Standalone music server vs Mac mini

[roestano]

Roon and Tidal are working fine now via AIR (EtH) in a Dev 200. My only digital source is a Mac mini 2012/16GB RAM/ SSD - AIR (eth) direct in. My speakers: Raidho X1.

My concern is that the Mini is not optimized for audio so I wonder what upgrade path to take.

Either I tweak the Mini with software and new LPS. But I wonder if that's worth it as I'm not using the USB input on the DEV. USB is known for its electric interference. But is not Ethernet a lot cleaner?? a proper Paul Hynes SR5 would cost about €700,-?

The other route is going for a standalone server like Innuos or Sonictransporter i5. (€700-€900)
If so, what switch is recommended? they also tend to perform better with a better PSU!?

Or just go for a cheap NUC? (€100-200)

Requirements: able to handle Roon core.

My goal is to improve SQ on a budget, but improvement should be significant as in better transparency/separation.
What would your advice be??

[audio_engr]

Roon and Tidal are working fine now via AIR (EtH) in a Dev 200. My only digital source is a Mac mini 2012/16GB RAM/ SSD - AIR (eth) direct in. My speakers: Raidho X1.

My concern is that the Mini is not optimized for audio so I wonder what upgrade path to take.

Either I tweak the Mini with software and new LPS. But I wonder if that's worth it as I'm not using the USB input on the DEV. USB is known for its electric interference. But is not Ethernet a lot cleaner?? a proper Paul Hynes SR5 would cost about €700,-?

The other route is going for a standalone server like Innuos or Sonictransporter i5. (€700-€900)
If so, what switch is recommended? they also tend to perform better with a better PSU!?

Or just go for a cheap NUC? (€100-200)

Requirements: able to handle Roon core.

My goal is to improve SQ on a budget, but improvement should be significant as in better transparency/separation.
What would your advice be??

Hi roestano,

I too am in a situation like you with my Macbook Air + External Thunderbolt hard drive running Roon Core as the source and stream using Roon AIR. 

I am totally convinced that unless you break out from the integrated Roon Core to Roon Server OR RAAT / Roon Renderer / Roon Control, you cannot step-up the performance hence SQ. I clearly see 2 routes in this Step-up approach :

1. Innuos Zenith MKII Standard or SE and going direct to Devialet

2. Dedicated unit running Roon Server with LPSU, Dedicated unit running Roon Renderer, do controls in iPad / iPhone etc and feed to Devialet. 

Since I live in a region where its difficult for me to take advantage of Devialet upgrades, I have decided to head :
sonicTransporter i5 with 2TB SSD running Roon Server, I am building my own DIY LPSU for sT i5, dCS network bridge as Roon Renderer and feed Devialet thru AES/EBU. I'll use iPad/iPhone for controls. [In time, I will add Mutec Ref10 XCXO Clock] to scale up further SQ.

[boba2013]

Hi

Not sure if this is helpful but I have a Uptone Audio JS-2 Linear Power Supply along with the Mac Mini DC Conversion with Fan controller kit. I never ended up using, (so all brand new), as I went a different route.

Would let go for $800 US, can ship globally.

Can send pictures if helpful.

Cheers

Bob

[roestano]

Or just go for a cheap NUC? (€100-200)

Requirements: able to handle Roon core.

My goal is to improve SQ on a budget, but improvement should

Hi roestano,

I too am in a situation like you with my Macbook Air + External Thunderbolt hard drive running Roon Core as the source and stream using Roon AIR. 

I am totally convinced that unless you break out from the integrated Roon Core to Roon Server OR RAAT / Roon Renderer / Roon Control, you cannot step-up the performance hence SQ. I clearly see 2 routes in this Step-up approach :

1. Innuos Zenith MKII Standard or SE and going direct to Devialet

2. Dedicated unit running Roon Server with LPSU, Dedicated unit running Roon Renderer, do controls in iPad / iPhone etc and feed to Devialet. 

Since I live in a region where its difficult for me to take advantage of Devialet upgrades, I have decided to head :
sonicTransporter i5 with 2TB SSD running Roon Server, I am building my own DIY LPSU for sT i5, dCS network bridge as Roon Renderer and feed Devialet thru AES/EBU. I'll use iPad/iPhone for controls. [In time, I will add Mutec Ref10 XCXO Clock] to scale up further SQ.

Thanks for those ideas. Is that you Steve N.? I’m also considering an Innuos but wonder if that would improve SQ significantly. I’ve got a response on the topic on another forum that a modded mac did not make much of a difference via Ethernet probably because its less sensitive of power. Furthermore I believe the Dev’s have isolated Ethernet connections right?
However, I’ve noticed Roon downsampling to 24bits as Eth is capped. USB has more room for bits. So would the only way be a USB upgrade path?? I am leaving out AES because that would make things more expensive.

[Jim_Anderson]

Hi roestano

Can you help me understand what you mean by "However, I’ve noticed Roon downsampling to 24bits as Eth is capped. USB has more room for bits." please.  I've not heard of this suggestion Eth (which I'm assuming is ethernet) is capped (which I might be misinterpreting to mean limited).

Thank you
jim

[roestano]

Hi roestano

Can you help me understand what you mean by "However, I’ve noticed Roon downsampling to 24bits as Eth is capped. USB has more room for bits." please.  I've not heard of this suggestion Eth (which I'm assuming is ethernet) is capped (which I might be misinterpreting to mean limited).

Thank you
jim

Your assumptions are all correct Jim. Ethernet is limited compared to USB bitrate. And I assume Roon automatically corrects by downsampling. I am going to experiment and connect the USB port for the first time. Hope this helps.

[Hifi_swlon]

Your assumptions are all correct Jim. Ethernet is limited compared to USB bitrate. And I assume Roon automatically corrects by downsampling. I am going to experiment and connect the USB port for the first time. Hope this helps.

From the online help:

“How to play High-Resolution music on a Devialet
Devialet products offer full High Resolution playback (24bits/192kHz) capabilities on all digital inputs but the optical ones (which will stream in 24bits/96kHz).”

https://help.devialet.com/hc/en-us/artic...a-Devialet

[roestano]

Your assumptions are all correct Jim. Ethernet is limited compared to USB bitrate. And I assume Roon automatically corrects by downsampling. I am going to experiment and connect the USB port for the first time. Hope this helps.

From the online help:

“How to play High-Resolution music on a Devialet
Devialet products offer full High Resolution playback (24bits/192kHz) capabilities on all digital inputs but the optical ones (which will stream in 24bits/96kHz).”

https://help.devialet.com/hc/en-us/artic...a-Devialet

Thanks!! I guess all the others adding Mutec reclockers and dedicated streamers are wasting money??

[Spindrift]

As an AES user - I would observe that some folks do notice a difference on SQ between the USB and the AES inputs hence all the effort that goes into a reclocked signal. 

From my standpoint I have found that the Devialet Ethernet through Roon (upsampled to 24/192 through Roon) direct, sounds great but I found the AES input reclocked via a mutec usb and reference 10 clock upsampled through HQ player to 24/192 to give more space around instruments and high frequency detail (sound of the hall etc). 

But it is a lot additional components for a moderate increase in SQ - doing it all over again - I might have never moved away from using the Ethernet input if I hadn’t already committed to an AES signal chain . . .

[roestano]

@Spindrift Appreciate this! It’s exactly what I’m afraid of: spending money on marginal gains and more hardware to worry about ?
Did you notice differences between ETH sources?