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(08-May-2015, 10:35)GuillaumeB Wrote: Some good news... just heard from Vincent and there is an upgrade available for my d1 server. This involves replacing the cubox with the new cubox-i4 quad core which enables the use of the latest RT linux kernel.
According to Vincent "it gives more robustness and an even better sound!"
Will send my unit back after Munich. 
Guillaume
So Guillaume, you will finally be at our level  (on Cubox I mean).
They have a new model (4 core, 4 GB ram) and I am thinking of upgrading
I certainly owe Vincent a lot for giving me the idea of working on Cubox. What I have cannot be at the level of Totaldac Server, with the wonderful reclocker, but, alas, for a mere 150 USD investment, the capability of these devices are mindblowing.
The only "major" thing you are not using regarding the cubox is the esata connection direct to an SSD (preferably with PPA's black SATA cable). Sounds so much better compared to NAS playback. Maybe you should ask Vincent to enable that for you and just plug an SSD to see the difference.
Cheers
Kii Three, dCS Network Bridge, Roon Nucleus, Kuzma (Stabi S, 4Point), Soundsmith StrainGauge, Stromtank, Echole Cables
Istanbul, Turkey
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My d1 server has just returned from France where it went for the upgrade. The best thing of all? The upgrade was free and I only had to pay shipping in one direction! Top service from Vincent.
Running it in for a few hours and will post impressions soon after... very exciting!
Guillaume
Industry disclosure: UK distributor for Shunyata Research
220 PRO, totaldac d1 server with additional external power supply, totaldac d1-seven, Echole PSU for Totaldac, Wilson Audio Sasha 2, Shunyata Research cables, Shunyata Hydra Alpha A10 + DPC-6 v3, Various Entreq ground boxes and cables, Entreq Athena level 3 rack, 2 X SOtM sNH-10G with sCLK-EX + 10MHz Master Clock input + sPS-500 PSU, i5 sonicTransporter w/ 1TB SSD
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Well this is extraordinary! And just an hour or so in...
I shan't bother with all the usual (boring) hifi superlatives except to say that I wasn't expecting such a big improvement. My system sounds bloody marvellous!
Guillaume
Industry disclosure: UK distributor for Shunyata Research
220 PRO, totaldac d1 server with additional external power supply, totaldac d1-seven, Echole PSU for Totaldac, Wilson Audio Sasha 2, Shunyata Research cables, Shunyata Hydra Alpha A10 + DPC-6 v3, Various Entreq ground boxes and cables, Entreq Athena level 3 rack, 2 X SOtM sNH-10G with sCLK-EX + 10MHz Master Clock input + sPS-500 PSU, i5 sonicTransporter w/ 1TB SSD
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(06-Aug-2015, 13:21)GuillaumeB Wrote: Well this is extraordinary! And just an hour or so in...
I shan't bother with all the usual (boring) hifi superlatives except to say that I wasn't expecting such a big improvement. My system sounds bloody marvellous!
Guillaume
OK just been in touch with Vincent to register my gratitude. Turns out that there were 3 elements to this upgrade: new software, new Cubox and a "small" change in the AES/EBU output.
Guillaume
Industry disclosure: UK distributor for Shunyata Research
220 PRO, totaldac d1 server with additional external power supply, totaldac d1-seven, Echole PSU for Totaldac, Wilson Audio Sasha 2, Shunyata Research cables, Shunyata Hydra Alpha A10 + DPC-6 v3, Various Entreq ground boxes and cables, Entreq Athena level 3 rack, 2 X SOtM sNH-10G with sCLK-EX + 10MHz Master Clock input + sPS-500 PSU, i5 sonicTransporter w/ 1TB SSD
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(06-Aug-2015, 13:28)GuillaumeB Wrote: (06-Aug-2015, 13:21)GuillaumeB Wrote: Well this is extraordinary! And just an hour or so in...
I shan't bother with all the usual (boring) hifi superlatives except to say that I wasn't expecting such a big improvement. My system sounds bloody marvellous!
Guillaume
OK just been in touch with Vincent to register my gratitude. Turns out that there were 3 elements to this upgrade: new software, new Cubox and a "small" change in the AES/EBU output.
Guillaume
So does it now take the SQ crown back from the Melco N1Z?
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06-Aug-2015, 16:53
(This post was last modified: 06-Aug-2015, 16:53 by GuillaumeB.)
(06-Aug-2015, 16:35)Confused Wrote: So does it now take the SQ crown back from the Melco N1Z?
I was actually just deliberating on this very thing! In fact I played a track that I almost associate with the Melco N1Z, Gregory Porter's Liquid Spirit... with the N1Z I got this incredible sense of scale and depth of tonal detail (does that mean anything?!), something I hadn't heard before. It was a regal sound with incredible authority. It's difficult to explain... it just sounded so "right".
Playing it through the d1 server it's now equally impressive, you can hear some reverb (or is it a fraction of an echo?) around his voice or rather the space he's singing into. Amazing tonal texture. It's very, very good. Earlier I was playing some Benny Goodman, a recording from 1964. The Xylophone almost startled me with its realism.
So I think these two streamers are now neck to neck. Of course I'd need to play them back to back to be a bit more objective here.
What amazes me in all this is how the Devialet just keeps on delivering, truly remarkable! I mean it's the same DAC, ADH core etc.
I'm obviously very used to the sound of the Devialet when streaming from the d1 server... but this is something new. As you can imagine I'm chuffed to bits. I mean it's cost me a hundred quid or so for the Fedex?
Guillaume
Industry disclosure: UK distributor for Shunyata Research
220 PRO, totaldac d1 server with additional external power supply, totaldac d1-seven, Echole PSU for Totaldac, Wilson Audio Sasha 2, Shunyata Research cables, Shunyata Hydra Alpha A10 + DPC-6 v3, Various Entreq ground boxes and cables, Entreq Athena level 3 rack, 2 X SOtM sNH-10G with sCLK-EX + 10MHz Master Clock input + sPS-500 PSU, i5 sonicTransporter w/ 1TB SSD
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Impressive. It's also worth noting that at current exchange rates it's now about £3.5k new, which actually looks very competitive in the current market.
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Anyone tried the TotalDAC D1-Monobloc (3 pcs) ? It is supposed to be even much better than the D1-Dual !!
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For totaldac owners, there was a snippet on the Roon forum saying they plan to support Roon as endpoints (ie totaldac being RoonReady) unless it's technically impossible for any reason.
As for everyone, the Roon SDKs very new and only recently released, but there are already lots of hints from the manufacturers you'd hope/want to be on board, that indeed they are testing.
>>> 1st Place Award: Devialet, last decades most disappointing technology purchase. <<<
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Well, the manufacturers you'd hope/want except Devialet!
Having said that, if Air was working for everybody they wouldn't need to.
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Roon/RAAT - Dev 250 Pro - AQ Castle Rock - SF Olympica ii
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