CX, EX, K, S, Oladra, Antipodes, Owners Unite

[Whazzzup]

Egad my Jura superauto espresso machine died, do have a back up Jura a1 from decades ago, then of course my Kef 300 A usb speakers died…have my iMac output that kinda sux, so other investments will preclude desktop or portable audio. Funny how the lucky you are to keep living, s^#t just breaks eventually.

 

[Clive101]

If anyone is interested I am selling my K10 as new.
https://www.head-fi.org/classifieds/antipodes-k10.19762/

 

[Whazzzup]

well my espresso machine has been delivered, jura ena4, don't want to deal with milk lines. Well oladra was a smashing success for an upgrade, no? im sure the K series is exciting additions as well, cheers

 

[Progisus]

I see we are on hqplayer 4.28.2 and the Signalyst site shows 4.29.3. I was hoping the AMS 3 software would provide more frequent updates. I also thought we would receive some kind of regular overnite software optimizing. Maybe I have that wrong. I’ve asked Mark on the support site.

 

[td19]

4.29.3 only released today. Generally there is a 1-2 week gap before new releases are available to Antipodes.

 

[Progisus]

4.29.3 only released today. Generally there is a 1-2 week gap before new releases are available to Antipodes.

Thanks Tony. There have been a few releases I think since 4,26,2 which is on my K30. Mark replied to me and said they are bringing on some help for software and app verification. Has anyone been updated beyond the 4.26.2?

 

[Triode User]

Thanks Tony. There have been a few releases I think since 4,26,2 which is on my K30. Mark replied to me and said they are bringing on some help for software and app verification. Has anyone been updated beyond the 4.26.2?

Is the updating of the Server and Player apps automatic without any need for user input? If so, how does one keep track of what version is on the Antipodes without every now and then looking to see?

 

[Progisus]

Is the updating of the Server and Player apps automatic without any need for user input? If so, how does one keep track of what version is on the Antipodes without every now and then looking to see?

It is supposed to be semi automatic. I think we will receive notification on MyAntipodes that a new version is available as when the software was updated. Everyone should be at the most current version once they start rolling these out. Until then we need to check each package. A button that compiles a list of current versions on your server/player would be nice. Before anything I would like access to app_status.

 

[Progisus]

In a bit of banter on HQPlayer vs Mscaler with @kennyb123 , I had posted the following:

“I still think hqplayer is an equal solution to mscaler. Way back when I had my first mscaler and was comparing to hqplayer, I mentioned the issues with software vs hardware. Software had the intermittent handshake issues and hardware really required the rfi mitigation either with cables, optical isolation or battery supplies. I wasn’t able to pursue those at the time so sold the mscaler and picked up the Antipodes server with embedded hqplayer. Since then I realized the simplicity of the hardware solution and was able to get the Wave cables so mscaler entered my system again. PGGB is a fantastic way to push the boundaries on multi million tap filters but unfortunately is not real time for roon. I was just preferring not switching things to PGGB for my local library. My next project is to put my components in a proper stand. This will leave space for my PGGB rig.

MSCALER: Antipodes(roonbridge)-usb in on mscaler-dual bnc out to TT2
PGGB: Antipodes(roon/hqplayer embedded)-direct ethernet-pi4(audiolinux/naa)-usb out to TT2
This only requires switching the TT2 from bnc to usb in with the remote for A/B comparing as both can run simultaneously on the Antipodes.”

I felt this was more appropriate on this thread and I just wanted to update since the og post. In preparation for my audio stand I substituted my EX for the Pi4. I also used the supplied STP ethernet cables rather than my diy UTP cables. This has breathed new life into the PGGB setup. The sound has calmed with darker background. The cymbals have their sheen rather than crash. Thank goodness I kept the EX when upgrading. BTW, also removed the src-dx from the mscaler bnc input. I am preferring direct usb. ymmv

 

[Triode User]

@Progisus It is always interesting to read of your exploits and experiments.

I have recently been reading that several Extreme owners have been returning to Roon with comments that in their opinion the Roon player is much improved to the extent that they prefer it to HQP in pass through for their PGGB files.

I am still in Mscaler mode whilst I decide about PGGB but last night I fired up Roon on my K50 and indeed it does seem better than I remember. I think I will give it a longer trial.

After RW’s recent post defending the USB implementation on his DACs and the Mscaler I also went back to using USB direct as opposed to the SRC-Dx + BNC input to the Mscaler but I am afraid I still preferred the SRC-DX (plus of course a certain brand of BNC cables) because it all seemed rather less ‘in your face’ than USB direct from the K50 to the Mscaler.

 

[Progisus]

@Progisus It is always interesting to read of your exploits and experiments.

I have recently been reading that several Extreme owners have been returning to Roon with comments that in their opinion the Roon player is much improved to the extent that they prefer it to HQP in pass through for their PGGB files.

I am still in Mscaler mode whilst I decide about PGGB but last night I fired up Roon on my K50 and indeed it does seem better than I remember. I think I will give it a longer trial.

After RW’s recent post defending the USB implementation on his DACs and the Mscaler I also went back to using USB direct as opposed to the SRC-Dx + BNC input to the Mscaler but I am afraid I still preferred the SRC-DX (plus of course a certain brand of BNC cables) because it all seemed rather less ‘in your face’ than USB direct from the K50 to the Mscaler.

It is great how we can affect the sound with these tweaks and how different flavours appeal to different ears and even our own from day to day. I’ll probably be back to the src-dx soon as my mood changes. No doubt that certain bnc cable would be a big factor. The one tweak that I feel sure (ha,ha) will stay is the EX as a second player.

 

[Whazzzup]

I’ll baseline as old school roon man

 

[Progisus]

I’ll baseline as old school roon man

Looks like the defectors may be returning.

 

[kennyb123]

This has breathed new life into the PGGB setup. The sound has calmed with darker background. The cymbals have their sheen rather than crash. Thank goodness I kept the EX when upgrading. BTW, also removed the src-dx from the mscaler bnc input. I am preferring direct usb. ymmv

Interesting findings - thanks for sharing. Smart move to leverage the EX as a Player when playing PGGB.

My configuration:

PGGB: Squeeze server > Squeeze player > X26pro with NOS mode ON
Everything else: Roon server > HQPlayer Server > HQPlayer NAA > X26pro with NOS mode ON

At the moment though it's Roon server > Roon RAAT > X26pro with NOS mode OFF and filter set to Vivid

Things have been really flaky on my K30 the last few days. I think there's an issue with my network but I have yet to figure out what it is. I can't even download the latest update to Roon as it's taking forever to download it. I'm using Roon RAAT as Roon kept losing control of the audio device.

Yesterday I disconnected my REF10 reference clock as it's going to be sent to Mutec to be upgrade. They have an oscillator set aside for me. There was a loss of fidelity without the REF10. I hope I can survive it. Haha.

As an aside, I am absolutely thrilled with my headphone setup. I recently received a 1 TB micro sd card and filled it with tracks processed with PGGB. This has essentially become my massage chair system. Yeah I definitely spoil myself.

 

[Progisus]

Interesting findings - thanks for sharing. Smart move to leverage the EX as a Player when playing PGGB.

My configuration:

PGGB: Squeeze server > Squeeze player > X26pro with NOS mode ON
Everything else: Roon server > HQPlayer Server > HQPlayer NAA > X26pro with NOS mode ON

At the moment though it's Roon server > Roon RAAT > X26pro with NOS mode OFF and filter set to Vivid

Things have been really flaky on my K30 the last few days. I think there's an issue with my network but I have yet to figure out what it is. I can't even download the latest update to Roon as it's taking forever to download it. I'm using Roon RAAT as Roon kept losing control of the audio device.

Yesterday I disconnected my REF10 reference clock as it's going to be sent to Mutec to be upgrade. They have an oscillator set aside for me. There was a loss of fidelity without the REF10. I hope I can survive it. Haha.

As an aside, I am absolutely thrilled with my headphone setup. I recently received a 1 TB micro sd card and filled it with tracks processed with PGGB. This has essentially become my massage chair system. Yeah I definitely spoil myself.

Is your headphone system the poly/mojo? I haven’t tried it yet with PGGB as my sd card is too small. Sounds like a project. I assume the poly can play 16fs. I know the mojo can.

I hope your network issue resolves. I have been using a Pi3 with diet-pi to run roon’s extension manager and pi-hole. Pi-hole has kept a lot of crap out of the network and allows for easy dns changes.