Seeking Abyss Diana V2 system suggestions

Roon does not know about your THX DAC/amp because your running your audio through your OS (Windows I presume) sound library - the last signal point called “OS mixer”. Since Windows OS sound library resamples and applies DSP to the PCM stream before sending it back out to the THX DAC/amp, and Roon rightly rates this as a degradation. Look up “WASAPI” and/or “ASIO” audio drivers and learn how to set Windows up so that it is not re-processing the sound before it passes it on to your DAC…

Thanks. Roon most decidedly does not like my headphone/dac/amp setup. I notice significant low end distortion and audio artifacts when playing from Roon. The start of Portishead’s Wandering Star displays the problem quite noticeably. I have three ways to playback from Tidal. Roon as shown above, The Tidal native app, and Plex with the Tidal add-on. I’ve been switching between these three this morning and Roon is not listenable while the others playback without the distortion and artifacts. I’ll look into drivers that can remove the reprocessing then see if they address the Roon playback issue.

Post screenshots of you roon settings, audio.

Previously I was using PC audio output. Now I see the option for configuring a zone for the Monolith. I get the lossless signal path now.
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Issue resolved. Not sure why the Monolith didn’t show as a zone option before. I did try adding a system level EQ. Didn’t end up keeping it but maybe it installed the WASAPI driver suggested earlier.

Ok. Now I’m nitpicking. Why do the Tidal and Plex native apps stream as PCM 48khz but Roon as 44.1khz? Like I could hear the difference. :smiley: Just wondering.

Sounds like the OS sound library (you use Windows right?) is sitting in between again. If your playing “native apps” from Tidal, Qobuz, and the like in Windows then your likely routing through Windows sound library (I don’t think there is WASAPI/ASIO/bit perfect options in these apps). Windows by default upsamples to 24/48k. See Control Panel > Sound > (default device) > Advanced tab

Seems like that was still happening with the Tidal app. Now that I have set the system default for the Monolith to 44.1 that’s what Tidal streams. Roon streams based on the source rate (48khz sources stream at 48, 44.1 sources stream at 44.1).

Tidal doesn’t adjust based on source rate. It uses the system default (now set to 44.1) for everything.

Thanks for all the help.

After a little deliberation and budget fact checking, I think I will follow this path.

Current:
Monolith THX DAC/AMP
HIFIMAN Sundara

Stage 2
Monolith THX DAC/AMP
HIFIMAN Arya

Stage 3
Denafrips Ares II
Monolith THX AMP
HIFIMAN Arya

Endgame
Denafrips Ares II
Burson Soloist 3x Performance
Meze Empyrean
Drop HD8xx

But before I move to the endgame I have to upgrade my loudspeakers and have the spare cash to drop $5k on a headphone kit. I think I’ll probably stop at stage 3.

Well, today the almost endgame system arrived. I went with

Denafrips Ares II
Burson Soloist 3x Performance
HIFIMAN Arya

Still have the Sundara Monolith combo at the work desk. But I’m very pleased with my little head-fi rig next to my favorite listening chair… If anyone is interested in impressions of any of this gear, just ping me here.

Thanks again for the advice and assistance.

So how’s the new DAC and AMP compared to THX Dac-Amp? I upgraded by headphone from Sundara to Focal Clear, HD 800 S, and Abyss Diana V2, but haven’t upgraded my Monolith Dac-Amp. Did you hear the difference when switching the dac and amp using the same headphone?

And I read in some reviews that the Ares II has issues with delay which caused syncing issue with video when watching movies (and probably bad for games as well). Is it true?

Karl, sorry it took me a while to reply. I have not isolated each component as thoroughly as I could. I have listened for a few days to the Arya and THX DAC AMP. Then I switched directly to the Ares Soloist setup. I could isolate the DAC and amps at some point now that I have become accustomed to the signature of the Arya.

I can offer an overall impression of one rig versus the other. Imaging is where the final setup shines most. three dimensional positioning of notes is more pronounced. Tighter bass is something I notice as well. Pipe organ passages have texture in the extreme lows not there in the THX.

I’m only using this rig for music, so I haven’t seen any video delay. The Ares II is not a fan of MQA. You have to go full on into the advance setting to get rid of anything MQA or a weird distortion happens after a few tracks. And pausing it then starting the tracks again gets rid of it for a while and then it comes back again. Turning everything related to MQA off in settings gets rid of that.

To your main question, I’m happy with the new setup and do think it sounds better than the THX by itself. But that Monolith sounded really good and you have to have the spare cash and want the best sound you can get (within your budget) for it to be worth it. Just speaking personally, if I had the headphones you have I would find a DAC that fits your media needs and seriously check out the Burson. I say that because that headphone lineup speaks to a desire for the best playback possible (short of the $10k+ rigs that seem to be the next major step up).

Thanks for the quick reply. You’re the ideal person for me to ask since you just happen to use the monolith dac-amp before your upgrade. I ended up choosing Holo Sprint 3 KTE dac + GSX Mini amp, need to wait few weeks until both of them arrive.

Side note: re: MQA you should watch the Golden Sound’s debunking of MQA’s claims in youtube. Doesn’t sound like a solid tech / format to me.

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