AIR 3 Beta for Mac

[mdconnelly]

@mdconnelly - Ok so I have been using AIR3 non stop for many hours now. The sound is wonderful. I have done some comparisons with the microRendu. To be honest, I am not hearing much if any in differences in sound between the two. I have gone back and forth between difference tracks comparing the two, even picking out things that don't sound right on AIR3 and comparing them to microRendu, where they also don't sound right. After this many hours my ears are "tired" so going to take a break for a while.

Just so you understand what I am comparing.

1. RoonServer running on Synology 1812+ NAS in a separate room connected via ethernet to cheap switch / microRendu connected via ethernet to cheap switch ( btw cheap does not mean it isn't a good gigabit switch ) / Devialet 400

microRendu powered by Uptone Audio JS-2
Music on the Synology NAS or Tidal

2. RoonServer running on 2012 Mac Mini (16GB memory, i7 quad core, SSD drive, Uptone Audio MMK kit, powered by Uptone Audio JS-2) connected via ethernet to cheap switch / microRendu connected via ethernet to cheap switch / Devialet 400

microRendu powered by Uptone Audio JS-2
Music on the Synology NAS or Tidal

3. RoonServer running on 2012 Mac Mini (16GB memory, i7 quad core, SSD drive, Uptone Audio MMK kit, powered by Uptone Audio JS-2) connected via ethernet to cheap switch / Devialet 400 connected via ethernet to cheap switch

Music on the Synology NAS or Tidal

So those are the things I have compared. Music sounds great with any of the three systems. As noted when using AIR3 I am converting DSD to PCM. I have listened to Redbook, 24/96, 24/192 and DSD64/DSD128 tracks.

I am not discerning any advantage on the part of the microRendu in my setup compared to AIR3. Other than as mentioned more configuration options and capability to send DSD64 to D400 without conversion first to PCM.

Next update tomorrow, need to go rest my ears.

Thank you for that!   There have been many times where I've tried one thing or another over the years trying to hear if it improved SQ.   Tends to drive me nuts. 

But your findings are great news for Expert owners.  For me, the uRendu has set the bar on sound quality.  It is clearly an improvement over AIR2 and even moreso over streaming to a SB Touch to the Devialet.   Now it's just a matter of getting the Win 10 version of AIR 3 (or actually, for a formal release of AIR 3 regardless of platform).