[Stormfriend]

I emailed Resonessence and they've come back to me already, which is great service.  This is what their technical guy said:
 
The unit flashes RED briefly between sample rate changes on its input to indicate just that, It saw a sample rate change. What is happening with the OPPO is that between tracks, it is reverting back to some other sample rate (my guess is 48k) for a brief moment, before going back to the sample rate of the material. This is a bug in the OPPO in my opinion. What should happen is it should check to see if the next tract to be played matches the sample rate of the current track. If is does, do NOT change the SPDIF stream data rate between tracks. Based on the fact the OPPO can play a CD without changing the rates, proves its an issue with the OPPO itself.
 
Foobar with ASIO is doing the right thing, only change the rate when the rates differ between tracks.
 
The reason it has a fade in when a rate change occurs its due to the jitter blocking mechanism. It has the ability to block jitter to around 0.01Hz or so, so it takes a bit to lock onto the new SPDIF rate and track it, while being able to filter the jitter out of it.
 
Bottom line is when the source rate changes, it will incur a RED flash, then also a Fade in. The OPPO should only sample rate change if the next track to be played is different then the current track. It seems like this is not happening
 
I've asked if they can remove the fade in and play the music (albeit with more jitter) for the first second or so, as jitter is less of an issue than a missing drum beat (to me anyway).  I'll let you know what they say.

 

[jexby]

   
I don't understand the decision to omit the RCA output on the HP version. Is it due to power constraint? Cost? Product line differentiation?
 
If this thing has RCA out I'd jump on it in a heart beat, but it's hard to stomach the idea of paying $850 for a top-notch DAC, and then can't feed to another amp without degrading the sound quality.

 
last week I asked these same questions in the Herus thread, that it seemed to me a very "thin" line how Resonessence split the capabilities of this product line.
 
I had the same idea/dilemma as you, and finally just realized:  the "amp part" of the Concero HP was going to be the weaker link in terms of customizability / flexibility,
so I opted for the HD and a separate Amp (at home) and haven't looked back.
 
my all in one DAC/Amp is the CEntrance M8 for now, which doubles as a pretty excellent work set up as well.
 
then again, a Herus or Geek Out might one day be my real (small) portable DAC/Amp all-in-one.

 

[Stormfriend]

   
I've asked if they can remove the fade in and play the music (albeit with more jitter) for the first second or so, as jitter is less of an issue than a missing drum beat (to me anyway).  I'll let you know what they say.

 
They've come back to me, again really quickly, but said they can't change the way the fade-in process works.  I'm still in my sale or return period so now I need to decide whether the jitter reduction is worth losing the start of tracks in a mixed bit-rate playlist (regardless of source).  Does anyone know of a program that can add a second of silence to the beginning of an audio track, preferably as a batch process, without changing the rest of the bits in the file?
 
If the Aune can only output 16/44.1 (I don't know) then that may be a blessing in disguise, but it still depends on whether or not it outputs the bit rate in between tracks.  It won't turn up in time for me to find out unfortunately.  The Aune also has jitter of 800ps, which means the jitter reduction will be extremely useful.

 

[belisk]

last 10 pages is of foobar configuration, use the recommended player around here, jriver, let us know how it turns out.

 

[project86]

Sorry everyone, I've been away for a while with limited internet access. I'm back now and catching up on stuff.
 
 

   
I'd be interested up to £1000, preferably around £500.  They're going to need to be battery powered, ideally with an external DC input, but I'd also be interested in mains powered units in case I move house and can use a conventional system again.  Thanks.
 
Edit: my Aune is already en-route from China (it feels like waiting for the next clipper to come in laden with tea), so that's what they have to beat in performance.

 
Sorry I didn't notice the requirement for battery power. That makes the field smaller. If we ignore that requirement there are some various models to look at:
 
Dugood 
 
QLS makes a more affordable unit and then a high end version
 
Soundaware
 
You are familiar with the Aune so I won't list those here. 
 
 
 

   
They've come back to me, again really quickly, but said they can't change the way the fade-in process works.  I'm still in my sale or return period so now I need to decide whether the jitter reduction is worth losing the start of tracks in a mixed bit-rate playlist (regardless of source).  Does anyone know of a program that can add a second of silence to the beginning of an audio track, preferably as a batch process, without changing the rest of the bits in the file?
 
If the Aune can only output 16/44.1 (I don't know) then that may be a blessing in disguise, but it still depends on whether or not it outputs the bit rate in between tracks.  It won't turn up in time for me to find out unfortunately.  The Aune also has jitter of 800ps, which means the jitter reduction will be extremely useful.

 
I'd probably say return it if you can't get the proper functionality you need. 

 

[jespersen]

Hello, I have tried to read through all 95 pages, but did not stumble over an answer to this:
-For the Concero HP: is the sound using spdif input just as good as with USB as input or is USB somewhat better? I ask since I would use it mainly with spdif and all I have been able to find are comments on the USB input...
Best regards.

 

[bixby]

  Hello, I have tried to read through all 95 pages, but did not stumble over an answer to this:
-For the Concero HP: is the sound using spdif input just as good as with USB as input or is USB somewhat better? I ask since I would use it mainly with spdif and all I have been able to find are comments on the USB input...
Best regards.

Depends on the SPDIF source I suppose.
 
My review offers some opinions on the regular Concero
 
http://digitalaudiodirections.blogspot.com/2013/05/resonessence-labs-concero-dac-review.html

 

[jespersen]

Thanks for the link and interesting review, I had not seen that. Presumable the same focus on the USB is present on the concero HP. If one always use it with a PC/MAC it's probably great. Unfortunately I'm not...

 

[project86]

bixby makes a good point - it depends on the source with SPDIF. Like most coaxial inputs, it's a lot more variable than the USB input. When I just use a generic DVD player then it's pretty bad. A decent CD player sounds perfectly fine if still a bit inferior to USB. A nicer transport (not necessarily an expensive one though) can sound quite good, nearly matching the USB. I'm using a YBA Design WM202 and it isn't an ultra-high priced transport in the least bit. Unfortunately the only way to know how it works with your particular device is to try it yourself. 

 

[jespersen]

Thanks Project86. Problem is that I have no way of testing it where I live, so I have to rely on reviews or buy something else.

 

[daerron]

Just an interesting note for guys with Samsung Galaxy S4 phones. You can use the Apple Remote profile in the WatchOn app to operate the Concero if you don't have an Apple remote nearby. I moved my Concero to my Hi-Fi rig today and used this method to switch filters and skip through songs and it worked pretty well. If you don't want to pay extra for the remote and PSU, then this could also save you $50.

 

[project86]

  Thanks Project86. Problem is that I have no way of testing it where I live, so I have to rely on reviews or buy something else.

 
 
What do you intend to use as a transport?

 

[Stormfriend]

   
I'd probably say return it if you can't get the proper functionality you need. 

 
That's what I did in the end.  It means my sojourn into full battery power is now looking less likely.
 
Thanks for the details on the sd card readers; I find it interesting that none of the usual brands has created one and instead the big names are all focused on streamers.  I just want a 2013 equivalent of a CD transport.  I think I'd still have gone for the Aune therefore as I wanted as little functionality as possible (I already have a PC).  When the Aune eventually arrives I'll start a separate thread for it.

 

[jespersen]

   
 
What do you intend to use as a transport?

Amongst others Sonos, which is probably not going to be a perfect partner as it seems since Sonos is not famous for sendion on a very high quality signal (albeit I find it rather decent in blind tests). I had hoped that I could move the concero around a bit and in some places it would be connected to the aforementioned Sonos. Hmmm. If the Concero is as good as has been stated the recent weeks one may hope that I'll eventually get to try it out locally
 
I cant help to think of the following: It's funny that in the last 10 years or so every second or so month seems to have the next DAC wonder that is just so much better... I wonder when it'll level out with the other parts of the chain or if it's simply "slightly" exaggerated by the media in order to sell that months magazine...

 

[seeteeyou]

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