AIR 3 Beta for Mac

[baddog]

@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).

Ok, I am back and have put my actions to align with my words ( walk the talk). I have sold the microRendu. I am throwing in my fortune with AIR3. And that is not because I could not afford the microRendu, not because I did not enjoy the sound quality it added, nor because I did not enjoy that I could send DSD64 to my D400 via Roon something I cannot do with AIR3.

I sold it because I find the sound quality from AIR3 to be comparable, because I too hate doing all these A/B tests, and to my ears they were close enough that I am happy to simplify my rig. I could happily live with either. I believe the DSD64 issue will be be redressed over time, for now I am fine with Roon converted my DSD to PCM. I suspect we might see some nice things from Roon and Devialet. 

So that is where I ended up. Funny how this works. I tried AIR for so long and gave up. I waited for the microRendu for a long time too. And then within a window of 10 days, the whole world changes and both become available. Well there are worse things in life. First world problems as they say.

So take this as my endorsement of AIR3. Good job Devialet.

Truth in advertising, probably once every three hours I may get a <1 second drop out during playback.

Cheers!

So this means I am now running the following:

Synology NAS with all my music
Mac Mini running RoonServer and AIR3
D400

All connected via ethernet, and every one of those items in a different room in my house!