SQ Comparison of 3 streamers


Do you concur these assessments if you were the owner?

SQ Comparison: Eversolo T8 vs Innuos Zen Mk3 vs Volumio Rivo Plus

Feature Eversolo T8 Innuos Zen Mk3 Volumio Rivo Plus
Tonal Balance Slightly warm, musical Neutral, reference Neutral-warm, slightly lush
Midrange Lush, expressive Transparent, accurate Smooth and natural, slightly forward
Bass Tight, controlled Tight, maybe leaner Solid, full-bodied, a bit warmer than Zen
Detail Retrieval High, smooth Very high, analytical High, clear
Dynamics Natural, engaging Precise, accurate Great, rhythmic and musical
Soundstage Imaging Spacious, slightly forward; enveloping Very wide and deep; highly precise Wide, deep, more relaxed
Overall Impression Engaging & musical Neutral & resolving Balanced, musical, and slightly “polished”
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I have seen tests of the actual downloaded files, i.e., where you subtract the contents of the source file from the transferred file to determine whether there are any differences in those files.  With bit perfect, this operation will sum to 0.  I think you’re just not comfortable with the technology.  That’s ok, but you might want to do a little more research if you want to understand this more fully.  Maybe a course at a local community college?  If you’re retired, like me, it’s a great way to learn new stuff.  (I took a ton of advanced math in college, like multivariate calculus, differential equations, etc., but never took any physics, even in high school; I’m thinking of picking that up at my local community college this year for kicks.). In another lifetime - 40 years ago! - I programmed early computers that ran nuclear power plants and electrical power plants.  Scary for those who know me, but still, pretty helpful for understanding some of the basics.

@lanx0003 

Yes, it is a conundrum, but there cannot be repeatable differences that aren’t explained by the programming involved, whatever it is (or isn’t), and that means it is advertent by a manufacturer.  And if a manufacturer is doing something different that sounds better, they would obviously want to market that.  I would also like to hear from folks with expertise in this area; honestly, those who know this stuff way better than me tend to be a bit skeptical, and the next thing you know, you’re hearing from Amir that you’re gonna have to submit to a double blind, lol!  Of course, the truly skeptical among us would start to suspect Volumio is sabotaging Qobuz Connect to get you into their ecosystem.  But I’ve no idea myself.

In another lifetime - 40 years ago! - I programmed early computers that ran nuclear power plants and electrical power plants. 
 

that explains the Chernobyl disaster. Matches the timeline…

Yeah, I got the job during the “Reagan recession” in 1983.  Told them I had an EE degree.  Didn’t mention that that meant I had a double major in English Literature and Economics!