Hi Hifi_swlon, I understand what you mean.
Thus far it's not going as I planned. Yesterday evening I've listened to music all evening using the SotM SMS-200 and it sounded great but so did the mR. With any difference I though I heard or felt I wasn't sure though whether it was a result of the SOtM or the new Pro upgrade. I think I haven't "lived" with it long enough yet to know it through and through, in effect I haven't established a solid enough baseline. I really didn't expect this up front and usually have no issues like these even when comparing a cable or something. I probably simply need more time with the Pro.
There was one aspect I didn't like but even that is fully inconclusive as it could be because of the above but just as easy the residual/returning effects of a cold I had the week before last. I think today, after some more listening, I'm going to decide whether I keep the SOtM in the system or switch back to the microRendu and install the SOtM again in a few weeks, just to establish a more solid baseline with the Pro first.
Of course I could also do some short A/B tests (switching from one to the other in one session) now but I -really- dislike doing that plus I feel for me personally these are not reliable in gauging the performance of something newly introduced to the system. I prefer "living with" for a while but if differences are too small I might have to resort to short A/B tests. On the other hand I then may feel that it's not worth the hassle anyway and just sell one of both devices.
I do feel strongly that my results, if any come from all this, are applicable largely to a system having the Mutec in the chain as I think the Mutec affects the 'scale' and perhaps also the character of the change. I'm too lazy, but more importantly dislike A/B'ing too much to test without Mutec but suspect changes will then be bigger/different when the device is connected directly to Devialet's USB input.
Thus far it's not going as I planned. Yesterday evening I've listened to music all evening using the SotM SMS-200 and it sounded great but so did the mR. With any difference I though I heard or felt I wasn't sure though whether it was a result of the SOtM or the new Pro upgrade. I think I haven't "lived" with it long enough yet to know it through and through, in effect I haven't established a solid enough baseline. I really didn't expect this up front and usually have no issues like these even when comparing a cable or something. I probably simply need more time with the Pro.
There was one aspect I didn't like but even that is fully inconclusive as it could be because of the above but just as easy the residual/returning effects of a cold I had the week before last. I think today, after some more listening, I'm going to decide whether I keep the SOtM in the system or switch back to the microRendu and install the SOtM again in a few weeks, just to establish a more solid baseline with the Pro first.
Of course I could also do some short A/B tests (switching from one to the other in one session) now but I -really- dislike doing that plus I feel for me personally these are not reliable in gauging the performance of something newly introduced to the system. I prefer "living with" for a while but if differences are too small I might have to resort to short A/B tests. On the other hand I then may feel that it's not worth the hassle anyway and just sell one of both devices.
I do feel strongly that my results, if any come from all this, are applicable largely to a system having the Mutec in the chain as I think the Mutec affects the 'scale' and perhaps also the character of the change. I'm too lazy, but more importantly dislike A/B'ing too much to test without Mutec but suspect changes will then be bigger/different when the device is connected directly to Devialet's USB input.
PS Audio P3, Shunyata ΞTRON Alpha Digital and HC/Furutech power cables, Paul Hynes SR7EHD-MR4, DIY Roon Server & Roon Endpoint running AudioLinux Headless, Phasure Lush^2 USB cable, Audioquest Diamond RJ/E ethernet, Uptone Audio etherREGEN, Mutec MC-3+ USB, Shunyata ΞTRON Anaconda Digital XLR AES/EBU, Devialet Expert 250 Pro CI, Nordost Tyr Reference LS cables, Von Schweikert VR-5 SE Anniversary Edition, Anti-Mode Dual Core 2.0, JL Audio Fathom F112. More detail here.
The Netherlands
The Netherlands