SQ Comparison of 3 streamers

@abd1  Interesting.  After approximately 70–100 hours, or once you feel the sound has fully opened up, evaluate its performance—especially soundstage, imaging, and separation.

Right now, my speakers are about 11 feet apart and 4 ft away from the front wall, and the Rivo+ preserves a good recording’s soundstage beyond the speaker boundaries. The presentation is wider than the speakers, as tall as the performers, and deep enough that it feels like you can walk into it. Imaging is very pinpoint and well focused.  I’m curious what the much more expensive RS130 would do in comparison.  A liquid, natural sounding presentation is also one of the Rivo+’s strengths.

Why don't you have a picture of your system in your profile? 

Once I finish tuning, I will post my systems.  Right now, I have:

Rivo+ -> (Veritas Optimus) Laiv Micro DAC -> (Benchmark IC) Schiit Saga 2 -> (Veritas Magnus) Parasound A23 -> (Belden) Wharfedale Linton.  Will also post a video to demo the sound.

    @abd1 

I had the U2 Mini with a SBooster PS (about $4K CAD). I then tried the Denafrips Arcas, ($2.7K CAD) which was clearly better than the U2 Mini. I had some reliability issues with the Arcas and switched to the Rivo Plus (1.9K CAD). The Rivo Plus/HDPlex PS sounded better than the Arcas. The Rivo Plus is neutral in timbre, displays low level details with a wide soundstage. Very easy to the ears on long listening sessions. In fact quite a bargain for the audio quality you get, when compared to the bigger manufacturer names in the audiophile community.

I am interested in having a streamer with external 10 Mhz clock input. However, these are much more expensive. The candidates that I have in mind are the Matrix NT-1 ($6K CAD) and Hifi Rose Rs-130 ($8.5 K CAD). I am looking forward to your Rivo Plus/ Hifi Rose RS130  comparative study.  

Like the OP I had the T8 and now Rivo+. I started streaming with a Bluesound Nano and then bought a T8. In my system, the T8 sounded very clean, detailed and dynamic, but any listening session of an hour, and I was finished. Violins especially sounded too thin and bright. I found that I actually preferred the tone of the less revealing Nano, so I sold the T8. Then I bought a used rivo+ and LPS. I’ve had it a couple of weeks now and enjoy it. It sounds more relaxed and tonally rich than the T8 did. I get no fatigue listening to the Rivo+. I read with great interest the SQ difference between Qobuz connect and Volumio OS. I find the same, that Volumio sounds richer and more fleshed out tonally than QC. The bass has more weight as well. I have no idea why. 

My system:

Rivo+ via USB 

Harmony uDDC reclocker with SMSL master clock

Denafrips Pontus 15th

Ladder Bach SS Preamp

Orchard Audio Strarkrimson Ultra

Buchardt E-50

fully balanced system using XLR