My AIR issues sorted??

[hk6230]

Hi Steve, I think you should just get a streamer and be done with it. This way you can start enjoying your high-res music, rather than tinkering with AIR. Our D200 is very versatile and can produce very good SQ for all kind of input (media). Although my AIR is working well, even for high-res files, I sometime 'become lazy' and just turn on my Sonos Connect for music listening. Its advantage is that there are many music sources/selection readily available. Since you're in UK, getting the Cambridge CXN or Bluesound streamers may not be too bad a choice.

To be honest, if you are not trying to squeeze to the very bit of 'quality' from your D200 and/or hifi system, all the latest streamer that's out there is a good partner to our D200.

In any case, good luck on your continual search for the ideal solution.

Cheers.

Gary

P.S. Listening to iHeartRadio via Sonos Connect on a live recording of Yo Yo Ma and can hear all the surrounding noises such as audiences' coughing, sneezing, etc.

[Womaz]

Hi Steve, I think you should just get a streamer and be done with it. This way you can start enjoying your high-res music, rather than tinkering with AIR. Our D200 is very versatile and can produce very good SQ for all kind of input (media). Although my AIR is working well, even for high-res files, I sometime 'become lazy' and just turn on my Sonos Connect for music listening. Its advantage is that there are many music sources/selection readily available. Since you're in UK, getting the Cambridge CXN or Bluesound streamers may not be too bad a choice.

To be honest, if you are not trying to squeeze to the very bit of 'quality' from your D200 and/or hifi system, all the latest streamer that's out there is a good partner to our D200.

In any case, good luck on your continual search for the ideal solution.

Cheers.

Gary

P.S. Listening to iHeartRadio via Sonos Connect on a live recording of Yo Yo Ma and can hear all the surrounding noises such as audiences' coughing, sneezing, etc.

I guess whats stopping me is my stubborn nature, I feel as if Devialet have let me down in this area, so every time I am about to buy a streamer I remind myself of the outlay for the 200 and how it is advertised as a streamer solution.....but I guess that is now costing me as its 7 months down the line.

I admit that i think I have narrowed it down to the Cambridge or the Auralic Aries LE. The CXN is a good looking product but I would like to investigate their app a little more. The Auralic is quite a bit dearer, but I have just bought their HP amp and it is simply stunning. This is over £1300 outlay on something I should not have to buy hence the constant fighting in my mind

[PhilP]

Hi Steve, I think you should just get a streamer and be done with it. This way you can start enjoying your high-res music, rather than tinkering with AIR. Our D200 is very versatile and can produce very good SQ for all kind of input (media). Although my AIR is working well, even for high-res files, I sometime 'become lazy' and just turn on my Sonos Connect for music listening. Its advantage is that there are many music sources/selection readily available. Since you're in UK, getting the Cambridge CXN or Bluesound streamers may not be too bad a choice.

To be honest, if you are not trying to squeeze to the very bit of 'quality' from your D200 and/or hifi system, all the latest streamer that's out there is a good partner to our D200.

In any case, good luck on your continual search for the ideal solution.

Cheers.

Gary

P.S. Listening to iHeartRadio via Sonos Connect on a live recording of Yo Yo Ma and can hear all the surrounding noises such as audiences' coughing, sneezing, etc.

I guess whats stopping me is my stubborn nature, I feel as if Devialet have let me down in this area, so every time I am about to buy a streamer I remind myself of the outlay for the 200 and how it is advertised as a streamer solution.....but I guess that is now costing me as its 7 months down the line.

I admit that i think I have narrowed it down to the Cambridge or the Auralic Aries LE. The CXN is a good looking product but I would like to investigate their app a little more. The Auralic is quite a bit dearer, but I have just bought their HP amp and it is simply stunning. This is over £1300 outlay on something I should not have to buy hence the constant fighting in my mind  

There are a few cheaper options e.g. you could try the Auralic Aries Mini which is supposed to be available in October and Retails at £375, Bluesound Node at £429 or, if you like a challenge, build your own using a Raspberry Pi. I did the latter using a HifiBerry Digi+ board and Max2Play software. Easier than it sounds

[Womaz]

Yes I am considering the Aries Mini also , but if I do go for something i will probably spend a bit more cash....as for the Pi, NO THANK YOU
I definitely dont like a challenge, and to be honest my trials and tribulations with the 200 are more than enough to keep me occupied

[GuillaumeB]

Yes I am considering the Aries Mini also , but if I do go for something i will probably spend a bit more cash....as for the Pi, NO THANK YOU  
I definitely dont like a challenge, and to be honest my trials and tribulations with the 200 are more than enough to keep me occupied

This streamer looks very good indeed and is starting to generate some interest on the other side of the Channel... one or two very positive reviews already. Hungarian company but website selling the streamer is in French... sorry! Still you should be able to get a good idea..

http://www.etalonacoustics.fr/FR/PAGE_Streamer.htm

€550 

Combine it with the new iFi iPower 5V power supply (£39.95 on MCRU) and you are good to go!

Guillaume

[Hifi_swlon]

I guess whats stopping me is my stubborn nature, I feel as if Devialet have let me down in this area, so every time I am about to buy a streamer I remind myself of the outlay for the 200 and how it is advertised as a streamer solution.....but I guess that is now costing me as its 7 months down the line.

I admit that i think I have narrowed it down to the Cambridge or the Auralic Aries LE. The CXN is a good looking product but I would like to investigate their app a little more. The Auralic is quite a bit dearer, but I have just bought their HP amp and it is simply stunning. This is over £1300 outlay on something I should not have to buy hence the constant fighting in my mind  

Yup, I know exactly how you feel, and got myself pretty upset about my own similar situation.

That said, since shutting Air down and using Roon from a Mac Mini over USB, I've been a lot happier.  Not happier with Devialet per-se, but happier in that I can just enjoy listening to music and not worrying about stupid Air problems.  

I do know there's room for improvement in my current solution (isn't there always), and hopefully my REGEN will arrive any day now and if I don't get a bump in SQ from that I may consider an Aurender N100H.  All of this is costing me money that I didn't expect to have to spend, and extra clutter that I didn't want, but at some point you just have to move on.

On the plus side I can't even remember how much better / worse SQ is with Air (it doesn't take long to forget), and I no longer care - to me its not a real thing, its a bodged solution that Devialet clearly don't have the inclination or know-how to keep working reliably for all users, but are happy to include it on their marketing material. What really perplexes me is people with Air issues clinging onto it and even defending it with comments like 'my Air is really stable now, I used it for 2 hours without issues today'! I find it really bizarre.

[edited/deleted my subsequent rant about Air and Devialet's arrogance in general - but it felt 'cleansing' to write it]

[Womaz]

Yes I am considering the Aries Mini also , but if I do go for something i will probably spend a bit more cash....as for the Pi, NO THANK YOU  
I definitely dont like a challenge, and to be honest my trials and tribulations with the 200 are more than enough to keep me occupied

This streamer looks very good indeed and is starting to generate some interest on the other side of the Channel... one or two very positive reviews already. Hungarian company but website selling the streamer is in French... sorry! Still you should be able to get a good idea..

http://www.etalonacoustics.fr/FR/PAGE_Streamer.htm

€550 

Combine it with the new iFi iPower 5V power supply (£39.95 on MCRU) and you are good to go!

Guillaume

Funny as I looked at this the other week, i think it may have been posted on another thread. Will consider but if that list gets any bigger that fence sitting will continue

[Womaz]

I guess whats stopping me is my stubborn nature, I feel as if Devialet have let me down in this area, so every time I am about to buy a streamer I remind myself of the outlay for the 200 and how it is advertised as a streamer solution.....but I guess that is now costing me as its 7 months down the line.

I admit that i think I have narrowed it down to the Cambridge or the Auralic Aries LE. The CXN is a good looking product but I would like to investigate their app a little more. The Auralic is quite a bit dearer, but I have just bought their HP amp and it is simply stunning. This is over £1300 outlay on something I should not have to buy hence the constant fighting in my mind  

Yup, I know exactly how you feel, and got myself pretty upset about my own similar situation.

That said, since shutting Air down and using Roon from a Mac Mini over USB, I've been a lot happier.  Not happier with Devialet per-se, but happier in that I can just enjoy listening to music and not worrying about stupid Air problems.  

I do know there's room for improvement in my current solution (isn't there always), and hopefully my REGEN will arrive any day now and if I don't get a bump in SQ from that I may consider an Aurender N100H.  All of this is costing me money that I didn't expect to have to spend, and extra clutter that I didn't want, but at some point you just have to move on.

On the plus side I can't even remember how much better / worse SQ is with Air (it doesn't take long to forget), and I no longer care - to me its not a real thing, its a bodged solution that Devialet clearly don't have the inclination or know-how to keep working reliably for all users, but are happy to include it on their marketing material.  What really perplexes me is people with Air issues clinging onto it and even defending it with comments like 'my Air is really stable now, I used it for 2 hours without issues today'! I find it really bizarre.  

[edited/deleted my subsequent rant about Air and Devialet's arrogance in general - but it felt 'cleansing' to write it]

Thanks for the reply. I guess I am more stubborn than you
In reality though for me everytime I decide on the streamer I just cant pull the trigger as AIR sounds so good to me. Its the best sound I have ever had in my system. I think I am patient and waiting as I keep thinking surely they will sort this as it is a big part of their adverts ( boast ) and I have no idea how they keep getting away with this.
I also love the JRiver app and everything else I have looked at does not match it. Roon does look excellent I agree, but at quite a cost in my opinion.
Dialog?? I also think they will get this right and it has to sound as good as AIR surely.
The annoying thing for me is Devialet offered me a MacMini when i complained to them about my AIR issues and I asked them for Dialog instead as it was due to work with the expert line only a couple of months later.
I take it I could run JRiver on a Macmini although I have no idea how one works........or if it would be stable.
I am one of those bizzare people clinging on....I think its because I paid 6k for a broken promise

BUT TRY AND TAKE MY 200 OFF ME

[Womaz]

I also think I am such a "fanny" that i would think about the loss of SQ.
For example I use my MF CD Transport through the 200 when I am not using AIR. It sounds great as the 200 is still in the chain, but its not as good as AIR. I honestly think my hearing is probably not what it used to be at 52 years of age, but I can hear the difference. The CD sounds harsh and loses a bit of soundstage i think. I think if I have a Devialet I should try and get the best from it.......within reason of course and at a sensible budget .

[thumb5]

Hello Steve,

I'm with Gary (hk6230) on this: get a Sonos Connect, use its digital output into the 200, and you'll have trouble-free listening to as wide a range of sources as you can shake a stick at.  Agreed, it won't do higher-than-CD resolution, but I am hard-pressed to hear the difference between my Connect and AIR on CD-resolution material.  (Disclaimer: my ears are a smidge older than yours!)  And if you decide later to get something more sophisticated, just sell the Connect on eBay and you'll probably get close to what you paid for it.

Ian