[bmichels]

Interesting. Have you considered trying with some of the battery-powered portable solutions? Not all output USB, but some (eg the phones) do. Maybe pair them with a regen or ipurifier or iusb and we're still looking at much less than some of these.

 
Look at the AK500n.  It includes a BIG battery inside that isolate it from the pollution of the Main, and which also allow 7 hours of operation away from the main (you can enjoy it at the end of your garden...).  Up to 4 Tb od SSD ! 
 
I listened to it twice for few hours in calm situation, connected to my EC445 tube Amp, comparing it's internal DAC to my HUGO.  It sounded good, but I could not connect it to a TOL external DAC since I only had a HUGO available.  I found it's internal DAC more musical than my HUGO, but may be less analytial.
 
It has many digital & analog outputs but... lack USB output !? 
 

 

 

[romaz]

   
Interesting, but are you sure of this ?  where do you get this info ? 

http://www.digitalaudioreview.net/2015/09/aurender-n100h-music-serverstreamer-review/
 
Also, the dealer mentioned it.

 

[bmichels]

  Bertrand, you need to pay some teenager to rip your collection to a NAS for you.  I have about 1,000 CDs and it took a few weeks but that's what I did and life is so much easier and Roon manages all of it.  If you get the CAD CAT, this is an excellent CD ripper but almost any other computer can do it.  For SACD playback, all TotalDac DACs have the ability to connect via 75 ohm RCA cable to an Oppo BDP-103 (an excellent SACD player and not very expensive) and allows full resolution playback of all your SACDs and CDs through the TotalDac.  Here's more information:
 
http://www.totaldac.com/principles.htm

Roy, 
 
I Rip from time to time some of my +1000 Cds, the one I prefer, but.... I also appreciate a lot the process of choosing a CD in my library, physically putting it on a CD Drive, reading the booklet before listening....  
 
It is a different approach :  With my digital music (2 To) I use play lists, jump from one track to another, jump from artists to others....listen often to the same tracks. With CD, I chose one CD (sometime randomly, leating my hand choosing it by chance) and then, if I like it, I listen to the whole CD.   For example, with my digital music I may listen to only 1 movement of a symphony while with the physical CD, I will play the complete symphony.  

 

[Haidar]

I'm curious if anyone here has heard the Sonore Signature Rendu with any DACs
http://www.computeraudiophile.com/content/617-sonore-signature-series-rendu-review/

 

[romaz]

  I'm curious if anyone here has heard the Sonore Signature Rendu with any DACs
http://www.computeraudiophile.com/content/617-sonore-signature-series-rendu-review/

Yes, I've heard it with a PS Audio DirectStream.  It is excellent.  Jesus is a great guy.

 

[romaz]

  Roy, 
 
I Rip from time to time some of my +1000 Cds, the one I prefer, but.... I also appreciate a lot the process of choosing a CD in my library, physically putting it on a CD Drive, reading the booklet before listening....  
 
It is a different approach :  With my digital music (2 To) I use play lists, jump from one track to another, jump from artists to others....listen often to the same tracks. With CD, I chose one CD (sometime randomly, leating my hand choosing it by chance) and then, if I like it, I listen to the whole CD.   For example, with my digital music I may listen to only 1 movement of a symphony while with the physical CD, I will play the complete symphony.  

I know what you're saying.  Some people I know love playing vinyl not just because of how the music sounds but they enjoy the ritual of putting the record on the turntable and placing the tonearm on the record and then exploring the photos on the album jacket.  It's the ritual that they enjoy as much as the music.  It looks like the AK500n allows you to do that?

 

[bmichels]

  I know what you're saying.  Some people I know love playing vinyl not just because of how the music sounds but they enjoy the ritual of putting the record on the turntable and placing the tonearm on the record and then exploring the photos on the album jacket.  It's the ritual that they enjoy as much as the music.  It looks like the AK500n allows you to do that?

 
No, the AK500 is a CD ripper, NOT a CD player    So I will still need a good CD player....
 
but I wonder if, with those tol  CD/SACD/DACs like the Esoteric K-01x, Luxman c-08u, Accuphase DP720, E.A.R....... it is possible to connect the headphone direct to their XLRs analog output like it is possible with the TotalDAC D1-Dual dac ?

 

[romaz]

   
No, the AK500 is a CD ripper, NOT a CD player    So I will still need a good CD player....
 
but I wonder if, with those tol  CD/SACD/DACs like the Esoteric K-01x, Luxman c-08u, Accuphase DP720, E.A.R....... it is possible to connect the headphone direct to their XLRs analog output like it is possible with the TotalDAC D1-Dual dac ?

Maybe the ones you mentioned could be connected but for sure, the Oppo BDP-103 will connect.  I have the Oppo now and while I don't have it connected to the TotalDac, it is an excellent SACD/CD transport for not very much money.
 
https://www.oppodigital.com/blu-ray-bdp-103/

 

[Haidar]

romaz, could you please comment on the sound of the Signature Rendu vs. the music servers you have tried? Thanks

 

[bmichels]

 Maybe the ones you mentioned could be connected but for sure, the Oppo BDP-103 will connect.  I have the Oppo now and while I don't have it connected to the TotalDac, it is an excellent SACD/CD transport for not very much money.
 
https://www.oppodigital.com/blu-ray-bdp-103/

 
You mean that, with your " magic cable", you succefully connected direct your HE1000 to the Analog XLRs of the OPPO ?  So it seems that this do not work only with Total DAC, and that the expected impendance problems are not so common finaly !!
 
 
So, I will  try to test by myself. I will go to a dealers that carry Esoteric and some other TOL CD/SACD/DAC and I will try to connect my headphone to the XLRs analog of those TOL CD/SACD/DACt....  But for this I will need a cable adapter ! 
 
Before you got your special DHC direct cable HE1000 <--> TotalDac XLRs,  didn't n you have an adapter to test your headphones on the TotalDAC ?  Where did you got this adapter ? expensive ?
 
Also, if it is OK for you, could you please  post pictures of your  special DHC direct cable HE1000 <--> TotalDac XLRs  (XLR side), as well as the adaptors made for other headphones ?

 

[romaz]

  romaz, could you please comment on the sound of the Signature Rendu vs. the music servers you have tried? Thanks

It works similarly to the TotalDac reclocker in that it reclocks and converts one type of signal into another (in this case, ethernet signal to I2S) but I really can't give you a solid opinion against these top players because I used the Sig Rendu on a different DAC.  I used to own a PS Audio DirectStream and I really struggled to love that DAC.  Even through Pikes Peak and Yale, it was never very engaging both on my SR009/BHSE and with my HE-1000 and any amp I had with it.  Well, that review by Ted Brady came out on the Sig Rendu late last year and he said that when combined with the DirectStream via I2S, it was the best sound he had ever heard in his life.  Based on this review, a friend of mine went ahead and bought one and he connected it to his DirectStream via I2S along with his NAS and we both agreed the improvement was significant compared to my Audiophile Vortex Box connected via USB.  Had I stayed with the DirectStream, I would have gotten it (in fact, I had one on order) but once I heard the Bricasti M1, there was no returning to the DirectStream for me and so I canceled the order.

 

[romaz]

 

  Maybe the ones you mentioned could be connected but for sure, the Oppo BDP-103 will connect.  I have the Oppo now and while I don't have it connected to the TotalDac, it is an excellent SACD/CD transport for not very much money.
 
https://www.oppodigital.com/blu-ray-bdp-103/

 
You mean that, with your " magic cable", you succefully connected direct your HE1000 to the Analog XLRs of the OPPO ?  So it seems that this do not work only with Total DAC, and that the expected impendance problems are not so common finaly !!
 
 
So, I will  try to test by myself. I will go to a dealers that carry Esoteric and some other TOL CD/SACD/DAC and I will try to connect my headphone to the XLRs analog of those TOL CD/SACD/DACt....  But for this I will need a cable adapter ! 
 
Before you got your special DHC direct cable HE1000 <--> TotalDac XLRs,  didn't n you have an adapter to test your headphones on the TotalDAC ?  Where did you got this adapter ? expensive ?
 
Also, if it is OK for you, could you please  post pictures of your  special DHC direct cable HE1000 <--> TotalDac XLRs  (XLR side), as well as the adaptors made for other headphones ?

No, sorry if I misled you.  The Oppo has no balanced XLR outputs (only RCA).  According to Vincent, with a special JVC board (800 Euros) you install into the Oppo, it will then allow you to connect this SACD player directly to the TotalDac and you can listen to your SACDs through the TotalDac.
 
Again, here is the website (scroll to the bottom):
 
http://www.totaldac.com/principles.htm
 
I will show you pictures of my cable and adapters later when I get home.  You can also buy a less expensive cable from Moon Audio with female XLR terminations.  I have a spare one for an HE-1000.  PM me if you want to try it and I can send it to you.

 

[Yoga]

You really love the HE1000 Roy! Thanks for your thoughts. I've found a pair in the UK for a good price, I'll probably nab them and see how they fare when powered by the Moon 600i, which easily fills the requirement of punch and power (it's a beast)...
 


Dual-mono design; the L/R channels are powered independently; a (custom) transformer for each. If it can't drive the HEK to their maximum, nothing can :¬) Its a very transparent amplifier, one of it's many strengths being dynamic power and agility. A TOTL headphone amp for DAC Jam :¬)

 

[Yoga]

Enjoy the N10 @preproman , looking forward to your impressions.

 

[romaz]

  You really love the HE1000 Roy! Thanks for your thoughts. I've found a pair in the UK for a good price, I'll probably nab them and see how they fare when powered by the Moon 600i, which easily fills the requirement of punch and power (it's a beast)...
 


Dual-mono design; the L/R channels are powered independently; a (custom) transformer for each. If it can't drive the HEK to their maximum, nothing can :¬) Its a very transparent amplifier, one of it's many strengths being dynamic power and agility. A TOTL headphone amp for DAC Jam :¬)

Very nice, Ross!  Obviously, all of Moon's products are highly regarded so I'm very much looking forward to what you think of it with the HEK.