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What makes One Music Server Sound Better than Another?

So this week my Mojo Audio DejaVu music server that I have used for the past 2-3 years crapped out. Benjamin at Mojo was more than helpful and the DejaVu is on its way to Mojo Audio where it will make a full recovery.

Thankfully, I still have my Antipodes DX2 Gen 3 (their former flagship) music server so I hooked it up. After wrestling with Roon protocols, transfers, and set-up menus, I was able to get it going so I have music. The DX and my Sonore Sig Rendu SE opt. are both connected to my network so the DX (like the DejaVu), is only being used as a Roon core and the Sig Rendu SE serves as the Roon endpoint for streaming Tidal and Qobuz, with a direct USB connection to my DAC.

The point of this thread is to ask, how come I perceive the the DejaVu server as sounding better than the Antipdes DX? In fairness, the differences I perceive are not great but it seems the DejaVu is fuller sounding, more tonally rich, and bolder. Is this why some here spend $10K+ on a Grimm, Taiko or something else?

If a server is basically a computer, sending digital information to a streamer/endpoint and, assuming that digital information is transmitted asynchronously and reclocked by the DAC’s master clock, and assuming noise is not the issue (i.e., both units are quiet and there is an optical break between the network and both the server and endpoint) then what are the technical reasons one should sound better than the other? It is not that I want to spend $10K+ on a music server with a lifespan of maybe 5 years before becoming obsolete, but I would like to understand what more you are getting for your money. So far, the best I can come up with is lower internal noise as the major factor.

As a side note to the above, when I thought things looked hopeless for getting set up, I scheduled a support session with Antipodes and, although I lucked into the solution before the meeting time, Mark Cole responded ready to help. Setting up the session was super easy and reminded me of the superior level of support I had come to enjoy from Antipodes during the time that the DX was my primary server, including multiple updates and 2 or 3 hardware upgrades, which prolonged the service life of the DX. Good products and good company.

 

mitch2
mitch2 OP
4,082 posts
 

@ricred1 - No need to be sorry, the praise is deserved IMO.  The K41 would be my sweet spot based on how I am set up but I have watched these things over the past 10 years and the service life of these servers seems to be south of 5 years before they become obsolete, making it an expensive proposition.  Antipodes did better than most at prolonging the life of my DX by offering the 2 or 3 upgrades I had them perform, and of course - it is still working as I sit here and listen!  Manufacturers like to say they have created a modular design for easy upgrades but regardless of how they initially sell it, you most often see an entirely new product are rarely a true upgrade opportunity.  Antipodes did a lot better than most.

I will also give a shout out to Benjamin at Mojo Audio, who also responded very quickly and based on pictures was able to let me know the DejaVu can be repaired.  He is another who will upgrade existing units until it doesn't make sense.  Unfortunately, he is no longer making servers, but I sure like the musical sound of his DACs.

@yage - You got me...of course it was sighted since I had to move connect the DX after the DejaVu failed.  Yes, there is the possibility of no real SQ difference except what is in my head. 

However, I am still interested in what others say because if the no difference path is true, then why are some paying so much money for their servers.  This is NOT a thread to bash those who do pay a lot for their server but rather to help me understand why.  I am interested in hearing the technical reasons why there should be differences in the case of a server only assuming the unit is reasonably current with an adequate processor, appropriate software, reasonably quiet power supplies, and SSDs if internal drives are used.  I am curious what I would be getting for my money if I were to spend $10K or more.

lalitk's avatar
lalitk
5,611 posts
 

“what are the technical reasons one should sound better than the other?”

@mitch2

IME, better parts + power supply and above all, implementation determines how each streamer is voiced. My streamer stood the test of times, in 10 plus years of ownership; Aurender never faltered.

mapman's avatar
mapman
22,427 posts
 

Don’t know but it probably has something to do with how the DSP in each is implemented. With digital streaming pretty much anything is possible. 

mitch2 OP
4,082 posts
 

@lalitk - Good to know about the longevity of the Aurender. Only downside for me is that I don’t plan to give up Roon so I need something that works easily with Roon. Still thinking about the K1, since I only need it to perform the server function.

To your implementation comment, when I opened it to take pictures, I noticed a lot of shielding and compartmentalizing inside of the DejaVu server. Benjamin at Mojo is big on the small details.

One thing I still don’t quite get is the folks associated with audio high end, such as Atkinson at Stereophile, who use a Roon nucleus server. That type of observation brings me back to my question, if those sound just as good at less than $3K, then why do others spend north of $10K?

benanders's avatar
benanders
234 posts
 

mitch2

What makes One Music Server Sound Better than Another?

The point of this thread is to ask, how come I perceive the the DejaVu server as sounding better than the Antipdes DX?

what are the technical reasons one should sound better than the other?

Some people are comfortable with using pattern-over-process in their purchase-making choices. I suspect you will not get a response that details process. Always patterns, which require less diligence to describe than process - it’s easy and feels as real as could be. Seems pervasive, but perhaps less hazardous in hifi discussions than in politics, education, etc.? 

 

So to answer your thread headline question:

Opinion. 

(+bias?)

 

Your two boldface questions, @mitch2  : the first one is answered by psychology textbooks nearly a century old and/or ethology / consumer preference studies in peer-reviewed lit up to this day. Your second question will probably not be answered because, thus far, no evidential support for such a thing seems to exist.

 

Plenty of reasons given for servers to “sound different,” but if they’re all opinion, a good third boldface question might be Why doesn’t this standard change? Rhetorical question, that is. 😉

 

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