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Upgrade over Sonos ZP90?

Hi there fellow a-goners.
I am in the process of upgrading my system. I use my faithful Sonos as a digital source and have been perfectly happy with it up-to-date. However, I understand that there are better digital transports out there. What I need is a transport that would be as user-friendly as the Sonos, but will exceeded in terms of sound quality and have the ability to do high res. I intend to use it as a transport with an external DAC and my DAC does not have USB input, so it’s either coaxial or Optical inputs (I have a Reimyo DAP-777 and a CHORD DAC64).

I was looking at aurender, auralic Aries, and Linn Akurate DS1.
I also have an Oppo 105D i use it strictly for video, as my experience with it as an audio  transport has not been good: Sonos sounds better.
I am a cost minding type of guy, so I am looking for a used piece preferably under 2000 us. Thanks for your help and looking forward to your advice.
ja_zz
lalitk's avatar
lalitk
5,535 posts
 
@ja_zz,

If you can find a Aurender N100C used that would give you the best digital sound quality among the three choices you mentioned above.

Having said that, you can also look at Bluesound Node 2. I can’t think of anything else currently available that provides a better value and sound quality under $500. Node 2 has a digital coax output for connection to your existing DAC’s. The Bluesound app is very similar to SONOS app and you get the same flexibility to stream from Tidal, Deezer or Spotify.

Node 2 also has a very decent internal DAC so you can go direct into your pre through its analog outputs. By using its analog output, you can experience the MQA files from Tidal streaming but I believe you may prefer the sound through Reimyo or Chord DAC over its internal DAC.

I currently own Vault 2 which gives me two distinct advantages over Node 2. First, It allows me to rip my rare CD’s to its internal hard drive. And secondly, I get to browse and download high resolution files from HDTRACKS straight into its hard drive. All through the blusound app. No external laptop or computer needed.

Good luck!

ja_zz OP
124 posts
 
lalitk,
Thanks for your reply. N100C is quite rare, N100H is a lot more common.
How good is Bluesound compared to Aurender?


Also, does anybody have experience with Soundaware, namely D100PRO?
Thanks!

audioengr
3,282 posts
 

Forget about replacing the Sonos. Just add a $599 Synchro-Mesh reclocker and a good $275 BNC S/PDIF cable to it. Here are jitter plots before and after:

http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=154310.0

20psec of jitter from a Sonos. Never happened before the SM.  This beats even the best servers available. They also need the SM to lower the jitter.

Here are some S/PDIF cable jitter measurements:

http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=154425.0

Steve N.

Empirical Audio

lalitk's avatar
lalitk
5,535 posts
 
@audioengr,

Would you say Synchro-Mesh Clocker is a better option than Wyrd 4 Sound modification?

https://wyred4sound.com/products/upgrades-and-mods/sonos-connect-modified

After all we are adding an additional expense of another S/PDIF cable and shelf space.
audioengr
3,282 posts
 

Yes. It is always better to design and power something separately rather than modding. I know this because I modded all types of transports and computer audio devices for 10 years, including Sonos. This is better.

You need the better S/PDIF cable anyway, so there is no savings there.

Shelf space is 4.5"X4.5". Pretty small.

There is also the benefit of upsampling 44.1 to 96. The DAC will sound better because the digital filter is better.

There is also the benefit of galvanic isolation.

Steve N.

Empirical Audio


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