[andrewd01]

I am thinking of adding a used CX next year. That way I can leave my Roon core running 24/7. I am still interested in learning how awesome the K50 is. It will become affordable when the K500 comes out in 2 years time.

 

[Whazzzup]

i have been through the but there’s this in the lineup it’s 50% the cost and ...% of the flagship sound quality. Always get the flagship server wise from antipodes.

 

[naynay]

The K50 is more money for less if compared to the CX-EX with the two box solution.

 

[Triode User]

The K50 is more money for less if compared to the CX-EX with the two box solution.

That is an interesting proposition especially as the CX and EX are being heavily discounted at the moment. The acid test though is whether the K50 sounds better than the the CX / EC combination.

The K50 review I saw seemed to conclude that the CX + EC had been their reference system until they tried the K50. I admit I am new to the Antipodes sound but all I can say is that so far I like the K50 demo I am trying but it is relatively early days (also the last couple of days was my first dip of my toe in the water with HQP on the K50).

 

[Clive101]

The K50 is more money for less if compared to the CX-EX with the two box solution.

I have the CX EX combo and the K50, K30 on demo your comparison, is perhaps a little too harsh.

There is a very strong debate to be had on USB SQ between the K30 and K50 for the price if you were to compare SQ. The K50 has a lot more hardware that you do not get with the K30 or for that matter the CX EX combo.

For me, for the price, a fair comparison would be the K30 vs the CX EX combo both around 10k give or take retail cost. IMO the K30 wins not only on SQ but being one box you only need one mains cable and no ethernet cable a slam dunk to the K30 as the savings on cables make it in essence cheaper....BUT the Antipodes are supplied with a reference audiophile cable (so the ethernet cable may be discounted). One button to switch on a big plus for me.

K30 vs CX EX combo there is a definite improvement with the K30 with regard to SQ...but again if you have CX or EX and purchase a second hand CX or EX a debate could be had SQ vs price.

Short Story IMO

CX or EX owners try to purchase a second CX or EX to make the combo and what ever you do use the Antipodes ethernet cable and burn it in IMHO.

IF you have a CX EX combo trade in get either the K30 or K50.

The K30 and K50 are very close on USB output and if you only use USB output get the K30 for the price at 5k cheaper looks to be better value...but as I said the earlier the K50 has a lot more kit onboard and you may kick yourself for not paying that extra if you ever upgrade hardware.

K50 on S/PDIF is my preference.

In would say as you go up the range there is an equal gain for price unless you compare the USB between the K30 and K50 which I found quite close.

I also found one SSD to be better than two SSDs (SQ) in particular when I compared the K50 (two SSDs) vs K30 (one SSD) very close or identical others may differ ?

PS I have two SSDs up for sale 4TB Evo for sale if anyone's interested PM me ?

 

[andrewd01]

One benefit of the two box solution is that you can leave the roon core running 24/7. If using HQP as the renderer and a Chord DAC, the machine running HQP needs to be restarted after the DAC is turned on, due to an issue with the USB handshake. It could be fixed with software updates but it doesn’t seem that Signalyst or Antipodes are interested in resolving this.

 

[naynay]

I'm awaiting the OLADRA upgrade for the CX-EX to see how it compares to the new line k series.
To me the two box solution has its advantages 1 being should one ever develope a fault and has to be shipped back to Antipodes you can still have access to your music using the other box.

 

[Triode User]

One benefit of the two box solution is that you can leave the roon core running 24/7. If using HQP as the renderer and a Chord DAC, the machine running HQP needs to be restarted after the DAC is turned on, due to an issue with the USB handshake. It could be fixed with software updates but it doesn’t seem that Signalyst or Antipodes are interested in resolving this.

I always leave my dac and streamer running 24/7 anyway so that is not an issue for me. That is what I have been doing with my demo K50 and it means the server is available for other Roon endpoints in the house.

 

[Whazzzup]

New Zealand

 

[naynay]

New Zealand

That's even further so an even longer wait lol.

 

[Clive101]

 

[Triode User]

As we lurch into a new decade I spent more time last night listening to the K50 running Roon + HQ Player connected to Dave by USB and comparing it to the Innuos Statement with iPeng (ie whole track loaded to RAM for playback) connected to Mscaler by USB.

At the moment I just cannot get HQPlayer to be the equal of the Statement / MScaler combination no matter which filters I try. It just lacks the delicate detail and depth of the Mscaler.

I am not giving up on HQP just yet and will try more options but it might eventually be that the best sound quality with the K50 is to retain the mscaler in the system and ditch HQP but if any HQP users have suggestions they would be welcome.

 

[andrewd01]

As we lurch into a new decade I spent more time last night listening to the K50 running Roon + HQ Player connected to Dave by USB and comparing it to the Innuos Statement with iPeng (ie whole track loaded to RAM for playback) connected to Mscaler by USB.

At the moment I just cannot get HQPlayer to be the equal of the Statement / MScaler combination no matter which filters I try. It just lacks the delicate detail and depth of the Mscaler.

I am not giving up on HQP just yet and will try more options but it might eventually be that the best sound quality with the K50 is to retain the mscaler in the system and ditch HQP but if any HQP users have suggestions they would be welcome.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I think it would be more interesting to hear your opinion of HQP vs M scaler where that is the only variable being changed, eg K50>Ipeng renderer>Mscaler>Dave vs K50>HQP renderer>Dave.

I suppose you are using Storm Reference BNC cables between the M scaler and Dave, so the incremental cost of including the M scaler in the chain is ~£5k. It would be interesting to know how the two options compare if using the supplied BNC cables between M scaler and Dave.

 

[Triode User]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I think it would be more interesting to hear your opinion of HQP vs M scaler where that is the only variable being changed, eg K50>Ipeng renderer>Mscaler>Dave vs K50>HQP renderer>Dave.

I suppose you are using Storm Reference BNC cables between the M scaler and Dave, so the incremental cost of including the M scaler in the chain is ~£5k. It would be interesting to know how the two options compare if using the supplied BNC cables between M scaler and Dave.

Agreed, with your logic although for me the decision is whether I can get a Roon based system on the K50 to sound as good as the Statement + iPeng. In other words, do I keep the Statement and cope with the inferior user interface of iPeng or swop to the K50 (using Roon with HQP or with Squeezelite or whatever). A couple of people have suggested other options to me as well and I hope to explore them.

I realise that others will be more interested in hearing my opinion of HQP vs M scaler where that is the only variable being changed, eg as you say, K50>Ipeng renderer>Mscaler>Dave vs K50>HQP renderer>Dave - and so I will do that and report back!!

As to the dual bnc cables I was using a new (cheaper) prototype.

 

[Uncle Monty]

Apologies in advance for what is probably a stupid question, but why would you use HQPlayer when you already have an MScaler?

(I'll admit I'm not entirely sure exactly how HQP works, despite Googling it - a combination of old age and alcohol has turned my mind into mush...)