want.
Emailed again the distributor...will see/

@Miracle1980
Yes! That's awesome news!
And yes, that is what the HUB is for (per Audiobyte explanation). To takeaway other tasks from your DAC and concentrate its resources to analog conversion. So upsampling/format conversion on HUB and leave the rest to DAC to do its main job.

It has a Xilink Zynq ARM+FPGA processor. So it takes quite a punch.

 

[Miracle1980]

@Miracle1980
Yes! That's awesome news!
And yes, that is what the HUB is for (per Audiobyte explanation). To takeaway other tasks from your DAC and concentrate its resources to analog conversion. So upsampling/format conversion on HUB and leave the rest to DAC to do its main job.

To my understanding Rockna Wavedream works upsampling everything to 705.6/768 on PCM level, not DSD. It supports also DSD, I think DSDoverPCM.

So, considering that resampling from HUB to 705.6/768 is not accepted (on WD website it is specified max input 384), I will start test with resampling to 356/384 on the HUB (matching the phase with the filter on dac, es. linear/linear) and report back.

In this scenario the HUB and WD will split the load and the WD will just upsampling internally the last mile from 356/384 to 705.6/768. Right?

 

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

Yes! And thank you! (And please also do resample and format conversion (PCM -> DSD) at the same time. To DSD512 if your connecting via I2S. Just to know if it works for the HUB) -> saw previous post. Please just an impression w/c settings do you prefer, PCM (352/384), DSD512, none upsampling or other..

Happy testing!

Just looking again with Wavelight's (Xilink 7 series FPGA) and HUB's (Zynq 7000?) processor. Their FPGA are the more or less the same. HUB has and added ARM cpu.

 

[Miracle1980]

To my understanding Rockna Wavedream works upsampling everything to 705.6/768 on PCM level, not DSD. It supports also DSD, I think DSDoverPCM.

So, considering that resampling from HUB to 705.6/768 is not accepted (on WD website it is specified max input 384), I will start test with resampling to 356/384 on the HUB (matching the phase with the filter on dac, es. linear/linear) and report back.

In this scenario the HUB and WD will split the load and the WD will just upsampling internally the last mile from 356/384 to 705.6/768. Right?

I'm still testing and comparing. I'm also listening NOS on Wavedream (so no oversampling) and resampling on HUB.
Real question would be why on the top of gamma (Rockna) like Wavedream NET and Wavelight there are no upsampling options/filters?

For example, from the official Rockna website, about the NET:

''The NET is naturally the best complementary source for the Wavedream DAC over the HDlink(I2S) connection.''

 

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

Nikolai has set up Rockna for traditional, tried and tested products. Audiobyte is setup for "experimental", "none traditional", different kind of approach technology.

This upsampling/format converting function is important to me. Meaning I don't need my computer/HQPlayer anymore. Unlike Chord's M Scaler that can do only PCM. But this one can do DSD as well. Will just plug my source (thru USB or LAN) and will let the HUB do all the chunking..

 

[Miracle1980]

Some impressions, after 2 days of listening tests/sessions.

I start to mention that the HUB is a special sounding streamer. It improved the sound all over (details, clarity, timing, soundstage, smoothness) and I didn't have to do many comparisons back and forth. The improvements are quite obvious after few seconds of playback.

I'm very happy with this purchase and I can confirm that the guys of Rockna know very well what they are doing in terms of digital implementations.

Before starting to speak about upsampling and filters...I just want to share with you what Nicolae wrote me about the phase filters on the HUB:

"The filters are not exactly like in WD but very similar.
Any combination between filters, let your ears to decide."

From the website I read that the HUB uses 80 DSP blocks in parallel, while Wavedream has 58.
I'm not really expert in this matter...but it seems like the HUB might be more powerful than Wavedream in terms of upsampling?

Back to my tests, I have tried/compared upsampling on HUB with Linear and Hybrid phase (always matching the same filters on WD). I have tried also upsampling on HUB leaving NOS on WD. I also tried native (NOS) on Hub with linear and hybrid just on WD.

Differences during those tests are not like night and day...but I confirm that the changes are there.

At the moment my favorite combination is upsampling to 384khz on the HUB with Linear phase and linear filter on the Wavedream.
This brings me slightly richer sound and more natural presentation.
The second favorite is upsampling in HUB with hybrid and hybrid filter on WD. It gives a bit more groove sound but lacks precision compared to Linear. Also the highs seem more fuzzy.
Upsampling on HUB and NOS on Wavedream is not bad neither... but on the long run the sound lacks a bit of life and engagement.

So, overall, it seems that the WD works better when it upsamples to 7xxkhz and the help from HUB upsampling seems also to bring additional improvements.
In general, using upsampling on HUB I feel like the sound is more natural (read even less digital) and richer (meaty).

Regarding conversion to DSD (in the HUB) I can only confirm that pcm to DSD256 and DSD512 are working fine without issues.
I didn't try for too long as for me it's pointless converting to DSD if anyway the WD has to reconvert back to PCM. Also when converting to DSD in the HUB the volume is automatically reduced...so it's more difficult to make a proper comparison.
I still haven't tried any original DSD file with the HUB.

For completeness I write you the components of my system:

- Audioquest Niagara 3000 power distributor
- Silent Angel Forester F1 feeding Silent Angel N8 switch and Audiobyte HUB streamer.
- Rockna Wavedream SE standard edition
- Pass labs INT-25
- Bastanis Matterhorns MK2 speakers
- Audio Elevation Attac 400 passive ripole subwoofer (powered by an XTZ class AB amp)
- good cables all around the chain

 

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

Thank you bro for your time and effort. Much appreciated.

My distributor has emailed me back (www.audiograffiti.com) saying that Nicolae have emailed last Tuesday informing them that the Hub will be shipped.
Hoping for some good news next week.

@Miracle1980

From the website I read that the HUB uses 80 DSP blocks in parallel, while Wavedream has 58.
I'm not really expert in this matter...but it seems like the HUB might be more powerful than Wavedream in terms of upsampling?

It is because addtional blocks in WD are dedicated to D/A conversion/tasks. Same to with Audiobyte ("Direct to DSD" function -> upsample to DSD). With the HUB doing the conversions and upsample now, It leaves those DSP blocks free to do other tasks/functions. Well, that as what Audiobyte has explained.