New Cary DMS 700

Curious if anyone has had the opportunity to try the new Spotify Connect functionality and if the quality is the same as Spotify in the native app?  I went from a DMS-500 to DMS-600 and have been very happy with the sound of the DMS-600.  Using it directly to Pass Labs XA-60.5.  Bested PS-Audio BHK pre with telefunken tubes and Luxman DA-06 DAC and crushed the Auralic G1 streamer, which sounded dead in comparison.

I wasn't happy with direct to amp until I put in Synergistic Orange fuses in the amps and switched to Stage III cabling.  I can't imagine that anything extra I gain would be worth the cost of the additional power chord, interconnect and pre.  I will buy the DMS-700 but I imagine my next step after that would be a Bartok or Bricasti (and hopefully, Qobuz catalog has caught up to Spotify by then)

Also, I have never tried the opticalRendu, but just bought the opticalModule and huge thumbs up.  Using it to etherRegen with Sablon 2020 ethernet cable.  The Sablon was so much more detailed than my previous Sotm dcbl CAT7 cable.  Tried the Synergistic Galileo ethernet cable and could not tell the difference between that and the Sablon.

That is exactly my path.  I am using a generic Belden cable from my router.  Before I got the optical module, I experimented with the JCAT LAN isolator and adding multiple generic d-link bridges and it seemed the more bridges, the cleaner the sound was.  The optical module eliminated the need for all of those devices.  I was using the EtherRegen strictly from the "A" ports.  I found that "crossing the moat" actually reduced the dynamics and flattened the sound a bit, but oddly, just using the "A" ports still cleaned up the sound.  Not sure if the EtherRegen is still providing any additional benefit now, but it does have a fiber port!

The best sounding ethernet cable in my system was the Shunyata Omega, but I could not justify the price difference for the 10% refinement.  Also note that I have Sonus Faber Cremona M speakers, so any decisions I make should be in the context of the Sonus Faber/Pass Labs combination.  I can imagine if you have Magico/Soulution, you may have different results.  The Sablon is killer for the price.  I also tried their Prince power chord and really liked that as well.

I have a Cary DMS-600 and I can connect fine to my Synology NAS.  Have you tried turning on the Media Server in your NAS?  The Cary can find the media server without logging in.  What's more, it doesn't have to index all the metadata again.  I did just try using the PC share only and I can access it while logging in as well.  I just put in the IP address of the NAS.  Logging in fine with a non admin account.

I updated the firmware on my DMS-600 and I swear it sounds better.  Maybe PG&E just delivering cleaner power all of a sudden? :-)