melm:
I am comparing ethernet into the Aurender with its USB out to the Musetec (obviously bypassing the Aurender's DAC) with ethernet into the Aurender with its USB out to the Sonore and its I2S into the Musetec. Even given the additional complexity and cabling, the sound is better using the Sonore.
I would love to try the Innuos Phoenix but I don't feel like spending that much cash on a DDC. I did order a Singxer SU-6. It may take a while to arrive but hopefully it will get here within the Sonore 30 day return window.
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I now have many dozens of hours on my 005 and I completely agree that it provides astonishing detail and incredible neutrality that I've never heard before both streaming and playing redbook CDs from my CEC tl 1. It has been a bit of an up and down journey as the DAC settles in. I want to give it a couple more weeks of break in.
I also recently installed a cardas USB cable, the newer one with the power cable separated from the data cable. I'm also still breaking it in but it seems to be an upgrade from the XLO I had been using.
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I'm also in the silver camp. All my signal cables are siltech. My ethernet are AQ vodka and cinnamon, and my usb is cardas clear.
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I just received my 005 from Jason at Midwest Audio. He is a great guy, highly responsive, earnest and knowledgeable. I highly recommend him. He sent me a letter thanking me for my business and included a battery for the remote, which the manufacturer oddly doesn't include.
Given all the rave review by real users here and on head fi, I thought I'd give one a shot.
While I've only got a few hours on it, and haven't played much with the DPLL settings, all I can say is holy cow, this DAC is spectacular. I concur with what everyone is saying about it. It is extremely accurate and detailed, yet extremely natural and non-fatiguing. I find myself being happily immersed in the music and able to shift my focus between musicians and vocalists even during complex passages.
What has stood out thus far is the presentation of details I've never heard before on familiar recordings as well as the extremely natural sounds of wood and steel strings when listening to acoustic guitar. For example, the subtle interplay between Julian Lage and Chris Eldridge on For Critter and Cattle in the Cane (Alternative Take) from Close to Picture is evident as they play off each other and exchange lead and rhythm duties. I've never quite heard Chris tease his strings with strokes that move slightly up and down the strings, bringing out a zingy and slightly percussive quality. I thought to myself, I'm glad Chris is playing new strings! That's how much information is presented.
Listening to I'm With Her play Hannah Hunt allows me to easily distinguish between the voices of Aoife, Sarah and Sara, which can be difficult to do on even a spectacular system.
In any event, I could go on. But, if your system is resolving enough, this DAC will not disappoint. It's early in my relationship with it but I will say I am frankly quite astonished at what it brings to my system.
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Aurender A10 for streaming and a musetac bidat for redbook CDs.
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Thanks, melm. I will report again after break in. Thus far, it hasn't been a straight line. Some moments, it seems to sound better than others. But you know how that goes, it could be my ears, electric load on the lines or the grid, a new DAC, or a host of other issues.
After listening to the Critter/Jules recording again, I also realized that Chris is playing heavier strings than Jules, likely medium and light. I've definitely never heard that before.
Fans of acoustic guitar who don't know about Chris and Jules should seek them out. These young guys are world class players, with a special synergy between them.
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My DAC is really settling in and becoming very consistent and very smooth and detailed. I've run it and the cardas usb for about 100 hours over the past week. My streaming setup has been sounding excellent with an occasional seemingly recording related bit of excess high frequency energy. Just for kicks this morning, I substituted an AQ pearl USB in place of the cardas and whoah, it seems to really balance and smooth the occasional high frequency tizziness I've been experiencing. I'll run it a bit longer and see if this impression holds.
We all know system synergy matters, not component cost.
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True, but quite frankly this DAC blows me away. Granted, my last DAC was a dinosaur, but it was a good dinosaur. Analog has been my thing for a long while and I know good sound. I've bought so many "class A" and unqualifiedly spectacularly reviewed products that I was disappointed in and sold off that I am very jaded. But this DAC is flat out spectacular both streaming through USB and redbook through coax.
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Well, in response to the discussion of is2 converters I ordered a sonore ultradigital with lps, and a silver starlight 5.2 hdmi cable. My system is sounding excellent with a cardas usb cable but I will give the is2 input a shot. If it doesn't result in improvements, I can return the sonore products. Stay tuned; I will provide a report next week.
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I will be able to add my impressions shortly and return the sonore products if there is no improvement.
My current streaming system uses a stand alone asus mesh node powered by a teredac LPS into which I plug an AQ vodka ethernet cable into an aurender a10, with a cardas usb into the 005. Sounds excellent (into a joule electra la 300ME, first watt SIT-3, prototype quintessence stealth speakers using siltech cables). I also have a lot of room treatment and clean power. It rivals my excellent analog system (steelhead phono pre, TW acustics raven 1, graham phantom, benz ebony lps) on some recordings. I tried two optical converters in the ethernet stream, which should have removed any coodies being transmitted on the ethernet cable and found no improvement. Thus, I removed the optical converters and cable and went back to the vodka straight into my aurender A10.
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I ordered the sonore because folks seem to like them. I'll see how it works for me and have the option to return it if I find it less than satisfying.
I am a fan of joule products and also have an la 150 and a vzn 80.
I really love the Sit-3. I got a hankering to try a solid state amp in my new music room and bought a pass X150-8. It is a nice amp but has too much gain for my speakers, which are complex but extremely efficient. I wanted something very special and, after research, thought a Sit-3 might match perfectly with my speakers, which are efficient but drop to 4 ohm. The sit-3 is designated as 18 watts into 8 ohm and about double into 4 ohm. After hooking up the sit-3, I realized it is a perfect match for my system. Smooth, detailed, spacious, sense of ease, quite dynamic, really an amazing amp. I need to sell the X 150-8; its a superb amp but is bettered in my system by the little Sit.
I will report on the sonore after I receive it and have a chance to run it in.
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I want to report my experience using a sonore ultradigital between my aurender A10 with I2s output into my 005, versus straight usb. I received the sonore several days ago. Upon initial installation, my immediate reaction after 5 seconds of music was that the music was more focused and detailed with greater resolution and a slightly more enhanced sense of ease. Granted, I love my system using usb.
Nevertheless, I have left the sonore in for several days and have listened through it for about 12 hours. This morning, I listened to several very familiar and well recorded cuts (Guy Clark, The Dark, and Punch Brothers, Pride of Man) and then bypassed the sonore and again plugged my usb cable directly into the 005 and listened to the same cuts again. I then swapped back to the sonore. I can definitively say I prefer my system using the sonore.
On the Dark, it is easier with the sonore to hear the beautiful and subtle guitar playing of Darrell Scott in the right channel, and the harmony vocals are easier to distinguish individually. Similarly, on Pride of Man, it is easier to hear the playing and harmony vocals of Chris Eldridge, sometimes deep in the mix, using the sonore.
This is somewhat surprising but I'm going to believe my ears.
I am wondering, however, if I can get further gains with a different DDC, for example a Singxer SU-6, which isn't that much more expensive that the sonore. Thoughts and experiences? I may order one and give it a shot.
This is a crazy hobby.
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All can say about ASR measurements is I listen to my 005 in my system, not to 005 through Amir's equipment under his conditions. I couldn't care less what he concludes or what is discussed over at ASR. If they listened through resolving systems they would realize its a great DAC.
SNS, I'm curious about your statement about your expectations had you tried your SU6. Can you elaborate?
I will burn it in some more. But, first impressions are almost always confirmed in this hobby by further listening. I've never started liking a piece of equipment that I wasn't fond of on first listen.
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I received a singxer SU-6 yesterday and immediately put it in the system in place of the sonore ultradigital between my aurender and my 005. Immediately, I noticed what I can best describe as a strident, edgy and "bad digital" character. The system remained very detailed but the realistic and pleasant character of instruments and vocals was diminished. The joy and involvement seemed sucked out of my system. I let it burn in overnight by playing music continually through it. I sat and listened late morning today. My system was better than yesterday but still not particularly engaging.
A couple hours ago, I swapped back in the sonore and my system was immediately better and far more enjoyable than using the singxer. I'm going to listen to the system for a couple days and swap back in the singxer. But, I'm relatively certain I still will prefer the sonore.
I may order and try an LKS USB 100. I do prefer my system using the sonore feeding the 005 through HDMI over running the aurender through USB directly into the 005.
What I believe I'm learning is there are solutions that provide better sq than straight usb out of the aurender into the 005.
Are there recommendations for USB renderers less costly that the innuos phoenix? I may want to go in that direction.
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lordmelton, I set the switches pursuant to the instructions included with the su-6.
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Yup. The sonore does as does the su-6. The sonore sounds better.
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Well, I love my 005. And my SIT-3, my joule LA 300, my benz ebony LP-s, my steelhead and my joule VZN 80,all of which likely measure poorly but sound divine. My ears are more important than anyone's test bench.
I returned the singxer today. After a lot of listening and AB ing the singxer versus straight USB versus the sonore ultradigital, I confirmed that my system with the singxer was somewhat strident, glarey, harsh, and not toe tapping. Hence, back it went.
I am still preferring the sonore with HDMI to straight usb by a fair margin. But, I can't really get over that the little box costs $500; maybe I'd prefer the musetec usb-100, which I have not yet ordered. My 30 day sonore return window is rapidly closing. I haven't decided what I'm going to do, besides continuing to listen to and enjoy music.
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I ordered an lks 100 today. I have an lps for it. I Iikely need another RJ 45 cable to try.
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I received my lks 100 a week or so ago. Recall, I previously tried a singxer su-6, which I didn't like and returned and a sonora ultradigital, which I liked very much but also returned on the hope the lks would better it. Preliminary conclusions are the lks has a bit more ease and an ever so slight pleasing softness in its presentation, particularly on attack. It may also, however, not provide quite the level of detail as the sonora but I need to listen more. We are talking very very slight differences. I have used, thus far, only hdmi, a wireworld silver starlight, which worked beautifully with the sonora. I'm going to try a couple RJ45 cables to determine if and how they alter presentation in my system.
I also have a cisco switch on the way and may try its optical output.
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I just tried my LKS 100 through RJ45 using my audioquest diamond. Melton is right, it is better than HDMI. The sparkle and detail I had with the sonore ultradigital is back, but with the relaxed presentation of the LKS 100 through HDMI. I'm happy with the change.
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dbb, I was in about the same place a week ago. Try RJ45. Its better with the LKS DDC and am improvement on straight usb in my system.
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dbb, interesting. Perhaps try a usb cable.
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I’m using an lks 100 and lks power supply between my aurender a10 and my 005 using i2s output. I find it provides a slighter sense of ease to the music than usb. I just tried straight usb again—not 5 minutes ago— and went back to the lks ddc. Ymmv. This is all system, room and taste dependent.
I recently listened to my brother’s system on Kauai. It is similar to mine in that he uses a joule la300 preamp, quintessence speakers (although mine are further down the evolutionary path), and a joule vzn80 amp. I have a similar amp in my closet; I currently am using a first watt sit-3, ooh la la what a great little amp.
Back to my point; based on my rave recommendation, my brother bought an 005 and quickly switched to a very expensive EMM streamer/DAC combo. He loves it and describes it as more analog than the 005. His system is wonderful and perhaps softens the leading edge of notes ever so slightly in comparison to my system. But I prefer my system. It seems a bit more detailed and real to me.
I was happy returning home and sitting in my listening chair. I was also very happy I didn’t need to start shopping for some EMM gear!
This hobby is very individualistic. I’ve learned long ago that I listen with my own ears and they are the ultimate determinator of what’s best for me.
I’ve got Tim o brien another day playing and when I close my eyes he is in my room with me.
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