On 02/09/2020 at 6:28 PM, evil c said:

 

Even the wife is impressed with the improvement,  hasn't spotted the DAC yet , but maybe one day she might.

Safety in numbers!?

 

What a great dual improvement Clive.  Well done!  It’s not whether the wife spots the new DAC in the set-up that matters. It’s whether she spots it in the bank account  Perhaps you just brought it out of the cupboard...

 

27 minutes ago, RussB said:

What a great dual improvement Clive.  Well done!  It’s not whether the wife spots the new DAC in the set-up that matters. It’s whether she spots it in the bank account  Perhaps you just brought it out of the cupboard...

 

Thanks mate,  as you might have noticed recently- I ruthlessly raised some extra cash for the digital side!

(Hint - Harry Potter). ?

Have another addition coming early next week.

 

13 minutes ago, evil c said:

Have another addition coming early next week.

 

Sounds interesting!  You are on roll.  Will stay tuned in for the reveal.   Your not upgrading the CT5 I hope!

a nice sensible little Rega P1?

41 minutes ago, RussB said:

Sounds interesting!  You are on roll.  Will stay tuned in for the reveal.   Your not upgrading the CT5 I hope!

What and ruin the synergy with the Bryston??

It stays !,?

28 minutes ago, buddyev said:

a nice sensible little Rega P1?

Aahh the paddling pool of getting back into it !,?

Attention is on the digital side for now.

7 minutes ago, evil c said:

What and ruin the synergy with the Bryston??

It stays !,?

Aahh the paddling pool of getting back into it !,?

Attention is on the digital side for now.

very wise

A week is a long time in audio lately - at evil springs !

Just settling back to listen properly to my digital setup, after buying at Sound Gallery a Silent Angel Rhein Z1 Roon core server and QNAP NAS  - to feed via the Lumin U1 Mini and Ayon Sigma DAC. 

 

Just joined up with Roon too so big WOW!!! On how it all sounds!

After many conversations with SNA guys, ( thanks especially  @Assisi, @todagt) and talking to John Ong the Rhein Z1 Roon core server was highly recommended from a price/performance perspective .

Very compact good looking unit, and weighs a ton!

 

I liked the whole dedicated Roon core server concept but baulked at building my own!

I  was tempted by the Roon Nucleus plus, but the Rhein Z1 is meant to be every bit as good at a very competitive price. 

 

So how does it perform?

Well I thought improvements were going to be more on a subtle scale, after adding the Lumin and Ayon Sigma DAC!

Boy was I wrong !! 

 

Sound just floats out into the air from a wide range of sources, plus the whole frequency spectrum sounds on almost a different scale.

Much more precise, and layered imaging too.

Just finished transferring 1800 albums to the NAS last night, so with Tidal etc. plenty of music to enjoy !

 

Scary part of it all, is how satisfying it is to listen to - and exciting the sonic presentation is.

Scarier too, after speaking to John Ong and @Assisi is it gets better  with higher quality Ethernet cables and switch apparently!

I'm NOT going to go there for now. ?

 

 

 

3 minutes ago, evil c said:

it gets better  with higher quality Ethernet cables and switch apparently!

I'm NOT going to go there for now.

I am really pleased how well it is going , but as for  the final sentence, let's make it for a couple of weeks

Oh Evil, what have you done.  I feel you are sliding into the 0's and 1's forever

 

great to see your enjoyment levels are rising mate.  Nice one...???

Wasn't streaming supposed to be simple?

2 minutes ago, scuzzii said:

Oh Evil, what have you done.  I feel you are sliding into the 0's and 1's forever

 

great to see your enjoyment levels are rising mate.  Nice one...???

Still fundamentally an analog animal wading in the digital pool, Mate! ?

 

2 minutes ago, rantan said:

Wasn't streaming supposed to be simple?

This is totally, unbelievably , streamlined,  simplified, and precisely what I needed to achieve that !?

Theoretically,  I could run a USB cable straight from the Rhein Z1 to my Ayon Sigma DAC- but that's way too easy! 

Plus I've been advised USB is inferior to streaming to the Lumin,  although I will be trying it out!

Might need that Supra USB cable back @Darren69 ?

57 minutes ago, rantan said:

Wasn't streaming supposed to be simple?

I’m sure it is for normal people, not audiophiles.

1 hour ago, evil c said:

Scarier too, after speaking to John Ong and @Assisi is it gets better  with higher quality Ethernet cables and switch apparently

The Rhein Z1 takes a week or two to settle into its final SQ level.  Another step up is a Linear power supply.  Then there are more improvements with network upgrades.  You will find that there is potential for numerous future opportunities for enhanced listening pleasures. 

 

John

Edited September 23, 20205 yr by Assisi

58 minutes ago, jt301 said:

I’m sure it is for normal people, not audiophiles.

I'm not but he is !! I ?

                                  V  

26 minutes ago, Assisi said:

The Rhein Z1 takes a week or two to settle into its final SQ level.  Another step up is a Linear power supply.  Then there are more improvements with network upgrades.  You will find that there is potential for numerous future opportunities for enhanced listening pleasures. 

 

John

 

31 minutes ago, Assisi said:

The Rhein Z1 takes a week or two to settle into its final SQ level.  Another step up is a Linear power supply.  Then there are more improvements with network upgrades.  You will find that there is potential for numerous future opportunities for enhanced listening pleasures. 

 

John

The Keces P8 made a significant difference in SQ when teamed with my Nucleus, a very good addition and Purasound looked after me-

 

https://www.hifi-advice.com/blog/review/digital-reviews/spdif-dac-reviews/ayon-s-10-ii-part1/  

 

@evil c the best USB cable got sold last week, the Mad Scientist Black Magic.

Edited September 23, 20205 yr by Darren69

Evil, I have really enjoyed your recent upgrade journey.  And what a cracking pace you set!!! 

So thanks for keeping the whole world in the loop, I reckon I will attempt some of the things you have done, but on a timescale of years rather than days,  you have dropped some serious cash lately and I hope your domestic bliss has not been compromised as a result ?

2 hours ago, evil c said:

A week is a long time in audio lately - at evil springs !

Just settling back to listen properly to my digital setup, after buying at Sound Gallery a Silent Angel Rhein Z1 Roon core server and QNAP NAS  - to feed via the Lumin U1 Mini and Ayon Sigma DAC. 

 

Just joined up with Roon too so big WOW!!! On how it all sounds!

After many conversations with SNA guys, ( thanks especially  @Assisi, @todagt) and talking to John Ong the Rhein Z1 Roon core server was highly recommended from a price/performance perspective .

Very compact good looking unit, and weighs a ton!

 

I liked the whole dedicated Roon core server concept but baulked at building my own!

I  was tempted by the Roon Nucleus plus, but the Rhein Z1 is meant to be every bit as good at a very competitive price. 

 

So how does it perform?

Well I thought improvements were going to be more on a subtle scale, after adding the Lumin and Ayon Sigma DAC!

Boy was I wrong !! 

 

Sound just floats out into the air from a wide range of sources, plus the whole frequency spectrum sounds on almost a different scale.

Much more precise, and layered imaging too.

Just finished transferring 1800 albums to the NAS last night, so with Tidal etc. plenty of music to enjoy !

 

Scary part of it all, is how satisfying it is to listen to - and exciting the sonic presentation is.

Scarier too, after speaking to John Ong and @Assisi is it gets better  with higher quality Ethernet cables and switch apparently!

I'm NOT going to go there for now. ?

 

 

 

I have the Nucleus Plus. At the end of the day it is black box that sits there. This Z1 has a blue light - winner in my book. Congrats on your journey @evil c.

28 minutes ago, Darren69 said:

The Keces P8 made a significant difference in SQ when teamed with my Nucleus, a very good addition

@Darren69,

 

 There are so many LPS available.  This is my first experience with a LPS.  My choice was the Weiss PSU 101 based upon the excellent performance of other Weiss components that I have.  Impressive outcome for me.  I assume that you had a similar experience with your choice.

John

42 minutes ago, tripitaka said:

Evil, I have really enjoyed your recent upgrade journey.  And what a cracking pace you set!!! 

So thanks for keeping the whole world in the loop, I reckon I will attempt some of the things you have done, but on a timescale of years rather than days,  you have dropped some serious cash lately and I hope your domestic bliss has not been compromised as a result ?

You're right, things have been oddly sped up in a slow motion environment of sameness!

A chance as it were,  with plenty of self reflection time -  to plot a clear path that would normally take much longer!

Harmony remains, helps offloading excess stock and spending 90% of income ! ?

26 minutes ago, rodders3 said:

I have the Nucleus Plus. At the end of the day it is black box that sits there. This Z1 has a blue light - winner in my book. Congrats on your journey @evil c.

True, great devices that do considerably more than a plain black box appears to do!?

All this digital nonsense has pricked up this ear so am keen to see where this all lands post lockdown.

16 minutes ago, Tubularbells said:

All this digital nonsense has pricked up this ear so am keen to see where this all lands post lockdown.

Way it's going Mr Bells, I will be setting it all up in the new outside patio to fast track human contact! ?

Would this be useful for Roon with Tidal only, ie without any hi res files of my own?

35 minutes ago, Cardiiiii said:

Would this be useful for Roon with Tidal only, ie without any hi res files of my own?

Certainly would be, I made sure to sign up for Tidal hi -fi.

Unofficially happy to share some with you Cardiii.

Also loaded up a few Radio Paradise versions and started up a playlist of favorite tracks

You can point anything at it, Now I know why Roon is so popular and wonder why I resisted so long! ?

Congratulations on your digital setup. Sounds like the effort you have put in has been worth it.

 

I have toyed with the idea of trying digital, but every time I look into it, it gives me the "heebee geebeez" - it's so confusing with all it's terminology, various digital connections etc

 

One day though...................................

33 minutes ago, patjoy said:

Congratulations on your digital setup. Sounds like the effort you have put in has been worth it.

 

I have toyed with the idea of trying digital, but every time I look into it, it gives me the "heebee geebeez" - it's so confusing with all it's terminology, various digital connections etc

 

One day though...................................

I'm in the "average" camp all things digital so wouldn't feel too daunted!

User interfaces have been improved, plus Roon is very easy - as  you get more familiarised you can immerse yourself  in the more sophisticated features. 

Or you can get Streamer/ DACs etc. for simpler solution. 

Heaps of very helpful people on here to help you setup, or advise down the track.?

Edited September 23, 20205 yr by evil c