If you are not a ROON user then what I suggested is pointless. However, for the readers that are ROON users then what I use is rather cheap and maybe hard to surpass.
Should I add a DDC? Looking for experienced advise please.
So I will make this as basic as possible. I am just trying to decide if adding a DDC is relevant in my system.
I am currently running. Innuos ZEN mini MKiii with Innuos power supply, Denafrips Pontus II into an Aric Audio 6snl7 line stage that's been upgraded by Aric. For power I am bi-amping with a Aric Audio super KT88 120 SE on the upper end. A pair of Pass labs ACA's built with all upgraded components and some mods on the low end. Into Monitor audio silver 500's. All cabling DIYed with hi quality ingredients and the guidance of Mr. Wonka!
I understand my speakers are probably not the best choice but this is where I am at the at this point. Actually I am quite happy with the sound. I stream Tidal and Qobuz as well as my CD collection via hard drive.
So am I just "pissing in the wind" thinking adding a Denafrips Hermes between the ZEN mini and Pontus II is going to give me any improvement at all?
Would love to hear some input from experience!
Thank you.
J.F.
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your zen mini is a good streamer/endpoint but even in innuos’ line, there are better streamers, with better internal noise management, isolation, clocking... so there is better sound to be had, otherwise who would buy the more pricey innuos models right?... question is, with your current speakers, will you notice that much of a difference? we can’t tell you that... roon users using a core machine plus optical rendu driving its usb out to dac is very very hard to beat, but there are others ways to skin the cat -- none are cheap, many require a number of small boxes and power supplies... gets to be spaghetti time in a hurry i had gaia into pontus, i did not hear a significant difference in sq from using coax spdif into pontus, but then again i wasn’t using a noisy everyday multi use computer to feed the stream my sense was, pontus + gaia was $3 grand -- could do better with other gear...the pontus is nice as a 1500 dollar dac... there are notably better in the 3 grand range |
@yyzsantabarbara I agree with you. Long ago I compared an overbuilt mini PC to my since sold, Innuos Zenith Mk3 with PhoenixUSB. The comparison involved running Roon core. The overbuilt fanless miniPC (since then, an Intel NUC running ROCK) beat the Zenith Mk3 hands down for stability, no crashes of Roon Remote, DSP and SQ. The differences were not subtle. Sold my InnuOS gear and saves thousands. My fanless (Intel NUC) MiniPC cost me around $1000 to build from parts from Amazon. Never looked back. I do have a high quality ethernet cable running from the NUC to an audiophile ethernet switch, as I did with my InnuOS gear, butIMO from my experience, and YMMV, these Roon Core server vendors are the emperor without clothes. |
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