Devialet Chat

Is the choice of output really that critical.?

(19-Nov-2015, 15:38)jfp Wrote: [ -> ]is the Melco the issue since USB is not recommended by Devialet ?

Where did you read/hear that? I keep reading Devialet themselves use USB at shows, at least the recent ones.

(19-Nov-2015, 21:43)Womaz Wrote: [ -> ]Is the choice of output really that critical.?

No.  I think a while back Devialet were reported to say that the AES/EBU input is "qualitatively best", but these things are very marginal.  If you consider that the Melco N1Z is in the option of some the very best source for a Devialet, and this uses USB, then there is not too much to be of concern regarding the USB input.  Indeed, when you consider that our very own Guillaume has posted that the N1Z (USB) is maybe a fraction better than his own Totaldac D1 (AES/EBU), then there can't possibly be anything lacking in the USB input.

Just made some tests with FDA amps. To compare the FDA and the D400 I had to use the toslink for FDA on a speaker and the USB Devialet on the 2nd one.
Confirm that D400 is still better than FDA amp

But on this occasion for the 1st time I made some tests with USB from a macbook pro to read some files from the NAS through itunes and with Air Ethernet.
To my ears Air ethernet is much better than USB.
Of course if you use a drive like Melco, Moon, Auralic or Lumin the result is good (I listened to the Melco recently). But not from a PC/MAC drive

Nothing new there. AiR ethernet is better than USB using plain, 'unoptimized' off the shelf computer hardware. One can "easily" surpass AIR though using USB.

It might be a world unknown to many but there's many effective hard- and software products available to optimize both PC's or Mac's (more options for the PC platform) with which one can match and surpass the results of an off the shelf commercial solution like Aurender. Don't forget that these devices are also computers, there's no magic inside them, they're often slimmed down regular hardware coming from the same system architecture as PC's although nowadays you see many manufacturers are designing their own motherboards and of course power supplies. They're still following the same system architecture design though.

(22-Nov-2015, 15:02)Antoine Wrote: [ -> ]Nothing new there. AiR ethernet is better than USB using plain, 'unoptimized' off the shelf computer hardware. One can "easily" surpass AIR though using USB.

It might be a world unknown to many but there's many effective hard- and software products available to optimize both PC's or Mac's (more options for the PC platform) with which one can match and surpass the results of an off the shelf commercial solution like Aurender. Don't forget that these devices are also computers, there's no magic inside them, they're often slimmed down regular hardware coming from the same system architecture as PC's although nowadays you see many manufacturers are designing their own motherboards and of course power supplies. They're still following the same system architecture design though.

+1

yes Daphile, Volumio etc.. we know.

Any recent updates from Melco owners, and how they're finding them?

I'd kind of ruled them out myself - I hate to admit it primarily based on looks (sorry), the lack of proprietary control app, and some IMO dubious marketing hype - but I'm keener now I've 'heard rumours' Roon will be supported…

Would love to know if owners are still happy with the SQ and functionality? Any more comparisons to Aurender models? (Only because that's all I've demo'd recently)

(25-Jun-2015, 12:32)Bob Ryan Wrote: [ -> ]

(25-Jun-2015, 09:26)Rufus McDufus Wrote: [ -> ]I'd really like to try the Melco separated from my home network just using a wifi access point plugged into the LAN socket of the Melco.

It's how I use mine.

I've owned Lumin, demo'd two Aurenders as well as Bryston's USB player. The N1A tied with Bryston for easiest to setup and operate. N1A has sound quality as good as or better than all but N1Z mentioned here (as connected w/o internet on network and variable upon DAC used). For me downside of X100/N100H was no mirrored drives, didn't appreciate (otherwise excellent app) brown background or inability to move app in both vertical and horizontal on my tablet. All these products are good, but Melco component stands out for best user experience/sound quality at/near price. Would I rather have the N1Z? You bet. If it came with twin 2TB SSD's for $2K lower price.

Bob Ryan, are you using the N1A as a NAS or as a streamer?

On another note, when you compared the Aurender N100H vs the N1A, what were the key differences, SQ wise, between the two?

Finally, which Lumin did you use to own and what did you replace it with?

Many thanks.

End of the year and still no dedicated app from Melco.....this is a shame as I think this works really well with the Devialet, but a lack of control app must put people off. Hoping it arrives in early 2016