[Progisus]

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 ?

Tony says 2.7 is max for EX,CX. 2.8 is for another platform. I am wondering how long until hqplayer gets upgraded. Its been many weeks since it dropped.

 

[Whazzzup]

2.7 max for DX as well.

 

[ReAgent86]

2.7 max for DX as well.

I brought up the 2.8 vs 2.7 versioning issue to Tony a couple weeks ago. He confirmed 2.7 is the latest. My suspicion is that the other "platform" reference is to a non-Antipodes manufacturer. I believe that the underlying server software is licensed from Sonicorbiter and their hardware has been updated to the 2.8 version, but Antipodes is on 2.7.

One update on a piece of server quirkiness I mentioned to Tony, is that when I first received the CX + EX a couple months ago, I found that I couldn't access the Antipodes business web site (Antipodesaudio) while I was connected to the music servers. I would always get a message saying the Antipodes business site was unavailable. When I logged off from the music servers, then the business homepage would be accessible again. As everyone probably knows, Antipodes updated its website, and now I'm now able to access the homepage while connected to music servers--just in time to see that my newly purchased CX + EX + P1 + P2 is being replaced by new models: LOL!

 

[Clive101]

I have been trying different server and player options.
Initially when I made the purchase of the CX EX Combo I used LMS and Squeezelite as this was recommended to me.
I then tried Roon with Roon Ready. I preferred the sound so much that I subscribed to a Lifetime membership.
Although trying Roon with Squeezelite I prefer Roon Ready as a Player.....
Over the last two days I have tried MinimServer with MPD as a player noise floor reduced and a very much improved SQ.
When I look at the resource monitor I see the CPU average at 0% with Minim Server. Roon has the average is 14% with spikes up to 50% which may explain why the SQ is not as good.

TBH I was gobsmacked with the improvement.

Has anyone else tried had the same results?

@Kapiti are there any other players with MinimServer that can be used ?

 

[Progisus]

I have been trying different server and player options.
Initially when I made the purchase of the CX EX Combo I used LMS and Squeezelite as this was recommended to me.
I then tried Roon with Roon Ready. I preferred the sound so much that I subscribed to a Lifetime membership.
Although trying Roon with Squeezelite I prefer Roon Ready as a Player.....
Over the last two days I have tried MinimServer with MPD as a player noise floor reduced and a very much improved SQ.
When I look at the resource monitor I see the CPU average at 0% with Minim Server. Roon has the average is 14% with spikes up to 50% which may explain why the SQ is not as good.

TBH I was gobsmacked with the improvement.
,
Has anyone else tried had the same results?

@Kapiti are there any other players with MinimServer that can be used ?

What software do you use to control MPD? I use Audirvana playing from library on it’s host or Rigelian using the library on the Antipodes. Sound in descending order Rigelian/mpd > Audirvana/mpd > Roon/HQPlayer > Roon/Roon-Ready. But Roon always wins out for it’s library curation, multiple end point control and stability.

I have also tried my core in many locations. Nuc/Rock, MBPro, Nuc/Win10 and of course EX. Best sound was EX>Nuc/Rock>MBPro>Nuc/Win10. The MBPro was the snappiest and it also hosts Audirvana and JRiver (for remote play). That is were the core is presently.

 

[Clive101]

@Progisus
I have Minim Server on the CX acting as the server and MPD on the EX set up as a Player only.
I control with bubbleupnp app on my tablet. I select Minim as the library and MPD as the player.
This is a simple set up with low CPU use and very little network traffic which I guess helps with lowering the noise floor.
If you have time try both on your EX (without anything else taking up CPU resources) although MPD does have around 4% average CPU.
YMMV as this is a one box application vs two in my set up but I still think you will have a very good result.
I will keep Roon for browsing and switch to Minim Server when I pick an album or playlist to sit back and relax it's that good.
I found myself listening to "full on" classical symphony orchestra which was my least preferred genre, the music fully engulfed me.
Playing https://open.qobuz.com/track/85483122 Trentemoller The last Resort Chameleon the bass was so low it made me fell sick even the brick walls were vibrating.
I would be interested in your view if you try and if you have the same experience with the above track or anyone else.

 

[Progisus]

@Progisus
I have Minim Server on the CX acting as the server and MPD on the EX set up as a Player only.
I control with bubbleupnp app on my tablet. I select Minim as the library and MPD as the player.
This is a simple set up with low CPU use and very little network traffic which I guess helps with lowering the noise floor.
If you have time try both on your EX (without anything else taking up CPU resources) although MPD does have around 4% average CPU.
YMMV as this is a one box application vs two in my set up but I still think you will have a very good result.
I will keep Roon for browsing and switch to Minim Server when I pick an album or playlist to sit back and relax it's that good.
I found myself listening to "full on" classical symphony orchestra which was my least preferred genre, the music fully engulfed me.
Playing https://open.qobuz.com/track/85483122 Trentemoller The last Resort Chameleon the bass was so low it made me fell sick even the brick walls were vibrating.
I would be interested in your view if you try and if you have the same experience with the above track or anyone else.

Using the track you suggested I first set EX for MPD. I used Audirvana as the controller. I believe both bubble and mconnect take from the server and resend to the player. The sound was top notch as per my previous findings. The album is a bass monster. Using mpd my ex was barely at 1%.
I then fed the same signal from Audirvana to hqplayer in the ex with sinc-m, lns15, 768k max. Usage jumped to average 18% with a core jumping to 30% occasionally. Not even breaking a sweat.
I really love roon so for the miniscule drop in quality and huge convenience, it will remain.

 

[Clive101]

@Progisus
Thanks for trying. I am with you regarding Roon for the same reasons.
I found the Minim with MPD less fatigueing with my speaker system and that was the biggest improvement to me.
I find my headphone system more forgiving, different amp this being a WA33 Elite JPS upgrade tubes with LCD4 which may explain.
The Bryston Amps I have are unforgiving and I do suffer from digital glare, almost every system is too bright for me so I guess it is more me than anything else. It's the high notes of female vocals that do the most damage screaming down my ears a harsh scream rather than normal scream.

Chameleon is bass heavy, sent to big speakers you feel it more than hear it !

 

[ReAgent86]

Hi All, I wanted to get some feedback on ethernet cables and where they might make the most difference in the CX + EX combo. Where should my best cable go? Between the ethernet switch and the CX or between the CX and the EX? I have the sense that the signal is pretty clean between the CX and EX and was thinking that the best cable should feed from the switch to the CX. Anyone tried experimenting with different ethernet cables for those two connections. Right now, I use Supra Cat 8 for both hookups, but was thinking of upgrading one (or both) to the Phasure ethernet cable, as I've had good luck with the Phasure Lush USB.

 

[Progisus]

I think I have the configuration I like. The EX runs roon and hqplayer. The network 2 port runs to a pi 4 running audiolinux. That runs naa and loads everything to ram. The pi is powered by an Anker powerpac. TT2 is from usb on the pi through a jitterbug to an SRC-DX. This then feeds dual coax to TT2. Super quiet, black background and fairly snappy.

 

[frankensmurf]

What software do you use to control MPD? I use Audirvana playing from library on it’s host or Rigelian using the library on the Antipodes. Sound in descending order Rigelian/mpd > Audirvana/mpd > Roon/HQPlayer > Roon/Roon-Ready. But Roon always wins out for it’s library curation, multiple end point control and stability.

I have also tried my core in many locations. Nuc/Rock, MBPro, Nuc/Win10 and of course EX. Best sound was EX>Nuc/Rock>MBPro>Nuc/Win10. The MBPro was the snappiest and it also hosts Audirvana and JRiver (for remote play). That is were the core is presently.

I appreciate the granularity and ranking here.

I will admit to a little frustration with (what I perceive to be) the diminishing returns we all obsess over, particularly in digital front ends. I'm also coming at this from the perspective of a speaker listener in a real room -- so as compared to your perfect acoustics and top-flight headphones I have -- as it happens -- Focals with beryllium tweeters, probably a second cousin of your drivers. But, and let's charitably assume that room acoustics are obliterating only 5-10% of their goodness, it leaves me with a very different value proposition. A dollar spent on cryo silver plated power supply cables for my digital transport will -- all things being equal -- probably yield more spent on speaker upgrades, or room upgrades.

So with apologies for the really long setup for the question: how would you rate the degrees of difference in your two lists as compared to larger changes like Hugo2 vs TT2, Utopia vs HD800, etc..

 

[Whazzzup]

Hugo and tt are not directly comparable, on many fronts from power to mill block design analogue components as well as line out options. These all transcend your listening experience. I use hd800S and find it my all rounder. Th900 fully modded is my bass canon. I never tried utopia as it seems more of a trade off with hd800S. Funny the hd800S threads seem unaffected by utopia launch.

 

[Progisus]

I appreciate the granularity and ranking here.

I will admit to a little frustration with (what I perceive to be) the diminishing returns we all obsess over, particularly in digital front ends. I'm also coming at this from the perspective of a speaker listener in a real room -- so as compared to your perfect acoustics and top-flight headphones I have -- as it happens -- Focals with beryllium tweeters, probably a second cousin of your drivers. But, and let's charitably assume that room acoustics are obliterating only 5-10% of their goodness, it leaves me with a very different value proposition. A dollar spent on cryo silver plated power supply cables for my digital transport will -- all things being equal -- probably yield more spent on speaker upgrades, or room upgrades.

So with apologies for the really long setup for the question: how would you rate the degrees of difference in your two lists as compared to larger changes like Hugo2 vs TT2, Utopia vs HD800, etc..

The biggest improvement in my system:
1) Removing mscaler and replacing with the EX running HQPlayer
2) Upgrading the Hugo 2 with TT2

The headphones and iems are totally mood and souce dependent. This whole hobby imho is about synergy between components. For instance.... I pair TT1 with HD800s or Tia Fourte and TT2 with Utopia or EE Legend X. When used in these pairings I feel either system is equal musically.

Hope that helps.

 

[Whazzzup]

Felt the same, well with DX and roon, and no hq

 

[Clive101]

The K50 and the K30 have arrived....!
Any suggestions how anyone wants a comparison server player combo, USB vs digital clocked version?
After 24 hrs playing burning better SQ..... more to follow.

Edit Chord Dave with or without Mscaler