Pro-ject RS2t cd transport

Audio Systems
21

Well if i put it on dsd or dsdx2 it simply is just quite.
So what have i got set wrong then as it did the same with my sony transport using a different digital input

22

Don’t know Dunc.

Presumably you have:

  • AES outputs of the VPP connected to AES 3+4 of the VDC
  • Dual AES set to On on the VPP
  • Dual AES set to On or Auto for AES 3+4 on the VDC

If so, I don’t know what else to suggest. @Phil?

1 Like
23

…oh, and I assume you have the latest 2.x firmware in both VPP and VDC of course!

24

Hi
I will have to take a look later and see why i have never got it to work.
As like i said yesterday it’s just quite.
Will have to also try my old sony cd player as well.
But i just thought it wouldn’t do dsd when playing cd’s.
But obviously i have something wrong or turn off in the settings.

Cheers guy’s

25

Hi @Dunc

What are the front panel displays of your Upsampler and DAC showing when you are playing a 44/16 track and have te Upsampler set to upsample to DSD or DSDx2?

26

Hi
I have managed to get it to work, but now i have intermittent problems with the sound. Its like it suddenly losses it’s self and then recovers.
Could be slightly skipping maybe as i know these can have problems.
But just tried s/pdif 1 and this won’t work on dsd, but when using a lower sample rate it does but the same sound problems. So i guess its the player as far as the sound problems go.

Cheers dunc

27

You do have both VPP and VDC set to Audio Sync (A), right?

28

I have the dac and upsampler set to auto word clock

It looks like this is wrong then?
I have never changed this even with the other cd transports i have tried

29

Cheers Andrew that has sorted it.
Never would have realised this, why it worked faultless for a few day’s, i don’t know? Maybe because i didn’t have dsd?

But whatever it is, it’s working.
Cheers

30

Working absolutely fine.
Sounding even better in dsd x 2 as well.

Once again thanks guy’s, top job as normal.

31

Great, glad that fixed it! In general:

  • If the CD Transport (or any other synchronous source) has no clock input or output you need to use Audio Sync on both VPP and VDC.
  • If it has a clock output and you have a VCK connect the VCK to the clock inputs on all units and use Auto Sync on VPP and VDC.
  • If it has a clock input and you have no VCK daisy chain the clock output of the VDC to the VPP to the Transport and use Master Mode on the VDC and Auto on the VPP.
1 Like
32

Well after a few day switching back and forth between the cd transport and the same ripped cd on to my melco n1zs.
I can honestly say i can’t tell any worthwhile different. You sometimes thing, O this is better, but i can’t say it when i switch over.
Yes the cd transport is doing a nice job, but so is the melco.

Plus having to switch the clock settings over every time i want to play cd’s from either streaming or melco is a pain.
Plus going forward i know it will mean getting a power supply for it and another reference aes cable.
So back to where we started then. The only 2 real ones to try going forward from this i can see is.
A dCS transport like the vivaldi or rossini.
The esoteric p03 transport, this has dual aes outputs and i believe the vivaldi clock will also work with it. But i don’t know anyone that has tried it. Also it’s an old transport and if it goes wrong will be a right pain.

So once again i am back like i said at the start, thinking is it even worth exploring cd’s. Maybe the newer melco N1 would be a worthwhile upgrade? Or maybe some better aes cables between dac and upsampler would be better?

Or i could just do nothing :person_shrugging:

33

Don’t forget the cheaper N5. Aside from N5 being HDD and N1 SSD they are electronically the same. They even use the same user manual. So, is an additional £4K worthwhile for the storage change especially when Melco have always said they prefer HDD?

Is a new model an upgrade over its predecessors ? I have to say it is but that for me is with a Melco switch, linear PS and C1 direct attach cable. I would guess that even without these it may offer an improvement.

With dCS I understand N1 comes with MinimServer, for N5 you need to specify this when ordering.

34

If i was going to swap, then it would be for the N1.
The N1 has no moving parts like mine. I found i slightly preferred the n1zs i have over the N10 i had before it, once i got my vivaldi dac. Due to the SSD drive. Plus melco flagship mode always use SSD, as i guess no vibrations.
I also like the fact it has a clock input, just incase i decide to add a master clock to my vivaldi clock, this would then tie into that.
But you do have to pay for it. But then i have seen a few N1 for sale at the same price as a new N5, so as normal deals are there to be had.

35

Then I can only suggest that you also get one of the switches. Or, at least try one.

36

In my case I exclusively stream from Qobuz and Tidal. My more than 1000 rips (the never ending 2 decade battle - with another 2000 cd’s to go) are never used.

They currently reside on a cheap Samsun SSD connected to a downstairs kitchen iMac running MinimServer.

They are digital files, 0’s and 1’s, transmitted over CAT5e cable running upstairs into my Vivaldi. Dunc and Pete - have you compared your Melco’s output to something like my current setup? Noticeably better? The same?

Best
Gregg

37

As I said, the Melco is efficacious but irrational.

Aside from immediately hearing a sonic result beyond what I anticipated there were also advantages that I valued from what is basically a turnkey solution ( few technical barriers) and one that makes zero physical noise ( important in a smallish room where the unit is in the same space - no sound of spinning disks). So impressed was I at the time that I felt I would not gain much from comparisons with IT based NAS.

I can only suggest that if you are interested hearing one in your own system may be worthwhile if it can be arranged.

Edit:

I ought to make it clear that I am speaking of using Melco in its NAS role. Although it can function as a full streamer to do so means a USB connection and use of the Melco HD app. I have never read really enthusiastic comments about either. Maybe I should read elsewhere? :wink:.

1 Like
38

Hi Duncan , I went from a melco N1A to N1ZH to the current flagship N1S38 . My music library comprises ripped CDs , DSD downloads . The improvement to the sound quality moving to the new n1s38 was not subtle . Bigger soundstage , more resolution , more bass , and the need to listen to one more track and then another and so on . I later added a melco s100 switch which improved the streaming services that I occasionally use as a treat for the kids. I use a Rossini apex plus clock so I guess with your vivaldi it will sound even better .

39

Ditto, that was an unanticipated surprise.

40

I only use mine as a nas, but i did use the streaming in the melco for a while as i didn’t have the upsampler. It worked and sounded ok, but only on apple and as you say usb only.

As for if a melo sounds better than say a pc, then for me it certainly did, plus downloads go straight to the melco and do avoid any pc needed.
Obviously a pc can be very noisy not only in noise but also injecting noise into the digital signal.

As for the melco switch, i tried the s100 years ago and didn’t like what it did. I found it made it sound a bit dull and boring.
I like the possibility of using fiber between them, but this can be sorted out easily if i wish using other products.

I do already have a switch, i have the innuos PhoenixNet and i very much like what it does.

I guess the innuos statement nas should also probably be added to the list as well