I bought the Melco N100. I also needed a new server at the time. I can play the Melco directly into my DAC but I subsequently added a Cambridge Audio CXN 60 for some of its other features and so most of the time the Melco is a server to the CA and other streamers in other systems in the house, but the Melco is a fine player in its own right
Digitest
Finally getting around to comparing different configs on my streaming setup. Just did one tune so far will do more and add to this thread. Picked Dire Straits In the Gallery. Track rated high on the Dynamics database and it’s my favorite DS tune.
Hardware:
Mesh network with Node hardwired. All nodes in direct line of site of each. Fiber optic trunk a block down the road then DSL from there to my house.
Roon server SGC ST i5
Streamer Bryston BDP -Pi
Wadia 321 DAC
Rogue RP1 (Mullards)
Quad Artera Stereo Amp
Focal 926 speakers.
Cables (PS Audio, Kimber, Marrow)
tracks volume leveled with phone app.
P6 TT/ Ania Pro
REL T/9x
Coax connections used.
Qobuz (tracks appeared to be red book)
I compared streaming directly through the Bryston/Pi with MPD from Qobuz, Then ROON to the Pi from Qobuz, Then ripped file storage on the Pi with MPD. Then finally Vinyl. Not sure where I got the CD but it indicated that it was a "remaster" and I dont have the CD so could not compare playing the CD directly but I doubt it would have been and revelation as the Bryston CD player is very basic optical drive attached to the Pi.
No big surprises really. The ripped remastered sounded the most airy and clean and distinct, best separation but could also be interpreted as hard. I imagine might result in fatigue sooner. The Qobuz via ROON and the Pi/MPD was very close if I had to pick a winner I would go with the Pi/MPD still not as good as file but a little softer. The Vinyl, well is vinyl, smooth, liquid, organic . Probably listen to it all day and not get tired but not as analytical as streamed. Looking forward to trying a jazz track next.
Edit: Just did quick and dirty comparison of using the Qobuz app on my iPad and going USB to the Wadia. This time I used the track Water of Love. First listened strait stream from app to DAC. Then downloaded the CD quality file local on the iPad. Then compared that to a stream from ROON. just on a quick listen I don't think I could tell a difference between strait stream and local file (need more scrutiny) but when I went to the Roon I picked up improved sound stage, bit better defined base guitar and the decay on Knoflers plucks were more pronounced, notice that right away. But the stream through the iPAD Qobuz app would be a good cheap way for someone to get their feet wet with streaming if they have a USB capable DAC. Im surprised how good it sounds for the little wafer it is.
Note: The Wadia Upsamples
Note 2: I have also tested various configs with the RP-1 out of the system and going directly from the Wadia via XLR but I always go back the Tubed RP-1 and RCA.
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@mahler123 What did you move to after the BDP-3. Had my sites on that unit but its footprint is wrong for me. Been looking at the Moon Mind 2 or an Optical Rendu. I keep waffling on staying/abandoning ROON. |
I used to own the Bryston BDP3 and made similar comparisons. At any rate I always preferred my own CDs ripped to a NAS compared to Qobuz, but the difference isn’t huge. This preference has continued as I have moved on to other streamers. Maybe if I had upgraded my modem for better Ethernet I might have thought differently. I didn’t feel the difference was worth fighting for. Plain CD from my Oppo into my Bryston DAC3 also sounded excellent. I have been a fan of upsampling ever since I owned a PS Audio Digital Link 3 more than a decade ago. It deepened the soundstage and noticeably fleshed everything out. |
the effectiveness of upsampling is determined by the dac technology and reconstruction filtering, specifically, whether the dac will productively use and convert the upsampled bitstream (at a specific frequency) back to analog better - my understanding is that the design process should engage all these tradeoffs to achieve an optimal point witness chord m scaler working very well with some dacs (notably chords, but also many others) but not so much with others similarly weiss in their dac501/502 series does upsampling to 195 khz, which they say is ideal for sonics given the reconstruction filter scheme they employ centered around the ess sabre chipset they use as their engine |
@curiousjim yep . I know it’s controversial and I put it in there as full disclosure. When I upgrade this DAC I proly target one that is not. |
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