Core Infinity listening impressions and comparisons

[GuillaumeB]

Hi guys just spent the afternoon with Rufus comparing Roon/AIR to my Totaldac d1 server.

Could you clarify how the Totaldac was feeding the Devialet please?

Digital or analog out from the Totaldac?



Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

The Totaldac d1 server feeds the Devialet via AES/EBU. It has no analogue outputs.

Guillaume

[Vivialet]

Hi Guillaume,
if you prefer your TotalDac about AIR with the CI board I think that I will also like my Mutec setup more. Do you still think the CI board gives a benefit ?
If yes then the question is: is it the CI board and maybe a better clocking or the update of your Od'A to the newer 1000pro platform...
What do you think ?

Bernd

[GuillaumeB]

Hi Guillaume,
if you prefer your TotalDac about AIR with the CI board I think that I will also like my Mutec setup more. Do you still think the CI board gives a benefit ?
If yes then the question is: is it the CI board and maybe a better clocking or the update of your Od'A to the newer 1000pro platform...
What do you think ?

Bernd

Hi Bernd I think it's almost impossible for me to answer this question since I didn't have the 1000 PRO before.

Also I just don't know enough about the CI board. My guess is that there are incremental improvements (for e.g. new clock in CI board, improved power supply in upgraded Od'A etc etc.) which all add up in a positive way. 

Guillaume

[Inox]

Hi Guillaume,

I would have liked to get your impressions with Air Wifi instead of Ethernet to compare with the Totaldac. To me with Air, the advantage is definitely on the Wifi side.
Regards,
I.

[AlexS]

I'd encourage everyone who's done the upgrade to participate in the following poll:
https://devialetchat.com/showthread.php?tid=4782

[Confused]

Probably to be expected, this thread has drifted off topic a little, but I would like to give an honorable mention to @Kwan for posting this in the MC3+USB thread:

I just got the CI upgrade yesterday, and have a brief comparison of

- RoonAir through Ethernet to Devialet; vs
- my existing sotm sms-200 -> mutec with Cybershaft clock -> AES of Devialet

Unfortunately I've to tell the latter is still better in SQ, and the CI upgrade improve the SQ of AES input as well.


Now back to my own adventures.  To be honest, I do feel that trying to gauge the difference in an audio product when it has been out of your system for two or three weeks is a very difficult task, but nevertheless, I have decided to have a go.  Tomorrow my 1000Pro will be on it's way back to France for CI Board installation, so today is my last day with a non-CI Pro.

I made up a familiar playlist and ran through this with Roon / HQPlayer/ mR/Mutec / AES/EBU then with 'Roon AIR'.  I am aware of the problems with aural memory and so on, so I made notes as I went through, anything particularly good or bad was noted, I actually surprised myself at how critical looking the notes were!  When my CI Board equipped Pro returns, I will repeat the exercise.  The idea being that I will have the notes to refer to, as well as the comparison between mR/Mutec and Roon AIR.  Let's see how it goes.

I have performed Roon AIR versus mR/Mutec comparisons in the past, but today's test was still very interesting.  Recently I have been trying the poly-sinc-xtr filter in HQPlayer, which in casual listening I have been enjoying very much. My past comparisons have put the mR/Mutec in front, but with Roon AIR surprisingly close, so would this be the same result running poly-sinc-xtr?  The answer is yes and no.  Initially, I thought that Roon AIR did sound very similar to the mR/Mutec, at a level that would be very difficult, or even impossible, to do blind, however, as I ran through the various tracks it started to become surprisingly clear that the mR/Mutec combination was better.  Nominally AIR sounds the same, but it is with things relating to atmosphere, sustain, little details, the realism of vocals, sound staging, this kind of stuff.  Many times I noted things that were particularly special with the mR/Mutec, which AIR, although nominally sounding excellent, did not quite achieve relative to the Mutec.

This evening I will be packing my little Devialet's back into their boxes for the trip to France, something I genuinely feel very sad about.   To be continued.......

[Axel]

I’ve been conducting an experiment this morning, comparing SQ when playing 24/192 files via Roon Air Ethernet direct from the NAS, then playing the same file at the same volume via USB>Mutec>AES/EBU.
And the result? Too close to call. In a blind test there would be no way I could distinguish between the two.
 If I had the Ref 10 clock, I think things would be different, but as there’s no way I’m going to stump up over three grand, things will stay as they are.
I think it speaks volumes in favour of the CI board though, which is pertinent to this thread.
 Which reminds me that I must compare CD in the Oppo via coax or analogue against the Mutec, and also my Sonos Connect via optical toslink versus the Mutec. If the results are the same, the Mutec will be going, which will mean one less box and some cash in my pocket, plus I can’t stand frigging about with the Mutec, switching inputs with a button that you can’t see.  Watch this space.....

[patcam]

I’ve been conducting an experiment this morning, comparing SQ when playing 24/192 files via Roon Air Ethernet direct from the NAS, then playing the same file at the same volume via USB>Mutec>AES/EBU.

Hi Axel
Air Ethernet direct from the NAS, is it without router or ethernet switch ? Can you describe your configuration
Thanks

[Axel]

I’ve been conducting an experiment this morning, comparing SQ when playing 24/192 files via Roon Air Ethernet direct from the NAS, then playing the same file at the same volume via USB>Mutec>AES/EBU.

Hi Axel
Air Ethernet direct from the NAS, is it without router or ethernet switch ? Can you describe your configuration
Thanks

QNAP NAS>switch>Etalon Ethernet Isolator>Devialet.

[midi]

I’ve been conducting an experiment this morning, comparing SQ when playing 24/192 files via Roon Air Ethernet direct from the NAS, then playing the same file at the same volume via USB>Mutec>AES/EBU.
And the result? Too close to call. In a blind test there would be no way I could distinguish between the two.
 

A few days ago, I indicated in the forum that I have doubts about whether one would really hear differences with and without the Mutec in a blind test. I was immediately approached by Mutec fans. That's why your determination is brave