Doesn’t support Roon they pulled out of Roon Ready it will only offer itself up to Roon via HQPlayer which means you need to run that on a server as well.
Why is the Auralic G2 not passing the mark?
The G2 is a server.
I’m looking for a transport only, as described above.
Compared to a transport only, a server is extremely noisy (all things being equal).
The goal is to find a transport (Roon Endpoint) as “accurate” and “silent” as possible.
I’m not as technical as you so I might be missing something here. The G2 doesn’t require to have an internal storage fitted and the Lumin U1 can have a storage drive attached to it. Does it make such a difference if both of them are used without fitted/attached storage?
Theoretically yes.
Those servers are designed to act as servers.
Meaning they are “powerful” enough to run server software, control hard drives, etc. (“powerful” means a lot of things here, not just watts).
Therefore they are noisy, by nature (just like computers, but a lot less of course).
A transport only, designed as such, is way less noisy.
The software embedded in a transport-only needs very little computing power. The whole thing, when done properly, has one goal only : feeding the DAC while being as “silent” as possible.
As server, whatever the price, will never be able to outperform a transport, in terms of “silence”.
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Hey, not sure where you’re located, but if in the US I noticed there’s a used Sonore Signature SE Optical on the market. Would save you about a grand or so (enough to add on an opticalModule and a decent power supply for it and still have some change). Despite the blander casing, the Sonore is what I personally would go for, but only because I’m currently listening to just how good the opticalRendu and their power supply is through the ‘lowly’ V1. Thought that Bricasti looks nice as well, but no optical input.
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As nice as it is, not the sure I would consider the SONORE as being the “best” option. There are other transports out there 
As for the price of the Signature Rendu Optical SE, this is something that bothers me.
All versions of the Optical Rendu share the same board.
The Optical Rendu for Roon only is $999
The Signature Rendu Optical SE is $4500
Meaning you pay $3500 for a power supply and an “ugly” case.
For that kind of money, or little more, I believe there are other options on the market :
Esoteric N-03T, Weiss DSP-502, Total Dac D1, dCS Network Bridge, etc.
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Yeah, you have a good point, though I’ve read user accounts that the Signature does sound better than the standalone oR and Sonore PS. I got an opticalRendu Roon version demo model for $750 (along with a cheap LPS and 10Gtek FMC and cable thrown in) and was fine with that price. The Sonore PS was about $550, short Ghent Neotech 16awg cable to connect the two about $75, so all in $1300 (not counting the USB and power cable of course). I personally don’t have the income to even glance at the ones you’ve listed, let alone a Sonore Signature. But I do know the standalone Sonore components sound very good to me.
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And I’m sure your $1300 Rendu sounds as good as, or really close, to the the Sonore Signature Optical SE.
The JCAT Optimo 3 is a very good power supply ($1500). Add to it the “opticalRendu Roon” ($999) and it surely outperforms Sonore Signature Optical SE.
I hardly understand the $4500 price tag of the Sonore Signature Optical SE.
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There seem to be a lot of very over-specced, overly complex Roon endpoints available. The Sonore devices are excellent low power, low complexity endpoints (agree on the cost of the Sig rendu though). Perfect if you need a USB source for your DAC. S/PDIF or AES, then the DCS Bridge fits the bill. I’m very happy with an NDX2 as a Roon endpoint and S/PDIF source but I know that doesn’t meet your transport only criteria.
Indeed, many Roon Endpoints are a lot more than simply Roon Endpoints (e.g. the Weiss DSP-502).
There is a potential market here.
Roon Labs should perhaps design a very simple, yet highly “silent”, Roon Endpoint.
- An optical input
- Very well designed USB and AES outputs
- An über silent power supply
And that’s it: the perfect Roon Endpoint, which could outperform the most expensive transports (as a Roon Endpoint).
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Yes, but they are also the ones who have taken a basic NUC server and put it in a fancy case and then tripled/quadrupled the price, no power upgrades or anything. I wouldn’t trust them to actually make anything that sounds better than what’s on the market already for less cost (i.e. Sonore esp - just not the Signature).
Absolutely, I saw one or two of of those so called audiophile (and über expensive) server/streamers which are based on $450 NUC boards… 
In this regard, Sonore offers very nice products. (except for the expensive Signature Rendu Optical SE)
Wow, that image of the ‘signature’ is sobering
Bafling, isn’t it? 
The board I surrounded in green is the “Optical Rendu”.
That makes quite a pricey case and power supply…
Agreed, that’s terrible, they have a sensible product but then they get greedy, ironically they probably exploit loyal customers who bought the standard model but then look to upgrade!
That ‘upgrade’ looks like a pretty basic power supply.
Thanks for posting.
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I use the NDX2 as a Roon endpoint digital output streamer, and I think it works pretty impressively to me… it just disappears into the system as it should and works wonderfully with Chord Dave…
To be honest it’s all about music now. What more could one want?
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I, too, believe Naim’s streaming platform is brilliant and trust there will be further developments.
A stand-alone (separate) version could well be part of a Statement level streamer.
Separating the DAC section from the streaming section is, I believe, the way to go. Your experience with DAVE is a good example.
Unfortunately not sure this will happen.
If a Statement level streamer sees the light of day, it is likely it will have the same form factor as the Statement NAC/NAP.
Well, as mentioned above, you did ask for cost no object.
So why are you objecting to the cost? 
Also, compare this to buying an excellent external psu from Sean Jacobs, Naim or other firms.
So the answer could be a Sonore (or other branded) server with an extremely good hand made external psu.
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I guess I already answered that one.
But I should perhaps be more specific.
For me, spending a lot of money on technology, like the Statement NAC S1, is very much conceivable.
It’s like buying a nice painting, a very complicated mechanical watch, etc.
The NAC S1 is a “cost no object” preamplifier. It’s not overpriced.
A $3500 “ok” power supply and a poorly designed case falls into the category “overpriced” (not the opticalRendu board).
Of course, “cost no object” might have different meanings, but that’s how I see it.