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Expert Pro 220/Melco issue
#1
I changed to a Melco N1 from an Auralic Aries - largely to get away from running a NAS drive in a room away from my main hi-fi. I want 6Tb online and no internal drive was going to do that with the Aries.

The Melco is currently running MiniServer 2 and is connected via USB to my Devialet 220 Expert Pro CI. Until I used MinimStreamer to represent everything 16bit to the Devialet as 24bit WAV files things did not really sound as good as the Aries had. That's how the system is generally used - iPad with Melco HD - Melco N1A - USB - Devialet. 

For CD rips I can play them using md connect of the iPad (Melco HD is a proprietary version of this app) but connect to the Devialet via UPnP - this not only sounds more lively and entertaining but is significantly louder than the USB connection. I'd use -15dB on the Devialet with UPnP but need something like -8dB to match levels using USB. I think there's something odd about that.

Devialet AIR only works for me on Tuesdays when there's a 'Z' in the month. So is there another way to significantly improve the sound of the system? Using Audirvana on my wi-fi connected iMac and pointing that at the UPnP Devialet - this sound stunning with all CD rips but breaks down above 24/48 into stuttering. I have a lot of DSD and hi-res 24/96, 24/192 downloads which it won't handle. I suspect this if the wi-fi connection between my office iMac and the Devialet which lives on a separate wired Ethernet system. Sadly house architecture prevents me connecting the iMac through wired Ethernet which I how I would have preferred things.

I'm not mad on the idea of introducing more electronics into the system and adding a MacMini to the Meclo/Devialet system just to run Audirvana locally but this seems to be the only logical solution. Why is the direct wired USB connection Meclo to Devialet so quiet? Why is a direst USB connection not better than UPnP?


David
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#2
(24-May-2020, 07:56)alaw Wrote: Have you tried Roon?
No. I'm rather old-school with no interest in subscription or streaming services. Downloads and CD/vinyl rips only.
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#3
David, have you considered moving the iMac temporarily so that you can try using it with a wired Ethernet connection to see whether that resolves the problems when you're streaming high-res files? That might at least tell you whether a wired MacMini would be a worthwhile investment.

Regarding the lower volume of the USB connection: I don't know Audirvana at all so what I'm about to say might be nonsense, but by analogy with Roon I wonder whether there is a device-specific setting that controls how volume is managed? In other words, perhaps the volume is controlled by something in Audirvana as well as the Devialet's own volume control? If so it might be just a matter of finding the relevant setting in Audirvana to make it play everything at full volume for the USB-connected Devialet so that only the Devialet's volume control is determining the effective playback level.
Roon (Mac Mini), Wilson Benesch Full Circle, Expert 1000 Pro CI, Kaiser Chiara
Warwickshire, UK
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#4
(24-May-2020, 09:01)thumb5 Wrote: David, have you considered moving the iMac temporarily so that you can try using it with a wired Ethernet connection to see whether that resolves the problems when you're streaming high-res files?  That might at least tell you whether a wired MacMini would be a worthwhile investment.

Regarding the lower volume of the USB connection: I don't know Audirvana at all so what I'm about to say might be nonsense, but by analogy with Roon I wonder whether there is a device-specific setting that controls how volume is managed?  In other words, perhaps the volume is controlled by something in Audirvana as well as the Devialet's own volume control?  If so it might be just a matter of finding the relevant setting in Audirvana to make it play everything at full volume for the USB-connected Devialet so that only the Devialet's volume control is determining the effective playback level.
Hi Ian, I might just do that. Moving the iMac temporarily would certainly let me know what's going on. 

The actual USB volume issue is not with Audirvana but with the Melco HD/Melco/USB/Devialet route. But I see your point about conflicting software volume control settings. (Interestingly, when I use my iPhone with mconnect if you switch to USB it resets the device volume to full on, switching to UPnP is resets the phone volume to where you were using it normally.) I think some more experimenting is called for.
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