[SleepyOne]

That is the question I would like to ask everyone - which is your favorite way to stream music?

I am still experimenting & have tried lots of different modes except HQPlayer which I dearly love to test but lost the free trial due to accident on installation. So far for me I don't like LMS so much although it is actually somewhat similar sounding to Roon but just feel thinner & a bit plasticky. Roon on the other hand sound more like music gone though a classic valve amp with nice spatial depth, thicker sound, more presence, non digital but poor spatial width. Very musical but its characteristic seems to apply to all music.. I have also tried bubbleUpnp which I don't like and use Minimserver instead. For the remote control I use Linn Kazoo or Lumin and oddly they do not sound the same even though Minimserver/DLNA is being used as their server! Lumin has better spatial & possibly more detail but timing slower(?) whereas Linn is more forward (vocal is more magnified), possibly a touch less detail(?) and seems to have more silence delineating between things (maybe artificial?) but it sounds more polished as a product. Both however is more like standard digital presentation though. I have also tried Foobar with either BubbleUpnp (not good) or Minimserver, it sounds acceptable with usual Foobar sound (like detail) but no jitter. Thus only 2 main players missing - JPlay & HQPlayer. As JPlay free trial is very basic so I can't try that with microRendu.... I will be testing HQPlayer once I get a NUC (Linux based) - sadly by the time I set up everything my trial with Roon will be at an end so won't be able to link them up.

In term of software, Roon is most polished/ professional and integrated with Tidal very nicely. But cost is perhaps too high - if their player improves then might reconsider... As for Lumin/ Kazoo stability seems a bit touchy though (but workable) and in term of UI, Linn looks pro & Lumin a bit cowboy. LMS stability seems fine but don't like the web control thing though.

In term of microRendu, very stable & easily switch between the different modes.

Whichever way very glad my jitter nightmare is now a thing of the past.

All of this I suspect is quite system dependent so please take it with a good pinch of salt!!

 

[feelingears]

So far for me I don't like LMS so much although it is actually somewhat similar sounding to Roon but just feel thinner & a bit plasticky. Roon on the other hand sound more like music gone though a classic valve amp with nice spatial depth, thicker sound, more presence, non digital but poor spatial width. Very musical but its characteristic seems to apply to all music.. 
 

 
The sound quality of the various modes or combinations really is a puzzle to me. It seems, given the existence of aftermarket engines/playback software like JRiver, HQPlayer, and Amarra and Pure (on the Mac) that there is some key software element in decoding our files. 
 
So on the one hand there's the sound, and on the other there's user interface/functionality/preferences/usability, and finally (?) the actual physical compatibility of devices and inputs/outputs and cables and power supplies, etc.
 
But back to the question: How does the sound quality between LMS and minimserver and Roon and others differ? I don't know if I care as to why only because I have physical setup limits (and I don't/won't use Roon or Tidal--I already own more music than I can listen to!). However, knowing what the sweet spot for sound quality is might motivate me to change...
 
For now, LMS is doing fine. 

 

[SleepyOne]

Well they sound different. Roon is more organic, non digital but flawed. LMS is somewhat similar in term of 3D but just not as pleasant due to thinner sound & plastickiness. As for Lumin/Linn/Minimserver/DLNA probably worth a try to see whether you like them or LMS - you can switch between Lumin & Linn easily via the app you use on your tablet or phone. All you need is to install Minimserver in you NAS (might also need to install BubbleUpnp Server as well due to openHome, check CA site etc). They sound more like conventional player with Lumin more spatial/ presentation further back & Linn vocal a bit closer (Linn style). All of this is of course subjective & probably system dependent.

As for HQPlayer you will need a PC (i5 - i7) to handle it as it is demanding. You will need to connect PC to the router via Ethernet cable. However don't think you can send music from Minimserver to HQPlayer though.... But you can connecting things up via Roon.

However don't forget to switch the App mode on microRendu via a browser or it won't work.

In term of software, I don't mean just usability - I mean stability as sometimes Lumin/Linn app might not find the server etc.

As for Tidal don't blame you - I am on day one of free trial & I am already thinking of leaving....I think I prefer the choice/ editorial of Qobuz

Options of switching between different ways of streaming music is good, it give variety in term of sound.

 

[MikeyFresh]

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[turo91]

It's possible to use Spotify with the microRendu via SqueezeLite ?

 

[feelingears]

 
Nice, I'll be interested to hear if you think there is a sonic difference between the LMS and DLNA modes.
 
I'm torn between getting a W4S Remedy to use on my remaining Airport Express set-up (in a less critical video based living room system) or just upgrading that system too to another mRendu.
 
The cost between getting a Remedy and another mRendu isn't that crazy different, especially when taken in the context of the AE being forever limited to 16/48 while the mRendu is not.
 
However if I already had a Remedy as you do, that would be that.

@MikeyFresh I've been burning in the mRendu for a couple days now. Oh boy... Just listening casually now to some U2 and hearing even more bass than before, more low mids, and detail. I am revising my previous comment about Remedy vs mRendu. As Ferris says, "If you have the means..." I think you may as well spend the extra and get the mRendu unless you need to use something more consumer friendly.
 
Right now, I'm still too new to know what's best, but the LMS thing is a bit kludgy. Good enough for my audiophile listening, not even close for my wife who will want iTunes back (and I have things set up for her so I can have my cake and eat it too.
 
But wow this thing sounds amazing. Still not sure the pace is up to the best I've heard in my gear, but I'll know in a week or so.

 

[MikeyFresh]

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[muski]

My μRendu arrived today with an iFi 9V PS. I've mostly been listening to it with some Fostex TH-900 Mk2s and a Chord Mojo connected by a Curious Cable USB interconnect. Wow, the sound is absolutely incredible—like nothing I've ever heard (esp with 192/24 content from Roon). I'd been using RPI/hifiberry streamers before which I thought were pretty good, but the μRendu is in another league. Some real magic going on.
 
Looking forward to trying it with the Uptone LPS-1.

 

[feelingears]

This thing has me wondering: What the heck have I been missing all these years?!? (Or put another way, maybe this is why vinyl sounds as good as it does!) So much more there, there. But again, it's sort of surprising how bad my digital upstream has been now that I have something similar (not vinyl) to compare to. And "worse," I can now really hear how bad some recordings/MP3 rips/DACs are... And (worse), it bugs me (and makes me want to spend more money).
 
Isn't audio fun? 

 
Back to the mRendu now. Running it from my library on my Mac running LMS instead of from my Synology NAS. One benefit: I get my iTunes playlists back easily.

 

[muski]

  it's sort of surprising how bad my digital upstream has been now that I have something similar (not vinyl) to compare to.
 

I had exactly the same thought! Listening to the microRendu makes me wonder what everyone else is doing wrong.
 
Is it jitter, noise, lack of power? Sure makes me realize that just because a PCM bitstream decodes successfully, it doesn't mean the resulting analog signal is even close to being accurate.

 

[SleepyOne]

Right now, I'm still too new to know what's best, but the LMS thing is a bit kludgy. Good enough for my audiophile listening, not even close for my wife who will want iTunes back (and I have things set up for her so I can have my cake and eat it too.

In term of user interface could try Roon, JPlay or Linn Kazoo (basic but bit better than LMS).

Another option, you could continue to use LMS as server but run microRendu in DLNA mode and use Lumin app (a little bit friendlier than LMS's user interface) on your tablet or mobile to control music selection etc.

 

[feelingears]

  I had exactly the same thought! Listening to the microRendu makes me wonder what everyone else is doing wrong.
 
Is it jitter, noise, lack of power? Sure makes me realize that just because a PCM bitstream decodes successfully, it doesn't mean the resulting analog signal is even close to being accurate.

 
Or as enjoyable as it could be! "Perfect" sound forever, remember? (Sony, 1980 or was it '81?) Thankfully some engineers have ears that work.
 
And I'm no EE but it sure seems the concept of grounds/power supplies and electrical noise seem to play an outsized role in what we're hearing. (Something the Naim folks were pushing years ago. Not that I'm biased!)
 
I mean, it's not exactly scientific, but I like A/B "testing" (comparing) my (well-regarded at the time) 2004 CD player against iTunes streamed via Airport Express (both into the same DAC). It's a toss up! They sound more or less the same, with a slight edge to the CD player on occasion. 
 
Then comes mRendu and friggin' blows them away. (Similar dramatic effect from the Uptone Regen and Shunyata USB cable giving my other cheapo gear sonic qualities I expect from my Naim gear. But still not as much as the mRendu...)
 
Anyway, once my excitement dies down in a week or so I'll see if I feel the same. Dang though, my toes sure are tappin'...

 

[feelingears]

In term of user interface could try Roon, JPlay or Linn Kazoo (basic but bit better than LMS).

Another option, you could continue to use LMS as server but run microRendu in DLNA mode and use Lumin app (a little bit friendlier than LMS's user interface) on your tablet or mobile to control music selection etc.

@SleepyOne Thanks for the DLNA idea with Lumin. I wonder if it will fix my "won't play 24/96 files" problem... Gotta go read that enormous forum at CA now (sigh).

 

[SleepyOne]

I just tested a bunch of music files with different sample rates & all seems working perfectly on my Hugo (clearly indicated by various colours depending on sample rate). I guess this is because microRendu is in DLNA mode.

If you have time you could also swap LMS with Minimsever if you want and see which server you prefer. Note with Minimserver both Lumin app & Linn Kazoo app would work ok with it.

 

[SleepyOne]

I just tested LMS using microRendu in Squeezelite mode on music files with various sample rates and all seems ok on Hugo too.