Lenovo V15-ADA Notebook Windows 10
Audioquest Jitterbug FMJ
Audioquest USB Cable
PS Audio Stellar Gain Cell DAC/Preamp
Audirvana Studio
Works just fine playing all sorts of file formats including DSD.
Harry
5 Likes
Using Macs with music stored on a NAS. Playing to number of dongle DACs and desktop DACs without issues up to DSD128.
Also used it occasionally through UPnP with DAP and RPi running various distros without problems.
Remote also works smoothly. Running both Studio and 3.5.
3 Likes
Bonjour,
AS utilisé sur PC Windows 11, 64bits, Intel Core I9-9900K, CPU 3.6Gh, 32Go de RAM, disques SSD.
2 Sorties possible:
- DAC USB Ifi IDac2, casque Meze
- Ethernet Livebox 5 fibre, 3DLab Nano Network Player Platinium V5, Ampli Rotel RAP 1580, enceintes Elipson
Dans les 2 cas je n’utilise que la bibliothèque locale. Fichiers FLAC et DSD fonctionnent sans problème.
2 Likes
Here’s my setup:
Sony Vaio Laptop > iFi iSilencer > iFi Gemini 3.0 USB cable > iFi iPurifier 3 > Chord Qutest DAC
1 Like
The same here! I installed RopieeeXL NG version on my Raspberry Pi 4B and from my Mac Mini running AS had it playing for almost 24 hours (with my Devialet set to stand by). No interruptions whatsoever. The best of all, the progress bar works 100 percent, unlike other software options.
I had to reset RopieeeXL before AS was able to initiate a stable UPnP connection, but after that it worked reliably. I keep testing it, but RopieeeXL NG looks really promising. Some people know how to program good UPnP protocols!!!
1 Like
I’m a new Audirvana Studio user. I mainly stream Tidal (including Masters) and I have a small amount of local files on a Synology DS220+ NAS.
My PC is very modest, an ACEPC Mini PC with a Celeron J4125 processor, 8GB RAM and 128MB eMMC and running Windows 10 Pro.
This is connected via USB to a S.M.S.L SU-9 MQA DAC which in turn is connected via analogue outputs to a Denon AVRX4500 AVR. My speakers are Q Acoustics 3020 (fronts) and 3090C (centre) with an Acoustic Energy Sub.
I know this is certainly not a high spec setup, but it is the best sounding system that I have ever been able to own and I am very happy with the sound quality I get. With the addition of Audirvana Studio I have certainly heard a noticeable improvement in the audio quality.
So far everything has been playing perfectly. Before deciding on AS I had also tried Roon, but I suspect my PC just wasn’t of a high enough spec as I would continually get drop outs, pauses, and crashes. I’ve got my fingers crossed that AS is more forgiving and so far it seems to be. I think it does sound better than Roon, but that is purely subjective.
2 Likes
That’s my experience as well with Roon. It sounds more flat and dull compared to AS. Which sounds more clear here.
I’ve decided to drop it’s sub when it expires in June. It does run very well here. But my Windows laptop and my 2 MacBooks are quite a bit more powerful compared to your PC.
I have 2 subs on AS, so I can use it on both my Mac’s at the same time. And I’m fully intending to extend both of them.
Only bug I’m still facing is the Android Remote app on my smartphone. Since Android 11 it fails to find my computers, back on Android 10 it worked without problems. I’ve installed the iOS version of the remote on my new M1 MacBook Pro and it connects to my MacBook Air without problems.
But AS itself works pretty much without issues now. Quite a difference compared to launch when it was full of bugs.
At the launch, I lost patience after 2-3 days, and removed it from the drive.
Just discovered an old friend today: Devialet AIR. Maybe not so interesting for the community, but for Devialet users maybe. For a long time, I thought Devialet’s streaming protocol called AIR isn’t usable anymore with new Mac computers. Out of sheer curiosity, I installed the AIR app on my Mac Mini 2018 and set it to Ethernet connectivity. Activating it and connecting my Devialet through its Ethernet port to the network, voilà, Audirvana Studio immediately recognised Devialet AIR and streaming went like a charm! Totally stable, volume control possible via app, progress bar works beautifully, a dream! I don’t need my Raspberry Pi anymore to convert ethernet to USB out 
I need to listen to this AIR protocol tonight to see if Audirvana Studio’s sound holds up. But I am flabbergasted.
Attached two screenshots. The first shows Devialet’s AIR setup, running in the background.
3 Likes
Listened all evening to my newly revitalized AIR streaming. It’s the simplest setup I ever had with AS: Mac Mini → Ethernet-> Devialet. AS recognizes the AIR app immediately, streaming is faultless and all functions on AS remote work brilliantly.
Best of all, the sound is very good, more detailed than via Raspberry Pi → USB, more dynamic and direct. Something I noticed when using Raspberry Pi via USB is that the sound is somewhat sugar coated, a bit sweetish. Bad recordings still sound good, while the AIR app exposes bad recordings, but let good ones shine all the more.
I now have two examples that work reliably in my setup (RopieeeXL NG and Devialet AIR), both UPnP protocols. In spite of frequent problems described here, I might come to the conclusion that a well setup UPnP implementation does work with AS.
Anyway, I am enjoying my setup and am I am glad to be able to rely on AS again (as opposed to thinly sounding Roon 
).
5 Likes
I have the first iteration of the Mojo and it sounds brilliant. From the reviews I’ve read of the Mojo 2 it’s even better. Happy listening.
1 Like
I had an old Mac Book Pro lying around, so I dragged it downstairs, connected it via USB straight to the USB port of my Devialet and gave AS a shot without the usual UPnP setup (AS on Mac Mini → Ethernet to Raspberry Pi 4B → USB to Devialet). Needless to say, AS works without any hickups, perfectly stable, and the best of it: smooth and detailed sound! Very pleasing setup!
4 Likes
Straight USB connection appears to work best with AS. Never failed here. Same with a Bluetooth connection.
UPlugNPray seems to be the opposite.
1 Like
Indeed, I’ve had my share of UPnP problems!
Nevertheless, speaking Roon lingo: they swear that separation of server/endpoint leads to better sound. I can’t confirm this with AS. It sounds just as good if connected straight, and it works like a charm!
2 Likes
… In the networked audio scenario, I suggest using galvanic isolation or optical with re-clocking of the signal at the end-point… ground differentials wreak havoc on the signals flowing between components on different ground-paths (earthing) and will precipitate noise (ground-loops) in concert with other induced RF and EMF noise, precipitating drop-outs and jitter…
2 Likes
Galvanic and optical insolations are a must for the best networked sound. Recklocking may be useful for some network players and DACs.
On the other hand, reckloking is a necessity for a good direct USB output with most DACs. A galvanic isolation, and an optical isolation also improve, of course, the direct USB output.
That’s not really true. All modern USB implementation are asynchronous and thus don’t rely on the clock of the transmitting device.
You are joking.
The jitter that comes out of the USB port, needs a reckolocking. Especially on PC.
Don’t be so absolute in your words. With a asynchronous USB connection the timing/jitter is determined by the DAC and not the USB timer/connection.
In other words when the DAC has already a very good word clock built in, a reclocker is not needed.
In the case of an i2s connection the timing is not determined by the DAC and indeed a reclocker is needed in most of the cases.
In both cases very high quality audio can be achieved depending on the quality of the DAC and/or the reclocker. It is not so black and white as you make it appear. Basically you are half right.
1 Like
… @bitracer @AndyLubke … Noise in the DAC architecture and error-correction/request/call in the asynchronous transfer processes all contribute to jitter and other gremlins… the less the asynchronous system needs to request packets, due to errors, the less potential for interrupts and jitter…
" Bit Perfect Jitter"-
1 Like