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SonicTransporter vs MacMini


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I use AQ Vodka Ethernet Cables feeding the mRendu and the Sonic Transport. I use a Curious USB cable and I use Tellurium Q Black Diamond for all other cables and Tellurium Q Black power cords for back end components and Ultra Blue for source components.

thank you for clarifying. my mR and sT should be arriving this week. trying to figure out if best to place sT in my network rack (outside of listening area) or near mR in listening area. My whole house is wired with cat6a.

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With a mac mini you can do Roon -> HQPlayer -> NAA -> microRendu. The processing power in the mini allows you do use HQPlayer's upsampling. I don't think you can do this with the transporter.

 

Correct . Though I wonder with the higher processor models if they will implement HQ player so you don't have to use a separate computer

I would think an I5 processor could do this but not the cheapest model .

 

Sent from my iPhone using Computer Audiophile

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Not too sure about that. I installed a SSD drive in my Mac mini and it still gets quite hot with the fan going on turbo whenever the CPU gets busy, which happens quite often with Roon running.

 

Probably a good fan control software could help? Does anyone have good recommendation for Mac fan control?

I have a music mini (i7, 2012) with SSD and optimized processes (not running anything not required for music). I do not get any fan noise at all. The beauty of the microRendu is you can put your machine elsewhere so frankly not important whether it is silent or not.

NUC10i7 + Roon ROCK > dCS Rossini APEX DAC + dCS Rossini Master Clock 

SME 20/3 + SME V + Dynavector XV-1s or ANUK IO Gold > vdH The Grail or Kondo KSL-SFz + ANK L3 Phono 

Audio Note Kondo Ongaku > Avantgarde Duo Mezzo

Signal cables: Kondo Silver, Crystal Cable phono

Power cables: Kondo, Shunyata, van den Hul

system pics

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Correct . Though I wonder with the higher processor models if they will implement HQ player so you don't have to use a separate computer

Right. Also consider software like Spotify - I sometimes use it to play content not available in TIDAL. I don't know that the ST can run Spotify.

NUC10i7 + Roon ROCK > dCS Rossini APEX DAC + dCS Rossini Master Clock 

SME 20/3 + SME V + Dynavector XV-1s or ANUK IO Gold > vdH The Grail or Kondo KSL-SFz + ANK L3 Phono 

Audio Note Kondo Ongaku > Avantgarde Duo Mezzo

Signal cables: Kondo Silver, Crystal Cable phono

Power cables: Kondo, Shunyata, van den Hul

system pics

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You can download Squeezebox Server and use

squeezelite on the microRendu to play Spotify , Etc . Lots of music services available

Ah right, yes. Wouldn't it be nice if one could route Spotify audio to HQPlayer for upsampling?

 

http://www.computeraudiophile.com/f11-software/spotify-through-hqplayer-30526/

NUC10i7 + Roon ROCK > dCS Rossini APEX DAC + dCS Rossini Master Clock 

SME 20/3 + SME V + Dynavector XV-1s or ANUK IO Gold > vdH The Grail or Kondo KSL-SFz + ANK L3 Phono 

Audio Note Kondo Ongaku > Avantgarde Duo Mezzo

Signal cables: Kondo Silver, Crystal Cable phono

Power cables: Kondo, Shunyata, van den Hul

system pics

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thank you for clarifying. my mR and sT should be arriving this week. trying to figure out if best to place sT in my network rack (outside of listening area) or near mR in listening area. My whole house is wired with cat6a.

I'd say in your rack.

NUC10i7 + Roon ROCK > dCS Rossini APEX DAC + dCS Rossini Master Clock 

SME 20/3 + SME V + Dynavector XV-1s or ANUK IO Gold > vdH The Grail or Kondo KSL-SFz + ANK L3 Phono 

Audio Note Kondo Ongaku > Avantgarde Duo Mezzo

Signal cables: Kondo Silver, Crystal Cable phono

Power cables: Kondo, Shunyata, van den Hul

system pics

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seems to be the consensus. curious if it will be a fair comparison having it in rack while mac mini in listening room.
If you're comparing mini to mR using NAA vs sT to mR using NAA, then put the mini in the rack. To me the beauty of the mR is that you can put your streamer anywhere, and even have a noisy but powerful streamer and not care.

To me the real question is HQPlayer upsampling. I would not go with any solution that doesn't allow it.

NUC10i7 + Roon ROCK > dCS Rossini APEX DAC + dCS Rossini Master Clock 

SME 20/3 + SME V + Dynavector XV-1s or ANUK IO Gold > vdH The Grail or Kondo KSL-SFz + ANK L3 Phono 

Audio Note Kondo Ongaku > Avantgarde Duo Mezzo

Signal cables: Kondo Silver, Crystal Cable phono

Power cables: Kondo, Shunyata, van den Hul

system pics

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If you're comparing mini to mR using NAA vs sT to mR using NAA, then put the mini in the rack. To me the beauty of the mR is that you can put your streamer anywhere, and even have a noisy but powerful streamer and not care.

To me the real question is HQPlayer upsampling. I would not go with any solution that doesn't allow it.

If you're putting this on a rack, what about something like:

https://www.amazon.com/Acer-Aspire-E5-575G-53VG-Laptop-Windows/dp/B01F1Z78GM/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1479145693&sr=8-3&keywords=windows%2B10%2Bnvidia&th=1

 

It has an Nvidia GPU which means you could use HQPlayer with Cuda offload if you want to upsample to, say, DSD256, which you can send to the mR over NAA if your DAC supports it.

NUC10i7 + Roon ROCK > dCS Rossini APEX DAC + dCS Rossini Master Clock 

SME 20/3 + SME V + Dynavector XV-1s or ANUK IO Gold > vdH The Grail or Kondo KSL-SFz + ANK L3 Phono 

Audio Note Kondo Ongaku > Avantgarde Duo Mezzo

Signal cables: Kondo Silver, Crystal Cable phono

Power cables: Kondo, Shunyata, van den Hul

system pics

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If you're putting this on a rack, what about something like:

https://www.amazon.com/Acer-Aspire-E5-575G-53VG-Laptop-Windows/dp/B01F1Z78GM/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1479145693&sr=8-3&keywords=windows%2B10%2Bnvidia&th=1

 

It has an Nvidia GPU which means you could use HQPlayer with Cuda offload if you want to upsample to, say, DSD256, which you can send to the mR over NAA if your DAC supports it.

 

Interesting. My Bricasti doesn't support upsampling. I would like to test different setups for Bricasti, pick what sounds best... redo for Vega DAC with HQPlayer upsampling. Bricasti does all of the upsampling with great build in filters.

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Interesting. My Bricasti doesn't support upsampling. I would like to test different setups for Bricasti, pick what sounds best... redo for Vega DAC with HQPlayer upsampling. Bricasti does all of the upsampling with great build in filters.

Your Bricasti supports up to DSD128, and 352KHz sample rates - this is quite ripe for upsampling with HQPlayer. You should definitely try it and decide for yourself.

NUC10i7 + Roon ROCK > dCS Rossini APEX DAC + dCS Rossini Master Clock 

SME 20/3 + SME V + Dynavector XV-1s or ANUK IO Gold > vdH The Grail or Kondo KSL-SFz + ANK L3 Phono 

Audio Note Kondo Ongaku > Avantgarde Duo Mezzo

Signal cables: Kondo Silver, Crystal Cable phono

Power cables: Kondo, Shunyata, van den Hul

system pics

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From SGC:

 

No HQplayer requires a desktop OS such as Microsoft Windows. It also requires a HUGE amount of processing power and memory. I have another unit I recommend for HQplayer. It has a quad core i7.

 

https://www.smallgreencomputer.com/collections/custom-units/products/sonictransporter-roon-server-hqplayer

 

You can do upsampling in Roon on the sonicTransporter AP.

W10 NUC i7 (Gen 10) > Roon (Audiolense FIR) > Motu UltraLite mk5 > (4) Hypex NCore NC502MP > JBL M2 Master Reference +4 subs

 

Watch my Podcast https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXMw_bZWBMtRWNJQfTJ38kA/videos

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From SGC:

 

No HQplayer requires a desktop OS such as Microsoft Windows. It also requires a HUGE amount of processing power and memory. I have another unit I recommend for HQplayer. It has a quad core i7.

 

https://www.smallgreencomputer.com/collections/custom-units/products/sonictransporter-roon-server-hqplayer

 

You can do upsampling in Roon on the sonicTransporter AP.

The laptop I posted above can do all of this and more... And it has an Nvidia GPU which will allow HQPlayer to offload the upsampling to it (Cuda support is required for this). So in my opinion if you're going to go with a microRendu, you should not bother with these fanless solutions.

NUC10i7 + Roon ROCK > dCS Rossini APEX DAC + dCS Rossini Master Clock 

SME 20/3 + SME V + Dynavector XV-1s or ANUK IO Gold > vdH The Grail or Kondo KSL-SFz + ANK L3 Phono 

Audio Note Kondo Ongaku > Avantgarde Duo Mezzo

Signal cables: Kondo Silver, Crystal Cable phono

Power cables: Kondo, Shunyata, van den Hul

system pics

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The laptop I posted above can do all of this and more... And it has an Nvidia GPU which will allow HQPlayer to offload the upsampling to it (Cuda support is required for this). So in my opinion if you're going to go with a microRendu, you should not bother with these fanless solutions.

 

I'm not set on trying HQP as I did it once before and wasn't blown away. I have RoonServer running on my Synology now. However, I've been thinking about moving RoonServer to something else so thought the ST would be the way to go. I have a large workstation that I could run it on but that seems wasteful.

W10 NUC i7 (Gen 10) > Roon (Audiolense FIR) > Motu UltraLite mk5 > (4) Hypex NCore NC502MP > JBL M2 Master Reference +4 subs

 

Watch my Podcast https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXMw_bZWBMtRWNJQfTJ38kA/videos

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Your Bricasti supports up to DSD128, and 352KHz sample rates - this is quite ripe for upsampling with HQPlayer. You should definitely try it and decide for yourself.

I will experiment and have a listen. I've been in communication with Brian from Bricasti and he doesn't think it's necessary. He wrote "never upsample, the M1 does this in the same way the HQ does, it over samples 8x and the converter is sigma delta 5 bits at 2.8mhz, no need to redo what the M1 already does, just more filters".

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I will experiment and have a listen. I've been in communication with Brian from Bricasti and he doesn't think it's necessary. He wrote "never upsample, the M1 does this in the same way the HQ does, it over samples 8x and the converter is sigma delta 5 bits at 2.8mhz, no need to redo what the M1 already does, just more filters".

Have a listen. Compare it to HQPlayer upsampling all streams to DSD128 using ASDM7.

NUC10i7 + Roon ROCK > dCS Rossini APEX DAC + dCS Rossini Master Clock 

SME 20/3 + SME V + Dynavector XV-1s or ANUK IO Gold > vdH The Grail or Kondo KSL-SFz + ANK L3 Phono 

Audio Note Kondo Ongaku > Avantgarde Duo Mezzo

Signal cables: Kondo Silver, Crystal Cable phono

Power cables: Kondo, Shunyata, van den Hul

system pics

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Thought I'd update my posts from yesterday. I moved RoonServer to my W10 machine. The below is while playing a native DSD256 file. Not bad as it's barely working.

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]30756[/ATTACH]

Cuda!

NUC10i7 + Roon ROCK > dCS Rossini APEX DAC + dCS Rossini Master Clock 

SME 20/3 + SME V + Dynavector XV-1s or ANUK IO Gold > vdH The Grail or Kondo KSL-SFz + ANK L3 Phono 

Audio Note Kondo Ongaku > Avantgarde Duo Mezzo

Signal cables: Kondo Silver, Crystal Cable phono

Power cables: Kondo, Shunyata, van den Hul

system pics

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mR arrives today.. definitely will. bit off topic, which app do you use to control HQPlayer?

If you have Roon, then use that. If not, then you can use VNC to remote into your machine - this is a pain in the butt frankly and I would not use HQPlayer if I had to do this.

NUC10i7 + Roon ROCK > dCS Rossini APEX DAC + dCS Rossini Master Clock 

SME 20/3 + SME V + Dynavector XV-1s or ANUK IO Gold > vdH The Grail or Kondo KSL-SFz + ANK L3 Phono 

Audio Note Kondo Ongaku > Avantgarde Duo Mezzo

Signal cables: Kondo Silver, Crystal Cable phono

Power cables: Kondo, Shunyata, van den Hul

system pics

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