DCS Network Bridge? Aqua LinQ Streamer?

Good luck. You looking to stay with i2s?

I was looking into their dacs and found out Ben at mojo audio has a strong anti-i2s stance. That cued me to try my Mano's SPDIF output and it was indeed superior into my audio Mirror t3se, even using an old cheap cable. That led me to invest in that pathway, so I'm roughly planning on staying with the old SPDIF interface...

A thread bump in the hopes that I can catch some relevant user experiences... 

@cal3713,

RE: LinQ, I inquired last month about in-home audition and my dealer said not possible due to very high demand. 

Thanks for letting me know. Hopefully that demand means that someone will post with some impressions...

I own an Aqua Formula and a LinQ. The I2S output does sound better than the USB, not leaps and bounds better but it is noticeable. The LinQ IMO is ruthlessly revealing. On well recorded tracks it's amazing on not so good recordings or with sub - par gear it will let you know. YMMV

Thanks for the information. For interested parties, I also received the following report from someone selling their Innous Zenith on usam:

"The [DCS Network] Bridge is awesome. It's very neutral and an excellent renderer/player. It's easy to use and has Spdif out. The clock in and outs are very disappointing because they are not standard SPDIF so that was annoying. I wish I could use my master clock with it. The Innuos has a warmer, denser tone to the Bridge which I like but I am ultimately for neutrality. They are both great and I wouldn't rate one over the other except Innuos only does USB."

Hi guys, i'm looking at Aqua Formula xHD + LinQ as a possible option for my digital.I am very familiar with Totaldac but not Aqua yet.Any idea if Aqua flagship combo would outperform Totaldac d1-direct + d1-streamer ?A guy told me he prefered the Aqua combo over Totaldac Twelve mk2 + d1-streamer, that's pretty surprising considering the difference in price.

Thanks for the introduction to the totaldac streamer... looks interesting.

Here's a review where they compare it to the dcs network bridge: https://twitteringmachines.com/review-totaldac-d1-streamer/

@cal3713  d1-streamer is really made to work with d1-direct or d1-Twelve mk2.I would not purchase this streamer if not going full Totaldac all the way.Totaldac is the most analogue sounding DACs i've ever heard and i have heard MSB Select 2 and DCs Vivaldi stack.I would love to hear the Aqua combo.

Late reply but for what it's worth - I have heard the TotalDAC D1-Twelve many times and it is a stellar DAC. At the time I first purchased a Aqua Formula the TotalDAC was clearly better (more robust sound with further detail, more effortless). However I have had the Formula upgraded 2x with the analog PSU + digital upgrade + I purchased the LinQ along with the HQP module and I would surmise that it's significantly closer now. I haven't heard the TotalDAC twelve in a while due to COVID but my gut makes me think (especially when I get the latest HQplayer Core module for the Linq) that it will be more about preference than which is best. Net is - the Formula + LinQ are a better bang for your $ IMO.

Thanks. I ended up getting a bricasti m5 which I like. It's a little bit better than my Magna Mano, but not by much. Looks to be very reliable. Just plug and play. Very responsive and easy to use as a upnp/dnla renderer. 

Still curious to try other streamers, but it's low on the priority list.

Just like @sbonamo i ended up purchasing the Aqua Formula xHD Rev 2 + LinQ combo with the HQplayer Core module.Really happy with this combo paired with my Gryphon Diablo 300 and Thiel CS 3.7 speakers.I will probably get Totaldac flagship when i retire, meanwhile i'm enjoying this rig.

I was once interested in LinQ and Formula xHD but the in-home demo never panned out. Thanks to Colin@Gestalt Audio, I was finally able to hear Merging Technologies +NADAC in my home. All I can say, digital streaming and my rips never sounded so sublime. This DAC is all about transparency and audio purity! Finally a DAC that does complete justice to DSD files.

I have also added the Telegartner M12 Switch, a worthy which has been nothing short of icing on the cake. A switch like this is a ‘must’ for any serious high resolution digital streaming system.

As an added LinQ data point I recently picked up an Innuos Statement thinking it could replace my DIY music PC + the LinQ. Going into the eval I already knew that my combo was quite good having recently heard the Aurender W20 and the TotalDAC Twelve full stack in two stellar systems and mine certainly held its own. The result was that the LinQ was more transparent with more realistic instrument tone, better spacial due definition (less amorphous if that makes sense) and better dynamics. The only benefit if it suits your fancy was that the Statement had a bit more body but I found it less realistic. I also tried replacing my Music PC with the Statement via ethernet and the Statement sound was worse. The Statement is best via USB and so - so via streaming ethernet IMO. Since that compare I upgraded my JCAT femto NIC to the XE and employed additional optimizations (less processes running) and I'd surmise it would now be absolutely no contest. Keep in mind my combo is about $11K (music PC = $5k, LinQ = $6K) and the Statement is >=$15K so IME the LinQ is a bargain and the best streamer I've heard to date. YMMV.

Completely agree regarding the LinQ, i built a Roon Rock fanless NUC powered by a Farad Super3 LPS with SR Orange fuse going into my router this time powered by an Sbooster Mk2 LPS and from there going into my Paul Pang Quad switch and into my LinQ.Between router and Paul Pang Quad switch i have an SOTM ISO-CAT6 filter.Ethernet cables are a mix of Paul Pang Platinum-M and Mad Scientist Audio.Everything is plugged into an Audioquest Niagara 3000.My best Qobuz-Tidal streaming to date.

@sbonamo @thieliste 

Its been just over a year since this thread was active- I’m wondering if you’re still using the LinQ and if you can share thoughts on your experience with it so far.

I do still have the LinQ and the Formula. I redid my music server with the latest Intel chipset, M.2 SSDs, lines with copper sheets / copper weights and 3M EMI / RFI shielding and there is a not - so - subtle uptick in dimension and tonal accuracy especially with acoustic instruments. Another data point - I demo'd the TotalDAC D1- Direct which is the only TotalDAC with R2R direct output other than the D1- Twelve. My demo unit had the built - in streamer card. My existing setup was noticeably better. How much closer or possibly better the TotalDAC is with the external streamer vs. the in - unit streamer I don't know, but it made me hesitate towards considering the TotalDAC twelve. Based on my experience when funds permit, I may pursue MSB. I hope this helps.

@sbonamo 

It seems that you rely heavily on your modded PC as a part of this system. As I have really no experience or understanding of the difference how would you rate the LinQ if its role were to be a standalone solution for streaming?

if you would- please describe what role the PC plays in this and how it boosts the overall quality of your setup As you can tell- I’m not in the streaming business.

@designsfx  Yes i also still have my LinQ - Formula Rev 2 combo.

I use them paired with a fanless Roon Rock NUC powered by a Farad Super 3 LPS.

What's new in my system well i sold my Gryphon Diablo 300 and replaced it by a Vitus SIA-025 Mk2.

My speakers just didn't like the Diablo 300.

Otherwise i added a FMC and a Sonore Optical Module between my PP Quad Switch and LinQ, this was a great upgrade.

I'm also in the process of upgrading most of my LAN cables except the PP ones.

I now have a Pink Faun LAN cable and ordered 2 more to replace my 2 Mad Scientist Black Magic.

Also ordered many Isoacoustics footers and 2 more Artesania Dampers.

A friend of mine has ordered the Farad Super 10 to drive his Roon Nucleus therefore i should be able to make a shootout in my system against the Super 3 and see if that brings something for my streaming.

Anyway still very happy with my LinQ-Formula combo.

I would be curious to try and make a shootout between my Formula DAC and the Totaldac D1-Direct + External Clock.

@sbonamo Did you get the Totaldac gear on loan from Vincent for like 2 weeks and returned it ?

 

@thieliste Yes, you're correct, I did get the TD gear on loan from Vincent and returned it. 

@designsfx WRT the LinQ stand - alone which in my case was employing the HQPlayer core, it sounded excellent and on par with my at the time music server. I was one of the first to try the LinQ core and I ended up returning it because it could not do upsampling via its low powered / low performance processor.  Whether there have been improvements in since, I don't know but again, it was pretty much indistinguishable versus my server at that time in terms of sound quality (excellent IMO).

WRT my PC's role - it acts as an HQPlayer and ROON server. In either situation I output to the LinQ via an HQplayer stream (local files or streaming).  Also, and I think I mentioned previously (apologies if I'm repeating myself) my DIY server outpaced the Innuos statement in this capacity. And my Music PC + LinQ further outpaced the Statement when feeding my DAC. I hope this helps.

 

@sbonamo 

What were you using to interface the LinQ and since you mentioned returning the HQ Player core I’d the LinQ now only interfacing with your PC via your network?

I use a Naim Uniti Core as a server for CD rips and a MacBook Pro directly to my Dac for DSD. I was wondering what the best configuration would be as far as add on modules for the LinQ should I decide to use one in combination with my La Scala Dac.

I’m still of the mindset that the best sound I’m going to achieve is via CD rip but would like to get more enjoyment from streaming. Not sure if it could take its place.

Hi @designsfx, 

The LinQ is a modular design and there are 2 modules for use with HQPlayer: The HQPlayer NAA module whereby you can feed it a stream using a Music server which acts as the HQPlayer Core or you can install both the HQPlayer NAA module + the HQPlayer core module in the LinQ. With both modules you can stream directly to the LinQ, no music server required. Both sounded pretty much identical. However, as far as I recall, you can't connect external storage not can it access a NAS, so it's for streaming - only and not local or network drive file playback.  

 

@sbonamo 

Thank you for defining those two differences- it was definitely clearer than reading Aqua’s website. So for me the question would be how best to incorporate NAS for digital file purchases in addition to streaming.