Yeah well, I already traded in the NUC. But I would not be able to do that with my old music server anyway. The old NUC based server had just one ethernet port and then USB out. So to use it as a server with the Antipodes, I would need two ethernet ports- one port in and one port out to the player. The K21 or the K22 both have just an ethernet port for an input. The K41 server has two ethernet ports- one purposed for input and one purposed for output to the player.
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.
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Sorry, missed your question above. Yes, I do much of my “serious” listening using my vinyl front end, both on my “big rig”, and on my “vintage” basement system. As I mentioned in an earlier post, I find well engineered digital systems to have far less differences per $ spent; I actually preferred my Gold Note (with optional separate power supply) to my friend’s >$10k dcs DAC, where we were A/Bing 4 different DACs in his highly resolving, solid state system. Let's face it, vinyl is a high noise, low signal-to-noise ratio medium. But there’s something magical about a vinyl system done well, and it plays so well with my tube amps. And for a single malt scotch drinker, it just doesn’t get any better! |
This is a cool configuration. I happened upon something similar by accident when I was trying to shield my very old, but still super quiet and super useful, streaming Windows 7 machine from the internet. I just connected it to the second LAN port on my Roon Server.
OK, I can see how that comes off as pedantic. It wasn't intended to be so - I was excited to point out something I'd read another poster say over at the Roon forum, which is that it's better not to think of what your Roon server transmits as data, not music. Anyway, please, continue on the other topics and let's move on from the core debate...
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@jji666 “I believe I've already done this without having to take it anywhere. I've built all level of servers, from the AudiophileStyle's totally quiet fanless model with no moving parts and using the various OS tweaks that are/were supposed to bring OS operations to the quietest levels possible, to powerful beasts that may clearly have noisy electro-stuff. I mean, I have probably built 15 Roon servers. All flavors. The transmitter in a network configuration just cannot generate a different sound. I've been designing and building media computers for over 30 years - I'm not just guessing here. “ The arrogant puffery here is funny for its sheer lack of social inhibition. There has to be a special word for this sort of ignorance. 🤔 - I don’t mean to upset you, jji666, but have you ever wondered how all the posturing would come across if one day you discovered your beliefs were false? A little restraint goes a long way : )
In friendship - kevin. |
Boy, this is a game of whack-a-mole, that’s for sure. But what really gets me is that when someone has nothing substantive to offer, they have to attack the messenger. Sorry to disturb your pro-fancy-server echo chamber. The fact is that one poster told me to "get out there and try some servers" (paraphrased) and another used that old construct of "my system is more resolving so I must be correct." So I described my experience, both with servers and resolving systems, in order to respond to their assumption that I was speaking without experience. I advocate keeping an open mind. But those that state beliefs contrary to science and engineering are the ones that need to back up their assertions with evidence.
It’s not puffery if it’s true. In terms of arrogant, I suggest you check the tone of your own post. |
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