Updating My Digital System


Last week I replaced my mac mini running BitPerfect with a Bricasti M5 Network Player. With the mac mini, I used AirPlay to pass files from my file storage on an iMac to my Esoteric K1X SE DAC using USB. With the M5, I use Roon. I was surprised and did not expect the difference in overall musical presence coming from my 3.7i maggies. More articulate bass, improved separation and space, and an increase in vocal timbre. There just seems to be a lower noise floor that helps make this all possible. I have many music files encoded using Apple’s AAC encoder, so was able to directly compare the mac mini setup with the M5. My take is that the bulk of the improvement is due to the M5 and not as much by Roon. Interested in any comments on my experience.

kevinjvl