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Improving on the stream of a combined streamer dac

I recently (foolishly) compared the streamed sound of my Electrocompanient

ECM 1 Mk II to internally stored digital downloads on the same ( ie not stored in my Small Green Computer server).  I was surprised how much better the downloaded files sounded.  Perhaps, I was naive to think otherwise.  So, I started looking at old audiogon threads to see if I could figure a quick and easy fix to up the sound of the streamer but found little that made sense or was affordable.  My question is whether I should continue to search, or if I should take it for what its worth and just listen to the music.  The rest of my digital front end:  Small Green computer server,  a Trendnet unmanaged switch and the ECM.  I use a Luna Orange ethernet cable from switch to ECM and a Purist Audio cable to the SGC.  Thanks for your advice and happy holidays to all.

rivinyl
dsnyder0cnn
83 posts
 

@clio09 - you wrote:

is Roon Core the only option to make this work?

Diretta protocol is agnostic regarding where the music comes from. The integration I've been using is via AudioLinux, which supports many popular protocols, including UPnP, AirPlay, Signalyst NAA (for HQPlayer), Slimproto (for Lyrion/LMS integration), Spotify Connect (not lossless yet), and several others. No TIDAL Connect or Qobuz Connect since that would require an open-source implementation, but perhaps someday.

Roon already has the most capable UI, but it has long been dogged by sound quality that's inferior to most other solutions. Diretta enables Roon subscribers to enjoy the best UI without having to give up sound quality.

 

rivinyl OP
213 posts
 

Still breaking the Boomslang in.

Not sure I have reached its full break in period.  I hope to have a better sense of it by next week.

It does some things very well; great tone and timbre.  Some streams are a bit bright which may be the quality of the streaming content.  May also be due to its highly resolving nature.

Will get back to you next week,

clio09
3,416 posts
 

@dsnyder0cnn Thanks for the information. I have been running MinimServer for years. I connect to my Auralic Aries G1 via wifi or LAN, then the Aries connects to either my Audio Note Kit or Lessloss DAC. If I move to this type of solution I would like to keep MinimServer. 

Regarding the Roon UI, unfortunately it never worked for me. It couldn't catalog my software in a manner I liked. The Auralic Lightning App and Audirvana are great in that regard. Speaking of Audirvana, I am thinking of revisiting it. Would it be compatible with Diretta? 

Also, are you saying if I move set up Diretta I lose Qobuz? Could be a deal breaker as I have gotten used to using it over the last year.

dsnyder0cnn
83 posts
 

Audirvana can talk to Diretta via the UPnP protocol. By all reports, it works quite well. If you have Audirvana, you don't need Qobuz Connect as Audirvana handles the communications with Qobuz servers and streams the audio over your home network to your endpoint(s).

AudioLinux (and, by extension, my preferred Diretta implementation), is not compatible with the Qobuz Connect app, but Quboz works just fine when streamed from a compatible media server, like Audirvana, Roon, etc.

rivinyl OP
213 posts
 

So the Boomslang has really settled in over the last 48 hours and I must say it brings an incredible sense of realism to the streamed music.  Vocals sound like they are in the room and so incredibly human sounding.  Overall the Boomslang has greatly improved the sound of streamed music.  Very natural sounding with a sense of tonal purity.  I highly recommend it!

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