Not to worry… I’ll look into it more in the new year. I’ve found an alternative route for the DC cable that works well… a few drill holes through the unit and the cord can now pass from A-B out of sight but more importantly, not past or through other power or data cables!
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10 days in now with the Mscaler, several favourite albums played to death thats me done now with the source okay a TT2 or Dave will of improve on this but the Mscaler adds so much to the Qutest it feels like the complete package.
Every time I sit down to chill there is an air of excitement when I hit play, its that good.
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The ‘DoP’ tickbox right at the bottom of the HPQ—>Configuration screen within the server’s HQP settings needs to be ticked for the roon/SonicOrbiter/HQP/TT2 combination to work, once the more obvious settings are made in roon (for the HQP server) and on the streamer (for the HQP NAA). I am finding it relatively straightforward to switch between HQP NAA and roon ready on the streamer as long as the roon & HQP ‘servers’ are active and the TT2 is on.
Similar to switching server modes on the Innuos, unsurprisingly.
Don’t listen to it with a TT2 then… 
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The K50 arrived on Wednesday last week. I admit it has taken a few days to get comfortable with the options available for the Server and Player set up but the last couple of days have been very fruitful.
So far I have only used :-
- Roon Core on Server and Roon Ready on Player,
- Roon Core on Server and Squeeze on Player,
- Squeeze on Server and Squeeze on Player.
I am hoping that I can find a Player option that will give me the sound quality I want but with Roon on the Server so I can take advantage of the user interface that Roon offers.
Each has been tried with USB and spdif (bnc) and playing back local files stored on the Server hard drive (Samsung 4TB SSD).
It is very very interesting and I like what I hear.
I’m currently listening to Roon Core on the Server with Squeeze on the Player with spdif bnc output to the Mscaler and Dave. I think I prefer the BNC output compared to USB. Hopefully I will get around to trying all the server/player options within the K50 including HQ Player and will might have more to report later next week.
One thing I have just learned is that it is best to bypass the File Management feature in the MyAntipodes web based access and instead just access the K50 direct as if it was any other server connected to the network. That discovery made copying over ripped files to the K50 so much simpler.
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I’ve finished the MScaler DC cable that runs from the Krisdonia. I used Canare 4s6 cable and a couple of Oyaide DC-2.5g plugs.
The plugs were harder to solder, very small and not much room at all. About 5mm to play with. Certainly glad I had the clamp to keep everything in position. Joined and tinned the 4 cables to give me the two needed and then trimmed to size. Added a small amount of shrink wrap to the pin wires to make sure there was no chance of the wire being compressed and shorting out. Quite happy with the finish given its only the second cable I’ve done.
The cable is really nice, soft and flexible… very easy to route. The plugs fit really well, nice snug fit without being overly tight. Running the cable in now while using my Empyreans. So far liking it a lot. More detail, texture in the bass and the headstage is better… clearer and more defined.
These aren’t night and day improvements but are noticeable and satisfying… also good fun to make and saved a good bit £ as well!.. happy days! Now back to more listening!
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Ali, this does feel like quite a journey… but having got the TT2 sounding perhaps as good as could in my house with the Etude and mscalar and using the Wave High Fidelity digital interconnects between mscalar and DAC and using quality balanced interconnects and speaker cable… . I got that nagging feeling that although it all sounds good, I was just missing a little bit of feel and inner detail that I really rather enjoy, and I noticed a wee bit more sibilance than I like … so unwrapped the DAVE again, and put back in. Let it warm up over a few hours… and YES it has snapped in place… and that sibilance and those higher percussive sounds sound natural… and those mids seem fleshed out now, and the deep bass detail is more defined and carved… really really attractive into the SCM19s … no bloat and overhand at all… but articulate.
A real acid test for me is a good brass band recording, with the distinctive layers of trombones, trumpets, flugel, and big bass drum… when the system is right you get percussive dynamics, really punching the air, along with layers of brass, and seeping emotion.
Now I can hear what the DAVE does with speakers with the Etude … so the TT2 will be going back…
thank goodness… somebody take these other boxes away before I change my mind again… but my audio sounding good…
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Delighted that the system is working out for you Simon.
Best regards, BF
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Congratulations @Simon-in-Suffolk, Yes it has been quite a journey, an interesting one. I agree the Dave/Etude is a great pairing and also your comments regarding articulation/detail, this reflects my findings and the reason I went with the Dave.
Still waiting for my dealer to turn up with an Mscaler though, it’s taking forever.
Simon, I am happy to hear you will be keeping the Dave
yes it is a journey - the important thing is the enjoy the music now that you got the top source from Chord and one amazing streamer in the form of the NDX2.
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I wondered how long it would take… Your tale of Dave with the Empyreans said it all: regardless of amp the ATCs are of course somewhat limited by the speakers themselves, (and of course the room). May Dave serve you for decades!
But is that with or without MScaler?
Sorry. Couldn’t resist.
Yes it never ceases to amaze me the capability of the ATC SCM19s, they are really astonishingly revealing, dynamic and musical and relatively low distortion … you can see why their combined mid dome bass driver is world renown and a favourite in quality studios for near field monitoring world wide. (I see the Royal Opera House is one of their latest clients). I think it’s great ATC put such an icon into a relatively modest consumer product of around two grand… one gets a taste of great high end speaker capability.
As far as mscalar… I let you guess 
…
My guess is yes…
Yes indeed… does make those pesky recordings sound even more enjoyable.
I agree with the HMS Simon wonderful device and works well with the Qutest, picking up an ND5XS2 tomorrow to replace the Node 2i (2i will go onto my second setup) so hopefully this should be an improvement over the 2i.
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Aww sounds good … do keep us updated…
You know I really rate the current Naim streamers with their digital audio SPDIF outputs… congrats on your ND5XS2
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How did you find the Node 2i worked with the Qutest?
I will most likely be picking up a Qutest to use in a second system with a Nait 2.
Best
Gregg
Thats where my 2i will go feeding a CB Nait 2 
For me the best result is using a Chord C-Lite toslink when feeding the 2i into the Qutest overall an excellent lift in all areas using this combo.
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Thank you for the reply.
Did you have the opportunity to try and compare USB on the Qutest?
I had the opportunity to speak with Rob Watts at NYC CanJam and he said there was no problem
using USB into the Qutest as his DACS are designed to be immune to the inherent problems found with that connection method. Many on HeadFi go on about using optical and they vehemently maintain its superiority. The Node provides an affordable way to get optical into the Qutest however I am curious how it would compare to USB from a MicroRendu or new Mac M1 Mini running as both a Roon core or endpoint
I am looking for Roon however something like the Node 2i will allow my wife to use Spotify.
Best
Gregg