Sonore micro rendu- dlna vs roon

Over on CA there's users who say just the opposite. Probably depends on the power, etc for each piece of hardware. Maybe settings in Roon? Tried the Roon trial myself, cool, but not worth it to me at this point, esp the extra hardware that would need to be run and ensuing $. The microrendu was the best hifi purchase ever. 

My microRendu arrived yesterday. I was quite taken aback with just how much of an improvement it is over my previous setup, a Mac Mini directly connected to my DAC-V1 via USB.

Time will tell how much of an improvement it really is. Having just purchased the microRendu a dose of confirmation bias isn't impossible. I'm also losing Dirac room correction which is also having an effect on the sound. After a few weeks listening, I'll revert back to my original setup for a week or so, and see how I feel then.

Regarding the original question. So far I've only used it as an endpoint for my Roon library which is on the Mac Mini's internal SSD. Once I've had sufficient time to evaluate the microRendu as a device, I do plan to experiment with HQPlayer. It seems to be the approach to getting the best audio quality from Roon according to those at the Roon and CA forums.

Thx folks!

So are we saying this competes with or is better than

a ND5XS?

a NDX?

obviously when feeding an external DAC. 

I wouldn't be surprised if it was better. I ran an NDX for a couple of years and really wasn't at all impressed. The only time I heard an ND5XS was at a Naim-run dealer demo day and with no external PS it was harsh and unpleasant.

It will of course be dac and power supply dependent on results. I can say that out of the box with the iPower it walloped the UQ I was using for streaming only into a DAC V1. Added a mid priced HDPLEX power supply and it took it up a notch, mostly in the musicality dept. Go up to a custom power supply like their own Signature and you are probably looking at or beyond an NDS - for a 1/5th of the price. Add a backend of Roon and HQPlayer and I guess it takes the sound even farther. Be sure to add a power supply to your nas as well. Really great piece of VFM kit if you have a dac already and want to stream with extreme sound quality to USB. I thought I would have to A/B the UQ but it went straight to the office where it make such more sense as an all-in-one. 

Charles,

Your experience is the biggest reason I am seriously considering this. I have moved my Qute to my TV so i can have decent Audio there.  I tossed an aging HT pre that didn't make music at all.  Currently in my hifi I am using a dedicated mini-PC feeding a Schiit Gungnir Multibit DAC via usb.  It would seem. From all the great reviews that I could use the PC just as a DNLA/Squeeze Server and use the MR to play the music to the DAC.  

Regards,

Charlie

Charlie,

That is correct. I'm using a Small Green Computer branded microVortexbox, which is essentially a small pc/nas with the linux VB OS on it. I run minimserver and transcode my flac files to WAV24. I don't use the cd ripper of the vortex box anymore; I find ripping them with dbpower on my macbook is faster, and then I let Bliss sort them out on the VB. I use the Lumin app on an iPad 2. A few ways to go for sure as far as software. I do see myself setting up a dedicated Roon/HQP server down the road but it's just too much at the moment (work and $). 

I'm finding every little bit on the chain makes a difference though, and if you can maximize that (cabling and power mostly) then one can get a lot of sound for a lot less than plonking on a big box with redundant bells and whistles. I love the V1 with no plans of replacing it anytime soon, and the rendu is a perfect companion. 

Best of luck!

CP

Did one test hqplayer vs native "roon"?

I received my microRendu  last week and since this weekend I am going back and forth between Roon native and Roon through HQPlayer. Native already sounds amazing and I find that HQPlayer improves even more (which I had purchased before) - I love the sound, I can sit down and listen for hours going through old and new music, it sounds better than anything else I have tried.

Btw, I use a DAC-V1 as DAC with a MacMini as source. I upsample HQPlayer to the highest PCM bitrate, DSD sounds a bit unbalanced I think (initial thought). GregW, as far as I know you can use Dirac room correction in HQPlayer - although I have no experience with this.

Janus posted:

I received my microRendu  last week and since this weekend I am going back and forth between Roon native and Roon through HQPlayer. Native already sounds amazing and I find that HQPlayer improves even more (which I had purchased before) - I love the sound, I can sit down and listen for hours going through old and new music, it sounds better than anything else I have tried.

Btw, I use a DAC-V1 as DAC with a MacMini as source. I upsample HQPlayer to the highest PCM bitrate, DSD sounds a bit unbalanced I think (initial thought). GregW, as far as I know you can use Dirac room correction in HQPlayer - although I have no experience with this.

Cool- thx! Will test it as well!! Is HQPlayer complicated to setup?

Not really, I was slightly puzzled because there is not a lot of documentation available about HQPlayer Network Audio Adapter (NAA) in combination with Roon but it turned out to be straight forward. Of course, you need to try different filter setting to see what sound you prefer best (sampling rates etc.). 

Thanks!

@Janus Thanks for the tip regarding Dirac and HQPlayer. Once I feel I've got a handle on the Roon sound I'll add in HQPlayer and then Dirac. So far though I'm really enjoying the microRendu. It's a terrific little device. 

I'm just wondering, how is output switching done ?. If you want to go from it behaving as a Roon endpoint, to an Airplay endpoint - do you need to jump into the GUI and change settings ?. Or are both Roon/Airplay available at the same time, without switching ?.

The microRendu has a small webserver built in from where you switch: 

My microRendu arrived on Friday, and after two very late listening sessions going well into the early hours later, I'm absolutely gobsmacked by sound now being produced by my DAC (a Resonessence Invicta Mirus). 

Pound for pound, the best value addition to my system without a shadow of a doubt. My NDX  soon to be sold! It's that damn good. There was no need for any A-B comparisons: after five minutes, I knew the microRendu was a keeper. Having also auditioned the Aurender N100H and the Melco N1A (as a USB DAC source) at home, this little box of tricks goes to the top of the tree for me.

To respond to the OP's question, I have now installed Roon core on my iMac, and have found the same result - that is that DLNA mode sounds marginally better than the Roon Endpoint mode. Bizarre but true - the iMac must be introducing some "digital nastiness" en route. 

Out of interest which power supplies are other owners using with their microRendu? I have the ifi iPower.

I am currently using the IFI but I have an SBOOSTER 6v on order.

I am currently using LMS > Oppo 105D. Very enjoyable.

Got a Gustard U12 arriving next week to act as a USB/AES bridge for my Bel Canto 3.5vb. Be interested in how it compare to the Oppo.

M

ifi now, Sbooster on order. Cable is a TQ Black Diamond USB.

ralf

Currently the iFi iPower but pending launch and initial impressions I am considering the UpTone Audio UltraCap LPS-1. With John Swenson’s involvement in the design of both the microRendu and UltraCap LPS-1, there could be a good synergy between the two devices.

As I understand it, the UltraCap LPS-1 uses two banks of supercapacitors/ultracapacitors. One to power the connected device, the other in a state of charge ready to be quickly switched once the first bank looses charge etc.

The end result is an isolated, supercapacitor-baseed, ultra-low-noise linear power supply. Due to the isolation it means you can use any power supply to you like to energise the UltraCap LPS-1. The only consideration being how much noise the energising PSU puts back in to your mains. I plan to use the iFi iPower I picked up with my microRendu.

Worked my way through each of the mR modes, apart from Roon:

NAS/Minimserver > Kazoo > mR (DLNA) > Oppo 105D. I am thoroughly enjoying this.

LMS (Sqeezelite) is easier going, which helps some poorly recorded material.

I had a few hours with HQ Player (NAA) today and not as enthralled as I hoped, but I have only just scratched the surface with its settings. Listened to PCM at 96k and 192k. Transcoded PCM > DSD256.

Is anyone running a microRendu into a Chord Hugo? If so what are the opinions?

Simon, there is a review on YouTube that is worth watching,

M

Simon,

I tried to reply to your post, but I suspect that my post was blocked because of a mention of a certain power supply (albeit for potential use with the microRendu).

My post may eventually appear, so for the time being I will simply say that I have ordered a microRendu (as a potential replacement for my ND5XS) for use with my Chord Hugo in one of my systems  No estimated arrival date at the moment, and initially I will be using it with a bog-standard computer micro USB cable, and a cheapish (iFi) power supply, but will post my views as soon as I have had a chance to try it out ,

Simon-in-Suffolk posted:

Is anyone running a microRendu into a Chord Hugo? If so what are the opinions?

...And what source have you compared it with?