Couple of updates.
I have done some testing with cables. The AQ Diamond is very good. I swapped in a Clarus Crimson and think it was a pleasant switch depending on the speakers and is a very good substitute. if you have issues with box on AQ stuff fitting, this is a brilliant substitute.
In some cases, I reported a bit of bass emphasis with some DACs. Swapping speaker cables, I think that was the AQ Robin Hoods, not the DACs. It is definitely a more bass heavy cable which is probably why I like it with my stand mounts.
Finally, I have done some additional testing with different servers. I have an Antipodes K40 here (and an open box) along with my sample Nucleus+, a traded in Nucleus and a Wavedream NET that was just traded in with a Wavedream Signature DAC.
The Nucleus+ and Nucleus exhibited no difference as standalone servers. I do think there was a small improvement with the Nucleus+ when they were connected via USB and the Roon unit was used as server and renderer but it was small enough that I am not certain and it could be my internal bias.
The Antipodes K40 as a server used either with the Weiss directly via ethernet or with the Chord (2Go/2Yu) renderer is significantly better. It should be at 4 to 6x the cost of the nucleus but everything is clearer and cleaner. Effects, especially in Liberty, clustered notes like the opening of Duende or bells in Be Still My Beating Heart are just clearer.
The Wavedream NET as a Server vs the Antipodes were a push when feeding the 2Go/2Yu. Feeding the Wavedream Signature takes this DAC to a totally different level. The loss of that last, tiny bit of jitter is just mind boggling. I am using an Audioquest Dragon 48 HDMI to connect them. The idea is that the clock is perfectly synchronized between the two devices and that is completely obvious.
I have done some testing with cables. The AQ Diamond is very good. I swapped in a Clarus Crimson and think it was a pleasant switch depending on the speakers and is a very good substitute. if you have issues with box on AQ stuff fitting, this is a brilliant substitute.
In some cases, I reported a bit of bass emphasis with some DACs. Swapping speaker cables, I think that was the AQ Robin Hoods, not the DACs. It is definitely a more bass heavy cable which is probably why I like it with my stand mounts.
Finally, I have done some additional testing with different servers. I have an Antipodes K40 here (and an open box) along with my sample Nucleus+, a traded in Nucleus and a Wavedream NET that was just traded in with a Wavedream Signature DAC.
The Nucleus+ and Nucleus exhibited no difference as standalone servers. I do think there was a small improvement with the Nucleus+ when they were connected via USB and the Roon unit was used as server and renderer but it was small enough that I am not certain and it could be my internal bias.
The Antipodes K40 as a server used either with the Weiss directly via ethernet or with the Chord (2Go/2Yu) renderer is significantly better. It should be at 4 to 6x the cost of the nucleus but everything is clearer and cleaner. Effects, especially in Liberty, clustered notes like the opening of Duende or bells in Be Still My Beating Heart are just clearer.
The Wavedream NET as a Server vs the Antipodes were a push when feeding the 2Go/2Yu. Feeding the Wavedream Signature takes this DAC to a totally different level. The loss of that last, tiny bit of jitter is just mind boggling. I am using an Audioquest Dragon 48 HDMI to connect them. The idea is that the clock is perfectly synchronized between the two devices and that is completely obvious.