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Esoteric N-03T streamer with Roon or ?

Hi guys and gals.
I have just purchased a Luxman D-10X and I want to use the internal DAC for my streamed and local ripped content. I am using Roon at present but I am not locked into it if there is something better.
Question....
Is the N-03T a good streamer to use in this application? How should I integrate Roon into this set up? Or should I leave Roon behind (lifetime sub) and just use the Esoteric (Lumin) player software?
How would you connect the N-03T to the 10X?
I am a bit of a digital idiot so please excuse the basic questions.
Rest of system is Luxman M-900u amp and soon to arrive C-900 Pre. Revel Ultima Salon 2 speakers and SME/Soundsmith Analog front end.
Many thanks for the advise.
mauidj
mauidj OP
127 posts
 
Thanks guys.
@thyname what runs the Roon core and how do you connect to the Esoteric?
thyname's avatar
thyname
3,107 posts
 
Hi @mauidj

My Roon Core is on Nucleus+

Esoteric N-01XD is connected to network via Ethernet cables. The built in streamer on it is essentially a Roon Endpoint. It’s Roon Ready: https://roonlabs.com/partners/esoteric

Nucleus+ is in a different floor / room in my house
jbuhl's avatar
jbuhl
911 posts
 
From just a quick look , it does not appear you can use the Esoteric in your config. Im sure I will be corrected if wrong . The esoteric appears to only have analog out (streamer/DAC).

If you want to use the internal DAC in the Luxman with ROONs you will need a ROONs endpoint to feed a digital signal into the Luxman. You could look at Small green computer optical rendu or micro rendu to see if they would work. Looks like the Luxman has optical,USB and Coaxial digital inputs. Would love to hear a comparison between the Esoteric DAC and the LuXman
Here is how to set up the optical Renduhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3L7aZR6RST8

jbuhl's avatar
jbuhl
911 posts
 
On second look it does appear that the N-03T does have digital out. So you could use it as your Roons endpoint and then go digital out to the Luxman via USB or Coax.
So: Roon--> N-03T --> D-10X -->Amp
jbuhl's avatar
jbuhl
911 posts
 
I don’t see any reason why I would not be able to install the Esoteric Soundstream app on the iPad as well, in case I want to bypass Roon for some reason, and use it to stream straight to the N 03T.
It may well be that someone who actually has done these things, rather than merely thought about them, has better advice.

It would be a good SQ test to compare the Soundstream going directly into the N-o3T. There has been much debate about the SQ of Roons app vs apps like MPD. I have always thought the MPD on my Bryston streamer sound a bit better than my Roons configuration.
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