New DAC issues

@zlone Innuos has both USB and Ethernet outputs but not S/PDIF.

I have found the Ethernet output to be superior from my Innuos Statement Nextgen.  Using a relatively inexpensive Sonore UltraRendu to convert Ethernet to USB to feed my Lampizator GG3 with USB was better than direct USB from the Statement.

Further, using an Antipodes S20 reclocker to convert the UltraRendu's USB to S/PFID to the GG3 is better still.

I recently replaced the UltraRendu with a SignatureRendu SE and Sonore OpticalModule to feed the Antipodes S20 and then feed S/PDIF to the GG3.  The gains in coherence and fluidity are almost matched by the reduction in "Noise".   Its just spooky good.

My takeaways are in my system USB is not the best output from my streamer and not the best input for my DAC.

Before the GG3 I had a Denafrips Terminator Plus and found using the Denafrips  Iris DDC actually improved the USB from the Statement.  At the time I thought it was because the Denafrips TP preferred the I2S input but now I think the Statements USB output is not as good as it is reputed to be.

I also had a Yggdrasil and thought the Denafrips TP was in every way, and and among other things the TP had way more and cleaner bass, it made the Yggy seem lean.  I have 2 REL S510 subs so my system goes low and is sensitive to muddy bass.  The Denafrips did OK on the bass but is no where close to the Lampizator in quality or quantity.

In my experience bass quality and quantity can vary a lot between DACs.

@rikkipuu Very interesting! I took a quick look at the UltraRendu, it seems there are multiple modes that are supported to interface with the streamer, how did you configure your Innuos to work with the Rendu? Roon? Can you use the native Sense app? 

@rikkipuu 

I recently replaced the UltraRendu with a SignatureRendu SE and Sonore OpticalModule to feed the Antipodes S20 and then feed S/PDIF to the GG3.  The gains in coherence and fluidity are almost matched by the reduction in "Noise".   Its just spooky good.

That is pretty much my experience using a SignatureRendu SE optical into a Singxer SU6 DDC and then S/PDIF or AES/EBU into my DAC (currently trying 3 different DACs).  Adding the SignatureRendu SE optical was a clear step up and the DDC seemed to improve things again, although not to the same degree. 

@zlone Sonore has many products that convert input and output.  They are single purpose.  The UltraRendu converts Ethernet to USB.  The SignatureRendu SE converts Fiber to USB.  ThenOpticalModule converts Ethernet to Fiber.  
 

Sense recognizes the UltraRendu or SignatureRendu SE as an Audio output.  Sense allows flipping between Audio outputs on the fly.  As both USB and Ethernet are live on the Statement comparing them is easy.

@mitch2 I Agree the Antipodes S20 makes an improvement but the SignatureRendu SE makes it magical.  

I also had a Yggdrasil and thought the Denafrips TP was in every way, and and among other things the TP had way more and cleaner bass, it made the Yggy seem lean.  I have 2 REL S510 subs so my system goes low and is sensitive to muddy bass.  The Denafrips did OK on the bass but is no where close to the Lampizator in quality or quantity.

In my experience bass quality and quantity can vary a lot between DACs.

Maybe that was with an older iteration. Reason I say that is that after my 1 month break in of the latest Yggi+ OG the immediate thing I noticed was the increase in bass on every single track I listened to. I was on a Classic Rock bender one day and songs I know really well showed way more in the bass department. It was nice to hear Geddy Lee's bass guitar more prominently on RUSHs Moving Pictures with the OG.

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At one time I had 3 streamers in the house at the same time

• Sonore Optical Rendu
• Playback Designs Stream-IF
• Lumin X1

Surprisingly they all sounded different. The only streamer I was not able to use fibre optic input was the PBD Stream-IF (I did not have a PBD DAC for Plink input). They were all excellent with the Sonore being the most laid back. The Lumin the most aggressive, and the PBD (using SPDIF) in the middle and maybe my fav. I never expected the PBD to compete with the other 2 fibre streamers. I sold the Lumin X1 and the Stream-IF and only have 2 Sonore OpticalRendu's today.

Another great thing about using these 3 streamers is that my ROON Core music server (a cheap computer) was nowhere near the audio gear.