Understood Mikael and thanks for updating your comment!
A dealer here in US who is proposing this unit quickly responded showing DSD64 on Roon through USB A, as stated in the Gold Note DS-10 manual. Several reviews also made similar comments about features that were being updated durning their time with this DAC.
Seems Gold Note pushed this out before their firmware was solid and claim Roon Ready before fully reviewed by Roon. No reason to believe it isn’t nearly complete but your “half baked” comment rings true. I think it is now out of the oven on the cooling rack.
It seems to hit DSD512-32/384 & on USB-B if you hard wire there.
I will be checking to see if the DSD64 & 24/192 is a hardware constraint or software on ethernet & wifi.
Lots of products I’ve considered provide different limitations based on specific ports.
Frustrating. Not sure how much SQ difference this represents. I kinda believe how the signal is handled maybe more relevant and GN seems to get high marks in that regard.
Yes, as you say, this is all too common. I’ve seen this exact DSD64/192 KHz PCM over the network limit (with USB supporting more) on at least two other > $5000 USD DACs, so I think they might be inheriting the limitations from the use of the same OEM streaming module.
Not adding more boxes and cables is quickly becoming a goal for me…
Thanks ddean.
Streaming like lots of electronics is evolving fairly fast. What is not evolving fast is the media being streamed. Most media is at or less than 24/192 or DSD64. Also it takes great gear to really hear a lot more.
So the paradox is chase equipment limits or align with 95+ of the content? i.e. splitting dac and streamer, more boxes; or combo streamer/dac realizing they evolve at different rates, fewer boxes.
And then there is budget…
Products like Goldnote consolidate boxes. If you want a bit more the dac will do more but not with internal streamer.
Thinking I can live with limitation now and hard wire Nucleus for more resolution when I start finding more media that’s higher res.
Or live with the Bluesound Node I have for a bit longer.
Because the hardware is driven by consumer demand, and by people’s notion of the need to future proof there is a tendency to chase numbers. My little Teac (related to the Lumin and Esoteric products) tops out at 192/24 and DSD128 native. I am pretty sure that virtually nothing is mastered at higher resolutions so I have to question the need for more via Ethernet. The built in DAC can go to DSD512 via USB and it is a ‘nice’ option to have. But by no means essential. Never lose sight of the fact that the overwhelming majority of what we stream and own is 44/16. Get that right and the rest will be OK.
Hi Frank
Congrats on getting the Tambaqui and Aries G2.1. I recently upgraded from the G2 and the G2.1 is better. I am using a Kubala-Sosna Realization USB cable. It’s expensive but it sounds terrific. I’m also using K-S Realization power cords each of which makes a noticeable improvement.
+1 for the X45, I also bought one earlier this year when I switched to Roon, great sounding DAC in my system with many additional functions. If you want to spend more, take a look at the X45 PRO.
A month out and I am SUPER happy with the Cocktail Audio offering. the MQA enabled DAC is slick as all get-out, and I can always go back to streamer mode and bypass the CA DAC and use the Vinnie Rossi DAC depending on my mood. Eight thumbs up!
How would you describe the sonic signature of the X45Pro?
I have a T+A PA3000HV integrated amp and have been researching streamers.
I have been very interested in:
Cocktail Audio X45Pro
Lumin X1 or T2 (not sure I would want to spend the $$ going to the X1)
Cary Audio DMS-550
Aurender A10
I would be using the DAC’s in the streamers as I don’t have a stand-alone DAC.
It’s interesting as the Cocktail Audio and Lumin use Sabre DAC’s and have been described in reviews as being a bit bright. As, the Cary Audio and Aurender use AKM DAC’s and have been described in reviews as being a bit warmer and smoother.
I am very interested in each of your thoughts - thanks Joe.
I know I’m lazy so I couldn’t be bothered to read all the suggestions but my first question would be is have you sorted your listening room, speakers and rest of the chain to benefit improving the front end?
Yes - I agree The Aurender A10 is an outlier because of it’s lack of Roon support.
It’s on the “testing” list because of Aurender’s implementation of the AKM AK4490 DAC as I am interested in the sonic differences between the AKM and Sabre implementations.
Hi, it’s just the X45 I have and not the Pro, but I would not describe it as overly bright but maybe passing the analogue out through my Arcam AV950 may help there. Having said that I have also experimented with the X45 as a pre connected direct to my Audiolab 8200 power amps and again, I wouldn’t say it was bright. Overall very transparent with plenty of detail.