[prosnowboarder]

Ok well I already have the Straight Wire Symphony II for interconnects so maybe it's not needed but I may try out the blue Jeans interconnects just for fun. How long is too long for interconnects?

Say I have two stations where I listen to headphone or speakers, and I'd like to move the amp(mj2) easily back and forth. Would 10 ft interconnects(balanced) be reducing quality or add interference compared to a 1 ft interconnect?

 

[bfin3]

I have the Yggdrasil with unison. The unison replaced a dante undaes-0 setup between my computer and dac and unison sounds every bit as good, maybe a little better, I'm really happy with it. However, it's just my windows gaming PC with audirvana and I feel like I could do better with a dedicated streamer. I've been doing research and frankly it's been frustrating. I want something that is appreciably better than my windows Pc but I don't want to pay 5+ grand to get there. I don't need a cd ripper or crazy dsd sampling obviously. I would like some attached storage and ability to stream Quobuz and maybe Tidal if I ever give them a chance again. The innuos seems like a rippoff, the antipodes are just too much, the lumin don't have storage, sotm seems old and they want you to buy reclockers and network switches. A lot of people have external clocks on their sources too, but if the Yggy reclocks everything again anyway, is there any point? I'd like a one box solution(external power supply doesn't count). I'm coming to digital from vinyl and it just feels like these digital audio chains are way too complicated. I'm not interested in Roon, audirvana sounds better to me on my computer already. What are you guys using? I'm willing to do a lot for better sound, but like the rest of you I don't have unlimited funds and it's so hard to navigate the snake oil that's so pervasive in high end audio.

 

[bfin3]

Ok well I already have the Straight Wire Symphony II for interconnects so maybe it's not needed but I may try out the blue Jeans interconnects just for fun. How long is too long for interconnects?

Say I have two stations where I listen to headphone or speakers, and I'd like to move the amp(mj2) easily back and forth. Would 10 ft interconnects(balanced) be reducing quality or add interference compared to a 1 ft interconnect?

Speaker/headphone cable length matters a little bit and interconnect length matters even less. If they are XLR there should be virtually no difference for longer runs and even for RCAs 10ft isn't very long. Shorter is ideal but all else being equal it' shouldn't make a difference.

 

[jcn3]

I have the Yggdrasil with unison. The unison replaced a dante undaes-0 setup between my computer and dac and unison sounds every bit as good, maybe a little better, I'm really happy with it. However, it's just my windows gaming PC with audirvana and I feel like I could do better with a dedicated streamer. I've been doing research and frankly it's been frustrating. I want something that is appreciably better than my windows Pc but I don't want to pay 5+ grand to get there. I don't need a cd ripper or crazy dsd sampling obviously. I would like some attached storage and ability to stream Quobuz and maybe Tidal if I ever give them a chance again. The innuos seems like a rippoff, the antipodes are just too much, the lumin don't have storage, sotm seems old and they want you to buy reclockers and network switches. A lot of people have external clocks on their sources too, but if the Yggy reclocks everything again anyway, is there any point? I'd like a one box solution(external power supply doesn't count). I'm coming to digital from vinyl and it just feels like these digital audio chains are way too complicated. I'm not interested in Roon, audirvana sounds better to me on my computer already. What are you guys using? I'm willing to do a lot for better sound, but like the rest of you I don't have unlimited funds and it's so hard to navigate the snake oil that's so pervasive in high end audio.

a optical rendu or ultra rendu (https://www.sonore.us/) from sonore would be a great choice. i'll leave it to you to research its capabilities and sound -- there's a lot of info out them about there.

 

[jp11801]

I have the Yggdrasil with unison. The unison replaced a dante undaes-0 setup between my computer and dac and unison sounds every bit as good, maybe a little better, I'm really happy with it. However, it's just my windows gaming PC with audirvana and I feel like I could do better with a dedicated streamer. I've been doing research and frankly it's been frustrating. I want something that is appreciably better than my windows Pc but I don't want to pay 5+ grand to get there. I don't need a cd ripper or crazy dsd sampling obviously. I would like some attached storage and ability to stream Quobuz and maybe Tidal if I ever give them a chance again. The innuos seems like a rippoff, the antipodes are just too much, the lumin don't have storage, sotm seems old and they want you to buy reclockers and network switches. A lot of people have external clocks on their sources too, but if the Yggy reclocks everything again anyway, is there any point? I'd like a one box solution(external power supply doesn't count). I'm coming to digital from vinyl and it just feels like these digital audio chains are way too complicated. I'm not interested in Roon, audirvana sounds better to me on my computer already. What are you guys using? I'm willing to do a lot for better sound, but like the rest of you I don't have unlimited funds and it's so hard to navigate the snake oil that's so pervasive in high end audio.

I built a Roon nucleus clone for $500 and bought an sotm 200 ultra neo for $800 and it is miles better than my Mac mini.

 

[471724]

Speaker/headphone cable length matters a little bit and interconnect length matters even less. If they are XLR there should be virtually no difference for longer runs and even for RCAs 10ft isn't very long. Shorter is ideal but all else being equal it' shouldn't make a difference.

I disagree, especially with regard to interconnects. In my experience much longer than 1 meter or so for interconnect cables increasingly veils the sound, with a loss in clarity and transparency. I think this is to be expected due to the ear's sensitivity to minute time smearing due to dielectric absorption, skin effect and other mechanisms.

 

[gefski]

I have the Yggdrasil with unison. The unison replaced a dante undaes-0 setup between my computer and dac and unison sounds every bit as good, maybe a little better, I'm really happy with it. However, it's just my windows gaming PC with audirvana and I feel like I could do better with a dedicated streamer. I've been doing research and frankly it's been frustrating. I want something that is appreciably better than my windows Pc but I don't want to pay 5+ grand to get there. I don't need a cd ripper or crazy dsd sampling obviously. I would like some attached storage and ability to stream Quobuz and maybe Tidal if I ever give them a chance again. The innuos seems like a rippoff, the antipodes are just too much, the lumin don't have storage, sotm seems old and they want you to buy reclockers and network switches. A lot of people have external clocks on their sources too, but if the Yggy reclocks everything again anyway, is there any point? I'd like a one box solution(external power supply doesn't count). I'm coming to digital from vinyl and it just feels like these digital audio chains are way too complicated. I'm not interested in Roon, audirvana sounds better to me on my computer already. What are you guys using? I'm willing to do a lot for better sound, but like the rest of you I don't have unlimited funds and it's so hard to navigate the snake oil that's so pervasive in high end audio.

That’s great to hear. I haven’t bothered with the Unison upgrade because I‘ve been so happy with Dante uDO AES Yggy (A then B) since 2016 (and because I had so many “failed relationships” with usb for several years prior).

Just to be precise, you compared these two file delivery systems into the same Yggy to reach this conclusion?

Thanks!

 

[bfin3]

That’s great to hear. I haven’t bothered with the Unison upgrade because I‘ve been so happy with Dante uDO AES Yggy (A then B) since 2016 (and because I had so many “failed relationships” with usb for several years prior).

Just to be precise, you compared these two file delivery systems into the same Yggy to reach this conclusion?

Thanks!

Same Yggy except for the unison upgrade. Yea I went from my pc hooked up to the undaes-o to just a dhlabs usb cable linking my computer straight to the yggy. In both setups I used audirvana. I didn't switch back and forth because I didn't want to keep the undaes-0 hooked up, but it sounds at least as good and I really like how much simpler things are now. My rack is much cleaner and although I never had any issues with the dante software I'm glad it's gone. I'd still like to try a nice network transport with usb and see if that can beat my computer, but it really sounds great as is.

 

[bfin3]

a optical rendu or ultra rendu (https://www.sonore.us/) from sonore would be a great choice. i'll leave it to you to research its capabilities and sound -- there's a lot of info out them about there.

The ultrarendu is definitely on the list, it seems straightforward and is tried and tested. The price tag is a lot more appealing than a lot of other options, and I don't have to pay for a cd ripper that will never get used. However, I'll always be left wondering if that signature rendu sounds better.

I built a Roon nucleus clone for $500 and bought an sotm 200 ultra neo for $800 and it is miles better than my Mac mini.

I've looked into the sotm 200 quite a bit. It seems like a good choice too but I don't know what to think about Roon. Obviously it has the best interface but I liked audirvana more on my PC from a sound quality perspective and I've found others who think the Roon software may hold back some sound quality. That might be different on a nucleus or another server though. There's just too many choices and variables and no way to audition the vast majority of them.

 

[jcn3]

The ultrarendu is definitely on the list, it seems straightforward and is tried and tested. The price tag is a lot more appealing than a lot of other options, and I don't have to pay for a cd ripper that will never get used. However, I'll always be left wondering if that signature rendu sounds better.



I've looked into the sotm 200 quite a bit. It seems like a good choice too but I don't know what to think about Roon. Obviously it has the best interface but I liked audirvana more on my PC from a sound quality perspective and I've found others who think the Roon software may hold back some sound quality. That might be different on a nucleus or another server though. There's just too many choices and variables and no way to audition the vast majority of them.

with either the rendus or the sotm pieces, you still can use audirvana -- audirvana becomes the server and sends music to the endpoints via dlna/upnp. works very well.

roon is absolutely fabulous -- once you're used to it, you can't go back. just have your gaming pc run roon core and roon bridge on the endpoints . . . .

 

[bfin3]

Sounds good, do you think the having a nucleus clone is significantly better than running roon off a normal PC? Also are there any good resources for part selection? The nuc kits are ok but I would rather choose all the parts and chassis if I'm going to go that route.

 

[jcn3]

Sounds good, do you think the having a nucleus clone is significantly better than running roon off a normal PC? Also are there any good resources for part selection? The nuc kits are ok but I would rather choose all the parts and chassis if I'm going to go that route.

if you're going to use roon rock, then i'd get a nuc and call it a day (i would get a fanless case and a linear power supply). if you're going to use another linux platform (audiolinux, euphony, etc.) then there are many people that go to great lengths to configure their hardware because of the configurability of the software.

 

[bigjim]

Since I travel around quite a bit in the spring and summer, I would really be thrilled to find a dac the ”size of a matchbox” that would approach the timbre, texture, spatial placement of instruments and sounds, and dynamic and alive presentation that Yggy delivers in my desktop rig. I own an Audioquest Dragonfly, a brilliant (they solved the usb receiver current draw problem for portables) stick sized unit, and have spent some time with Chord’s Mojo. But they aren’t really in that ballpark for me sonically.

So I’m interested in any that you have experience with, what DACs they have been directly compared to, and the results of those comparisons (in terms of music listening).

Hey, something the size of a matchbox but measures on par (well much better but let's not open that can of worms again) with your Dac..... Well let's see, Hidisz S8, E1DA, Meizu Dac (pro) etc. All of them will produce a cleaner signal, and as such, more of a high fidelity signal.

In terms of what I have listened to, plenty of DACs, more full size units than portables but now I pretty much just use little tiny DACs because of convenience. I'm pretty confident that DACs are a very very small part in the overall chain that ends with us listening to the music we love. Ultimately if the DAC recreates an accurate signal, that's it, timbre and all that nonsense is on the recording, not something magical in your DAC.

 

[scottcw]

Amirm or outsourced minions again?

 

[earnmyturns]

Amirm or outsourced minions again?

Maybe. But the fundamental problem is that very few people who pontificate about this really know what a digital filter does. I'll stop there, though, it would be too laborious and likely useless to explain how their "measurements" are like the proverbial spherical cow.