Sonore micro rendu- dlna vs roon

charlesphoto posted:

No problem finding both Tidal and Qobuzz tiles on both Kazoo and Lumin apps on my iPad 2. I have an account for neither so couldn't check functionality or sound quality. Sorry to hear about your ghost in the machine. Sound quality is worth it to persevere. 

Hi Charles,

I have just downloaded Lumin for the iPad, and am able to access Tidal and Qobuz, so it appears that my problem with these services is restricted to my use of Kazoo on the iPad.

Very strange!

Lumin will take a bit of getting used to, but certainly appears to be reasonably intuitive. This means I will have a possible iPad option for the microRendu.  thanks! 

There's a few thing with the Lumin ui I really dislike, but try browsing by genre or artist and you'll never go back - it's the way it should be implemented in all of the control apps. 

For anyone who is interested, I have just carried out a very brief comparison of the MicroRendu/Hugo vs the Linn Klimax Renew DS on my main system, having already posted that I prefer the microRendu/Hugo to the ND5XS/TPXPS in my 2nd system.

This time round, on admittedly a very short listening session, my initial finding is that I prefer the presentation of the Klimax Renew DS - a more solid, dynamic and musical presentation to my ears on this system. One thing to note is that in this system, I had to turn the volume control significantly higher on the Hugo than the turquoise setting I normally use on my 2nd system. I'm not sure if this contributed to my findings. The microRendu did, however. perform flawlessly with both local and Tidal sources when controlled by the Windows 10 version of Kazoo I use for this system.

I am going to wait for my TP 7v supply to arrive before carrying out a more extensive comparison.  

Hmack posted:

For anyone who is interested, I have just carried out a very brief comparison of the MicroRendu/Hugo vs the Linn Klimax Renew DS on my main system, having already posted that I prefer the microRendu/Hugo to the ND5XS/TPXPS in my 2nd system.

This time round, on admittedly a very short listening session, my initial finding is that I prefer the presentation of the Klimax Renew DS - a more solid, dynamic and musical presentation to my ears on this system. One thing to note is that in this system, I had to turn the volume control significantly higher on the Hugo than the turquoise setting I normally use on my 2nd system. I'm not sure if this contributed to my findings. The microRendu did, however. perform flawlessly with both local and Tidal sources when controlled by the Windows 10 version of Kazoo I use for this system.

I am going to wait for my TP 7v supply to arrive before carrying out a more extensive comparison.  

The Hugo could have more to do with the presentation than the mR. Too bad there are no digital outputs on the Klimax, you could hook it up to the Hugo and compare.

Iconoclast posted:

Hmack posted:

For anyone who is interested, I have just carried out a very brief comparison of the MicroRendu/Hugo vs the Linn Klimax Renew DS on my main system, having already posted that I prefer the microRendu/Hugo to the ND5XS/TPXPS in my 2nd system.

This time round, on admittedly a very short listening session, my initial finding is that I prefer the presentation of the Klimax Renew DS - a more solid, dynamic and musical presentation to my ears on this system. One thing to note is that in this system, I had to turn the volume control significantly higher on the Hugo than the turquoise setting I normally use on my 2nd system. I'm not sure if this contributed to my findings. The microRendu did, however. perform flawlessly with both local and Tidal sources when controlled by the Windows 10 version of Kazoo I use for this system.

I am going to wait for my TP 7v supply to arrive before carrying out a more extensive comparison.  

The Hugo could have more to do with the presentation than the mR. Too bad there are no digital outputs on the Klimax, you could hook it up to the Hugo and compare.

Yes - it would have been nice to try hooking the Hugo up to the Klimax, but unfortunately not possible.

I will carry out some more listening tests after I get my TP power supply and a decent USB cable. Hopefully, they will have a worthwhile impact on the SQ of the microRendu/Hugo. 

Looking forward to your analysis.  

....or digital inputs.

Hmack posted:

I do have a TP 7v supply on order, which I would expect to improve the SQ of the microRendu, and I may also source a 'decent' reasonably priced USB cable (possibly Audioquest Cinnamon).  

The microRendu has a Uptone Audio Regen build in. The recommendation is to not use a USB cable but use a hard connector instead to keep the distance between the two USB ports to the absolute minimum. If you must use a cable, keep it as short as possible (8-10 cm / 3-4 inch). I have my microRendu connected to my Hugo with a hard connector. This works when you have them lying down.

PepsiCan posted:

Hmack posted:

I do have a TP 7v supply on order, which I would expect to improve the SQ of the microRendu, and I may also source a 'decent' reasonably priced USB cable (possibly Audioquest Cinnamon).  

The microRendu has a Uptone Audio Regen build in. The recommendation is to not use a USB cable but use a hard connector instead to keep the distance between the two USB ports to the absolute minimum. If you must use a cable, keep it as short as possible (8-10 cm / 3-4 inch). I have my microRendu connected to my Hugo with a hard connector. This works when you have them lying down.

PepsiCan,

Where did you obtain the hard connector? That's something I would like to try. 

Connector was in my box with the mR. Check your packaging. 

Out of interest, is it effectively just a back-to-back USB plug? I don't know why, but I had pictured the mR being like a plug-in USB device, a bit like a large memory stick.

Brubacca posted:

Connector was in my box with the mR. Check your packaging. 

Just checked my mR box and there was indeed a connector. Unfortunately, it was a USB type A to USB Type B connecter so won't fit the Hugo which requires a micro USB connector.

Did you get a Type A to Micro USB connector in your box?

USB type A to USB Type B in mine.

Sorry not micro for Hugo.  

Innocent Bystander posted:

Out of interest, is it effectively just a back-to-back USB plug? I don't know why, but I had pictured the mR being like a plug-in USB device, a bit like a large memory stick.

With a powercord and LAN cable it's too heavy for direct connection like a USB plug...some folks use a small pillar or something out of legos or wood under mR. I use a USB cable..

The hard adaptor is there for convince only I think. No way for me to balance the mR back of my V1 so never used it. Just get a decent USB cable and be done with it. There's no special sauce in the hard adaptor and many have said bespoke USB cables sound better. I'm using a fairly inexpensive Atlas Hyper and have nothing to complain about. 

A follow-up to my previous posts about the Sonore microRendu:

For any of you who might be interested, the Teddy Pardo 7v power supply I ordered for use with my microRendu arrived a couple of days ago, and I have been re-evaluating my opinion of the microRendu/TP power supply/Hugo vs both my ND5XS/non-Naim PSU/Hugo in my AV system and my Linn Klimax Renew DX in my main system.

I now wish I had not submitted my earlier review of the Rendu using the cheap iFi power supply, and my conclusion now is that if you decide to purchase the microRendu, then do not purchase the iFi power supply (even as a stopgap). Order a decent power supply such as the Teddy Pardo 7/2 (which I purchased) or the SBooster which has been reviewed very favourably elsewhere. The addition of a good power supply makes a big difference to the sound quality of the unit, adding significantly to the weight and authority of music played through the device, and with a 7v rather than 9v power supply, the unit also runs much cooler than before.

My previous findings were that I preferred (but not overwhelmingly) the Rendu/Hugo to my ND5XS/non-Naim PSU/Hugo, but that I preferred the Linn Klimax Renew DS in my main system to the Rendu/Hugo.

My revised opinion is that the Rendu/Teddy Pardo 7/2 /Hugo is significantly better all round than the ND5XS/non-Naim PSU/Hugo. The lean sound that put me off a little whilst using the iFi power supply has gone, and there is a much weightier, more solid bass and mid-range without sacrificing the 'air' between individual instruments. It is now simply both 'better' and more enjoyable to boot.

My revised opinion of the Rendu/Teddy Pardo 7/2 /Hugo vs the Linn Klimax Renew is that the Rendu/Hugo and Klimax do sound subtly different, and I had to think carefully about which was better. After extended listening to some of the tracks I use as a reference, I now have to say that the Rendu/TP/Hugo now also sounds 'better' than the Klimax Renew DS in my main system. Again, there appears to be a little more resolution of fine detail than with the Klimax, and this time the weight, authority and dynamism of the Rendu/TP/Hugo combination at least matches, if not betters that of the Klimax Renew (which has the upgraded 'Dynamic' power supply) .

I now have absolutely no qualms about recommending the microRendu, as long as you partner it with a decent DAC and power supply. I can add that the network performance of the microRendu  is now rock solid in my system. Now I know there are issues with access to Tidal or Qobuz when using IOS, I now use:

Kazoo on my iPad for local NAS based music access, and Lumin on my iPad for access to Tidal services. Alternatively, I can use Kazoo on my Windows 10 devices for access to both.

I will be replacing my ND5XS and non-Naim PSU in my AV system with the microRendu and TP 7/2. It's now a no-brainer for me.

Remember, if you buy the microRendu, make sure you budget for a decent power supply.  

I was told the Sbooster would be with me a week ago, I am now getting somewhat eager for it to arrive.

Thx for the feedback.

M

Hmack posted:

A follow-up to my previous posts about the Sonore microRendu:

 

---

I will be replacing my ND5XS and non-Naim PSU in my AV system with the microRendu and TP 7/2. It's now a no-brainer for me.

Remember, if you buy the microRendu, make sure you budget for a decent power supply.  

         

So far that outcome sounds similar to my experience with Audirvana on Mac Mini through Gustard to Hugo. If anyone has them, I would be most interested in a comparison of the same (i.e.  MM/Aud/Gus) vs mR+TP7/2 as it may be that they are achieving the same thing, in their different ways (though MM includes the music store, and no network between) 

Mr Underhill posted:

I was told the Sbooster would be with me a week ago, I am now getting somewhat eager for it to arrive.

Thx for the feedback.

M

I'm sure you won't be disappointed when it arrives. I did consider the SBooster, but was told it wouldn't be available until early to mid September. The TP arrived more quickly than I had expected, and for me has a couple of advantages. I have used TP products successfully in the past, so I was pretty confident that the performance would be up to scratch, and not completely irrelevant, the TP looks much nicer sitting in a hi-fi rack than the SBooster.

Mind you, I haven't seen a bad review of the Sbooster, so (apart from looks ) I'm sure it will be a superb upgrade for the microRendu.    

Thx Hmack,

Sits out of sight for me!

Like supporting Mark Grant, but I too have used TP and hold him in good regard. Hopefully it won't be a month away, but what I am listening to is FAR from shabby.

M

Thanks for the review HMack. I'm thinking about the microRendu with the Naim DAC or the 2Qute

marcusman posted:

Thanks for the review HMack. I'm thinking about the microRendu with the Naim DAC or the 2Qute

Marcusman,

I'm sure the microRendu would be great with either.

Just one thing though. is the NDAC a USB dac, or would you have to go with the DAC V1?

[@mention:23389351210890912]  DAC V1 def is asynchronous USB

Marcusman,

Never heard the V1, owned the nDac for a number of years and thoroughly enjoyed it, especially with a PSU. If you want to use it then I am using a Gustard U12, this is a USB/SPDIF convertor with an onboard LPSU, I am very impressed with it, and it is a very reasonable price.

There are a few similarly priced convertors available that can be researched.

M