Also, I use JRiver 22 with JRemote. Like it better than Roon. Thanks
Bricasti M1 DAC vs PS Audio Direct Stream DAC
I own a PS Audio Direct Stream DAC that I like a lot but heard my friends system with the Bricasti M1 and I am strongly thinking of changing my DAC and would love your feedback from other members that have heard either or both. I know they are both great but really thinking of changing my Dac from PS Audio Direct Stream to the Bricasti M1 DAC. I use a HP Desk top computer as source with Jplay and JRiver Media 19 and the outstanding Tellurium Q BLACK DIAMOND Reference USB Cable. The rest of my system is below. I listen to Classic Rock, jazz, vocal, some modern music and the usual audiophile stuff.
Thanks
My system for reference.
Ascendo C-8 Renaissance Speakers (Germany) Monitor
Purist Audio Design Corvus Praesto Revision 2.5m Bi-Wire Speaker cable
Cardas Clear Interconnect 1 Meter RCA Interconnect
Darwin TRUTH Pure Silver Reference 1 Meter RCA Interconnect
Darwin TRUTH Pure Silver Reference 1 Meter RCA Interconnect
Audio Research REFERENCE 1 w/Rhodium IEC/NOS Tubes Tube preamp
Decware ZSTAGE External Triode Output StageTelefunken ECC801S
PS Audio Direct Stream DSD DAC w/ Bridge DA converter
Tellurium Q BLACK DIAMOND Reference USB Cable
PS Audio PerfectWave PowerBase Vibration Cancelation/AC Condtioner
Conrad Johnson Premier 12 Mono's 140 Watts Tung-Sol KT120's amps
PS Audio PowerPlant Premier AC Regenerator
BMI Shark Pure Jeweler Grade Platinum AC Power Cable
Sablon Audio Petite Corona 2.0M AC Power Cable
Mad Scientist PC-NEO with Power Purifier AC Power Cable
JPS Labs The Power AC+ 2M AC Power Cable
Synergistic Research Labs Tesla Series SE T1 AC Power Cable
Synergistic Research Labs Tesla Series T1 AC Power Cable
PS Audio Noise Harvester (5) Converts noise to light
OYAIDE RI Beryllium Power Outlets (2)
Hubbell Outlet 5362/5262 Deep Cryo Process
Blue Circle Audio The Yalu Balula Industrial Surge/Spike Protection
JPLAY v5.2 hi-end audio player turns PC into a digital transport.
JRiver Media Center 19 Music Software
Thanks
My system for reference.
Ascendo C-8 Renaissance Speakers (Germany) Monitor
Purist Audio Design Corvus Praesto Revision 2.5m Bi-Wire Speaker cable
Cardas Clear Interconnect 1 Meter RCA Interconnect
Darwin TRUTH Pure Silver Reference 1 Meter RCA Interconnect
Darwin TRUTH Pure Silver Reference 1 Meter RCA Interconnect
Audio Research REFERENCE 1 w/Rhodium IEC/NOS Tubes Tube preamp
Decware ZSTAGE External Triode Output StageTelefunken ECC801S
PS Audio Direct Stream DSD DAC w/ Bridge DA converter
Tellurium Q BLACK DIAMOND Reference USB Cable
PS Audio PerfectWave PowerBase Vibration Cancelation/AC Condtioner
Conrad Johnson Premier 12 Mono's 140 Watts Tung-Sol KT120's amps
PS Audio PowerPlant Premier AC Regenerator
BMI Shark Pure Jeweler Grade Platinum AC Power Cable
Sablon Audio Petite Corona 2.0M AC Power Cable
Mad Scientist PC-NEO with Power Purifier AC Power Cable
JPS Labs The Power AC+ 2M AC Power Cable
Synergistic Research Labs Tesla Series SE T1 AC Power Cable
Synergistic Research Labs Tesla Series T1 AC Power Cable
PS Audio Noise Harvester (5) Converts noise to light
OYAIDE RI Beryllium Power Outlets (2)
Hubbell Outlet 5362/5262 Deep Cryo Process
Blue Circle Audio The Yalu Balula Industrial Surge/Spike Protection
JPLAY v5.2 hi-end audio player turns PC into a digital transport.
JRiver Media Center 19 Music Software
513 responses Add your response
If your home is wired with a home run built in, meaning each room has its own Ethernet port and all of the terminates at 1 location, then you would plug all of these Ethernet cables into the switch, then run a cable from 1 of the router ports to the switch. The switch is invisible to the network as long as you have everything plugged into the switch (rooms, computers, tv’s, streamers, etc) and the switch is plugged into router. A switch gives each port 1G performance without doing all the noisy network broadcasts that occur if using a hub. as for the PS DS, have you heard the Huron upgrade? The PS DS keeps getting better every 6 months or so and it’s 1 of the best now. |
Maybe so yes you those extra cables need to be good ones but my opinion is that has very little to do with the actual switch itself verse it acting as a layer of sound block in between those very noisy. Routers and WiFi units. They generate noise and hash and these super sensitive high powered audio devices pick it up especially when done via a direct link from a router with a switch mode power supply verse a quite switch with a linear power supply. It matters you don’t need to believe me but I hope the other Ethernet folks do because it’s legit. Maybe not in all systems but that Ethernet Cable is being plugged directly from a noisy router right into a Bricasti. You don’t think a level of isolation from that noise could be a benefit? This is Audiogon I get that it’s for amp, Preamp and Speaker folk (I’m one of them also) but trust me the guys over at Computer Audiophile are all over this stuff. They are Popping out the cheap and noisy .15 cent integrated regulators in the routers and replacing with premium parts that are much quieter ones. Running them with batteries. Ethernet today is kind of like where USB was about 3 / 4 years ago when we use to plug USB cables directly from Mac mini’s or PC towers right into our DAC and we improved this sound by buying $1,000 usb cables. Would anyone even think of doing that today?Back then as in just a few years ago it was said they are just data packets and just 1’s and 2’s and so it doesn’t matter. They used to say the same thing about power cables. The run for miles into your house so how is 1m of premium cable going to matter. Well I agree but then you plug them in and say - wow nice! There are always doubters thats just normal human response. Many take the simple safe view and write these things off and it makes sense why one would do that. For me I try to get out in front. Sure not all things are going to work no doubt but trust me when I tell you if you have a decent system and you run Ethernet Audio and you are running Router direct. Put a switch in between and run it via clean power and get the same clear power for your router and you will thank me. They’ve been doing this for close to 2 years it’s nothing new but the Ethernet player from Bricasti is new and the guys jumping on this train deserve a heads up on a nice little cheap Audio tweak that goes a long way. After you do this google isotona and add one of those also. Good stuff. Ive been digging deep into Ethernet because it is going to userp USB, AES, S/PDIF will all be absolete in a coupe years. Ethernet will be everything with a wireless version of course. There are a couple companies developing crystal oven clocks for Ethernet and it will be game overr when they hit the market. Bricasti and PS Audio are positioned perfectly for this. PS Audio has been way out in front with this but they needed the rest of the infrastructure to catch up and it sure it coming hard and quick now. |
Fsmithjack, what I meant to say is the following. Ethernet out of pc into local wireless router. Ethernet out of router into the M5 internal board of the bricasti to reclock and convert via i2s to the dac. Your telling me this switch cleans up the router. I don’t seem to see how this helps as the signal is handled by the M5 in the dac? How does the switch clean the power? I understand how the dac does it. |
@jmw I am now confused. My Bricasti has the M5 board built in to it. That is how I’m able to hook it up to the router through wi fi. Ethernet out of pc into local wireless router. Ethernet out of router into the M5 internal board of the bricasti to reclock and convert via i2s to the dac. Can you draw out a flow diagram to help me understand? Here is what I thought you were doing (but your most recent post is throwing me off): PC > Wireless Connection > Router > Wireless Connection > Bricasti M1SE w/ M5 board If it is different, can you type it out? Thanks. |
Jwm 12-25-2017Jeff, thanks for clarifying that your router-to-DAC connection is wireless, which of course makes the suggestion of inserting a switch between them inapplicable unless you decide to try a wired connection. But if you were to try a wired connection, regarding your question please note the following statement in the first of my posts in which I seconded Fsmithjack’s suggestion, and attempted to provide a technical rationale supporting its plausibility: ...RF content of that signal may find its way around the ethernet interface in the DAC and affect DAC circuitry that is further downstream.By "find its way around" I mean "bypassing." My point is that no matter how good a job the DAC does in cleaning up the signal it receives, and no matter how good the design of the DAC may be, signals and noise don’t necessarily just affect or entirely follow only their intended pathway. And the waveform characteristics and the noise characteristics of the signal that enters the DAC will affect how and if RF energy present in that signal may to at least a small degree find its way via unintended pathways to unintended circuit points "downstream" of the ethernet interface and the internal reclocker you referred to. "Unintended pathways" may include things like grounds within the receiving device, parasitic capacitances, power supply circuitry, or even radiation through the air within the component. "Unintended circuit points" may include the D/A circuit itself, resulting in jitter, and/or analog circuit points further downstream in the component, where audible frequencies might be affected by noise that is at RF frequencies via effects such as intermodulation or AM demodulation. As I see it Fsmithjack has made a well-intentioned suggestion of an inexpensive tweak which he and others he has referred to have found to be efficacious. And what I am basically saying is simply that from a technical standpoint it makes sense, IMO. Regards, -- Al |
Al I’m using cat 6 from my pc to the router which acts as a local network as it is not attached to the internet. Cat 6 then goes from the router to the internal M5 board of the bricasti. Which then converts and reclocks the signal via I2S to the chip. I call the router wireless because it allows me to use j river off the pc by j remote to my I pad. |
Jwm - your questions are all logical and good questions. I’ve found that we find some things effect the sound of the final product one way or another and quite homestly we don’t really understand or know exactly why other than listening to it. There is just no way technically a power cable should have the great effect on the sound the way it does. All I can tell you is what I do? I plug one in and listen and then plug another one in and listen and if one sounds substantially better then I trust my ears and go with that one and I’m happy for the improvement. Many people today will honestly argue tooth and nail as they know for a fact, a scientific fact with all kinds of meansurements and research facts that prove that Speaker Cables and Interconnects or Power Cables are a total scam and we Audiophiles are the biggest idiots in the word and we are all being played as all cables are pure snake oil. I don’t know about all their documents and scientific proof I just know they have a profound impact on the sound of my system that I am really glad to have. Sure I wish they cost less but that goes for all of the stuff in high end Audio but that is why it’s called the High End I guess. When I come across a great improvement and I think others might benefit from my experience then I share it but I understand not everyone will want to do it or understand it or even believe it. In your situation where you use your WiFi Router over a local network to afford you the use of the excellent JRiver JRmote, that’s a good idea. I use JRiver and JRemote also. Good idea using a LAN and a switch will work fine in a LAN. You are using internet just a local one over your own homes network I think they call that the intranet, but not sure. A switch will work here. It’s not about cleaning the signal it’s about sending one less dirty. it is not less dirty because it was cleaned more but a bit cleaner to start with hence has a lower noise floor. Kind of like 2 clean cars. One was dirty and washed and the other never really got dirty but both are clean. So much and I mean a ton, or even one could say the vast majority of Hifi Audio is about doing the least damage. It has more to do with taking less away or starting with less damage verse correcting or adding something. When we hear this great improvement by an Interconnect or Speaker cable or even a Preamp and SQ vastly improves many times we perceive that as a great ad when that improvement comes because that device does less damage or adds less or strips away layers or impediments even though it sounds like it is fixing or adding something. i can tell your M5 boards and your DAC are incredibly sensitive and high powered SOTA devices that will appreciate the cleanest anything you can feed it. Be it Power Cables or power conditioning or interconnects or a stability platform. The M1 is so good and each time I’ve given it something a little better it has the revolving power to appreciate it and thank you for it by reflecting in increased SQ. |
Jwm 12-25-2017OK. So then the network switch suggestion is applicable. And I see no reason why inserting it into the wired path between the router and the DAC would have any impact on what you presently do wirelessly, or on anything else other than possibly providing a sonic benefit. Fsmithjack 12-26-2017This is a good analogy. As I said earlier, the signal that would be sent by the switch to the DAC is generated by the switch, and while it would have the same data content as the signal sent by the router, the waveform and noise characteristics of the signals sent by the two devices will differ. BTW, the GS108 switch that was suggested comes in both "managed" and "unmanaged" versions. As Joe indicated earlier, IMO the less complex and less expensive unmanaged version would be the way to go. Also, that device provides 8 ports, and you only need two, so I would suggest the 5 port GS105 rather than the GS108. You would simply connect it and its power supply (or an upgraded power supply), and be good to go. Regards, -- Al |
Almarg - you are totally correct. I actually meant to say unmanaged switch - excellent catch your totally correct. Yes the smaller one with less ports im sure is the same. I actually was going to buy that one but when they were the same price on Amazon I just bought the bigger one. One note for people that want to try adding a switch is to be sure to not to plug anything else not solely needed for your audio system into this switch to prevent any extra noise. Pure audio only. It’s funny how we learn new ideas. Jwm is runnig a local system and IMO this has the potential to be a superior set up with the benefit of not adding any outside influences via connection to the internet. Pretty good idea I think. I would think by running a LAN local area network this is smart and might be worth for us to try. I now plug my internet into the switch and who knows maybe this adds some noise that could be avoided so I might try removing the internet and running a LAN to give it a look 👀 see. I have Version FiOs so my internet modum and wireless router are a single unit but I do have a nice modern Asus WiFi unit that might be quieter running it via pure local so food for thought here for sure. Is a WiFi only quieter than a two in one? Could be? I’ll run both the Asus WiFi and Netgear switch via linear power supplies and update you guys! Not sure when I’ll get to it though super busy and been fixing to add a turntable as well. Jwm - you can get a decent little regulated linear power supply for a lot cheaper than $300. I always believe in better power supplies but part of the fun of this tweak is its low cost. I have a good source for China made, good looking quality made linear power supplies with good parts used. Breeze Audio and they sound great and that are like $70.00. Send me an PM and I’ll shoot you my email and then I’ll send you the link for it. I’ll do the same for anyone else interested. Netgear switch is like $20 LPS is like $70 AudioQuest Forest is like $35 I use a Breeze Audio 12v LPS now to power my W4S Remedy that I use for my cable box that is another fantastic bang for buck add. For those of you like me that enjoy running your system to listen to movies or tv it’s excellent. 1,000 times better than just plugging a coax cable from cable box to Bricasti or DirectStream. |
Wireless is a terrible way to transmit bits for audio. That signal gets broadcast and competes with all the other noise on those bands: remote noise, degradation of bandwidth due to # of walls/barriers between the source and the dac/bridge, and other broadcast noises. The best way to send data is using a wired connection. |
Eliminate most of the wired Ethernet issues by simply earth-grounding the DC common of your router. Tie the DC common to the ground pin of the IEC connector, either inside the LPS you are using, or by using an external wire to the third hole in the AC outlet. The Sboost is a good choice because it has fast regulation but I don't think it is earth-grounded. Another thing you can do to help is to add a EMO EN-70e isolator in the Ethernet cable. I do both of the above. Works like a charm. Steve N. Empirical Audio |
Steve, This sounds awesome. I love learning new great ideas like this. You make some of the best digital products on the market so we all love your advice and ideas. Can you expand a bit more on how to do this. We PC based audiophiles love trying to squeeze the last bit out of our rigs and mods like this are awesome. A couple years back or so when I started this thread you were the one that taught me the importance of the transport - think I was running USB from my PC back in those days. Time flies and as does the technology. Thanks for sharing and helping us out! |
FS - It can be fairly easy if you order a LPS supply from one of the small vendors. You can request that they connect the earth ground from the power IEC to the DC common that is on circuit board and the DC connector. If you have a 2-prong plug on your supply, like a Sbooster, then you may have to make a 4-foot wire with a banana plug on one end and the other end must connect to the "ring" on the DC connector. You can connect this usually by removing with a knife a short length of the insulation on the DC cord and then solder to the shield. The banana plug can go into the ground hole of an outlet. BTW, what is happening here is the leakage that usually occurs across the Ethernet interface transformer is reduced significantly, resulting in better SQ. Steve N. Empirical Audio |
I added the Netgear Switch to my system. Ethernet from my PC connects to my Netgear AC-1200 local wireless router. The router connects to the new switch and then from the switch to the Bricasti. I will say the sound is more relaxed, more open or transparent. I can't believe it. The only problem is when I play DSD X2. The sound turns on and off like shuttering and then it shuts off. The other 24/96/ 24/192, and DSD X1 all work fine. DSD X2 works fine with just my wireless router. |
I am glad you like it and very good description of the SQ effect. If you add a LPS to power your router it helps even a bit more. Also, it’s an unmanaged switch so it could learn how to run your DSDx2. Never tried DSDx2 myself so good for everyone to know that. It allowcates bandwith as needed so it should learn as you give it Time and run DSDx1 is my guess. You don’t need a $300 LPS for your router one of the $85 China LPS from eBay will work fine and its one of those where the sum of the whole is better then the individual parts type of things! Even a iFI Swichkng supply will help but I have both and like the China LPS better. More transparent sound. I used the AudioQuest Forest RJ/E cables which are a great little cable for the money. Much better than cheap regular cable and not real expensive at all. They were like $30 a peice. The Vodka was a nice bump also but a lot more money and I really liked the Cardas but even more money also. Not big changes but all the little adds equal a nice whole add. |
No I don’t think over kill I think that’s awesome! I use the Uptone Audio JS-2 that has 2 rails and have 2 Uptone LPS-1’s and I use to Regens. I owned the Amber and upgraded and bought the ISO. It was a nice upgrade and was going to just sell the old one but what’s is worth a hundred bucks? So I tied it using both on each end of my Tellarium Q Black Diamond and it works great. I think in digital there so no such thing as over kill because even little things make a nice difference. I’m glad it’s working nice for you! |
My point is that no matter how good a job the DAC does in cleaning up the signal it receives, and no matter how good the design of the DAC may be, signals and noise don’t necessarily just affect or entirely follow only their intended pathway. And the waveform characteristics and the noise characteristics of the signal that enters the DAC will affect how and if RF energy present in that signal may to at least a small degree find its way via unintended pathways to unintended circuit points "downstream" of the ethernet interface and the internal reclocker you referred to. Very true, however I would avoid the term "RF". Its mostly what is referred to as "conducted" interference. In the case of Ethernet, it is leakage across the transformer interface. In most cases RFI is a result of ground-loops. If you have wired Ethernet to your DAC and you are using a cheap Chinese LPS or a Sbooster, make sure that the DC common is tied to the earth ground one way or another. Steve N. Empirical Audio |
I went in to settings in JRiver and changed the Pre buffering from the recommended 6 seconds to the maximum of 20 seconds. This appears to have fixed the problem. I can now play DSD 2X. Al does this alter the sound at all.From a technical standpoint I can't envision any reason why doing that would affect sonics, Jeff, but I don't have directly relevant experience that would enable me to say that with certainty. Best regards, -- Al |
Steve N why can’t I just place a cheater plug on my LPS for the grounding? If you ground the LPS to the router do you also have to ground the LPS to the switch as well? Cheater plugs usually bring the power cord ground to a lug or to a wire. What we want to do here is connect the outlet hole ground to the DC common of the DC connector to the router, the outer ring usually. You only need to ground the device that connects to your DAC, either the router or the switch. Steve N. Empirical Audio |
Sold my beloved and I mean beloved microRendu sold this weekend. I know there are better performing products out there but when you go all in and dedicate yourself to this little guy like I did and go with (5) Separate - High Performance Linear Power Supplies (Uptone Audio JS-2 LPS, 2 x LPS-1's which are Ultra Capacitor Power Supplies 2 x Breeze Audio 12v LPS) which cost 5 x the rendu this make a gigantic performance increase of the Rednu. Then I ordered custom made, bespoke OFC pure Copper DC cables with Oyide Connectors to connect all these power supplies and then power all these Linear Power Supplies through a PS Audio P10 Renerator and each power supply has good quality ac mains cables the ZU Event MKII AC Cables (much better AC cables used for DAC, PRE, AMP). To top it off I also used a Uptone Audio ISO Regen with is a USB cleaner and the best USB cable IMO the incredible Tellurium Q Black Diamond and the sound Curious Cables Regen Link. All of this commitment was to get the most of out of the microRendu. I didn't do it all at once but I added one thing and then another and each time this little bugger got better and better. I have to be honest it sounded VERY GOOD and I was very happy. Why the change you may ask? Digital PC / File based audio is the fastest changing segment in Hi-Fi and it is evolving every day. I want to try the Bricasti M1SE Ethernet Card player. I have spoke about this a bit before but i was very happy with my system and was not super quick to pull the trigger. Well I sold my microRednu and this weekend and forced myself to get out of my comfort area and the rendu was very comfortable and hoping Brian at Bricasti can get me in quick because I am musicless and ready to go! I am excited. Any updates form anyone that have tried this upgrade recently. Thanks guys. |
Bricasti M1 - M5 - M12: Network Player - Member REVIEW w/OEM Response from Brian Zolner President/Owner Bricasti below. FOR ALL THE BRICASTI GUYS and some PS Audio Guys there is response and feedback from Brian at Bricasti. His is below my review. Thanks _________________________________________________________ Hey Guys - I have been going back and forth between what to go with for a Ethernet Network Media Player - either Innuos, SOtM, Sonore, Uptone, Bricasti M1 Network Player or M5, etc.
I have a thread dedicated to working toward this decision and got some fantastic help from many CA members. I learned so much and in such a short time.
This forum is Fantastic - so many people are so helpful and I appreciate it very much. I am including the link below to anyone interested in that very educational journey. Great stuff if you are interested in Innuos, SOtM, Sonore, Uptone, Bricasti Network Player or M5
I purchased a bunch of these product to try and learn for myself to be sure. I did not want to question my decision with any what if’s and wanted the best sounding option for me and my system.
I ended up going with the Network Player Option installed in my Bricasti M1SE DAC and I wrote this feedback to one of the best people in all of Hi-End Audio, Brian Zolner President/Owner/Designer Bricasti Design.
His digital and analogue products sound absolutely fantastic and the build quality is second to none and the support is as good as it is anywhere. All made by hand right here in good old Massachusetts, USA.
I asked Brian if it would be OK if I share my thoughts with the super helpful crew - the CA members that were so important in helping me get to this decision. He said no problem
I also asked if he wanted to respond and comment and he provided some great insight below my feedback on his thoughts on the M1, M12, M5 network players and USB audio. I am glad to be able to share this with you guys. I will send Brian this link and I am sure if any of you have any questions or feedback or thought that would be fantastic. We will get you all the info you need. This is some seriously good sounding gear and its a lot less money than the Aurender and Lumin and it blows their doors off!
Also, I would love some idea’s and feedback and any idea’s really now that I am all in with Ethernet audio what is my next step?
One member told me to buy The Linear Solution OCXO Audiophile Switch. (link at bottom of the page). This is supposed to provide a great bump in SQ and it is $679 and comes with a dedicated purpose built Linear Power Supply. Please share you thoughts on this or any other upgrade that can help me get the most out of my Bricasti M1SE Ethernet Network Media Player. ______________________________________________________ Subject: Re: Feedback Send to Brian Zolner and Joe at Bricasti Hey Brian and Joe,
I wanted to reach out and thank you both for the very kind and outstanding service installing the Bricasti M1SE Ethernet Network Player option in my M1SE DAC.
Guys, it is absolutely fantastic! It needed about 40 to 60 hours of burn-in to get to where it was going and honestly the upgrade over that time was substantial. I get that some people don’t believe in burn-in and others like me clearly hear it but I am just telling you guys this Bricasti M1SE Ethernet Network Player option is absolutely fantastic.
At first I was strongly considering the M5 just because I already own all of the premium - supporting USB Gear and thought it might be great and I am sure it is but honestly guys in all fairness I didn’t think the Bricasti M1SE Ethernet Network Player option would end up being this good? Man is it good!
I thought it would be good and/or even great but it surpassed even those expectations and that’s not an easy thing to do. I am looking for an awful lot out of my gar and I had some premium gear it needed to stand up against. I can speak from first hand experience about this Network Player option and how it compared to all the similar other gear listed below. All my thoughts are in comparison to the gear listed below. I was able to do a/b verse some really good Ethernet / USB options that are some of the hottest, best selling products going and I assumed from an a/b it would be close and/or maybe I couldn’t even tell the difference but this is where my non-audiophile wifey serves as a sort of blind test. Yes her ear has evolved but she is not an audiophile.
What the Bricasti Network Player option does that is so much better than everything else is actually something you never even knew was missing until you hear it and then remove it. It jumps off the page during A/B’s. Sometimes A/B’s can be tough but here it stands out as clear as day it was simple.
To test myself I asked my wifey for her help and what she thinks. I set up the Sonore/Uptone Combo and then the SOtM/Uptone power supply combo and the Bricasti Network Player and mixed them up and she picked it out each time. She actually picked out the SOtM over Sonore also so maybe her ear is getting better than I think but she heard it and picked it out clearly and simply so that reinforced what I already knew but wanted to check it.
Bricasti Network Player is so much more direct and decisive. It’s immediacy and directness just can’t be missed. I was like "yes, yes, oh man yes"! "Thats what I am talking about" and you know what - those are far and few between these days so when it happens you REALLY appreciate it. Thank you
It not like it is a little warmer and a little clearer or it widens or deepens the stage or something like that which by the way it does all these things but that’s not my point.
Also, I want to make sure to note that I am not talking about being more upfront either because it offered a deeper stage and the voices are actually pushed further back which normally I don’t prefer. I actually like that dynamic and sort of upfront sound as a rule but that is not what this is. This does it totally different! It does it the only fashioned way. It earns it. This is no designers voicing choice, this is simply a much more robust and substantial component. It performs at a much higher level and it is shows on so many levels.
Vastly better separation and delineation in that more direct package. The stage opens and the walls expand and out comes a richer and more layered and more natural presentation. Man that separation is just fantastic! I just can’t get over that open space it puts around everything and the air and the extension go on and on. It’s just that every item is so sharp and precise and magnified in 3D space. Everything is tighter and wider and deeper and it all just holds together so well and is so confident and that heightened image precision is such an enjoyable effect. I don’t want to touch anything - this the best sound I’ve ever had and I’m ecstatic! Better than analogue IMO. I am sure there are some uber turntables that will out do it but pound for pound I doubt it IMO.
I was impressed at this much closer to the event effect. It’s kind of hard to articulate but I think this might shed a little more light.
Sort of that same effect you get when you have a great DAC or CD player and then you remove the preamp. The only thing with removing a great preamp is you gain that great immediate directness but then lose all that greatness that a great preamps provides but that increased directness is such a desirable effect so many people do it. I did it but then you get a great preamp and you say man I love the directness but I am giving up so much to get it. Some big time trade off’s and many go back and forth. I know I did for a while.
So this new Network Player upgrade was like keeping your amazing preamp and all the great benefits the pre provides while still getting that great directness a preless set up gives you. Best of both worlds!
How often do you get to have your cake and eat it too?
Well that is what happened here IMO with this so I think you can see why I am so happy about it and hope this does a little better job of explaining the main effect of this Ethernet Network Player option I added to my system.
This preless type directness while keeping all the greatness of a preamp is worth the price of admission all by itself but there is more.
All that directness has a great effect on the bass which is tighter, cleaner and more nuanced with much better separation. There isn’t any more slam or power. It is not rounder or warmer which some may prefer but it is different. It is more nimble and lighter on its toes with more precision and definition. I don’t think its any less powerful but it’s different sort of like my Magico speakers are. People think or feel with Magico’s sealed Aluminum cabinets there is less bass when in actuality there isn’t any less but it is faster and more defined but some interrupt this as less bass but I don’t agree but also each to their own. I find it to be a nice improvement and upgrade but I can see someone that likes to listen to a lot pop or rap music they may refer a thicker or rounder sound but everyone else will love this IMO. I will take quality and precision over quantity every time but that’s just me and everyone is different.
I want take a moment to thank you and your company again for your approach to supporting the folks that purchase your gear. Premium Hi-End Audiophile gear is quite expensive and so many of the top Hi-Fi companies come out with a new model every few years and that kills us. We need to sell our old one to get the new one and that makes expensive gear insanely expensive to own. Many people like me want the most recent and best gear they can afford. You guys make this possible and care more about your customers than any of the other OEM’s and we appreciate it very much!
You guys are totally different from the Vast Majority of high ends OEM’s.
Also, this feedback was not made in a vacuum. Here are the items I had in my system that I did an A/B with that allowed me great insight into how your Ethernet Network Player option worked verse the others. Some of these I only owned a for a short while because I knew there was no contest. Most have either been sold or are in process of being sold on Audiogon because your Network Player made them obsolete. I am keeping the JS-2 and P10 for my new system set up.
Tellurium Q Black Diamond USB Cable Curious Regenlink USB Cables (2) Uptone Audio USPCB Connectors Uptown Audio ISO Regen USB Uptown Audio LPS-1 UltraCap Power Supply Breeze Audio 12v Linear Power Supplies Breeze Audio 12v Linear Power Supplies Uptown Audio Amber Regen USB Uptown Audio JS-2 Linear Power Supply Sonore mircoRendu 2.5 Ethernet / USB Player Ghent customer DC power Cables PS Audio P10 Regenerator SOtM tX-USBultra w/50 ohm connector SOtM sms-200 Ultra w/50 ohm connector
I honestly thought in my heart of hearts USB might be the way to go just because it has come so far in not that long of a time. Sonore, SOtM and Uptone Audio in my opinion changed the world in regards to the USB landscape and in a huge way. There are a few others as well. They brought, real world price upgrades to USB that made semi-inexpensive gear better than super expensive legacy products from just a few years back (CD and SACD Players) and this changed the game.
Now it appears you have changed the game on the Ethernet side. I call tell anyone out there that doesn’t own a Bricasti M1 is to buy the M5. I am not sure how the M5 sounds because I have not heard it but if it sounds anything like the M1 Ethernet Network Player then there is nothing that can touch it.
Great job and thank you guys. With your permission I would like to share this personal email on my forum post and if you are ok with it any of your responses as well. People are waiting to hear my thoughts so I thought I could email you and inform them at the same time.
Thanks Frank Fsmithjack _________________________________________________________ Subject: Re: Response / Feedback from Brian Zolner Bricasti President/Owner/Designer to Frank Smith / Fsmithjack Frank,
Thanks for all that commentary, and well guess only thing I can say or add is once we got the LAN working in the M12, and then the M1 ( it’s the same streamer used in all products) I never went back to USB, clearly better even just connecting with 50’ cat5 from my server to the M1. We do all shows with the LAN and try to convince users this is the way. I feel that regardless of the cables and power supplies and clockers etc for USB that seem to make some differences, one might say they create differences and subjective to if its better or not, but I feel USB is fundamentally flawed and when the player or renderer is installed directly in the M1 it eliminates all the issues of USB, it removes it from the computer, and places it in the M1. We made our own player, running on a linux core on an ARM processor, runs off the linear supply in the M1 too. so no extra processors running as with a PC where the computer is doing all kinds of other co processing, switch mode power regulation on the PC mother board etc. But in the end of all that stuff, this approach eliminates it.
For the sound of USB, People are fooled by things and as you point out someone might like the effect of the USB, but I think what we get with the streamer is true sound reproduction with no jitter and noise added to make the sound dance a bit, I hear it clearly on my Tidals, and our M28s, no loss of bass at all for me, but tight clear and excellent extension, no bloating.
The M5 was made so that a user could run off the network or PC without using USB, I feel the AES is the best as removes these issues. But installed in the M1 or M12 is the best, direct I2S to the DSP and then to the DAC. The M5 with AES is darn close to what you have, I have done a lot of listening and that was the idea of that product to offer great playback and no USB for anyone and any DAC.
Enjoy it, I know it changed my life, my server PC is in another part of the house and I run it all from Jremote, there is just no other way to play, besides the sound there is the convenience factor and I play tracks from my phone or stream from it to the M1, or the server, or the NAS or any PC in my home, all the computer stuff goes in another room away from the listening room. It’s a network and that is what starts becoming interesting and you don’t get that with USB or any other point to point interface.
Go ahead and share the story, its what we hope others will find out too. Brian _________________________________________________________ Subject: Re: Response / Feedback from Joe at Bricasti to Frank Smith / Fsmithjack Hi Frank, thank you for great write-up! Enjoy your M1, if you ever need anything just let me know. Thank you again, joe
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http://www.bricasti.com/en/consumer/m1se.php
http://thelinearsolution.com/ocxo_switch.html |
fsmithjack - If you are still using Jriver 19 to play local files, you can do a lot better. I use the free combination of Linn Kinsky/Minimserver/BubbleUPnP and it beats Roon, Twonky and Jriver by a mile. If you want to give this a try, I can give you more details. First download all three apps. I use it with my UPnP Ethernet renderer, the Interchange: https://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=156409.0 This renderer delivers 10psec of jitter at the end of a 4 foot coax cable. BTW, the Interchange outputs I2S on HDMI connector, compatible with PSAudio. Also, you are correct that USB is fundamentally flawed, however if you add this device, it is very close to the best Ethernet renderer (assuming that you are using good USB cables like Wireworld Platinum and a good quality XMOS isolated USB interface): https://sotm-usa.com/collections/sotm-ultra/products/copy-of-tx-usbultra-regenerator-1 Steve N. Empirical Audio |
Yes I agree the SOtM Ultra is a fantastic unit. I loved it and used it for a while. I was going to add their new clock but it’s expensive and I ended up selling it when I upgraded my Bricasti M1SE with the new built in Bricasti Ethernet Network Player and the great Linear Technology OCXO Ethernet Switch and their matching LPS. I do use Roon though as I love their EQ to tailor exact to my room. I use a super low power requirement server - the cheap but great sounding Small Green Computer sonicTransporter just to feed the Music files to my Bricasti controlled my Roon on my iPhone. I power it with the excellent Uptone Audio JS-2 LPS - it powers both my server and my modem. It has 2 rails. I had a purpose built, window based, low power fanless mini PC to serve up Roon and also powered by the JS-3 but this little low powered (10watt) sonicTransport is much better w s it only needs to send the music files nice and quit with a purpose built Linx based software set it is smoother and quieter then my windows solution. I tested a ZENeth server which was great but my little sonicTransporter unit out performed it. With the media player now being built in my Bricasti I just need to quietly serve it media files as simply and quietly as possible and this solution works as good as anything with the great Uptone JS-2 LPS. I would be interested in trying new software but if I had to go back to a windows based server to do I’m not sure it be an improvement. Incidentally, both my mini PC and the sonicTransporter and the ZENeth all use the same super low power required Celeron J1800 processor which has all the power needed for these Audio serving tasks but with nice low power, low noise. The lower the power better as long as it can perform it’s Music file serving task. My windows based mini PC would run hot - real hot and amazingly the sonicTransporter runs unreal cool. Almost can’t tell it on. The ZENith was sort of a waste as your paying for a really good media player and with my Bricasti handling those chores all I needed was to serve up the files and let the Bricasti do the rest. So the great media player in ZENinth went unused and why I didn’t buy it after testing it. Does this software you speak of need to be run of a PC in a set up like mine? Thanks for the info. |
I would be interested in trying new software but if I had to go back to a windows based server to do I’m not sure it be an improvement. The three apps run on Mac, Windows and Linux. Incidentally, both my mini PC and the sonicTransporter and the ZENeth all use the same super low power required Celeron J1800 processor which has all the power needed for these Audio serving tasks but with nice low power, low noise. The lower the power better as long as it can perform it’s Music file serving task. My windows based mini PC would run hot - real hot and amazingly the sonicTransporter runs unreal cool. Almost can’t tell it on. When using Ethernet, it should not matter what power is used on the computer, in fact it should not matter what computer is used. The more important thing is to optimize the playback app and the router/switch and associated cabling after the router/switch. I have done a lot of experimentation here and found the following to be optimum: 1) AQVOX Ethernet switch 2) 0.5m Wireworld platinum cable from router/switch to isolator 3) EMO EN-70e isolator 4) 2.0m Wireworld platinum cable from isolator to Ethernet interface on DAC It must be done in this order for best signal integrity and lowest jitter result. Does this software you speak of need to be run of a PC in a set up like mine?
Your setup is fine. Versions for Linux, Windows and Mac are available for free. Steve N. Empirical Audio |
Quotes from Paul McGowan on the soon to be released Snowmass OS update for the DS dac. "Getting close. Listening to Red Cloud in comparison there’s just no contest. I am shocked at how two dimensional Red Cloud now sounds compared to Snowmass. They are not even in the same league, which is crazy because Red Cloud was a HUGE improvement over whatever the mountain before it was." "Tonality has changed quite a lot as well as the upper reaches of the frequency range. This release definitely sounds as if it is going higher in bandwidth, and tonally, it’s fuller and instruments more rounded with greater body. The blackness levels are dramatically better too." |
@jburidan - With all due respect the Bricasti M1 DAC doesn’t even use a Sabre chip and never has (it uses a highly rated DAC from Analog Devices.) I also agree that there's much more to the sonic performance of a DAC than a particular chip being used, including among other things implementation of the power supplies, clock circuitry, analog stages, jitter, etc... |
I loved my Direct Stream DAC - it was the best DAC I had ever owned at the point when I owned it. A truly great peice. When I switched to Bricasti the change was not small. Granted the Bricasti cost close to triple the price so to be fair it should be better. If Ted had all that extra money I’m sure he could put to great use. Chip types or FGPA and all that is just that - all that. I just care what it sounds like. Lampazator still mods those early 80’s CD players to sound incredible. They have no right sounding as good as they do. Using early 80’s chips and they sound insane! So many ways to skin a cat. All that matters is what it sounds like to you in your system or that’s how I see it anyway. PS Audio has come a long way and their reinventing of themselves really took hold with the Direct Stream. For a while there it was pretty much regenerative conditioners and cables and the like but they now make some really great sounding DACs, Amps and pres at different price levels. I have not tried their newer less expensive stuff but I’m sure it’s great at its price point. Certainly seems to offer seriously good specs. Wish they just wouldn’t flood the market like they do to hurt the owners resale of their gear but I guess they need to make so many to keep their prices where they are so it’s all part of it I guess. I’ve seen those 300 mono’s from dealers for some serious deals and at some point may have to give them a try. I am stuck myself trying to decide on a new pair of speakers to upgrade from my Magico S5’s I am going back and forth between: Magico S5 MKII or Vivid Audio G3 struggling with this call. Love Magico but those ugly G Series Vivids are really good. Tough one... I’ll be deciding in next couple days. |