The right settings for the best sound

Hi Guys.

I would like to inform you that I have purchased the Chord MScaler (see link below), and I am trying to hear the differences in digital audio. I would like you to help me with your experience in this, How?

I am sending you 3 photos with the roon settings that I have at the moment. Do you think they are the best, or am I doing something wrong? Or do I have to do something else? Keep in mind that I like bypass playback. The entire upgrade will be undertaken by MScaler.

Thank you very much, I am waiting for your answers.

Nikos - Greece.

https://chordelectronics.co.uk/product/hugo-mscaler/

How have you connected the M Scaler? Is the Aries your DAC or streamer? For best results use coax (limited to 384kHz with single BNC) from the M Scaler. And why are you using mp3 as the source?

You probably want something like this:

Roon Core > USB > M Scaler > Coax > Aries (the M Scaler should be identified by Roon; you won’t “see” the Aries)

I suspect the M Scaler should be set to Fixed Volume.

@Martin_Kelly can you add anything?

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You are right, I should have been clearer.

The connection I have at the moment is as follows: roon core / Nuc i7, 8gen / win10》 roon end point / Aries G1》 usb cable》 MScaler》 dual bnc》 Hugo tt2》 dual rca》 integrated amplifier Mcintosh MA 7900.

Coincidentally, when I took the screenshots I was listening to jazzradio.com! But I listen to Tidal and qobuz with hires files.

Now that I have explained my connection, can you repost your answer so I can understand it well?

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When using the Chord MScaler, the correct chain should be:

Roon Core/Nucleus (in my case) => USB => MScaler => DAC

You shouldn’t even see the Roon endpoint, beyond the MScaler.
For example, I have a TT2 connected via dual BNC to the MScaler, and my signal path is as follows:

Agree completely with what you say Martin.

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I’m trying to understand Martin.

I do not use Nucleus, I have roon as kernel, and I have Auralic G1 as end point. Mscaler cannot be used as an endpoint.

With the equipment I have:

a. Nuc i7 BEH

b. Auralic Aries G1,

c. MScaler,

d. Hugo tt2,
how do you suggest the connection should be?

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The Aires G1 is a streamer, not a DAC.

If you have a TT2 as well as MScaler (like I do), then the MScaler should be connected via USB directly to your NUC. From the MScaler, you should use dual BNC into the TT2.

The Aires G1 should be connected to your home network via Ethernet, and have no connection/communication with the MScaler.

You will therefore have two Roon ‘zones’. One will be Aires G1, and the second will be MScaler/(TT2 - but this will not show up in the signal chain).

Does this make sense?

“The Aires G1 is a streamer, not a DAC.”

ok. I now.

“If you have a TT2 as well as MScaler (like I do), then the MScaler should be connected via USB directly to your NUC. From the MScaler, you should use dual BNC into the TT2.”

ok. understand.

“The Aires G1 should be connected to your home network via Ethernet, and have no connection/communication with the MScaler.”

If he has no communication with MScaler, then how will I listen to the music? I do not come down to this. Do you mean that the roon will not be used, but the lightning DS?

“You will therefore have two Roon ‘zones’. One will be Aires G1, and the second will be MScaler / (TT2 - but this will not show up in the signal chain).”

Again, I do not understand. Where will the Aries G1 connect to give its sound? Should he not somehow connect to the Scaler? I honestly can not understand …

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The Aries G1 is a ‘Roon Ready’ endpoint, that should be connected to your home network via the Ethernet port on the rear. It should have no connection whatsoever with the MScaler.

The Aries G1 will achieve a connection to Roon via the Ethernet port on the rear, which connects to your local network. The Aries should not be connected to your MScaler.

…which means that roon will find the Aries standalone device, and the signal path will be: Aries G1 / roon end point 》 Nuc / roon core》 Usb / Nuc》 MScaler》 dual bnc》 dac Hugo tt2》 RCA》 Integrated amplifier ? Do I understand correctly, or not Martin?

No. Do not connect the Aires to the MScaler. The only connection the Aires needs is to your home network via the Ethernet port on the back. Roon will then find the Aires and it will be one endpoint in your system.

The other endpoint will be your MScaler, connected via USB to your NUC.

I have a very similar setup at home here.

My Linn DS is connected to my home network via Ethernet, and my MScaler/TT2 is connected to my Nucleus via USB. I therefore have two separate endpoints.

ok Martin, I totally understood! With this way of connecting, what do you think I will win, in relation to the one I have now? (usb).

Simplicity is the key benefit. The Chord MScaler/TT2 combo is one of the musical rigs around. A superb listening experience.

To be honest, USB straight into MScaler makes your Aires streaming bridge redundant.

However, if you were keen to utilise it, you could do the following:

Ethernet into your Aires. Then USB from the Aires into USB on the MScaler. Then dual BNC from MScaler into TT2.

There are pundits, including Roon themselves, who maintain that this arrangement should sound better than NUC/Nucleus => DAC directly. But after living with the Chord combo for over a year now, directly connected to my Nucleus, I fail to appreciate how it could sound any better than it does.

Plus, remember that the MScaler does a lot of upsampling etc before passing the signal to the TT2/DAC. MScaler in the chain probably mitigates against any perceived disadvantages of direct-to-DAC USB connection.

Have a good listen with the Aires in the chain, but you might find it superfluous now.

Keep the mscaler well away from the dac and amplifier, its known to generate a lot of RF so is best kept as far away from the sensitive analogue chain as you can. Lots also use ferrites on the BNC cables to try and negate it.

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Wow - would something like this help?

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I think Martin is oversimplifying.
Yes, it is possible and good to connect the M-Scaler+TT2 directly to the Roon core.
But if the M-Scaler is too far from the Roon core for a USB cable, then you need a streamer, so you get:
Roon core > Ethernet > some kind of streamer > USB > M-Scaler > dual BNC > TT2…

That’s what I am using at the moment. As a streamer, I have used both a MicroRendu and a Allo USBridge. I have also tried the direct USB connection with the Chord gear in a different room. I have heard no differences, the Chord gear is fabulous with all connections.

I know nothing about using the Aries as a streamer…

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I disagree. The NUC is NOT an audio component, and, in my experience, it makes for a poor sounding digital audio transport. The AURALiC ARIES G1, on the other hand, is a superb network audio transport. Why on earth would you say that the NUC is preferred over the ARIES G1 to provide a USB stream to the MScaler??! That just seems crazy to me. :-\

This makes no sense.

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Yes, if the core/NUC is some way from the DAC, then direct USB connection may not be possible. In that case, you would need a network bridge like the Aires G1 etc.

In my case, I have my Nucleus in my rack so direct connection to the HMS/TT2 is easy/possible.