[music_man]

the amazing thing about the codex is it is only a $1,800 component but there seems to be no limit to how it scales. using anaconda vx power cord. i had to move the codex all the way to the front of the table because the power snake will pull it off the table lol. i just have these cables. i would not buy them for the codex just because of cost. i swapped out to a $400 tara cable and the snake made a huge difference. i have the diamond usb and odin 2 xlr's. switch to lower cables and you hear the difference. most reasonably priced components hit a wall with cables. seemingly not the codex. i do think it would be stupid to buy those cables for the codex. get a better dac at that point. the thing is you can extract reference sound out of it which is at least interesting. i just need to figure out a better way to send it +5v usb. i will not buy ifi because their stuff has a bad habit of croaking.. any suggestions? i saw what austinpop has but i don't know what all of that stuff is or how to implement it.

 

[austinpop]

Just saw a new review of the Codex was posted on Hi-Fi+. It's positive, of course!
 
http://www.hifiplus.com/articles/ayre-codex-dacheadphone-amplifier
 
Quote:

  the amazing thing about the codex is it is only a $1,800 component but there seems to be no limit to how it scales. using anaconda vx power cord. i had to move the codex all the way to the front of the table because the power snake will pull it off the table lol. i just have these cables. i would not buy them for the codex just because of cost. i swapped out to a $400 tara cable and the snake made a huge difference. i have the diamond usb and odin 2 xlr's. switch to lower cables and you hear the difference. most reasonably priced components hit a wall with cables. seemingly not the codex. i do think it would be stupid to buy those cables for the codex. get a better dac at that point. the thing is you can extract reference sound out of it which is at least interesting. i just need to figure out a better way to send it +5v usb. i will not buy ifi because their stuff has a bad habit of croaking.. any suggestions? i saw what austinpop has but i don't know what all of that stuff is or how to implement it.

 
I sympathize with you there, @music_man!
 
 I can certainly guide you, and the good news here is that better, simpler products are coming. Let me give you a very short intro, and you tell me what you'd like to dig into, if at all.
 
The areas of optimization are AC power, DC power supplies, USB, ethernet, and mechanical. There are even more, of course.
 
Diving into USB, yes feeding a clean 5V to the DAC is vital, but you also want to break ground leakage loops. John Swenson, who contributed to the design of the Regen, the LPS-1 ultra-cap PS, the Sonore microRendu, and many others, explains it far better than me here: https://uptoneaudio.com/pages/j-swenson-tech-corner
 
If I were starting over, I would just wait for the upcoming Uptone ISO-Regen. I know it's not been announced, but word on the forums is that it is imminent. Combine that with an LPS-1 power supply, and you really should have 90% of everything for USB optimization. I leave 5% because there's always something better that comes along!
 
The key things that you achieve "air gaps" of galvanic isolation: both on the USB path (by the ISO-R) and on the DC path (by the LPS-1).
 
In summary, a really kickass list would be:

• ISO-Regen - price unknown, but < $300
• LPS-1 UltraCaps LPS supply - $395
• USB hard A-B adapters, or short USB cables. I really like the 200mm Curious USB cable at $125ish, I think.

 
Now I know $700+ seems laughable to spend on optimizing the USB chain to a $1800 DAC, but then this is the Codex we're talking about. You can, of course, shave the cost quite a bit, by reusing existing USB cables, going for a cheaper LPS, like the el Cheapo Chinese LPSes on eBay for ~$100. I can give recommendations.
 
Final note, and bringing it back to your original question - using something like the chain above, you don't ALSO need to inject clean 5V to the Codex separately. Not that I haven't tried. 

 It didn't make an incremental difference.
 
I'll leave it there, and we can take it further only if there's interest.

 

[music_man]

thank you! I have the aq diamond. 2 actually. plus the jitterbug and dragontail. right now it is just going to a hub with a linear psu. however i think that hub does not break the ground. even when power is aplied. that is why i am looking for better. the other cables as are i stated. $700? not a problem lol. there is already $45,000 of cables! as i said i obtained these. i did not go buy them for the codex. however compared to even any $800 cables the higher you go with the codex the better it gets. i am very interested in better usb signal. so i will wait for what you mentioned. meanwhile just having serious cables and somewhat cleanner usb signal made a huge difference in it's sound. i first had it connected with much cheaper cables but i dug these out. lo and behold they actually make a big difference. as i said with most products ar a price point you will hit a wall with cables. not with the codex apparently. unfortunately i need 6 meters of usb. perhaps i should look into usb over ethernet? since good ethernet cables should be better than any usb cables. that alone might do the trick, just usb over ethernet. your thoughts on that?

 

[austinpop]

  thank you! I have the aq diamond. 2 actually. plus the jitterbug and dragontail. right now it is just going to a hub with a linear psu. however i think that hub does not break the ground. even when power is aplied. that is why i am looking for better. the other cables as are i stated. $700? not a problem lol. there is already $45,000 of cables! as i said i obtained these. i did not go buy them for the codex. however compared to even any $800 cables the higher you go with the codex the better it gets. i am very interested in better usb signal. so i will wait for what you mentioned. meanwhile just having serious cables and somewhat cleanner usb signal made a huge difference in it's sound. i first had it connected with much cheaper cables but i dug these out. lo and behold they actually make a big difference. as i said with most products ar a price point you will hit a wall with cables. not with the codex apparently. unfortunately i need 6 meters of usb. perhaps i should look into usb over ethernet? since good ethernet cables should be better than any usb cables. that alone might do the trick, just usb over ethernet. your thoughts on that?

 
6m of USB is a real challenge. I have no personal experience with USB over Ethernet solutions. So I can't make recommendations. I've heard good things about PS Audio's LANRover product, but not experienced it myself.
 
Any way you can reduce the USB length, and trade it off with a longer <something else>? For example, a longer balance XLR interconnect?

 

[music_man]

not really. I do not want to put the codex on the floor. it is on vibration isolation. usb over ethernet seems like a good option. i know 6m usb is a real problem. in fact if i kill the power often it will lose communication. so i know performance is degraded even though i have a linear psu on the +5v. i do know ethernet is superior to the best usb cables. so i guess worth a try. i will check out ps audio. i think wireless would be a very bad option. at least i have totl usb cables right now. aq diamond. in fact a basic belkin cable can not even establish communication. so i know the aq is at least better. the run is too long. i know this. not sure what the ultimate solution is but i wil figure it out i guess. usb over ethernet can run 150' so that says something about ethernet right there. usb max spec is actually 5m and even that is not good. you are correct longer xlr's is much better and i do have them but again i do not want it on the floor. i am just afraid currently this usb hub does not break the ground or +5v so even though it has a linear psu it may be being polluted. it is very easy to cut the two wires on the little dragon tail though. especially since the sheath is unraveling. i am almost positive it will still work. i just do not know if this hub cuts the connection from the pc when external power is supplied. i can easily figure that out with a multi meter though. then perhaps i do not have to bother cutting the cables. while i wait for the new product you mentioned. still, too long usb. so ethernet might be my best option. i will just se how it sounds. i can return it. it is a little pricey. a good set is like $250. they have cheap ones with cables attached for $35 but i am not messing with that. then of course i need to buy a 1 meter diamond. plus a good ethernet cable right there that is another $600. it's fine if it sounds good. in fact perhaps it is the best. i don't know yet but i suppose i will find out soon. should not need the regen with that. that would just be adding more to the signal chain that is not used in the ethernet spec i am prety sure. adding things to the signal chain just for the sake of it is not always going to sound better. that is why usb should be as short as possible and i am way too long here.
 
edit: yes, i see the lanrover. interesting he mentions exactly what i have done. a hub and the jitterbug. may get close to the regen. i don't know. however you can get products like the lanrover and probably as good for $250. + a $250 1m cable and $100-$200 5m cat5-6 cable. i am sure he has no no monoply on this. sure, it is built for audio...... the industrial boxes are probably as least as good as they are for mission critical data labs. data is much more important than our music obviously. data is not for enjoyment but big money is involved if it cuts out. i am not entirely sure but i imagine a data level ethernet extender shall suffice. of course he cliams his idea is better than the regen but it is not at all a new idea. built for audio? perhaps. if it meets the spec it should be the same thing. i imagine. i do like ps audio but if you take that at $600 plus the cables now you are at a grand. i already had these very expensive cables as industry samples. it is not like i went and bought 45 grand of cables for the codex. so i really do not wish to spend a grand on it. $600 is enough and again, i am guessing simply transmitting the signal in data packets is what we are looking to achieve..of course i could be wrong. perhaps ps audio has something special. i kind of doubt that though. i do like many of their products but this is not audio hardware. it is computer hardware. still, just guessing. i find it interesting he threw out there exactly what i went and did for starters.
 
 
edit again: nevermind ps audio does have a monopoly on this. the commercial units only have usb a plugs and the codex requires a usb b plug. ps audio has just that. not sure i want to spend that but might be my best option. sending the signal as data packets over ethernet should certainly be superior to anything usb period. at least as far as i can imagine from what i know.

 

[austinpop]

  not really. I do not want to put the codex on the floor. it is on vibration isolation. usb over ethernet seems like a good option. i know 6m usb is a real problem. in fact if i kill the power often it will lose communication. so i know performance is degraded even though i have a linear psu on the +5v. i do know ethernet is superior to the best usb cables. so i guess worth a try. i will check out ps audio. i think wireless would be a very bad option. at least i have totl usb cables right now. aq diamond. in fact a basic belkin cable can not even establish communication. so i know the aq is at least better. the run is too long. i know this. not sure what the ultimate solution is but i wil figure it out i guess. usb over ethernet can run 150' so that says something about ethernet right there. usb max spec is actually 5m and even that is not good. you are correct longer xlr's is much better and i do have them but again i do not want it on the floor. i am just afraid currently this usb hub does not break the ground or +5v so even though it has a linear psu it may be being polluted. it is very easy to cut the two wires on the little dragon tail though. especially since the sheath is unraveling. i am almost positive it will still work. i just do not know if this hub cuts the connection from the pc when external power is supplied. i can easily figure that out with a multi meter though. then perhaps i do not have to bother cutting the cables. while i wait for the new product you mentioned. still, too long usb. so ethernet might be my best option. i will just se how it sounds. i can return it. it is a little pricey. a good set is like $250. they have cheap ones with cables attached for $35 but i am not messing with that. then of course i need to buy a 1 meter diamond. plus a good ethernet cable right there that is another $600. it's fine if it sounds good. in fact perhaps it is the best. i don't know yet but i suppose i will find out soon. should not need the regen with that. that would just be adding more to the signal chain that is not used in the ethernet spec i am prety sure. adding things to the signal chain just for the sake of it is not always going to sound better. that is why usb should be as short as possible and i am way too long here.
 
edit: yes, i see the lanrover. interesting he mentions exactly what i have done. a hub and the jitterbug. may get close to the regen. i don't know. however you can get products like the lanrover and probably as good for $250. + a $250 1m cable and $100-$200 5m cat5-6 cable. i am sure he has no no monoply on this. sure, it is built for audio...... the industrial boxes are probably as least as good as they are for mission critical data labs. data is much more important than our music obviously. data is not for enjoyment but big money is involved if it cuts out. i am not entirely sure but i imagine a data level ethernet extender shall suffice. of course he cliams his idea is better than the regen but it is not at all a new idea. built for audio? perhaps. if it meets the spec it should be the same thing. i imagine. i do like ps audio but if you take that at $600 plus the cables now you are at a grand. i already had these very expensive cables as industry samples. it is not like i went and bought 45 grand of cables for the codex. so i really do not wish to spend a grand on it. $600 is enough and again, i am guessing simply transmitting the signal in data packets is what we are looking to achieve..of course i could be wrong. perhaps ps audio has something special. i kind of doubt that though. i do like many of their products but this is not audio hardware. it is computer hardware. still, just guessing. i find it interesting he threw out there exactly what i went and did for starters.
 
 
edit again: nevermind ps audio does have a monopoly on this. the commercial units only have usb a plugs and the codex requires a usb b plug. ps audio has just that. not sure i want to spend that but might be my best option. sending the signal as data packets over ethernet should certainly be superior to anything usb period. at least as far as i can imagine from what i know.

 
Yeah, you have to pick your poison. Assuming your source is the "mountain" and the Codex is "Mohamed", you either:

1. bring the mountain to Mohamed, or
2. bring Mohamed to the mountain, or
3. buy a LANRover-like solution.

 
Mixing metaphors. 

 

[music_man]

lol. well said. i guess i am going to go with the lan rover. unless i can get an a-b adapter. i know you like the regen but trust me running over ethernet is going to be the ultimate. even if i do not employ the ps audio brand. as i said that is computing equipment not audio equipment. there is really no way you can make that "sound better". i fully believe in cables etc but this is a completely different animal. i have a feeling the way he cornered the market is simply with a b plug for $599. wait, i have an idea. i can take the a side with an a to a adapter. then b into the codex. that wil work. as i also said i hate putting more things in the signal chain but should not matter with ethernet. that is a completely different type of data than usb and far superior for anything that can employ it. that breaks the usb signal with no +5v usb at all except externally. simply because the device(codex) requires the power. there are pasive ones which are best but doubt they work with the codex. you could try it. it should be vastly superior. much more robust data transmission. otherwise i wil just get the ps audio. it shal be very interesting as to what improvement there is. you do not even need a fancy cat5 cable. a stock cat5 cable is better than the best audio usb cable. simply because of the type of data transmission. in fact there are no very expensive cat5 audio cables that i know of. it is every companies lower line afaik. i am running usb to long. out of spec in fact. even though i have great usb cables the length negates any benefit imo.either way i should realize a benefit simply due to my usb length. twisted pair used to go hundreds of miles before fiber. or i could just leave it since i am powering the cable anyways. i have 1.5 meter unpowered from the pc to 4.5 meters powered with a linear psu. still it is beyond usb spec any way i cut it. first i need to cut the +5v and ground and se if there is any improvement. i am not sure this hub cuts it when external power is present. in fact even a multimeter will not tell me. i suppose i will pick up the cat5 adapters and try it though. ps audio is built nicer but electronics should be the same. in this case better caps,resistors should have no bearing on sound. if they even use them. they may be charging that simply for a metal chassis. it could inexplicably sound better though. often as cables do with nothing one can measure. so i will not put it past it. simply going to cat5 should be an improvement either way in this situation.

 

[austinpop]

lol. well said. i guess i am going to go with the lan rover. unless i can get an a-b adapter. i know you like the regen but trust me running over ethernet is going to be the ultimate. even if i do not employ the ps audio brand. as i said that is computing equipment not audio equipment. there is really no way you can make that "sound better". i fully believe in cables etc but this is a completely different animal. i have a feeling the way he cornered the market is simply with a b plug for $599. wait, i have an idea. i can take the a side with an a to a adapter. then b into the codex. that wil work. as i also said i hate putting more things in the signal chain but should not matter with ethernet. that is a completely different type of data than usb and far superior for anything that can employ it. that breaks the usb signal with no +5v usb at all except externally. simply because the device(codex) requires the power. there are pasive ones which are best but doubt they work with the codex. you could try it. it should be vastly superior. much more robust data transmission. otherwise i wil just get the ps audio. it shal be very interesting as to what improvement there is. you do not even need a fancy cat5 cable. a stock cat5 cable is better than the best audio usb cable. simply because of the type of data transmission. in fact there are no very expensive cat5 audio cables that i know of. it is every companies lower line afaik. i am running usb to long. out of spec in fact. even though i have great usb cables the length negates any benefit imo.either way i should realize a benefit simply due to my usb length. twisted pair used to go hundreds of miles before fiber. or i could just leave it since i am powering the cable anyways. i have 1.5 meter unpowered from the pc to 4.5 meters powered with a linear psu. still it is beyond usb spec any way i cut it. first i need to cut the +5v and ground and se if there is any improvement. i am not sure this hub cuts it when external power is present. in fact even a multimeter will not tell me. i suppose i will pick up the cat5 adapters and try it though. ps audio is built nicer but electronics should be the same. in this case better caps,resistors should have no bearing on sound. if they even use them. they may be charging that simply for a metal chassis. it could inexplicably sound better though. often as cables do with nothing one can measure. so i will not put it past it. simply going to cat5 should be an improvement either way in this situation.

 


Oh if only it were true that Ethernet really provided galvanic isolation, and that all ethernet cables sound the same! Then there would be no need for active (fiber media convertors) or passive (Emosystems EN-70HD) isolation in the path.

Can you recap your chain from source (music data files) to the Codex? I'm wondering if there's a simpler way to do this. Make sure to identify cables, and lengths too.

 

[music_man]

pc motherboard>6" aq dragontail>jitterbug>1.5 meter aq diamond>hub powered with linear supply>4.5m aq diamond>codex>3m odin 2xlr's>ax-5 twenty. anaconda vx on codex and ax-5 twenty. pc and codex+ax5 twenty are on separate online(battery power) ups's. completely isolated from building electrical.
 
I really thought ethernet was all the same. i guess i was wrong. that figures. i should have known better.

 

[austinpop]

  pc motherboard>6" aq dragontail>jitterbug>1.5 meter aq diamond>hub powered with linear supply>4.5m aq diamond>codex>3m odin 2xlr's>ax-5 twenty. anaconda vx on codex and ax-5 twenty. pc and codex+ax5 twenty are on separate online(battery power) ups's. completely isolated from building electrical.
 
I really thought ethernet was all the same. i guess i was wrong. that figures. i should have known better.

 
Yeah, it really looks like the least disruptive solution would be to replace this:

1. "6" aq dragontail>jitterbug>1.5 meter aq diamond>hub powered with linear supply>4.5m aq diamond"

with this:

1. good 6" USB cable > LanRover Transmitter > 6+m of Blue Jeans Cat 6a Ethernet cable > LanRover Receiver > a good 6" USB cable > Codex

 
Of course, then you can optimize more:

1. Replace LRover receiver power supply with a good LPS, or even better, a galvanically isolated Uptone UltraCaps LPS-1. Note - this only works if the LR receiver works at 7V or below, and 1.1 amps or less.
2. The LR Tx is powered by the +5V from the computer's USB bus. You can use an LPS or battery PS to power it instead, using something like the 2-headed Lightspeed 2G USB cable
3. Use an EmoSystems EN-70HD isolator on the Ethernet cable to provide even more noise isolation

 
Each of the above steps would be a "try and see if it improves SQ" approach.
 
Longer term, you may want to consider a streamed approach, using either UPnP or the new, hot thing, Roon. In all of these approaches, you place a small computer - called either a streamer/NAA/Endpoint - adjacent to the DAC, while the music server runs further away and drives the endpoint over the network. You can control everything either from the music server system as before, or on a separate control point - computer/table/smart phone.

 

[music_man]

i have a qx-5 twenty but it is downstairs as i have no room for it here. that would solve a big part of the problem. since i mainly use the msb downstairs anyways. not sure where i could put it. that is a lot to go through when there are already better dacs. the codex will scale nicely but what a pain!

 

[cygnusx]

I've been reading this thread and I'm thankful I don't have your ears. For me it's not worth squeezing more out of the Codex going crazy upgrading everything. Instead of banging your head on the wall, maybe you should consider focusing on getting the QX5/20 to work in your space, which for the most part, would solve your problem. maybe you should consider moving your UPS batteries further away to make space or change the UPS to something smaller to make room for the QX5. Is it possible to put the QX5 in the next room or closet, if you have one, and pull both the Ethernet and xlr through the wall?

 

[music_man]

thanks. my ears and eyes actually work against me. i am not bragging but to understand what i mean i have grammy's. it might seem lucky to have great eyes and ears but often it is a pain. i am constantly nitpicking instead of enjoying. like i feel i must get up and toe in a speaker .5 more degrees. to put the qx5 in the closet is an idea. the thing is on the wall where the ax-5 is behind it is a high end shower. pipes everywhere. i can never drill into that wall. i even had to use my tv on a stand because of it. incidentally what is taking up a bid part of the real estate there. so, i could go under the floor into the basement and right back up 8" away with the xlr's. those are big holes though and i would like to keep this home worth something lol. plus the odin 2 i will have to wrap that through the holes. not risking wrecking those. see though, austinpop is suggesting more than necessary. sure it would be better. however anything is better than 6m of usb. i can go pc>dragontail>jitterbug>.5m usb>hub w/ linear psu>ethernet sender>ethernet cable>ether net receiver w/ female-female adapter>.5m usb>codex. sure there are differences in ethernet equipment. how long my usb run is any ethernet should be better. although i do not know this because it is the aq diamond usb. even though it is beyond spec for usb. i am powering it though so of course it works. i really do not know if ethernet would sound better. i do not wish to get the lan rover though. at that point i would take out the drill and get the qx-5 up here. yeah, ultimately it should sound better either way but what a pain. also, i take it austinpop  you do not consider the aq diamond a "good" cable? in my and stereophiles opinion it is class a+. there are other flavors to be had but it is in the top tier imo. i would gather certainly above blue jeans you mentioned. anyways i will figure this out. not a problem just work and i have to decide which direction i want to go. even if you put the codex to the wall with the  best of everything the qx-5 is still slightly better anyways. might just take out the drill. i am not like home improvment. i know what i am doing and take my time. it will be fine and probably worth it just time. first i will run the different variations on the floor to see what sounds best. i could even just put the xlr's from the qx-5 right under the door for now but i do not like shoddy jobs. i know all this is my own personal problem i was just sharing it with you guys. as i am not really sure what to do. max out the codex or just find a location for the qx-5. interestingly maxed out they are rather close and the qx-5 has much better electronics so that i find odd. hardly any one is going to go spend tens of thousands hooking up a codex though. it is still an interesting exercise. this thing seems to scale to whatever you throw at it. other equipment there is a point where the cabling exceeds the ability of the component. from what i have witnessed not the codex. it will make good use of whatever you care to give it with incremental improvements as far as one cares to go. sorry for so long winded.

 

[austinpop]

  thanks. my ears and eyes actually work against me. i am not bragging but to understand what i mean i have grammy's. it might seem lucky to have great eyes and ears but often it is a pain. i am constantly nitpicking instead of enjoying. like i feel i must get up and toe in a speaker .5 more degrees. to put the qx5 in the closet is an idea. the thing is on the wall where the ax-5 is behind it is a high end shower. pipes everywhere. i can never drill into that wall. i even had to use my tv on a stand because of it. incidentally what is taking up a bid part of the real estate there. so, i could go under the floor into the basement and right back up 8" away with the xlr's. those are big holes though and i would like to keep this home worth something lol. plus the odin 2 i will have to wrap that through the holes. not risking wrecking those. see though, austinpop is suggesting more than necessary. sure it would be better. however anything is better than 6m of usb. i can go pc>dragontail>jitterbug>.5m usb>hub w/ linear psu>ethernet sender>ethernet cable>ether net receiver w/ female-female adapter>.5m usb>codex. sure there are differences in ethernet equipment. how long my usb run is any ethernet should be better. although i do not know this because it is the aq diamond usb. even though it is beyond spec for usb. i am powering it though so of course it works. i really do not know if ethernet would sound better. i do not wish to get the lan rover though. at that point i would take out the drill and get the qx-5 up here. yeah, ultimately it should sound better either way but what a pain. also, i take it austinpop  you do not consider the aq diamond a "good" cable? in my and stereophiles opinion it is class a+. there are other flavors to be had but it is in the top tier imo. i would gather certainly above blue jeans you mentioned. anyways i will figure this out. not a problem just work and i have to decide which direction i want to go. even if you put the codex to the wall with the  best of everything the qx-5 is still slightly better anyways. might just take out the drill. i am not like home improvment. i know what i am doing and take my time. it will be fine and probably worth it just time. first i will run the different variations on the floor to see what sounds best. i could even just put the xlr's from the qx-5 right under the door for now but i do not like shoddy jobs. i know all this is my own personal problem i was just sharing it with you guys. as i am not really sure what to do. max out the codex or just find a location for the qx-5. interestingly maxed out they are rather close and the qx-5 has much better electronics so that i find odd. hardly any one is going to go spend tens of thousands hooking up a codex though. it is still an interesting exercise. this thing seems to scale to whatever you throw at it. other equipment there is a point where the cabling exceeds the ability of the component. from what i have witnessed not the codex. it will make good use of whatever you care to give it with incremental improvements as far as one cares to go. sorry for so long winded.

 
LOL - I think all the cable you have are more than "good enough." People usually start with modest cables and then upgrade, but you're already past that point.
 
The more I read about the LANRover, the more I'm intrigued. This had gone under my radar, but apparently getting good reviews. 
 
Since you have champagne taste in cables, the Ethernet cable that gets a lot of acclaim, but at high cost is the AQ Vodka.
 
Anything's possible - you just need to decide what you want to do.

 

[music_man]

yeah exactly i just need to decide. i mentioned i did not buy those cables lol. they are manufacturer samples for review that i got from other folks in the music industry. all i get is free magazines
i would be hard pressed to buy cables like that. i also really want the lanrover. tbh, a $15 ethernet cable is better than an aq diamond usb. just a better format for digital information transmission. it is data in that state. not music until it hits our ears. hence this being digital. heck i do not need to sell you, we are both sold on it. me especially due to the long run. i will bet that is better than roon. all this and the codex can actually get very close to the qx-5 with lesser electronics. i would say it is already within 15%. i am sure ayre would like to shut me up here! of course the average codex customer would not have those cables or battery power.
 
remember i said i felt the codex was even better with toslink. again, scaling up to a $$$ disc spinner.  here is what i don't get. transparent is a ultra high end company but their only toslink is from a lower line. afaik it is fiber. it sounds better than the aq diamond with many strands of quartz! have not tried both on other dacs yet. i think it is because the transparent quite obviously has better connectors. the most important part of a toslink cable is the terminations not the type of fiber used. there is always something interesting in this hobby. let's be honest we enjoy to listen but we also love to tweak our gear.
 
being better on toslink is fine with me. for any serious critical listening i would use the disc spinner anyways. a multi use pc just cannot match it. very likely a real music server can. i gather this because the thing about the meridian is it uses a dvd drive. it reads to memory with no error correction. so i am thinking it is the spinner equivalent of a music server. once again i have no room for the aurender up here either. certainly much more convenient than discs. i am not positive it sounds the same though.
 
with the spinner the codex could be end game. except dac technology will continue to advance if one wants it. even with the lousy computer it is very nice. i think i can close that gap with the lanrover! there are much cheaper products but in that case a good usb cable is probably going to be better. i thought ps audio had a gimmick but it is seemingly the only device of it's kind. cheaper ones would still need a hub as not to run on the pc's power. adding more things to the signal chain is not always a good thing. i had already done what he said was the next best thing. it was interesting he knew this too. i think the lanrover is the best thing to improve pc audio. running over ethernet should be vastly superior.