Melco - a second opinion

http://www.qobuz.com/DE-de/inf...nder-X100L-Ein177969

I do not know if this is against the forum rules but if you scroll down you'll see the picture.

T38.45 posted:

http://www.qobuz.com/DE-de/inf...nder-X100L-Ein177969

I do not know if this is against the forum rules but if you scroll down you'll see the picture.

When I try to follow your link I get an error message from Qobuz.  It looks like a German url and I'm in the UK - maybe that's why? I believe you saw what you say

EDIT: tried again and it works now - just need to run Google translate. My German isn't so good

I see the date of  the article is 22nd January 2016 so this does looks promising.

Ok, If my understand is correct the Qobuz team are currently working on Qobuz integration for Aurender so it's not there yet. However, the good news is that this will include true hi-res (I.e. 24 bit) streaming for Qobuz Sublime subscribers. I hope they deliver this soon.

The Buster posted:

 A must audition IMHO  if you're in the market for a DAC-less streamer/server solution. The N1A will soon replace my NDX, and I'll learn to live without iRadio.

The Buster, thanks for this. It is exactly the kind of thing I've been wanting to hear. I just want something optimised for audio that has on board storage and a good USB out into a DAC. Sounds like this more than fits the bill

Mayor West posted:

The Buster posted:

 A must audition IMHO  if you're in the market for a DAC-less streamer/server solution. The N1A will soon replace my NDX, and I'll learn to live without iRadio.

The Buster, thanks for this. It is exactly the kind of thing I've been wanting to hear. I just want something optimised for audio that has on board storage and a good USB out into a DAC. Sounds like this more than fits the bill

than you should give Aurender a try as well- highly recommended!

T38.45 posted:

Mayor West posted:

The Buster posted:

 A must audition IMHO  if you're in the market for a DAC-less streamer/server solution. The N1A will soon replace my NDX, and I'll learn to live without iRadio.

The Buster, thanks for this. It is exactly the kind of thing I've been wanting to hear. I just want something optimised for audio that has on board storage and a good USB out into a DAC. Sounds like this more than fits the bill

than you should give Aurender a try as well- highly recommended!

 

Thanks T38.45. I think I will do, budget permitting. I currently use a Macbook Air and intended on going the MacMini route but I've read a few reports of the Aurender bettering modified MacMini's that, with all the modifications would have cost as much as an Aurender anyway! Aurender/Melco devices are definitely looking to me like the way forward for people coming from computer based audio.

I would be looking to feed a 272/250DR probably via ethernet from its own onboard storage, thinking a short well made Cat6e or custom/bespoke ethernet or similar from N1A to 272. I would then be correct in assuming I would ditch the Synology as N1A replaces this?

From this point does Melco then run its own home-brew server software to see and browse and serve the files from N1A to 272 or/and allow you the option the run your own software for browsing and serving 

Above it appears Twonky (no thanks) and Minim (yes please) can be run through the Melco or is its own software just as good/effective if it has any?

Graham Clarke posted:

some form of digital verification as explained at them time. 64GB of test HiRes fils took well over 90mins to ingest.

Assume once in though thats it. Need to demo.

Digital verification?  New one on me   Possibly it copies the files and then does a compare to ensure integrity, is that what you mean?

I suspect another reason that many companies use it for demos is the convenience factor.  You don't need a NAS, a switch, a gateway and assorted cables, you can just use the single device.

Hi Graham,

I think you are right, like a checksum maybe (such as byte checking software, r_sync  etc) perhaps it is just ratifying that the files copied across via a simple byte checksum approach and is ensuring every bit of data has successfully copied over. Maybe nothing more exciting than that.

Certainly it took a while to copy over mind.

Dan43 posted:

I would be looking to feed a 272/250DR probably via ethernet from its own onboard storage, thinking a short well made Cat6e or custom/bespoke ethernet or similar from N1A to 272. I would then be correct in assuming I would ditch the Synology as N1A replaces this?

From this point does Melco then run its own home-brew server software to see and browse and serve the files from N1A to 272 or/and allow you the option the run your own software for browsing and serving 

Above it appears Twonky (no thanks) and Minim (yes please) can be run through the Melco or is its own software just as good/effective if it has any?

The own server has not yet been released. So can't yet comment on the quality of the server. If we would look at the promise of the rest of the offering - it might be interesting.

Dan43 posted:

I would be looking to feed a 272/250DR probably via ethernet from its own onboard storage, thinking a short well made Cat6e or custom/bespoke ethernet or similar from N1A to 272. I would then be correct in assuming I would ditch the Synology as N1A replaces this?

From this point does Melco then run its own home-brew server software to see and browse and serve the files from N1A to 272 or/and allow you the option the run your own software for browsing and serving 

Above it appears Twonky (no thanks) and Minim (yes please) can be run through the Melco or is its own software just as good/effective if it has any?

Yes you can ditch the Synology as the Melco stores and serves. The Melco just runs a customised version of Twonky. Never been a great fan but it works fine in this custom application. 

Thanks James and Bert, chatting to a dealer yesterday he alluded to some upgrades for Melco that he mentioned are very exciting, I suspect the server software would be one of those.

He didn't clarify if these are free upgrades for existing owners (such as Apps, software etc) or paid for additional upgrades.

Still it does appear the Melco is gaining not only a good reputation but also growing and adapting as its success increases. Be good to see what they develop next (software and/or app being my safe guess)

As it can also mount external NAS if you choose that route, it also appears it performs best with files delivered from its own internal drives.

Is there any speculation as to why the SSD version seems so disproportionately more expensive? As SSD can be used in a NAS of course at a fraction of their internal drive costs.

Very few products have turned my head from my current streaming setup SBT to nDAC.

Recently SBT has added Roon as a service which for me is the game changer that makes streaming (for me) a serious proposition and I'll attempt to match (or beat) my CD555 source. It is rumoured on the Roon forum that Melco will add capability to accept a Roon feed. If this happens or indeed Aurender gains this capability I would give serious consideration to a Melco/Aurender- USB DAC (Chord?) streaming front end. 

It seems to me that with advances in DAC technology and streaming technology moving at different paces, devises with both in the one box are unnecessarily limiting currently. 

My 2c worth!

SJB

Sloop John B posted:

It seems to me that with advances in DAC technology and streaming technology moving at different paces, devises with both in the one box are unnecessarily limiting currently.

Indeed. The ability to change the DAC without fear of future redundancy is one of the big positives here in my opinion.

Surely though you have redundancy in the Melco itself? I am sure it can be upgraded via firmware but for instance it does not support Roon yet, how about new HD formats etc? In this way a PC/Mac based solution would be a better option?

Ryder35 posted:

Surely though you have redundancy in the Melco itself? I am sure it can be upgraded via firmware but for instance it does not support Roon yet, how about new HD formats etc? In this way a PC/Mac based solution would be a better option?

PC/Mac is always going to be the up there with flexibility. However, for me personally, I am not really interested (at present) and have yet to be convinced that streaming is the way forward. I much prefer to buy music and keep it locally. I do use Spotify, but only in the car for discovery of new stuff. Hence, there shouldn't be any redundancy for myself with a Melco/Aurender. Not that I can see anyway.

I guess the Melco's only a computer underneath anyway, albeit a very expensive one, so I guess you'll be able to upgrade it in the same way.

tonym posted:

I guess the Melco's only a computer underneath anyway, albeit a very expensive one, so I guess you'll be able to upgrade it in the same way.

Hope so because it does look like a good option. Roon functionality may push me over the edge!

It's seem it's only a well built hard drive, listen to it several times, a hint of slight improvement ,but not certainly £1400 worth. Still think direct access  to music without using the network is the way forward. Sony started this idea with the Hdd player.keep it simple I say?.

audio1946 posted:

It's seem it's only a well built hard drive, listen to it several times, a hint of slight improvement ,but not certainly £1400 worth. Still think direct access  to music without using the network is the way forward. Sony started this idea with the Hdd player.keep it simple I say?.

 

It is direct access to the music - it's on the device. The network connection is there to allow control, firmware updates and auto download of hi-res music (from suitable sites with an account). Same as the Sony really but without the internal DAC. 

I started reading this thread and thought this looks interesting, I wonder how it would compare with my Mac-Mini into Chord 2Qute. Then I remembered I'm using a bit of room correction in Audirvana, which for me makes a considerable improvement. So not going to work for me whilst my hifi inhabits this problematic room unfortunately.

Melco takes the "jitter equation" more or less out of the game. That is a game changer no matter what you use. 

Its quite unreal until you experience the difference. 

//Jonas

Allan Probin posted:

I started reading this thread and thought this looks interesting, I wonder how it would compare with my Mac-Mini into Chord 2Qute. Then I remembered I'm using a bit of room correction in Audirvana, which for me makes a considerable improvement. So not going to work for me whilst my hifi inhabits this problematic room unfortunately.

Having recently kicked the tires on Aurender's N100H I feel the improvement it brings to my modest setup is greater than the improvement room correction (Dirac Live), provides. I'm also using a Mac Mini with Audirvana.

As others have said computers provide a lot of flexibility, but the dedicated, audio optimised approach from companies like Antipodes, Aurender and Melco are simply better sonically.

I'm only left nervous about the range of streaming services supported both today and in the future. As a Deezer Elite user, I'm left rather underwhelmed when I use Tidal, which is unfortunate because it's pretty much the default choice on many of these devices. I hope the Deezer Elite Sonos exclusive ends soon!

Has anyone else observed an increasing preference for USB from DAC and streamer vendors these days, particularly with digital sources.

Can't help feeling more Naim devices with USB DACs would be welcome these days. Especially because the V1 demonstrates Naim can do it very well.

GregW posted:

Allan Probin posted:

I started reading this thread and thought this looks interesting, I wonder how it would compare with my Mac-Mini into Chord 2Qute. Then I remembered I'm using a bit of room correction in Audirvana, which for me makes a considerable improvement. So not going to work for me whilst my hifi inhabits this problematic room unfortunately.

Having recently kicked the tires on Aurender's N100H I feel the improvement it brings to my modest setup is greater than the improvement room correction (Dirac Live), provides. I'm also using a Mac Mini with Audirvana.

As others have said computers provide a lot of flexibility, but the dedicated, audio optimised approach from companies like Antipodes, Aurender and Melco are simply better sonically.

 

I'm also using Dirac correction on my Mac Mini/DAC setup & I'm very nervous about not having it there; I guess it's all down to how it sounds. Maybe I'll give the Melco a try.

GregW posted:

Has anyone else observed an increasing preference for USB from DAC and streamer vendors these days, particularly with digital sources.

Can't help feeling more Naim devices with USB DACs would be welcome these days. Especially because the V1 demonstrates Naim can do it very well.

I have noticed at the lower end of DACs a prevalence of USB, but one has to work a lot harder to mitigate EMI side effects with USB than using a BNC terminated SPDIF, TOSLINK or balanced AES/EBU connector. USB in my opinion is simply not an optimum interface by design for low noise.. probably why devices like Melco come into their own.

Simon