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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
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

cjmarkle
2 posts
 

uhm, the only thing that will improve digital sound is from the DAC onwards to the speakers.   digital music is file based; nothing before the DAC will affect the sound (how could it without corrupting the data).   are you using Dirac Live?  that is the exception to my previous statements, and it does change the digital information, but in a positive way.  improving the acoustic treatment of your listening area is another option.

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