m_j_s

That's what I thought pretty much

Just wondering if it is possible to use JPLAY with a Mola Mola Tambaqui DAC presumably via its network input.

Just replacing an Auralic Vega G2.1 with the Tambaqui, looking forward to it!

Haven't been able to compare directly, but from discussions with others who have it, it performs very well. I wouldn't expect it to be as good as my stack, but it has similar characteristics, low noise, incredible low level detail, great imaging, engaging. It's really a bit like a Swiss Army Knife, does pretty much everything and seems to fit the OP spec.

Auralic Altair G2.1

Just added a Leo GX.1 to my Vega G2.1 (and Aries G2.1). To say I am impressed with its performance is an understatement.

Bumping this. So, any comments about performance of the Leo GX or GX.1 with the Vega G2 or G2.1?

I have a Samsung T7 mounted as an external SSD to my Syno 918+. The music is on the Internal storage, I have Roon mounted on the T7, works well as Roon Core streaming to other Roon end points.

Yes, I am aware of that, it just gives me the irrits. Geoblocking, where there is no local alternative, just craps me off. It’s not as if we are trying to rip them off, we want to pay for a service. Goes for Qobuz and some Hi-Res download sites like HDTracks.

My issue with Qobuz is that the service is not available in Australia, it seems that it is mainly a northern hemisphere thing. Their geoblocking seems comprehensive. Very frustrating, as I have just splashed out and replaced my normal DAC with an Auralic Vega G1 and I was looking forward to hires streaming other than Tidal MQA.

Just my 2c. I have hunderds of LPs but haven't bought one for perhaps 20years. Some date to the mid 60's and most are in excellent condition and some are sonically superb. At the same time I have hundreds of CDs, lots of DVDs, a few SACDs and a few computer file only tracks. I have reasonably high quality vinyl playback gear and now with the acquisition of a MAC Mini and an RME audio interface, I can make near perfect copies of the vinyl that are just as enjoyable to listen to as the original vinyl and obviously a lot more flexible in terms of storage, playback, etc. It would be a very different story if I didn't have the vinyl to start with. I am sure I would just stick to digital media, as the cost of the analog front end would be prohibitive. Imagine how many recordings you could buy for say $8k?

I have been building a directory of digitized vinyl tracks in a dedicated directory on a drive external to the Mini. These files are just referenced by iTunes, rather than copied to the iTunes media folder and I play via Aurirvana. I sort of have ideas that I haven't really settled the directory location as I am still considering a NAS as well, so I wanted to keep the files out of itunes for some reason. I then wanted to switch the files to a larger HDD but without consolidating the files to an iTunes media folder, which would be problematic or at least I thought you would need to re-reference the files into iTunes. So i just tried copying the files to the new HDD using the same directory structure without doing too much else. Used the same volume name on the new HDD and lo and behold, it's all there in iTunes!! Very happy with that win! Happened to spend a bit of time last night listening to more more stuff which I have been recording at 24/96 and it sounds damn good. So convenient being able to sit there using the iPad as a remote as well.

You seem to imply the MBPro has no FireWire port. As far as I am aware the new models still have fw800, so you should be able to connect the ff400 via a suitable firewire cable. Is this the case or not? Assuming it is, you then need to connect it and select the ff400 as output and input under system preferences/sound. Audio devices under audio midi setup may need to be adjusted as well in terms of format and levels in each channel. I assume you have Totalmix or FirefaceMixer which is also used to set the audio path. I assume you have a line level signal from your Pre-amp and you do not need to apply any RIAA equalisation which the software may be able to do. I suggest you connect to the ff400 Line inputs 3 and 4. If you want to listen to the ff400, connect the line outs 1 and 2 to suitable line level inputs in the preamp, but be careful of unintentional feedback loops. You will need cables with 1/4" TS plugs at the ff400 end and whatever plugs you need at the Naim end. I am not totally familiar with the PM software and am not sure if it records. If it does, I assume you have some options for selection the right inputs and outputs on the ff400 that have signal on them. You should then be able to set up a recording which you just need to sample a bit to check levels (give your self at least a few db headroom). Perhaps select 44.1k and 16bit to start with. Then cue up and way you go.

The fan on my Mini occasionally kicks in during sustained work, eg transcoding hi-res audio files - 2011 model, i5 with 4gig ram, accessing files on a USB external drive. Thinking of upping the ram to 8gig.

An update on fixing my incorrect clock setting on the Fireface400. Everything is rock solid now, transfers are blemish free and I think slightly better quality all round. So, all in all, pretty happy. Have also managed to get streaming to either PS3 or Oppo 93 working fine (via EoP) and just got my first lot of serious SACDs which are proving great sound wise (not ripping though), so happy as a pig in the proverbial.