11-Aug-2019, 10:02
I have tried both methods. I've got a Nucleus+ and I can make the direct connection in one of 2 ways:
1- use the ethernet port on the Nucleus+ for the network connection and use a USB to ethernet adapter for a direct ethernet connection from the USB port on the Nucleus+ to the ethernet port on the Devialet; or
2- use the ethernet port on the Nucleus+ for the direct connection to the Devialet and use a USB to ethernet adapter for a direct ethernet connection from the USB port on the Nucleus+ for the network connection to the Nucleus+.
You can use the same approach for a NUC. You need to use manual IP addresses for both the Devialet and the port on the NUC that you connect the Devialet to. This connection method isolates the Devialet/NUC connection from network traffic. Full instructions can be found in a post from Danny Dulai of Roon in this thread:
https://community.roonlabs.com/t/bridged...us/71055/9
Danny's instructions are the second last post in the thread.
Now to your questions:
I think there is a small benefit in sound quality with the direct connection due to a slightly lower noise floor. I think the second of my 2 methods above is slightly better in sound quality than the first because you don't have the USB to ethernet adapter in the signal path to the Devialet. The problem with the second method is that you have to change the IP address of the ethernet port which was formerly your network connection and that gets a bit tricky because if you change the cable connections first, the second ethernet connection isn't set up for the network connection and the first ethernet connection, now connected to the Devialet, is not connected to the network so you end up without a network connection and then can't configure the addresses for the NUC. You need to change the IP addresses before changing the cable connections. I'm currently running with the first of my 2 methods above which is the one Danny Dulai describes. It's a lot easier to work with when it comes to network connections because the single ethernet port on my Nucleus+ remains the network connection for the Nucleus+ and all I have to do to swap between a normal networked connection and the direct connection is to change the config file for the Devialet and change the cable connections back to my ethernet switch.
The reason I'm using the first method above, even though I think the second method gives slightly better sound quality, is because I had been using the second method and wanted to change my config file slightly for the Devialet and ran into a problem because the SD card reader in the Devialet stopped working. I ended up having to revert to factory config and having to reconfigure the IP addresses for the 2 ethernet connections to the Nucleus+ which was a bit of a nuisance. I had to send the Devialet back to France for repair and got it back a few weeks ago. Initially I set it up with a normal network connection but I have just gone back to the direct connection using the first method today, simply because it's a lot simpler dealing with problems when the first method is used.
There is another issue, the problem we currently have with gigabit ethernet connections to the Deviaelet if you're using Roon RAAT as i am. If you use the first method I outlined above, you've got a gigabit connection to the Devialet. If you use the second method you will have a gigabit connection if you use a USB3 to ethernet adapter and you will have a 100 connection if you use a USB2 to ethernet adapter. Using the USB2 to ethernet adapter for the ethernet connection to the Devialet should avoid the current problem. I have managed to trigger the problem with a USB3 to ethernet adapter, and also with the direct connection made to the Devialet from the ethernet port of my Nucleus+ but it did not occur immediately and it can take some time to show up. YMMV but this shouldn't be a problem for you since you said you're using Roon AIR.
Is it worth swapping to the direct connection method? As I said, I think there is a small improvement in sound quality. I've been extremely happy with the sound quality I get using the network connection and I went back to the direct connection method today to check my impressions. I still think there's a small improvement and it's nice to have but it isn't a problem living without it. It can be a little tricky setting up the direct connection, especially if you use the second method where you're connecting the Devialet directly to the single ethernet port of a Nucleus rather than to one of the USB ports via an adapter and I do wonder whether that connection is worth the extra work involved and the problems I had when I had to revert to a network connection with the Devialet when its SD card reader failed so I would recommend the first connection method over the second if you want to try the direct connection, purely because it's easier to revert to a network connection if you have to.
Don't expect a big gain in sound quality. The change is subtle, just like the gain you get with any small reduction in noise level.
1- use the ethernet port on the Nucleus+ for the network connection and use a USB to ethernet adapter for a direct ethernet connection from the USB port on the Nucleus+ to the ethernet port on the Devialet; or
2- use the ethernet port on the Nucleus+ for the direct connection to the Devialet and use a USB to ethernet adapter for a direct ethernet connection from the USB port on the Nucleus+ for the network connection to the Nucleus+.
You can use the same approach for a NUC. You need to use manual IP addresses for both the Devialet and the port on the NUC that you connect the Devialet to. This connection method isolates the Devialet/NUC connection from network traffic. Full instructions can be found in a post from Danny Dulai of Roon in this thread:
https://community.roonlabs.com/t/bridged...us/71055/9
Danny's instructions are the second last post in the thread.
Now to your questions:
I think there is a small benefit in sound quality with the direct connection due to a slightly lower noise floor. I think the second of my 2 methods above is slightly better in sound quality than the first because you don't have the USB to ethernet adapter in the signal path to the Devialet. The problem with the second method is that you have to change the IP address of the ethernet port which was formerly your network connection and that gets a bit tricky because if you change the cable connections first, the second ethernet connection isn't set up for the network connection and the first ethernet connection, now connected to the Devialet, is not connected to the network so you end up without a network connection and then can't configure the addresses for the NUC. You need to change the IP addresses before changing the cable connections. I'm currently running with the first of my 2 methods above which is the one Danny Dulai describes. It's a lot easier to work with when it comes to network connections because the single ethernet port on my Nucleus+ remains the network connection for the Nucleus+ and all I have to do to swap between a normal networked connection and the direct connection is to change the config file for the Devialet and change the cable connections back to my ethernet switch.
The reason I'm using the first method above, even though I think the second method gives slightly better sound quality, is because I had been using the second method and wanted to change my config file slightly for the Devialet and ran into a problem because the SD card reader in the Devialet stopped working. I ended up having to revert to factory config and having to reconfigure the IP addresses for the 2 ethernet connections to the Nucleus+ which was a bit of a nuisance. I had to send the Devialet back to France for repair and got it back a few weeks ago. Initially I set it up with a normal network connection but I have just gone back to the direct connection using the first method today, simply because it's a lot simpler dealing with problems when the first method is used.
There is another issue, the problem we currently have with gigabit ethernet connections to the Deviaelet if you're using Roon RAAT as i am. If you use the first method I outlined above, you've got a gigabit connection to the Devialet. If you use the second method you will have a gigabit connection if you use a USB3 to ethernet adapter and you will have a 100 connection if you use a USB2 to ethernet adapter. Using the USB2 to ethernet adapter for the ethernet connection to the Devialet should avoid the current problem. I have managed to trigger the problem with a USB3 to ethernet adapter, and also with the direct connection made to the Devialet from the ethernet port of my Nucleus+ but it did not occur immediately and it can take some time to show up. YMMV but this shouldn't be a problem for you since you said you're using Roon AIR.
Is it worth swapping to the direct connection method? As I said, I think there is a small improvement in sound quality. I've been extremely happy with the sound quality I get using the network connection and I went back to the direct connection method today to check my impressions. I still think there's a small improvement and it's nice to have but it isn't a problem living without it. It can be a little tricky setting up the direct connection, especially if you use the second method where you're connecting the Devialet directly to the single ethernet port of a Nucleus rather than to one of the USB ports via an adapter and I do wonder whether that connection is worth the extra work involved and the problems I had when I had to revert to a network connection with the Devialet when its SD card reader failed so I would recommend the first connection method over the second if you want to try the direct connection, purely because it's easier to revert to a network connection if you have to.
Don't expect a big gain in sound quality. The change is subtle, just like the gain you get with any small reduction in noise level.
Roon Nucleus+, Devilalet Expert 140 Pro CI, Focal Sopra 2, PS Audio P12, Keces P8 LPS, Uptone Audio EtherREGEN with optical fibre link to my router, Shunyata Alpha NR and Sigma NR power cables, Shunyata Sigma ethernet cables, Shunyata Alpha V2 speaker cables, Grand Prix Audio Monaco rack, RealTRAPS acoustic treatment.
Brisbane, Qld, Australia
