Antipodes final opinion.....
I think i spent more time perseverating about this unit then most. The opinion base flows exuberant with supporters of the DX Gen 2 as well as DS lovers and the like. While the original DX was simply outclassed by the Aurender N10 unabashedly, the DX Gen2 stands its ground and went ten rounds without blinking. It never fell or waivered in this battle and walked away with no shame; but it walked away.......
Both would be enjoyed and both are fantastic and I could live with either forever and a day and never blink. But I wasn't listening to them on their own, I was comparing them. And I needed to take my microscope out to make a final judgement call. This statement flaunts the fact that this was a personal decision and varying systems will yield varying results. So I will say as I always do.....
in my system, in my room, to my ears (and those of my "panel's" ears, lol).......
The Antipodes DX Gen 2 took 400 hours to stabilize. But after that, I heard no additional changes. Careful testing to determine which USB output to use (5V on or off) and careful attention to setting up Roon (which I found to be the best sounding "fully" native server app) yielded the best results. This was my first real experience with Roon, and I like it: although I don't really find the Aurender App that much less robust for my personal needs. I previously reported my experience with my Short Block and how I got my best results using the 5V off output with no filtering or Short Block in between. And I opted NOT to use HQPlayer (which many say gives the best possible results) because it requires HQPlayer to exist on a separate computer which is both confusing and counterintuitive to me. So native Roon was what I used.
The enclosure is nicely done and attractive with a simple power button on the front and the outputs and inputs well laid out on back. Nothing was crowded it got in the way of anything else. The unit starts up fast and having a built in Cd ripper is a nice feature. It's software takes a little getting used to but with a bit of experience never have me an issue, froze or became problematic. It was stable. The only issues I encountered was with swapping USB back and forth between n10 and DX. While the N10 is crazy stable and grabs the USB as soon as it's plugged, Roon did occasionally have a hard time connecting with my DAC and I had to reset the Room software once via the Antipodes web control. Other then that, and if it was just left connected all the time, I found it stable and reliable. Roon is great; period.
The Antipodes is wonderful. It's an excellent digital source and makes managing my library and implementing Tidal a breeze. It presented a naturally wide and deep soundstage with proper imaging and the correct sense of space between performers. I found it not quite as black as the N10 and the DX soundstage was shifted about 6" to the left of the N10 (weird, I know). Bass and treble extension and was similar and the reproduction of the midrange was spot on.
Where the differences showed was more subtle. There was a pace to the rhythm of music that was more organic on the N10. The texture of instrument harmonics was more identifiable and perceived. The visual cues given by the auditory cues were more visable; I could see performers expressions with the N10 and I could not with the DX. There is a texture and layering to the tone of mids and especially lower frequencies that was more liquid with the N10 and less nature on the DX. I'm talking SUBTLE!!!! But palpable.
In the end, the N10 was simply more analog, more engaging, expressed complexity and Harmonic scale better and offered a bit deeper soundstage then the DX Gen 2.
Did I mention Subtle?!?!!
In a different system, I'm not sure the findings would have been the same. But in my system, the N10 stays top dog for now. And someone else gets to enjoy the DX Gen 2 and will potentially make it sound even better then it sounded in my room.
Fair thee well DX Gen 2. You will make someone VERY HAPPY!!!!!!
I think i spent more time perseverating about this unit then most. The opinion base flows exuberant with supporters of the DX Gen 2 as well as DS lovers and the like. While the original DX was simply outclassed by the Aurender N10 unabashedly, the DX Gen2 stands its ground and went ten rounds without blinking. It never fell or waivered in this battle and walked away with no shame; but it walked away.......
Both would be enjoyed and both are fantastic and I could live with either forever and a day and never blink. But I wasn't listening to them on their own, I was comparing them. And I needed to take my microscope out to make a final judgement call. This statement flaunts the fact that this was a personal decision and varying systems will yield varying results. So I will say as I always do.....
in my system, in my room, to my ears (and those of my "panel's" ears, lol).......
The Antipodes DX Gen 2 took 400 hours to stabilize. But after that, I heard no additional changes. Careful testing to determine which USB output to use (5V on or off) and careful attention to setting up Roon (which I found to be the best sounding "fully" native server app) yielded the best results. This was my first real experience with Roon, and I like it: although I don't really find the Aurender App that much less robust for my personal needs. I previously reported my experience with my Short Block and how I got my best results using the 5V off output with no filtering or Short Block in between. And I opted NOT to use HQPlayer (which many say gives the best possible results) because it requires HQPlayer to exist on a separate computer which is both confusing and counterintuitive to me. So native Roon was what I used.
The enclosure is nicely done and attractive with a simple power button on the front and the outputs and inputs well laid out on back. Nothing was crowded it got in the way of anything else. The unit starts up fast and having a built in Cd ripper is a nice feature. It's software takes a little getting used to but with a bit of experience never have me an issue, froze or became problematic. It was stable. The only issues I encountered was with swapping USB back and forth between n10 and DX. While the N10 is crazy stable and grabs the USB as soon as it's plugged, Roon did occasionally have a hard time connecting with my DAC and I had to reset the Room software once via the Antipodes web control. Other then that, and if it was just left connected all the time, I found it stable and reliable. Roon is great; period.
The Antipodes is wonderful. It's an excellent digital source and makes managing my library and implementing Tidal a breeze. It presented a naturally wide and deep soundstage with proper imaging and the correct sense of space between performers. I found it not quite as black as the N10 and the DX soundstage was shifted about 6" to the left of the N10 (weird, I know). Bass and treble extension and was similar and the reproduction of the midrange was spot on.
Where the differences showed was more subtle. There was a pace to the rhythm of music that was more organic on the N10. The texture of instrument harmonics was more identifiable and perceived. The visual cues given by the auditory cues were more visable; I could see performers expressions with the N10 and I could not with the DX. There is a texture and layering to the tone of mids and especially lower frequencies that was more liquid with the N10 and less nature on the DX. I'm talking SUBTLE!!!! But palpable.
In the end, the N10 was simply more analog, more engaging, expressed complexity and Harmonic scale better and offered a bit deeper soundstage then the DX Gen 2.
Did I mention Subtle?!?!!
In a different system, I'm not sure the findings would have been the same. But in my system, the N10 stays top dog for now. And someone else gets to enjoy the DX Gen 2 and will potentially make it sound even better then it sounded in my room.
Fair thee well DX Gen 2. You will make someone VERY HAPPY!!!!!!