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Ayre QX-5 Twenty steaming performance

I am interested in trying out an Ayre QX-5 Twenty with the Ethernet Bridge for steaming either Tidal or Qobuz. Does anyone have experience with streaming Tidel or Qobuz directly to the QX-5 Twenty? if so, was the result as good as streaming from a dedicated streamer to the QX-5 Twenty? I would like to go with a one box solution for streaming, but also with great SQ if possible. Thanks.
brystonkiwi

Showing 2 responses by srestivo

srestivo's avatar
srestivo
10 posts
 
The network input on the QX-5 Twenty is based on a module from ConversDigital.  It sounds very good and if it were my only option I'd be happy with it.  It makes a fantastic one-box system at a desk with headphones and powered monitors.

But, in my experience, a Sonore ultraRendu streaming to the USB input on the Ayre sounds just a little better.  That's what I use.
srestivo's avatar
srestivo
10 posts
 
Just a follow-up to my post in this thread from three months ago... I've since sold my ultraRendu and now use the Ayre QX-5 Twenty as a one-box system. 

For fun I had a friend help with some (unscientific) blind testing with him as the swapper and me as the listener.  I found that I couldn't even reliably tell when he had actually changed anything, let alone tell which I preferred as "better".  With the ultraRendu in the system and without - it sounded great to me.  So, I decided to stick with the simpler configuration.  For what it's worth...
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