Sonnet Digital Audio: New kid on the block, well.. not really!

[sahmen]

Speaking of John Granberg (aka @project86 ), his review of the Morpheus on the Dar-ko site could be quite pertinent in these discussions as well:

https://darko.audio/2021/05/sonnet-morpheus-dac-review/

 

[Nostoi]

Speaking of John Granberg (aka @project86 ), his review of the Morpheus on the Dar-ko site could be quite pertinent in these discussions as well:

https://darko.audio/2021/05/sonnet-morpheus-dac-review/

Yes, it was his review in Darko that inspired me to demo the Morpheus.

He also offers his review on the Sparkos on the same site here.

 

[Wes S]

Speaking of John Granberg (aka @project86 ), his review of the Morpheus on the Dar-ko site could be quite pertinent in these discussions as well:

https://darko.audio/2021/05/sonnet-morpheus-dac-review/

That's an outstanding review, and definitely belongs in this thread.

 

[project86]

Thanks!

I quite enjoyed the Morpheus (and the matching Hermes) while I had them in for review, and would have no issues using them as my main system for the foreseeable future. That might sound dumb, but when dozens of DACs and streamers hit my system each year, it's certainly not true for the majority of them.

Even really great stuff that I feel is superb for the price is not always something I'd want as my only DAC or transport. Can't wait to see what Cees comes up with next.

 

[BlackMagic]

What exactly is at stake here - usually USB on a DAC is basically the default connection from a source. Is there a specific reason why coax/AEX is better on the Morpheus?

USB has only become popular due to PC/Server Audio but it was never designed for Audio. Go back 10 years and interest in USB converters was all the rage. Many Dacs did not have one – those that did were not as good as newcomer separates. For 30+ years the accepted hierarchy has been AES-BNC/RCA/Optical. Last couple of years I2S – but that’s not new either – just extremely rare in the past. AES/BNC (both lockable) were designed for Digital - RCA was not. Sad to see BNC dropped.

Fine tuning new gear is part of the fun and everyone I know fine tunes to improve (with success). Matching gear can make a difference (synergy). It’s said ‘some products perform well but go no further. Others perform well and can be improved in a system context’. I and others have found improvement with connectivity & Cabling (shudder).

I2S is the original Digital connection for internal CD signal relay to converters. It’s the logical link now for Streamers. Late 2018 6 Moons looked into it (different I2S gear problems) and S.E.’s opinion – “Actually, it took very little time to arrive at a preferential hierarchy: I²S was best followed by AES/EBU. S/PDIF via BNC came last”.

Adding extra conversion via separates + extra cabling and power supplies - complicates the chain imo. Not to say things won’t improve/sound better but there’s a cost. Last year sent a USB converter (a borrowed Kitsune modded Singxer SU-1) to a Reviewer in Sydney. His Trinnov Amethyst processor & Weiss Medus Reference DAC did not have USB. He also tried an Empirical Audio Off-Ramp 5 – which he found better. New to me … “input into the USB convertor was via an Optical USB cable (yes, Optical USB)”.

Cees is not a big cable believer (but does hear small differences) – he considers it more a mismatch between output/input connector implementation on one different (Brand) device to another. So in this respect cabling ‘may’ make a difference i.e. helping to offset differences in addition to other things ?

 

[Baten]

USB has only become popular due to PC/Server Audio but it was never designed for Audio. Go back 10 years and interest in USB converters was all the rage. Many Dacs did not have one – those that did were not as good as newcomer separates. For 30+ years the accepted hierarchy has been AES-BNC/RCA/Optical. Last couple of years I2S – but that’s not new either – just extremely rare in the past. AES/BNC (both lockable) were designed for Digital - RCA was not. Sad to see BNC dropped.

Fine tuning new gear is part of the fun and everyone I know fine tunes to improve (with success). Matching gear can make a difference (synergy). It’s said ‘some products perform well but go no further. Others perform well and can be improved in a system context’. I and others have found improvement with connectivity & Cabling (shudder).

I2S is the original Digital connection for internal CD signal relay to converters. It’s the logical link now for Streamers. Late 2018 6 Moons looked into it (different I2S gear problems) and S.E.’s opinion – “Actually, it took very little time to arrive at a preferential hierarchy: I²S was best followed by AES/EBU. S/PDIF via BNC came last”.

Adding extra conversion via separates + extra cabling and power supplies - complicates the chain imo. Not to say things won’t improve/sound better but there’s a cost. Last year sent a USB converter (a borrowed Kitsune modded Singxer SU-1) to a Reviewer in Sydney.

"USB was never designed for Audio", you realise the Singxer SU-1 is also a USB converter right a great DAC like the holo spring has an internal USB module that converts to I2S on a level that most DDCs can't even reach.

 

[vonBaron]

Anyone know when Morpheus 2 will come out?

 

[Nostoi]

USB has only become popular due to PC/Server Audio but it was never designed for Audio. Go back 10 years and interest in USB converters was all the rage. Many Dacs did not have one – those that did were not as good as newcomer separates. For 30+ years the accepted hierarchy has been AES-BNC/RCA/Optical. Last couple of years I2S – but that’s not new either – just extremely rare in the past. AES/BNC (both lockable) were designed for Digital - RCA was not. Sad to see BNC dropped.

Fine tuning new gear is part of the fun and everyone I know fine tunes to improve (with success). Matching gear can make a difference (synergy). It’s said ‘some products perform well but go no further. Others perform well and can be improved in a system context’. I and others have found improvement with connectivity & Cabling (shudder).

I2S is the original Digital connection for internal CD signal relay to converters. It’s the logical link now for Streamers. Late 2018 6 Moons looked into it (different I2S gear problems) and S.E.’s opinion – “Actually, it took very little time to arrive at a preferential hierarchy: I²S was best followed by AES/EBU. S/PDIF via BNC came last”.

Adding extra conversion via separates + extra cabling and power supplies - complicates the chain imo. Not to say things won’t improve/sound better but there’s a cost. Last year sent a USB converter (a borrowed Kitsune modded Singxer SU-1) to a Reviewer in Sydney. His Trinnov Amethyst processor & Weiss Medus Reference DAC did not have USB. He also tried an Empirical Audio Off-Ramp 5 – which he found better. New to me … “input into the USB convertor was via an Optical USB cable (yes, Optical USB)”.

Cees is not a big cable believer (but does hear small differences) – he considers it more a mismatch between output/input connector implementation on one different (Brand) device to another. So in this respect cabling ‘may’ make a difference i.e. helping to offset differences in addition to other things ?

Thank for the info. I2S might be best for streaming but it doesn't seem to be the case for users not using the Hermes, at least according to a colleague of yours.

 

[ken6217]

Anyone know when Morpheus 2 will come out?

The last I heard was sometime later this year.

 

[thecrow]

Anyone know when Morpheus 2 will come out?

with this covid world that we are living in, some time between quarter past and quarter to

 

[ken6217]

with this covid world that we are living in, some time between quarter past and quarter Well I’m ordering mine without the Covid module as a mask the sound

with this covid world that we are living in, some time between quarter past and quarter to

I’m ordering mine without the Covid module as it masks the sound, and so there may not be any delays for this model.

 

[BlackMagic]

Yes the whole I2S thing is messy. Even when things on paper look good there can be problems :

https://www.6moons.com/audioreviews2/i2s/1.html

Even PS Audio standard can go wrong e.g. another Brand using this sees left and right channels reversed. Easily fixed but annoying. Matrix looks to be HDMI – which is the main problem with some devices. Server Mnrfs such as Antipodes and others offer switchable HDMI configs and they also offer RJ45 output.

Metrum/SDA config conforms to M2Tech RJ45 spec. This can vary too – hence matching probs. Attach. goes back a bit so not up todate :

My 1st USB converter. I2S was a carrot never found at the time. Regret selling it (as config match) years ago, although USB conversion tech has no doubt improved.

Alpha added a Mutec MC3+ reclocker to their system with they say v good results. Got tempted but then I wonder what ‘FOM’ might bring to the party. There obviously will be Dac improvements and other things. I could get an MC3 but what if it turns out it adds nothing or even worse ? I’ll wait for A-A’s report hopefully.

As of 10 days ago parts supply still a major problem (for many others too). Covid has been a boon to parts suppliers (who are taking advantage and raising prices 3 – 4 times for some items). Couple of mags report due to new car sales of all things.

 

[TiborM]

@Nostoi How many hours did you have on your Morpheus pls?

 

[Nostoi]

@Nostoi How many hours did you have on your Morpheus pls?

I received it as open box with 50 hours in. I then used for two weeks worth averaging about 6 hours a day = so about 134 hours.

 

[TiborM]

@Nostoi Thanks, In your signature I do not see Sparkos Aries anymore, why so? And how had changed the sound of your ATH-WP900 with Claire hybrid cable? I am debating with myself whether to get copper series or claire hybrid. Thank you!