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+--- Thread: AIR 3 Beta for Mac (/Thread-AIR-3-Beta-for-Mac)
AIR 3 Beta for Mac - ledesc - 14-May-2016
As there is no windows version, I must stop reading this thread
Don't want to crack under pressure.
RE: AIR 3 Beta for Mac - octaviars - 14-May-2016
(14-May-2016, 20:43)ledesc Wrote: As there is no windows version, I must stop reading this thread
Don't want to crack under pressure.
I feel the same.....I am happy with my microRendu but there is always that but.....
RE: AIR 3 Beta for Mac - baddog - 14-May-2016
Funny you should ask. So after two weeks with the microRendu in my system, and only a brief try out of AIR 3 a few days ago, I pulled the microRendu out of the system and have been using RoonServer on my Mac Mini with AIR3. Only functional trade off is I need to have Roon down convert DSD64 due to it being non supported via AIR3 ( I did test and while it works there is also a steady low level hissing sound in the background ).
So far has been ROCK SOLID stable, and sounds very very very good. At the moment, I could go in either direction, and if that ends up being the case then I will sell the microRendu.....or give in to temptation and get the Mutec and try that with the microRendu.
RE: AIR 3 Beta for Mac - Rufus McDufus - 14-May-2016
The microRendu does give so many control options though, and that's pretty attractive to me.
RE: AIR 3 Beta for Mac - mdconnelly - 14-May-2016
(14-May-2016, 21:58)baddog Wrote: Funny you should ask. So after two weeks with the microRendu in my system, and only a brief try out of AIR 3 a few days ago, I pulled the microRendu out of the system and have been using RoonServer on my Mac Mini with AIR3. Only functional trade off is I need to have Roon down convert DSD64 due to it being non supported via AIR3 ( I did test and while it works there is also a steady low level hissing sound in the background ).
So far has been ROCK SOLID stable, and sounds very very very good. At the moment, I could go in either direction, and if that ends up being the case then I will sell the microRendu.....or give in to temptation and get the Mutec and try that with the microRendu.
@baddog - I know we all want to hear more about your experience with the stability of AIR3 on a Mac, but personally, I'm extremely interested to know how you would compare SQ via AIR3 vs the uRendu. For me (using Roon on Win 10), the uRendu has been a savior and I'm forever grateful for it. But if AIR3 (on Win 10) can actually match what the uRendu is doing *plus* remain 100% stable - well, that's a huge and I'll tip my hat to Devialet for that. (but probably still keep my uRendu and put it on a 2nd system).
Can't wait to hear more.
RE: AIR 3 Beta for Mac - GuillaumeB - 14-May-2016
(14-May-2016, 22:03)Rufus McDufus Wrote: The microRendu does give so many control options though, and that's pretty attractive to me.
I agree - the microRendu is hugely flexible. Stream from your NAS, use an app on your iPad to control etc. It pretty much does everything.
As good as AIR 3 is you are still bound to a Mac and that won't be ideal for everyone.
But... if it ends up sounding as good as a 13k streamer then I'll put up with my Mac as a control point.... sound quality comes first!
Guillaume
RE: AIR 3 Beta for Mac - Spindrift - 15-May-2016
Hearing all these great first impressions, I had to try AIR3 out . . . I have been very pleased with a stacked mutec USB solution but I have to say the new AIR at least initially, is giving it a run for its money!
Perhaps not quite the speed and articulation but soundstage and 3D localization of instruments is wonderful.
Impressive . . .
RE: AIR 3 Beta for Mac - baddog - 15-May-2016
@mdconnelly - Ok so I have been using AIR3 non stop for many hours now. The sound is wonderful. I have done some comparisons with the microRendu. To be honest, I am not hearing much if any in differences in sound between the two. I have gone back and forth between difference tracks comparing the two, even picking out things that don't sound right on AIR3 and comparing them to microRendu, where they also don't sound right. After this many hours my ears are "tired" so going to take a break for a while.
Just so you understand what I am comparing.
1. RoonServer running on Synology 1812+ NAS in a separate room connected via ethernet to cheap switch / microRendu connected via ethernet to cheap switch ( btw cheap does not mean it isn't a good gigabit switch ) / Devialet 400
microRendu powered by Uptone Audio JS-2
Music on the Synology NAS or Tidal
2. RoonServer running on 2012 Mac Mini (16GB memory, i7 quad core, SSD drive, Uptone Audio MMK kit, powered by Uptone Audio JS-2) connected via ethernet to cheap switch / microRendu connected via ethernet to cheap switch / Devialet 400
microRendu powered by Uptone Audio JS-2
Music on the Synology NAS or Tidal
3. RoonServer running on 2012 Mac Mini (16GB memory, i7 quad core, SSD drive, Uptone Audio MMK kit, powered by Uptone Audio JS-2) connected via ethernet to cheap switch / Devialet 400 connected via ethernet to cheap switch
Music on the Synology NAS or Tidal
So those are the things I have compared. Music sounds great with any of the three systems. As noted when using AIR3 I am converting DSD to PCM. I have listened to Redbook, 24/96, 24/192 and DSD64/DSD128 tracks.
I am not discerning any advantage on the part of the microRendu in my setup compared to AIR3. Other than as mentioned more configuration options and capability to send DSD64 to D400 without conversion first to PCM.
Next update tomorrow, need to go rest my ears.
RE: AIR 3 Beta for Mac - agentsmith - 15-May-2016
Well Air seems to be playing nice with Roon, at least it is changing the sampling rate correctly now.
But DSD/DoP is no go, it plays white noise plus a trace of the music in the background. So for now real time conversion to PCM will suffice.
Will keep monitoring and report if any issues.
Sounds very nice too
RE: AIR 3 Beta for Mac - patcam - 15-May-2016
(14-May-2016, 19:54)GuillaumeB Wrote:(14-May-2016, 19:24)Rufus McDufus Wrote: I've just done a very quick test of AIR 3 beta vs Melco N1A with just a couple of tracks, not super audiophile tracks at all but just stuff I listen to. Nick Drake's 'One Of These Things First (HDTracks 24/96 version) and Sufjan Stevens 'The Only Thing' (CD rip). Both FLAC files.
I'm using AIR 3 on a 2011 MacBook Air with Audivarna 2.5 - default settings except integer & direct mode turned off. Files being played are on local disk.
Melco connected via USB to the Devialet, and using Minimserver.
From this very brief test I find AIR 3 more transparent. It's slightly easier to follow individual instruments. Bass is wonderfully well-defined. It does sound very jitter-free.
Melco is very very slightly 'blurrier'. It's perhaps more 'analogue'. I can imagine a lot of people would prefer this.
They are very close! There really isn't a lot in it and I think I would struggle to differentiate in a blind test. My inclination is towards AIR 3 in this instance. The problem is I don't like the usability of the AIR 3 options as I have them (Audivarna or iTunes on a MacBook) and prefer playing tracks from my iPad so in general usage I think I'd go back to the Melco.
The interesting thing is that I never really liked AIR 2. It always tended to be towards the bottom of my playback choices even when it wasn't spitting out white noise or dropouts, so this is a real result for me for AIR 3. Now if only they could port the AIR 3 sender to run on Melco ...
Wow this is amazing! But it doesn't surprise me based on what I've been hearing over the past few days. I will do a comparison with the totaldac tomorrow. My hunch is that it's getting very close too, certainly with streamed material from Qobuz desktop it almost felt as though AIR 3 was edging ahead. It's the vocals that are getting me, so holographic and the speakers are just disappearing.
I'd love to know what Devialet have done with AIR 3. This is really special.
Guillaume
I am agree with you, Rufus you can also use the IPAD for Audivarna and Itunes application.
I have done the following quick comparison:
- Air2/Air3: Air 3 is more stable with buffer at 2s, no dropouts for my system, the SQ is better, more fluid and natural
- Air3 Itunes/Air3 Audivarna with only exclusif mode: Up to now, better with Itunes, the timbre , especially for the voices are more realistic . I think that Air 3 with Itunes is the best way to control the jitter. With Audivarna it is only a streaming by the virtual sound card as for other audio output.
PatCam