Sooloos and QSonix 110 music servers?
tomertsin -- Sun, 08/09/2009 - 12:46
Do Sooloos and QSonix music servers capable of handling high-resolution files?
Wow do they compare in sound with the best computer-based music servers ("Goodwin's High End" type)?
How good they sound comparing to top class CD transports connecting to the same dac?
Thanks in advance.
yea to some extent..... from what I know they have the "capability" to do high resolution. But don't think that as of yet they do 176/24. The other problem is that both only have one SPDIF digital output, so If you have a DAC with one spdif-in, that you are already using for 3 other sources which is a pain in the neck to change cables again and again, the qsonix and sooloos don't have an AES/EBU-out. Many other new music servers(even well below 5k) that are coming out offer more output options with spdif and AES/EBU. A $5k to $12K product should atleast add both AES/EBU and SPDIF on its components. RH in the last year or 2 has discussed all the 3 servers you mentioned in great detail with almost everything you could possibly want to know about them in detail. I suggest ordering those specific issues of TAS and it will answer all questions about them. Same with sound comparisons of Sooloos, Qsonix, Goodwins pc, Esoteric State of art transport is discussed in detail in those issues of TAS. Qsonix and Sooloos ask for a hellish price but they must add AES/EBU, High resolution play back ex. HRX recordings, and do automatic backups(qsonix) for this price tag. The excellent software alone is not worth it for $12k in my opinion. A product of that price should kick some solid butt and not miss some key features needed in music servers today. The future is here!
Sam, thanks for the intput.
In Qsonix website written that the 110 can store in music file formats: a) CD Quality Lossless, b) 320Kbps High Quality, c) 128Kbps Normal quality, d) WAV Uncompressed PCM (optional).
Is that means no high- res music files?
The most recent information I have is that QSonix and Sooloos are limited to 44.1kHz/16-bit. The internal DACs in both units are quite poor; one must use an external DAC. The SPDIF output from both machines was inferior to a good CD transport. That situation might have changed in the two years since I had both units in my system.
Now that Meridian owns Sooloos, I expect a merging of Sooloos' brilliant user interface with Meridian's considerable expertise in high-quality digital audio, as well as an expansion of its capability to include high-resolution.
The Goodwin's server that I use (I bought the review sample) delivers state-of-the-art digital audio when playing 176.4/24 HRx files. It's user interface (Media Monkey), however, pales in comparison to Sooloos. The killer combination will be a Meridian-designed Sooloos that can handle high-res and provide easy downloads from high-res sites.
In comparing the Goodwin's server to a CD transport feeding the same DAC, the server sounds a bit smoother and more spacious.
Robert, did you purchase the Berkeley DAC as well? If they ask for the Berkeley back how will you use the goodwins server to play music through it?
Robert, I was under the impression that when you tested these music servers(sooloos/qsonix), the SPDIF digital output was better than the State of the Art Esoteric PO3 Transport? Is that correct? May be you compared the PO3 with the Goodwins? I'll have to look through my old issues and read it again. I heard rumors that Sooloos/qsonix might be working on some purely audiphile type of servers as well with better/more digital output options and improved screen(s) etc..... Lets see when we see that come into play. No significant improvements have been shown ever since sooloos was bought by/merged with meridian. Hopefully, this is not a purchase by Maridian and that they can give deliver a killer combo for audiophiles soon. Although My guess is that the price will go even higher up from the already stratospheric $12K for this system. If the digital output is not up to reference level at $12K+ level then thats really a dissapointment.
Thanks robert,
Regarding to DAC, does anyone have experience with the 32-bit chip from ://www.esstech.com/index.php?
Is it realy very high performance DAC or just marketing trick?
Tomer
where are you guys getting content better than 96khz?
Reference Recordings HRx format delivers 176.4kHz/24-bit WAV files on DVD. See my article in the January, 2008 issue.
Robert, got it.... I hear a lot of fuss over >96khz, but never see the material. I guess there is some out there, but not much.. the Reference Recordings HRx seem to have 9 albums.
Are there any real substantial >96khz content providers? Linn has some more stuff, but its still nothing like the 96khz selection at HD Tracks.
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