I listen only to streaming music (Qobuz/Tidal). I have a i7 NUC Roon server connected via Jitterbug/USB to PS DS DAC.
I keep reading about UltraRendu (UR) over and over in Roon forum. I fully don’t understand if UR will help improving the quality of my setup.
Documentation in [http://www.sonore.us] is not great hence I’m not able to understand why one would buy this product?
Can someone explain? Thx!
I think the primary reason that you’d use a sonore UR (and there are many other choices) is that you don’t have your roon server in the room where your DAC is and it’s difficult or impossible to get a usb cable to connect them. Often users move their roon server to a different room to get rid of fan noise in the listening roon if it is noticable. A device like the UR that connects to your LAN and then connects to your DAC via USB fixes this issue. Many roon users are very happy connecting their DACs directly to their NUC/Nucleus/Mac Mini, etc… but beyond that, IMHO, it depends on many factors and you’d only know if it would be better if you A/B tested it…
This is my signal path, given this, it looks like I’m good… atleast nothing seems obvious why I need UR
Roon NUC -> AQ jitterbug -> (via USB) -> PS DS -> (via RCA) -> Anthem AVM60 -> (via XLR) -> Emotiva XPA7 -> Speakers
Does your PSA DAC have the Bridge II?
The primary reason most people use an ultraRendu is to get better sound quality. They want to isolate the electrically noisy PC from the audio system. The ultraRendu passes along a lot less electrical noise to the DAC. Especially when paired with a quality LPS.
With my PS Audio DirectStream DAC setup, I have found an ultraRendu used with a Matrix X-SPDIF 2 DDC (feeding the DirectStream via I2S) to sound the best. Much better than using the DirectStream Bridge II card or from a PC direct using USB.
Yes it does. But resounding advice is NOT to use it
Thx… I added jitterbug to reduce the PC noise in my setup… wont that suffice?
No, it won’t. Not if you really want to get rid of the electrical noise.
Not sure I 100% agree with that advice. It really depends on the rest of your system. Is it highly resolving? What specifically are you trying to achieve? The only real drawback to using the Bridge II (besides the usual PSA software issues) is that the Bridge II can’t do high DSD content. The ultraRendu is a great piece but to get the best out of it you need to also buy a good LPS to partner with it. That takes your $900 purchase up to $1300. My question is are you looking to spend $1300 if you can’t hear any difference?
No, that is not the only drawback. The Bridge II just doesn’t sound very good. It’s probably the noise it adds to the DirectStream when used. All I know is that USB sounds better and I2S input to the DAC sounds even better. The DirectStream sounds best with the Bridge II card removed from the DAC.
Great so besides the ultraRendu and the LPS now he needs to add an I2S converter so now he needs to spend $1600. Great. Again I have to ask. Is his system resolving enough that he will hear it?
I am only saying that the DirectStream DAC, the Bridge II card is not as good as USB which is not as good as I2S. He is not using Ethernet now so I told him that using an ultraRendu is better than using his NUC directly over USB. Qobuz and Tidal have high resolution file services that are just as good as Red Book and can be better.
Again I have to ask if he will actually hear a difference after spending over $1000 in his system. If the answer is yes, then your advice is solid. If the answer is no then you are leading him down a path that will net him nothing but an empty wallet.
I have no idea what anyone can hear. Nor do you. I can only say what that the Bridge II sucks and that USB out of a special purpose quiet ultraRendu is better than USB out of a general purpose computer. And that feeding the DirectStream I2S is even better.
The difference in noise output between the ultraRendu USB and NUC USB is significant. So anyone should be able to hear a difference even with tracks downloaded from iTunes.
This should end it. Of course you are right. You are all knowing and very powerful. In fact you are much like the Wizard of Oz in that respect. The poor OP was looking for advice. Instead of buying an ultraRendu why not buy a Signature Rendu so he can take advantage of the I2S connection? This is why I hate posting here. You are making a recommendation with no actual knowledge if it will be of a benefit to the OP. You are not wrong about the gear you are posting about but you are making a completely uninformed recommendation. But of course you are 100% correct in your choice because you can’t conceive of being anything else but correct.
All I can do is tell the OP what the better gear is and what “should” sound better. What actually sounds better to him is up to him and his ears. The ONLY way he will find out for sure is to try it.
Oh, flip your argument around and it applies equally to you. By the way, I have never claimed to be all knowing. I just have an opinion and I am willing to express it.
I think it depends if you want to physically sit your NUC next to your DAC?
If you want to locate your NUC and therefore your Roon Core and any USB connected drives to somewhere else on your network (people run them in studies/home office, basements, attics, under-the-stairs, server cupboards/closets etc.) then you will need a Network Audio Appliance (NAA) to sit on your network and connect to your DAC.
There are many ways of doing this. The UltraRendu is just one, as a dedicated low noise environment to run a Roon Ready NAA.
Simon
And, John, if you read my messages in this thread you will find that I did not make any recommendations to the OP. I relayed my experiences and laid out some facts. You are the one that made the giant leap suggesting I was making a “completely uninformed recommendation”. So you need to back off a bit a look at yourself…
Can you explain why I2S “should” sound better than USB which “should” sound better than Bridge II?
Or are you only talking about your own subjective impressions (which is fine of course).
Rather than just telling the OP what should sound better and best, it can be helpful to explain why you think this…
It’s based on feedback gleaned from the PS Audio forum. Just look in the Matrix SPDIF-2 thread over there.