[Doody]

I don't entirely (yet?) need "evidence/proof" as miketlse mentions, but I can't even imagine the mechanism that could cause any change to the bitstream. As I understand it (and maybe I'm wrong!), UPnP and DLNA work to _route_ stuff from point A to point B. Using mConnect (that's what I use) I can choose a file and tell 2go to 'play' it. 2go takes that command, reads those bits off the sd card and then ships them out the 2go USB port. My understanding is that in no way is my phone involved in the bitstream of the content at all. If I could somehow tell 2go the right commands via a stone tablet and an old mule I found in a field of corn, then the process of moving the bits from sd card into 2go and out the USB port would be identical to what mConnect does.

Now if somehow the bits are moving from the sd card to your phone and then back to the 2go and then out the 2go USB port - well then things could DEFINITELY be impacted, but something would also be broken, no? If you're connected via bluetooth this also would max out certain hi-res formats (and I play DSD256 and 24/352 all the time this way). I've also done tests where I start playback and then power off my phone - and the music keeps going (as one would expect).

So I honestly don't have any idea how to even come up with a THEORY here (and I'm open to consider it!). I used to think "bits are bits" but I've learned a ton about RF noise in systems the last couple years. In this case, it's all wireless - there shouldn't be any RF problems (?).

The only thing I can think of is that the protocol implementation in app X somehow is 'cleaner' than the protocol implementation in app Y and app Y sends an excessive amount of commands to 2go constantly creating some sort of noise????? This seems super unlikely since these standards are, I believe, open-source, so everybody is using the same libraries most likely.

Anybody have a THEORY?????

Doody

EDIT: I've tried a dozen apps for control - I never noticed a difference - though I admit that I went into that evaluation process with the above mindset, so I never even considered to listen for audio quality changes.

 

[uzi2]

How about a theory that each app induces a different level of emi into 2go?
I am sure the posters that notice a difference in sound will offer that difference as their evidence, if not their proof.
You cannot argue against that unless you have tried for yourself, even if nobody can come up with a plausible theory.

 

[mrandery]

Simple test
- play some music from the SD card using the control app
- after the music starts put your phone in airplane mode and put it a few feet away from the Hugo
- if the music continues playing and you still hear a difference based on the app you started the music with you probably need have a word with yourself.

 

[Mr X]

Ugh, I was hoping this one would be simple. I was already familiar with Mojo/Poly, and I love the match between Hugo 2 and Stellia. I don't want to return any of this stuff. But it sounds like I need to decide whether I am, or if it's just the 2go & 2yu I want to reverse course on, or ?? other options that I don't want to bother with either.

I don't even want to think about it. But it seems I'm on a deadline. This kind of ***** sucks. There has to be more to this story than a COVID interruption.



I think it might be too late? From the top of the 1st page of the application:
"To continue using your existing uncertified Roon Ready device, fill out the information below. We'll let you know before September 21 (emphasis mine) if you qualify and automatically grant you developer access for your device." Then it goes to a page where they specify some screen shots they want.

I'll probably go through the motions, I'm going to subscribe to Roon for a few other reasons anyways (that include the Poly).


edit: to merge my consecutive posts (whoops)...

I mean, honestly, the sound that's coming from my SD card is blowing me away. Hugo 2/Stellia is a crazy awesome portable rig. For once I felt like I was on the leading edge of... something. Lol. But the 2go is about $1k too much for just an SD card player, and without it working as advertised my entire rig feels devalued.

Right off the bat! It really is a great rig though, and I don't want to return it unnecessarily. So I'm leaning towards keeping it anyways. What a crazy hobby this is.

I do wonder if they're considering doing a hardware revision of 2go. Besides Roon that's a concern of mine, that I could be stuck with inferior 'beta' hardware. 2go works great with my SD card, not so much with Tidal. It logs me in but can't seem to find my preferences, playlists, recently played that kind of data. There's a vague error message I can't recall now. So that's different than my Poly experience. But hey no worries I have a plan for that, it's called Roon; have you heard of it?

Not sure if you sorted this but I applied around 10days after the deadline by following the process ( I didn't contact them or anything) and much to my surprise I was given Developer status so it's worth a go and easy to do.

 

[Progisus]

I’m pretty sure an malp app (rigelian, go figure) mates the renderer (poly, 2 go) and source (sd card, file etc) so that their is direct feed. A dlna app (mconnect, audirvana, glider, ak connect, bubble etc) routes the source through it to the renderer. Does that affect sound... jury’s out.

 

[Skeith]

I don't entirely (yet?) need "evidence/proof" as miketlse mentions, but I can't even imagine the mechanism that could cause any change to the bitstream. As I understand it (and maybe I'm wrong!), UPnP and DLNA work to _route_ stuff from point A to point B. Using mConnect (that's what I use) I can choose a file and tell 2go to 'play' it. 2go takes that command, reads those bits off the sd card and then ships them out the 2go USB port. My understanding is that in no way is my phone involved in the bitstream of the content at all. If I could somehow tell 2go the right commands via a stone tablet and an old mule I found in a field of corn, then the process of moving the bits from sd card into 2go and out the USB port would be identical to what mConnect does.

Now if somehow the bits are moving from the sd card to your phone and then back to the 2go and then out the 2go USB port - well then things could DEFINITELY be impacted, but something would also be broken, no? If you're connected via bluetooth this also would max out certain hi-res formats (and I play DSD256 and 24/352 all the time this way). I've also done tests where I start playback and then power off my phone - and the music keeps going (as one would expect).

So I honestly don't have any idea how to even come up with a THEORY here (and I'm open to consider it!). I used to think "bits are bits" but I've learned a ton about RF noise in systems the last couple years. In this case, it's all wireless - there shouldn't be any RF problems (?).

The only thing I can think of is that the protocol implementation in app X somehow is 'cleaner' than the protocol implementation in app Y and app Y sends an excessive amount of commands to 2go constantly creating some sort of noise????? This seems super unlikely since these standards are, I believe, open-source, so everybody is using the same libraries most likely.

Anybody have a THEORY?????

Doody

EDIT: I've tried a dozen apps for control - I never noticed a difference - though I admit that I went into that evaluation process with the above mindset, so I never even considered to listen for audio quality changes.

I definitely can hear the difference... Try focus on the vocal... They can sound little thicker or thinner between apps...

Try using different phone using same app to play 2go SD Card will sounded different too...

I'm scared maybe you need good dedicated DAP to control 2go to get the best SQ...

 

[grokit]

Not sure if you sorted this but I applied around 10days after the deadline by following the process ( I didn't contact them or anything) and much to my surprise I was given Developer status so it's worth a go and easy to do.

I went to the page and started the process, got to where I need to upload screenshots and stopped. Thanks for confirming what I suspected, that the approval period can be extended for those of us unfortunate enough to have purchased during this particular time. If I was out of my retailer's trial period, I would be grateful for the extension. But it would still mean that I'm okay with paying full price for a product that may never make it out of beta. Plus, the program's been expired for over a month now.

I sincerely hope the 2go can be rescued with a firmware update and eventual 'certified' status. But I fear that there is more to it than we have been told. Fantastic scenarios of extortion by key software contractors, irreconcilable differences between decision makers, or outright theft of intellectual property are running rampant in my mind.

 

[jroest]

I went to the page and started the process, got to where I need to upload screenshots and stopped. Thanks for confirming what I suspected, that the approval period can be extended for those of us unfortunate enough to have purchased during this particular time. If I was out of my retailer's trial period, I would be grateful for the extension. But it would still mean that I'm okay with paying full price for a product that may never make it out of beta. Plus, the program's been expired for over a month now.

I sincerely hope the 2go can be rescued with a firmware update and eventual 'certified' status. But I fear that there is more to it than we have been told. Fantastic scenarios of extortion by key software contractors, irreconcilable differences between decision makers, or outright theft of intellectual property are running rampant in my mind.

I submitted yesterday and received the following earlier today:

Hi there,

We wanted to thank you for submitting an application to be granted developer access for your uncertified Roon Ready device.

While reviewing your application, we noticed that your uncertified device didn't ping our cloud certification check before September 21. Because of this, we're not able to grant you developer access.

But don't forget, this doesn't mean you can't use your device with Roon. If your device supports Airplay or has Chromecast built-in, you can still stream to it wirelessly using Roon. And if it has a USB or other digital input, you can always plug it in directly to your Roon Core.

Finally, please make sure to let the manufacturer of your device know that you'd like it to be Roon Ready! There's no better way to use Roon than with a certified Roon Ready device, and developer access isn't meant to be a substitution for certification.

Thank you again!

Customer Success Team | Roon Labs
roon | community | twitter | facebook
the music player for music lovers

Sorry friend!

 

[Peter Hyatt]

Hope you are well on the mend.

Thanks. Slow going. All self inflicted injuries!

 

[uzi2]

I definitely can hear the difference... Try focus on the vocal... They can sound little thicker or thinner between apps...

Try using different phone using same app to play 2go SD Card will sounded different too...

I'm scared maybe you need good dedicated DAP to control 2go to get the best SQ...

A good dedicated DAP will make the 2Go redundant...

 

[grokit]

Sorry friend!

There's no need to apologize. I am still well within the trial/evaluation period (it's all packed up). But I appreciate the info

 

[ubs28]

A good dedicated DAP will make the 2Go redundant...

Better yet. How about Chord working together with a good smartphone manufacturer and put Chord DAC‘s inside their phones. That would completely kill the DAP market (Chord should just let Rob Watts do his thing, that is the only thing they are good at).

People are not going to walk with Abyss headphones on the street so the amp inside the phone doesn’t need to be super powerful.

Or maybe Chord could try to come with their own DAP, but I’m not sure it will be a great working product, if you know what I mean.

 

[uzi2]

Better yet. How about Chord working together with a good smartphone manufacturer and put Chord DAC‘s inside their phones. That would completely kill the DAP market (Chord should just let Rob Watts do his thing, that is the only thing they are good at).

People are not going to walk with Abyss headphones on the street so the amp inside the phone doesn’t need to be super powerful.

Or maybe Chord could try to come with their own DAP, but I’m not sure it will be a great working product, if you know what I mean.

Chord's core business has been amplifiers. Both DAC and streamer firmware has been outsourced and, yes it would be hugely optimistic to expect them to produce a competitive DAP.
Power requirements are probably the biggest obstacle to using a Rob Watts DAC in a DAP and even more so for a smartphone.

 

[jroest]

There's no need to apologize. I am still well within the trial/evaluation period (it's all packed up). But I appreciate the info

I am in the process of getting a refund too. Must say I don‘t appreciate being used as leverage by Roon as they seek to bring their partners in line with an internal policy.

 

[Progisus]

Please do not blame roon. The blame rests with Chord for false advertising after the deadline. Roon has covered all users who were affected before the deadline. It is a stringent certification which gives it meaning.