ddude003

Responses from ddude003

Lifetime Roon is a go - alternative to Roon Nucleus
@emergingsoulIt is nice to see that you are starting to think for yourself...Look at Intel, Asus and others for a basic NUC style box...  Most major computer manufactures make these NUC style PC system...  It is pretty easy to compare the features... 
Is the Roon Nuceus device a good streamer?
A Roon Nucleus is an overpriced PC...  Have a look at Intel's NUCs...  Also be aware that even Roon suggests to use an Endpoint along with a Nucleus for the best Signal Quality...  In other words, don't connect a DAC directly to a PC/Nucleus... 
Ideal Connection path to a dac?
The Chord Qutest, Hugo TT2 on up all have galvanic isolation of USB in as well as some other RFI/EMI trix on board... There are technical presentations, given by the designer Rob Watts, of these DACs floating around on the internet somewhere... Ev... 
Ideal Connection path to a dac?
Your ethernet connection between the desktop and the node 2i should provide plenty of isolation and the optical cable between the node 2i and Chord DAC even more...  If I were to make a change in your system it would be a upgrade from your node 2i... 
Chord TT2 - use Tidal or Qobuz?
Don't confuse Tidal (the streaming service) with MQA (a lossy delivery format)...  Just feed your Cord DAC with PCM original source material...  CD quality 44.1 KHz/16 bit or High-Res Audio up to 768kHz/24 or 32 bit...To be clear...  I am not a fa... 
Chord TT2 - use Tidal or Qobuz?
MQA is lossy... What part of lossy do you not understand... Why would you want to break small signals by using MQA... Most Chord DACs really want to use native PCM small signal data... MQA and DSD are not really what Chord DACs are designed to per... 
Chord TT2. - what’s a great streamer companion?
Have a look at the Lumin U1 or U1 mini... 
Confused as to where to go next...looking for warmth
If you haven't done any room treatment, have a look at REW and "see" where your at as far as system response and room interface is concerned...  Speaker placement is pretty important and REW can "show" what speaker movement does for your overall s... 
What’s connected to your Chord dac incoming ports?
Roon core on MacBookPro wireless to wireless/wired LAN to wired Lumin U1 mini to Chord Qutest...See: https://systems.audiogon.com/systems/6691 for details... 
Thoughts on Lumin D2 Upgrade from Node 2i
You could always go with the Lumin U1 mini and the Chord Qutest... ;^) Roon is a nice media database/server service and does a good job of managing your hardware, music archives and streaming services...  You might want to look at Audirvana too... 
Help with DAC and Streamer suggestions
I use a Lumin U1 mini as a Wired LAN Endpoint fronting for a Chord Qutest DAC...  The analogue out side of the Qutest feeds my PremaLuna Dialogue Premium Preamp to a McIntosh SS Amp and onto to Martin Logan ESLs...I have a MacBook Pro Wireless and... 
Help with DAC and Streamer suggestions
You might take a look at the Lumin streamers and streamer/DACs...  Or the combination of Lumin streamers and a Chord DAC...Try a pair of the Mazda CIFTE 12AU7 small signal tubes in the first gain stage of your Prima Luna...  It will make your ML S... 
Lumin U1 mini vs Lumin T2
You say your room isn’t perfect... Swapping DACs over and over isn’t going to help much... Keep your U1 mini and grab a copy of REW and get a mic for it and "see" what is going on in your room... Some bass and wideband absorption and diffusion mig... 
Streamer recommendations
The cat's pajamas...  Lumin U1 mini... If your lucky you might find a used one for less than $2,000.00... 
Anybody here upgrade from Chord Qutest DAC"
If you are ready to go down the rabbit hole, see this paper which describes the WTA algorithm and its effects on the reconstruction of analogue from digital signals...  https://www.moon-audio.com/content/pdf/chord/chord-tech-profile-hifi-critic.pd...