[Progisus]

Anyone know when we can expect HQPlayer embedded to be upgraded to 4.19.0?

 

[Progisus]

I’ve just been advised by Tony that we should allow 2-3 weeks from release announcement for testing and packaging. Fantastic support!

 

[Les Strat]

In a CX+EX context the re-serving of TIDAL by the CX improves things a lot. If using LMS, have you tried the Material skin? I like it a lot as it is simple and fast. Plus a web app has some nice advantages over using a client app.

Hello @Kapiti
I have just come across this thread on Head Fi having read about Antipodes servers.
I first came across Antipodes when speaking to Martin at The Audiostore in UK who specialise in servers and is very knowledgeable.
He described Antipodes servers as ‘the best available’.
I have used LMS for around 12 years but was unaware of the Material Skin upgrade, which sounds excellent.
I currently use a Logitech Transporter as server, feeding a Schiit Yggdrasil DAC via BNC S/PDIF.
The Transporter is old technology but still sounds surprisingly good as a digital ‘front end’.
I play Red Book files and stream 16/44.1 FLAC from Qobuz using the LMS plug in.
I recently auditioned an Auralic Aries G2 (£4k in UK) but didn’t keep it as it sounded no better than my old Transporter!
I recently spoke to someone who upgraded his Aries G2 to an Antipodes CX + EX.
He said it was a noticeable improvement which certainly got my attention.
With the launch of the new K series, I think I will have to try a K50 at some point...
I find it fascinating that LMS lives on.
Kudos to Sean Adams, the man behind Slim Devices.
The K50 appears to offer huge flexibility with regard to connections and software (LMS, Roon etc) as well as being beautifully engineered.
I do not use Roon and it looks like LMS with Material Skin, controlled with iPeng would work perfectly on a K50.
I look forward to reading more reviews and user experiences.

 

[Whazzzup]

Mmmm k50

 

[andrewd01]

Mmmm k50

First review up here:
https://www.hifi-advice.com/blog/re...rk-player-reviews/antipodes-k50-music-server/

Out of my budget unfortunately, but it does look awesome!

 

[Progisus]

First review up here:
https://www.hifi-advice.com/blog/re...rk-player-reviews/antipodes-k50-music-server/

Out of my budget unfortunately, but it does look awesome!

I also find that upnp and mpd has more attack than roon. If one is using hqplayer embedded it can be of course be fed from roon but also from upnp players such as audirvana. There is a noticeable uptick from audirvana but the gui is not as good of course. There is another quality increase if mpd is selected and fed from a mpd player such a Rigelian.

Because I use a TT2, I have taken the usb out and fed an SRC-DX which has a dual coax output. This provides for an upscaled signal as intended to the TT2. A side benefit is that I haven’t experienced the loss of handshake and subsequent white noise blast (so far).

 

[Clive101]

I also find that upnp and mpd has more attack than roon. If one is using hqplayer embedded it can be of course be fed from roon but also from upnp players such as audirvana. There is a noticeable uptick from audirvana but the gui is not as good of course. There is another quality increase if mpd is selected and fed from a mpd player such a Rigelian.

Because I use a TT2, I have taken the usb out and fed an SRC-DX which has a dual coax output. This provides for an upscaled signal as intended to the TT2. A side benefit is that I haven’t experienced the loss of handshake and subsequent white noise blast (so far).

Can the USB out from the CX or EX supply TT2 or Dave with 705.6kHz/768kHz ?

 

[Progisus]

Can the USB out from the CX or EX supply TT2 or Dave with 705.6kHz/768kHz ?

Yes it can. I was using this for the output of HQPlayer and other than the occasional lose of handshake and white noise it worked perfectly. The SRC-DX claims to reduce rfi from the usb chip in the TT2 and provide the same interface to dual coax as the mscaler uses. It also appears to have solved the handshake issue.

 

[andrewd01]

Yes the handshake issue is quite annoying. I think a solution would require some collaboration between Antipodes and Signalyst. I sent emails to both at the time, but perhaps there has been more progress with the new OS? @Kapiti can you comment further?

For now I work around the issue by shutting down my Ex after each session and starting it after the TT2 has been turned on.

 

[Progisus]

Yes the handshake issue is quite annoying. I think a solution would require some collaboration between Antipodes and Signalyst. I sent emails to both at the time, but perhaps there has been more progress with the new OS? @Kapiti can you comment further?

For now I work around the issue by shutting down my Ex after each session and starting it after the TT2 has been turned on.

That is a good solution but I need to keep mine on as it is the roon server for the house.

 

[andrewd01]

Agree that is far from ideal. My EX is also my Roon server but I only have one other zone. I am hoping that Antipodes/Signalyst can work together to fix this design flaw.

I did try the SRC-DX but ended up sending it back because I wasn’t happy going from a nice clean installation to a mess of cables.

 

[Clive101]

I have ordered K30 and K50 demo they should be with me in a few weeks and was going to pitch the K50 against the Taiko Audio SGM.

As there are a number of various options (personal choice) how to set up the K50 I wondered if there would be a "Best Option" for the K50 (software and hardware) to give it the best chance of success against the mighty SGM.

Looking at the website it seems that the BNC S/PDIF (note I will be using a Chord Mscaler and Dave hence the BNC output) would be the better option from the K50. I wondered what would be the best cable...currently I use ether a Chord Music or Sarum T USB cable so may try the same brand. .

@Kapiti do you have any advice on setup with software and hardware ? As a manufacturer you may not be able to recommend (I am unsure if the forum rules may prevent you from doing so as a manufacturer if so please send me a PM or email if you are unable to post your personal preference).

I wish to set up the K50 in the best possible way, I guess there would be two ways to do this.

Same equipment and same cables same software USB output like for like vs the best option from each manufacturer.

Anyone else please feel free to comment.

 

[andrewd01]

@Clive101 looking forward to your impressions of the K30 and K50

 

[Clive101]

Has anyone updated the CX or EX to the new version 2.8 I have updated but the version is still shown as 2.7 in the home info page after reboot.
Does anyone else have the same problem ?

 

[richardloh]

Even with a small library, adding a CX makes considerable difference to the performance.

A good review on Hifi- Advice explains it well https://www.hifi-advice.com/blog/re...network-player-reviews/antipodes-cx-ex-part1/

Hi All,

Johnny came later and ymmv but adding the CX to EX has been a great experience even just for last 2 days.

I have a reasonable big library of 7TB+ filled of the recommended 2x 4TB Samsung 860 SSDs since pulling music from my 2X10TB had noticable drop in sound quality for EX, Nuprime omnia S1 and Allo usb bridge signature (latter 2 just retired but had 400gb sdcard and 1tb memory stick on them) but EX never had slowness or trouble via simple set up of squeezelite and squeeze controlled by free android squeezer app.

Many adjectives said on sound quality improvement but I will describe it as getting often superior night listening to daytime and night listening just becomes immensely enjoyable .. more of everything !

Looking forward to sending my EX and CX back to its birthplace when OLADRA upgrade for EX and CX owners is made available but meanwhile, time to listen to more music with no more urge (also no knowledge) for any audiophile switch, expensive ethernet cables, upsampling etc. afterall to keep $ for eventual OLADRA, simple and manageable even for family members* with free android Squeezer app to operate.

Thank you Antipodes and Tony for his teamviewer sessions.

Cheers.

Richard

*PS: thanks to the cool but mighty Sander Magtech amp, my system is power 24/7 .. so are the Antipodes EX and CX of course