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Options to improve digital sound

Hi,

I am looking for some, hopefully, simple advice.  My current digital system is an M4 MacMini feeding a Holo May DAC into a PrimaLuna 400 preamp and amp.  My speakers are Devore Gibbon X.  I primarily listen to downloaded and ripped files with Roon and Audirvana.  I also use Qobuz, but not as often.

The sound quality is good, but I feel like it could be improved.  The options I'm considering are a Small Green Computer SonicTransporter i7 to replace the Mini, or a SGC UltraRendu to put between the Mini and the Holo May.

Which option would be better?  Is there a better option?  I'd like to keep the cost under around $2500.

Thanks

walt8489
sawbuck
23 posts
 

Long time Audirvāna user on a PC usb out to Pontus 2 DAC 

Pontus DAC was a big upgrade for me

by the way Audirvāna by passes all the computers audio systems and talk directly to you DAC via usb

i have now replaced the Pc and Audirvāna for a Raspberry Pi with Moode Audio software powered by a PurePi 2 with signal out via  a Pi2aes hat providing I2s out put

this system is maxed out at 24/192

all my file are 16/44.1 and passed via I 2s to Pontus 2 DAC at the same level

this combination is significantly better than Audirvāna and PC

 

i still prefer the Audirvāna interface but more than happy to give it up for the upgrade in sound

 

The rest of my system includes a Schitt Audio Freya S ( non tube ) preamp out to a Decware Torii Jr amp the to La Scalas

 

 

 

phishhhhh4's avatar
phishhhhh4
150 posts
 

Roon is terrible 

Innuos Sense 

canibefrank
415 posts
 

Try a fiber optic USB cable to the Holo dac if you don't need power downstream, which I don't believe you do. When I used  a Mac with Audnirvana I also used a reclocker then I moved to a dedicated streamer 

audioman58's avatar
audioman58
4,384 posts
 

Get rid of the Mamoise maker ,a dedicated streamer 

,good q quality Ethernet  cables , for sure from the router a LPS

and good Ethernet switch 

cfarrow's avatar
cfarrow
114 posts
 

@walt8489 

I just recently(past week) changed out my Apple to the very same SonicTransporter  I7 Gen 3 Server you are thinking about.  I currently use a Sonora Signature Rendu SE streamer with the Sonore opticalModule Deluxe to convert Ethernet to a fiber optical signal.  The rest of my setup is a Herron 360 Reference ESP Preamp, Herron VTPH-2a, Tron 211 amplifier, EMT 948 and a Wavelength Audio Cosecant N2 Dac.   Immediately upgrade in sound and not a small one going from the Mac to the SonicTransporter I7.  I highly recommend it.

Good Luck with your search.

P.S. I use Roon and Audirvāna with a 30TB NAS and 31k plus albums with around 400k tracks on it…you need a server that can handle that size of music files.  I have 32gb of RAM in my SonicTransporter

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