SOTM SMS 200 Ultra Neo with Clock input

[kelvinwsy]

Received my SOTM SMS-200 Ultra Neo with Clocking input option.. Burning in 3 days now

.. 

Using it in my intel 6700k Hqplayer Server with the SMS-200 Ultra Neo replacing my quad core fanless mini pc as the NAA. 

Prelim Observations:-

1. Getting Hqplayer to 'see' the Ultra Neo is a trying experience! 

2. Your network has to hv good Ipv4 connectivity.. Ipv6 not supported by the Ultra Neo

3. Start up Hqplayer AFTER the ultra neo is on HQplayer NAA Mode. 

4. I had great difficulty getting Hqplayer to see the Ultra Neo .. finally i decided to use my Minipc to connect to the Hqplayer and my iFi iDSD BL DAC! 

After that leave the DAC powered on And just plug the dac into the Audio USB port of the Ultra Neo. 

The NAA box in Hqplayer recognizes the Ultra Neo if you run the settings again.

5. Then i got Dsd256 to run .. occasional stutter but listenable.

DSD512 NO! Crackling and stuttering!!

6. SOTM Thru their local agent advised the following settings 

7. Works but not my preferred xtr-2s settings.

So i experimented with the iFi iDSD BL ASIO settings.

But How do u set this when the SOTM Eunhasu OS does not have settings for the DAC under the NAA setting? 

i had a brainwave !! connect my mini pc (win 10 OS) back to the iFi DAC, call up the iFi iDSD ASIO Settings put the buffer settings from

low latency to Safe on 32000 byte buffer size!

8. Connect the ULTRA neo and cycle thru Hqplayer settings .. The Ultra  Neo with the iFi iDSD BL comes on (NB YOU HV TO leave the DAC POWERED ON to preserve the Asio buffer settings!!! ).  ---'Dont forget the Turn the volume of your DAC or Preamp to minimum.. u will blow up your speakers or your Headphones otherwise!

9. Still a bit of crackling noise and stutter on xtr-2s .. shrt mp -2s works just fine

10. Back to my Win 10 minipc and change tge ASIO setting to extra safe..

11. Ultra Neo now  works on xtr-2s now. just a little flutter now and then?

12. A liitle disappointing as my minpc allows low latency 33k byte buffer size and smooth playback! ? 

13. Sound impressions will follow in subsequnent postings

 

Test System 

Lenovo intel 6700k with 32gb Nvidia970 GPU

fully filtered usind Elfidelity case and CPU fan Filters, MOBO and RAM filters

Atx psu corsair with type 4 inline capacitor cables

Clones Audio SHAAR pcie usb card with OXCO clock output to Usb-Ethernet Bridging (linear psu) Adapter(link Pc Server to NAA- in this case Ultra Neo) 

Intel X-25E SSD with SOTM SATA II Filter running Win Server 2016 CORE mode with Audiophile Optimizer ( minipc runs Win10 Home with Fidelizer Pro 8.1 /- 8.2 email not installed yet!)

Netgear GS105 Switch on linear psu

All SSD/Hdd on linear psu

iFi iDSD BL DAC with ISOREGEN LPS1 6v driving a LT3045 output 5v into the iFi 

Using Uptone audio USB Short connectors 

Rca output from Dac to my Audionote 300 b monoblocs (upgraded 300 tubes and NOS 6SN7GT ) to my HD800s thru Aiqin resistance adapters in balanced 4 wire mode

 

[kelvinwsy]

Update:

1. Ultra Neo burning in nicely.. Kept the unit powered on line continuously 1 week now. 

2. The unit still exhibits crackling noise ocassionally esp when the music had more high frequency content. But the good news is that I manage get it to run xtr-2s DSD512 with the iFi ASIO Buffer at low latency setting.. A lot better. 

-// I suspect the constant operating temperature of the clock helps the Ultra Neo perform better.

3. Hey suprise SOTM Eunhasu OS gives ?48 x DSD512 : 24 Mhz .. 

4. I manage to get the Xtr filter to work at 22mhz DSD512 for calmer music like jazz trios 

Even got HDTracks 96khz album Christy Baron- Tske this Journey to play 48xDSD512 for a half a track or two but my CPU fan was spinning at MAX 

I changed back to 48x DSD256 to prevent CPU Overheating.. less throttling than my Mini PC NAA but just my memory .. hv to do A-B back to back tests to be sure

5. Nice sound -- Comparison to my MINIX NEO Intel Cherry Trail Z83-4 4gb 32gb eMMC fanless mini pc -- Ultra Neo is the clear winner .. 

MORE focused vocals and cleaner high frequencies like cymbals, high hats..

Piano , String instruments hv cleaner initial attack and yet longer decay..

Oh Quieter .. a haze i did not I had with the mini PC NAA is gone.. 

Just initial impressions -- My Ultra Neo is powered by a 12v Lps from ebay .. nothing fancy 

Waiting for Alex to release his 3amp version of the lt3045 to power my Ultra Neo

Still testing ..,,,,Enjoying the Music

 

[kelvinwsy]

2nd Update

The Ultra Neo can handle DSD512 even on poly-sinc-xtr-2 except you need to set the ASIO buffer to safe not even standard. Occasionally it will still stutter. (Hmh... I think the SOTM 200 Ultra series is optimized for DSD256 not DSD512...

 

Burn In - Switched it on 4th Aug. Got frustated with it not being able to play DSD512 so switched off the whole unit. Put it back on power 6th Aug and has been powered since then. So 10 days - 230 hours. I will let it burn it another 70 - 100 hours before doing SQ comparisons

 

I intend to run the SOTM-Ultra Neo the various optional ways of connection

1. Run it direct into the iDSD micro BL

2. Run it with the Iso Regen/Ultra Cap and the lt3045 1 amp module in line then into the iDSD micro BL

Repeat step 2 with my fanless MINIX NEO Intel Cherry Trail Z83-4 4gb 32gb eMMC mini PC

No point doing 1st option. The USB 3.0 output of the Minix Neo is dirty.... Need the filtering of the IsoRegen.

 

I have been doing Option 2 sporadically just to gather initial impressions.

My first initial comment stands.

1. The Ultra Neo is more focused in the images and sound stage. Example John Denver - An Evening (remastered ...Yeh Yeh. I know John Denver!!!!) with Summer 4th Track. On the HD800 the Hall Echo of John's voice ... you can hear every word he is singing echoed from the left back of the Universal Amphitheatre LA just a split second after the direct voice.

On the Minix Neo - It is muffled ... more echoey and the initial part of each phrase of John's singing is muffled then you hear a Louder ending of each phrase echoed.

Same with the Eagles XRCD Hotel California ... The multiple guitars are more clearly defined strumming the harmony on each side of the lead guitar on the right side. 

2. Sound Balance.. The Minix Neo has a stronger bass - I am not saying better bass. It is bloomier and louder .. The Congas in the left of center at the beginining of the Intro part is heavier and stronger. The Neo is leaner and does not extend so low down and more subtle.

 

I will let the Ultra Neo burn in to 300 hours at least before more comparisons.

Happy Listening every one

 

The Ultra's DSD 512 is still a disappointment! 1200 USD compared to 200 USD crappy fanless minipc.. and it stutters???

 

[Crom]

Thanks for taking the time writing this up - very interesting!

[kelvinwsy]

Ohh thanks 

1. The Ultra Neo does play DSD512 native

I manage to eliminate 99% of any stuttering.. ie it is Good! First apologies to SOTM .. it can do DSD 512 

-- Solution. I an using a Netgear GS105 on 12v linear power .. This had only 2slots for 1Gbit.. The others are 100 Mbs... I connect my HQPLAYER pc to the UltracNeo by bridging.. ONLY 1 Channel is 1Gbit the other is 100mbps  (input from my ASUS AC68 Router takes up 1 of the 2 x 1 Gbit slots)

AND THAT is the reason for the stutter

Why my mini pc NAA not affected I think the Minipc has 4 gb memory maybe it buffers ???

not a network expert so just guessing

 

RECOMMENDATION: Using Hqplayer and SOTM SM200 Ultra/Neo in direct connection mode  make sure every item in network circuit is 1Gbite speed

 

2. I disconnected the Netgear and the ASUS AC68... connected my new ASUS AC-85 router with 3000 rating vs my present AC68 only 2700(cannot remember what units) direct to

my fibre router with my ISP 1 Gbyte line speed The AC 85 has all  1 Gb slots .. No Netgear Switch in circuit and I think the increased speed also helped .. Stuttering only occassionally NOT PERFECT but is acceptable

 

3.  DONT TOUCH your smartphone , tablet etc running the Eunhasu App.. It causes stuttering even when I touch Safari app .. Affects the Eunhasu control app!!

 

Also dont underpower the Sotm .. i feed it 4amp 12v bcos the iFi idsd micro BL is usb drive powered.

 

350 hrs now and the SQ Tests begins ??

1. Will use my He560, Hd800, Final Sonorous VI, my IEM Fitear TG334 for different sound flavor

2. DAC - iFi iDSD micro BL, FiiO Q2 Mk2 , LH labs Geek Sfi, PS Audio PWD II for compatibility at different sample rates PCM AND DSD

 

Let the test begin

[kelvinwsy]

One additional point My PS AUDIO has the Bridge and I hv used with JRemote JRiver MC22 /23 on DLNA

Will test that but up to PCM 24/192 only

Will use tHE USB Slot to drive a usb drive of music

Sorry dropped my 3gb WD NAS Drive ... Damn it is busted

But I hv an old WD 1Tb TV medis drive .. can try that to

[JBruce]

So what happened ? Do you find it acceptable that the unit “ stutters “? Why do you/did you  think burning it in longer work stop the stuttering . 

What did you think of the instructions that came with the 200 ultra neo? 

Have you ever tried to use a smartphone to control the 200? Have I used Logitech Media server with a smartphome

on eunhasu?  

 

Jbf