@frenchrooster I did listen to an album via USB some time back and it was like going back in time, the presentation was quite flat and lifeless by comparison. The ND555/Melco/ER’s/SJ combo is incredible right now. I had to play something from the server to make sure the system had not been upset by one of the kids!! They can be beasts
I did load the music onto the Melco and it sounded much clearer and with far more depth and realism. Quite a big difference. Bigger than the jump from CDS3/XPSDR to CD555/2x555DR that I remember anyway!!
I will caveat this by saying the Melco is the N10 with a powerline on Fraim, I use 2x ER Switches on their own Fraim shelf powered by a custom Sean Jacobs P/S that cost me almost £3k on another separate Fraim shelf with a complete loom of Catsnake cables everywhere apart from between ER’s where I use Vodka. Thats a lot of money compared to a USB stick so I would hope it was better!!
Yes, I would be very surprised that you found the contrary.
But @DanielH , a Canadian rooster ( because speaking french) and @nbpf were doubting.
Thanks for your feedback!
PS: Perhaps are you interested, like me, by the Innuos PhoenixNet switch? A thread active here. @Michaelb will probably try it. He has the same 2X ER and Sean Jacobs.
Oooh sounds interesting! I really can’t imagine better right now but as we know there is always something new! The EE switch never made it into my main system and sits in the office with the Nova and a lot of people really rate that one. To my ears not even slightly comparable so lets see if the ER can be bettered!
I used a Mac Mini as a server before using a USB stick. The Mac MIni has a Shunyata Delta NR noise reducing power cord, that improves it a lot. The Mac Mini is on sorbothane feet and has 2 AQ Jitterbugs plugged into it. So, it is much better than a regular Mac Mini or even a regular NAS.
Despite this, the USB stick sound quality plays exactly the same as the modified Mac Mini. If I put an AQ Jitterbug between the USB stick and the NDX2, It improves the sound quality about 5% over the Mac Mini. Both the Mac Mini and the USB stick sound better than Tidal Hifi, but not by much. Maybe 5-10%.
I am apprehensive about paying for a Melco or Uniti Core because I don’t see how much better they can be in my system compared to a USB stick, or my modified Mac Mini. The USB stick is already better than the standard Mac MIni with no upgrades.
French rooster and Steve, I still believe you when you say your Melcos sound better in your system. I just don’t believe it would make a big difference in my system. I do use an EtherRegen as well. It did improve the sound through the Mac Mini and Tidal.
When I began my transition from CD player to DAC or Streaming - I approached this with an open mind on all options. I asked my Dealer what they though of USB pens for data as it seemed to me the obvious way to manage my music - the sad look on my Dealer’s face and understanding tone when they told me ‘it just does not seem to deliver best results’ - then followed the demo.
In context of the level of system I was looking to use it in - S1Pre-Active 500 - the difference was quite obvious. The USB stick music was good, but a bit dark and murky - compared to exactly the same rip on a Melco server and it was much improved with far better timing and engagement, as well as cleaner bass and more open HF and more detail…just obviously better.
Why? No idea. Replicated multiple times. When friends visit - when that was once allowed - they would bring their music on a USB pen and giving the option of playing from the pen and then listening to exactly the same data written onto the Melco Server - it was not really a fair comparison, so now I just load-up a temporary folder on the Melco for such music.
Not saying I have the explanation of why - just the observation of what worked best for me.
On my system, there is no doubt that the Core to the NDX2 sounds better than a USB. There’s more life, clarity and bounce. It’s not “night and day” but nevertheless very noticeable.
I switched from a NAS to USB as my home network isn’t great and I’d get occasional drop outs when streaming from the NAS. NAS is convenient as you can just rip and drag/drop files but ultimately, pulling out a USB stick isn’t a hardship.
I can’t say I’ve noticed much difference SQ wise so is a no brainer for me.
I might now try an SSD. I use a Sandisk Extreme 1TB SSD as scratch space for work and it’s superb for the money and ultra fast (2000MB/s). I might try this on the back of my Nova to compare.
First I’ve heard someone with experience of both the ER and EE. So thanks for posting that. I also found the Melco switch nowhere near as good as the ER. If the Phoenix doesn’t impress I may try one of the After Dark clocks with the ER, though I’m getting a bit lazy about faffing now.
Mine is cold (well room temperature), but if you have had your streamer on, then it will warm up, and as the USB connection is via metal connection, I suppose heat can transfer. Or possibly it has just reindexed all your USB files?
The USB drive will remain powered up as long as it’s connected (unless the streamer is in ‘deep sleep’ mode) so that it remains discoverable without a delay while it’s rescanned.
The USB stick is not picking up heat, it generates heat. Smaller sticks tend to become hotter than larger ones but this does not need to be the case. There are huge differences, depending on size, material and, finally, on the controller of the stick. I have a 1TB SSD USB drive (Samsung T5) mounted on the RPi3 which is connected to the nDAC and it is not getting warm, let apart hot.
