Node 2i and Arch important question!

[bogdan.filipovici]

Hello everyone. My current setup consists of a BlueSound Node2i and 2 Gold's (streaming from Roon to Node and from node via optical to one speaker). I only use Node when I want a deeper bass, as it allows me to adjust bass and treble. Reason for only using node for more bass and only for more bass is that sound quality is considerably lower while streaming through node, rather than streaming directly from Roon to the speakers (don't really know how it works, but i am guessing that if you stream directly from Node via optical, the integrated dac inside the phantoms gets ignored? and rely only on Node's dac? no idea).

My question is...as i didn't find any answer to really convince me. What is Arch actually doing except for the fact that it provides the possibility to connect more streaming products to the speakers? I already ordered one piece of arch, along with a QED Reference Digital Coaxial cable so i can test them out. If i connect the Node to the Arch, and output from Arch to the speakers via ethernet or wifi, will the sound quality be improved because of arch? Or will it have the same quality as if i was streaming directly from node to the speakers via optical? Can i use Arch independent to any streaming product or does it really have to be connected to a streamer (a.i turntable, cd-player, etc etc) in order to work?

Would you guys advice me to keep Arch ? Does it really help? I am not planning on getting any turntable or any other streaming products as i want my setup to be as minimalistic and simple as possible.

I am super confused as to what Arch really does, or what's Arch's purpose except for the multimedia connections.

If anyone can please enlighten me, I would really much appreciate it!!

[ogs]

Hello everyone. My current setup consists of a BlueSound Node2i and 2 Gold's (streaming from Roon to Node and from node via optical to one speaker). I only use Node when I want a deeper bass, as it allows me to adjust bass and treble. Reason for only using node for more bass and only for more bass is that sound quality is considerably lower while streaming through node, rather than streaming directly from Roon to the speakers (don't really know how it works, but i am guessing that if you stream directly from Node via optical, the integrated dac inside the phantoms gets ignored? and rely only on Node's dac? no idea).

My question is...as i didn't find any answer to really convince me. What is Arch actually doing except for the fact that it provides the possibility to connect more streaming products to the speakers? I already ordered one piece of arch, along with a QED Reference Digital Coaxial cable so i can test them out. If i connect the Node to the Arch, and output from Arch to the speakers via ethernet or wifi, will the sound quality be improved because of arch? Or will it have the same quality as if i was streaming directly from node to the speakers via optical? Can i use Arch independent to any streaming product or does it really have to be connected to a streamer (a.i turntable, cd-player, etc etc) in order to work?

Would you guys advice me to keep Arch ? Does it really help? I am not planning on getting any turntable or any other streaming products as i want my setup to be as minimalistic and simple as possible.

I am super confused as to what Arch really does, or what's Arch's purpose except for the multimedia connections.

If anyone can please enlighten me, I would really much appreciate it!!

Arch is an AD converter, but also a digital interface. The AD (line or phono input/RIAA) and digital input section is inherited from Expert amplifiers. As with Expert amplifiers the two RCA sockets can be configured as SPDIF inputs.

I believe audio is transferred to Phantoms using a variant of Devialet's AIR protocol. I base this on Devialet telling me they use UDP to transport audio from Arch. UDP is also used in AIR. And it is a lossless transfer.

AD is done at 24/96, but signals are re-sampled before going to Phantoms. I do not know which sample rate is used on the (AIR) stream that is sent to Phantoms. One can presumably input any sample rate on the SPDIF inputs (44.1 to 192kHz) and Arch will re-sample.

My guess is that a stream from Arch to Phantoms is better than the same signal via the optical input. There are a lot of variables here so it is difficult to know for certain!
One thing is certain though; the DAC in Phantom is always in use. There is no way to bypass it.

[bogdan.filipovici]

Hello everyone. My current setup consists of a BlueSound Node2i and 2 Gold's (streaming from Roon to Node and from node via optical to one speaker). I only use Node when I want a deeper bass, as it allows me to adjust bass and treble. Reason for only using node for more bass and only for more bass is that sound quality is considerably lower while streaming through node, rather than streaming directly from Roon to the speakers (don't really know how it works, but i am guessing that if you stream directly from Node via optical, the integrated dac inside the phantoms gets ignored? and rely only on Node's dac? no idea).

My question is...as i didn't find any answer to really convince me. What is Arch actually doing except for the fact that it provides the possibility to connect more streaming products to the speakers? I already ordered one piece of arch, along with a QED Reference Digital Coaxial cable so i can test them out. If i connect the Node to the Arch, and output from Arch to the speakers via ethernet or wifi, will the sound quality be improved because of arch? Or will it have the same quality as if i was streaming directly from node to the speakers via optical? Can i use Arch independent to any streaming product or does it really have to be connected to a streamer (a.i turntable, cd-player, etc etc) in order to work?

Would you guys advice me to keep Arch ? Does it really help? I am not planning on getting any turntable or any other streaming products as i want my setup to be as minimalistic and simple as possible.

I am super confused as to what Arch really does, or what's Arch's purpose except for the multimedia connections.

If anyone can please enlighten me, I would really much appreciate it!!

Arch is an AD converter, but also a digital interface. The AD (line or phono input/RIAA) and digital input section is inherited from Expert amplifiers. As with Expert amplifiers the two RCA sockets can be configured as SPDIF inputs.

I believe audio is transferred to Phantoms using a variant of Devialet's AIR protocol. I base this on Devialet telling me they use UDP to transport audio from Arch. UDP is also used in AIR. And it is a lossless transfer.

AD is done at 24/96, but signals are re-sampled before going to Phantoms. I do not know which sample rate is used on the (AIR) stream that is sent to Phantoms. One can presumably input any sample rate on the SPDIF inputs (44.1 to 192kHz) and Arch will re-sample.

My guess is that a stream from Arch to Phantoms is better than the same signal via the optical input. There are a lot of variables here so it is difficult to know for certain!
One thing is certain though; the DAC in Phantom is always in use. There is no way to bypass it.

Exactly the answer i was waiting for 😇 Thank you for clearing it out for me!

PS: If you'd be so kind, what better alternative to the Bluesound Node 2i would you use as a streamer for the Arch?

[ogs]

what better alternative to the Bluesound Node 2i would you use as a streamer for the Arch?

Difficult to say really.. I'd start using the SPDIF coax (rca) out on the 2i. You'll soon hear if that sounds better.
You are using Roon for streaming directly to Golds?

[bogdan.filipovici]

what better alternative to the Bluesound Node 2i would you use as a streamer for the Arch?

Difficult to say really.. I'd start using the SPDIF coax (rca) out on the 2i. You'll soon hear if that sounds better.
You are using Roon for streaming directly to Golds?

Mainly, 90% of the time, I stream directly from Roon(plain server running on my lapt) to the phantoms, as the stereo setup is recognized in roon since the last devialet update. But whenever i am in the mood for a lil more bass, i throw in the 2i and it goes roon-node-phantoms.

Was wondering if you can set Arch as output device in roon, but i doubt itll work since Arch probably requires a physical streamer to connect to.

[ogs]

No, Arch will only connect to Phantoms.
How about using the EQ in Roon to adjust bass? You keep the convenience, but can tailor the sound to your liking. I suggest you also read up on the MiniDSP Studio. That and Arch could possibly be a good combination and Dirac room correction will help any setup...
Of course Roon can also run room correction filters from HAF for example. Then you wouldn't need any external boxes. There is a bit of a learning curve though.

[bogdan.filipovici]

No, Arch will only connect to Phantoms.
How about using the EQ in Roon to adjust bass? You keep the convenience, but can tailor the sound to your liking. I suggest you also read up on the MiniDSP Studio. That and Arch could possibly be a good combination and Dirac room correction will help any setup...
Of course Roon can also run room correction filters from HAF for example. Then you wouldn't need any external boxes. There is a bit of a learning curve though.

Hmm, i heard about minidsp but back when i bought node, dsp was a bit out of budget. To be honest, i didn't know roon can do so many things. Will start digging into it.

Thanks man!