OCXO oscillator input theme - Printable Version +- Devialet Chat (https://devialetchat.com) +-- Forum: Devialet Chat (https://devialetchat.com/Forum-Devialet-Chat) +--- Forum: Streaming (https://devialetchat.com/Forum-Streaming) +--- Thread: OCXO oscillator input theme (/Thread-OCXO-oscillator-input-theme) |
RE: OCXO oscillator input theme - zdenes - 16-Jun-2022 (15-Jun-2022, 15:00)jbp Wrote:(24-Apr-2022, 04:48)zdenes Wrote:(22-Apr-2022, 20:45)jbp Wrote: Hello I also hear a pop at the PCM/DSD switching. Not loud and I hear it from the GAIA and not through the speakers (I think). It is just some kind of relay switch or whatever, I don't think it is a fault. On this topic, I use HQ Player (under Roon) in my system (see my signature) and with some listening test I decided that DSD files sound better when converted to PCM (192kHZ) by HQ Player. Although the GAIA can put it through and the Devialet can receive it up to DSD64, it converts it to PCM anyway. So there is really no point in using native DSD files. RE: OCXO oscillator input theme - markush - 16-Jun-2022 Shouldn’t Ethernet provide the best audio quality input for the Devialets? RE: OCXO oscillator input theme - zdenes - 17-Jun-2022 (16-Jun-2022, 23:23)markush Wrote: Shouldn’t Ethernet provide the best audio quality input for the Devialets? The Ethernet connection provides excellent sound quality. However, the Core Infinity board doesn't have an OCXO clock (let alone two 44.1 and 48 kHz and multiples) for best jitter performance. At the same time, you'd really need a lot of extra investment to achieve better than the Ethernet connection. In my case around USD10,000. Was it worth it? Probably not. I started compiling my external streaming set-up before the CI board came out and was already pretty good by the release of the CI board. I had a chance to borrow an upgraded unit from the dealer and the results were close. My streaming set-up sounded smoother, more detailed, and with a better timbre of instruments. It is probably partly the streaming hardware and partly the software. Devialet can use Air or Roon Ready whereas my streamer also can use HQ Player NAA which I find significantly better than Roon Ready as an endpoint. I eventually decided not to upgrade to D1000 from D800 for this reason but @Confused did and he still uses an external streamer as far as I know. RE: OCXO oscillator input theme - daniel.avasilichioaei - 17-Jun-2022 (16-Jun-2022, 23:23)markush Wrote: Shouldn’t Ethernet provide the best audio quality input for the Devialets? Why do you think Ethernet provides the best audio quality input for the Devialets? Why would it be better than other inputs that have the same digital specifications? As far as I know, Ethernet is currently the only input that generates serious communication errors (at least in the Roon RAAT protocol). For me, such a thing is unacceptable in digital communication, which makes it the worst / most dangerous input. RE: OCXO oscillator input theme - Confused - 02-Jul-2022 (17-Jun-2022, 05:57)zdenes Wrote:(16-Jun-2022, 23:23)markush Wrote: Shouldn’t Ethernet provide the best audio quality input for the Devialets? I'm not sure how I missed the reference above! Anyway, yes, my preferred route for feeding the Devialet is AES/EBU via an external streamer. I was experimenting with various "front end" configurations a while ago, basically comparing various configurations of the iFi Zen Stream, SOtM sMS-200Ultra, tX-USBultra, Mutec MC3+USB and REF10. Comparisons were made to feeding the Devialet via Ethernet / Roon RAAT. Whist messing about with what is some reasonably expensive streaming hardware, the one thing that I found particularly interesting was the difference that HQPlayer made to my ears. So even without the REF10/MC3+USB, the (relatively) cheap and cheerful Zen Stream on it's own in HQPlayer mode was to my ears significantly better than CI Board Roon RAAT. RE: OCXO oscillator input theme - markush - 03-Jul-2022 @Confused But the ZEN stream doesn’t provide AES/EBU What is your current setup? RE: OCXO oscillator input theme - Confused - 05-Jul-2022 (03-Jul-2022, 23:28)markush Wrote: @Confused But the ZEN stream doesn’t provide AES/EBU Correct, the Zen Stream does not have AES/EBU. The test I referred to in my earlier post was the Zen Stream in HQPlayer mode, feeding the Devialet via coax S/PDIF. My current setup is PC HQPlayer, Ethernet, Zen Stream USB to Mutec MC3+USB / REF10, AES/EBU to the Devialet. RE: OCXO oscillator input theme - Vivialet - 06-Jul-2022 Hi Confused, what settings are you using in HQPlayer ? I tested it once together with Roon and with the recommended settings it was not very responsive anymore. It took several seconds until the music playback begins. I'm thinking about buying a Zen Stream as it is now finally Roon Ready. It seems you connect the Zen to the Mutec MC3 via USB. Have you tried to connect via SPDIF ? And what power supply are you using for the Zen ? The included SMPS or something better ? RE: OCXO oscillator input theme - Confused - 06-Jul-2022 (06-Jul-2022, 10:32)Vivialet Wrote: Hi Confused, For a while now I have been using HQPlayer to upsample to 24/192 using poly-sinc-short-mp, NS9. I very often use HQPlayer together with Roon. Perceptually there is very low latency, you press play, music emerges from the speakers. This set-up has also been 100% stable for me, no dropouts or any other issues, it just works as it should. I have tried the Zen Stream feeding the MC3+USB by both USB and S/PDIF. Subjectively I can detect very little difference in sound quality between the two. When swapping between the two I did have an almost subconscious feeling that USB was fractionally better, but this is easily within the margins that I could be imagining things. I leave the Zen and MC3+USB powered up all of the time. One advantage of using USB is that when the system is not being used, there is a sync light on the Mutec that blinks when connected via S/PDIF, but it does not blink if USB is used. The blinking light is a little annoying, so USB wins here for practical reasons. Later I saw the GoldenSound measurements of the MC3+USB, this indicated that measured performance is slightly better via USB in comparison to S/PDIF. Mindful that I see some practical advantages of using USB, this was good enough for me to stick with USB ever since. I power the Zen Stream with one of the Paul Hynes SR-4's that I bought to go with my SOtM kit. A nice LPSU no doubt, but it is perhaps worth mentioning that the Zen Stream sounds just fine when powered by the cheap and cheerful SMPS that comes with it. Does the Zen sound better with the Paul Hynes? Maybe, just a tiny bit, but there is not a lot in it to my ears. RE: OCXO oscillator input theme - Vivialet - 06-Jul-2022 Thanks for the info. I have ordered a Zen, it should arrive tomorrow. I will try different configurations and report back. |