Aqua LinQ

Anyone has experience with the new LinQ network player?

FEATURES
• Proprietary fully-floating hybrid 2-stage Network + FPGA module with proprietary code
• Uncompromising digital interface AQlink PRO (I2S protocol)
• 4 future-proof network protocols (modules). Available now: Roon Ready bridge (RAAT) and UPnP DLNA
• 2 separate low noise C-Core power transformers for network circuitry and digital decoding
• MODULAR DESIGN with upgradeable multi board platform
• High-quality parts
• Input:
n. 1 standard RJ-45 connector for the ETHERNET network
No network configuration is required (DHCP system).
• Outputs:
n. 1 Ethercon RJ-45 connector for the AQlink I2S signal
n. 2 XLR 110 ohm connectors for the dual-AES/EBU signal (PCM 24 bit 384kHz / DSD128 max)
n. 1 XLR 110 ohm connector for the AES/EBU signal (PCM 24 bit 192kHz / DSD64 max)
n. 1 BNC 75 ohm connector for the S/PDIF signal (PCM 24 bit 192kHz max)
n. 1 RCA connector for the S/PDIF (IEC-60958) signal (PCM 24 bit 192kHz max)
• OLED display with user off-selectable illumination
• RC5 IR remote controller (optional)
• Aluminium anti-resonant cabinet with Nextel
• Designed and handmade in Italy

 

Yes, I believe both are required to use ROON since the HQP Core module does not include the NAA component. They're separate modules for the LinQ.

 

So is there some internal connection between the HQP Core module and the HQP NAA module?

 

There is no cable to connect them internally. When the HQP Core module is installed a new replacement controller module is also required. The controller module along with connections via traces in the main board (the board the modules plug into) must interconnect them and let them operate together.

 

Hi guys, i'm trying to figure out if there is a specific direction to plug the I2S cable between my LinQ and my Aqua Formula ?
I couldn't find any arrows on the cable.
If anyone can help ?

 

If some of you are interested Cristian told me the G2 I2S cable is non directional.

 

Curious of you compared the cable to any other cables?

 

Curious of you compared the cable to any other cables?

No i haven't, just using the Aqua G2 I2S cable that i purchase with the LinQ and Formula DAC.
Would be curious to compare G2 I2S vs top notch AES cable.

 

Where is the Aqua service?

At the end of August 2021 I ordered an Aqua LinQ with HQPlayer and NAA module, a La Scala dac and a Neutrik Ethercon I²S cable. The devices were delivered on September 1, 2021. I connected them to an Intel NUC8i5BEH and installed everything. Unfortunately, it turned out that I couldn't get a note of music from my installation.

I tried to understand what could have gone wrong, redid the setup of the Nuc and the LinQ, replaced cables, replaced a switch, changed the router setup, all to no avail. I found out that the dac worked flawlessly, and I could’t find an error in the NUC. Indeed, it did all Roon tasks perfectly, outside of music making (display albums and tracks, composers, performers, etc., and now also choose a new album at the end of a playlist).
Meanwhile, I also started asking for help from the manufacturer, the importer, the seller, a reviewer, an HQPlayer specialist, an IT specialist… Several times I thought I had located the error. Unfortunately.

The first months I didn't hear a note of music. The manufacturer referred me to the importer, the importer to the seller. The seller said it was the NUC's fault and he wasn't responsible for it as he didn't sell that. He also didn't have a Nucleus to test if the fault was in the NUC. The importer came by three times but found nothing wrong, also pointed to the NUC, but had no replacement neither.

After a few months, the seller referred me to an IT-specialist who at last could pinpoint the cause of the malfunction in the LinQ. In “HQPlayer Embedded” a “DoP” box was not checked. Check the box and “Apply” and the best music flowed through the room … until the LinQ shut down and the next startup failed again. Sometimes “DoP” is checked, but then you still have to click on “Apply”.

The strange thing is that another LinQ (from the seller) shows the same errors with me, and that my LinQ with the seller would work (says the seller, but I see no reason to doubt that). On this basis, he maintains the claim that the fault lies in the NUC, followed in that by the manufacturer, but the last never examined my LinQ.

Jussi Laako from Signalyst (HQPlayer) thinks it is purely a mistake in the LinQ.

So, after six months, I'm no further than that the LinQ only starts up normally in one in three cases. Otherwise, I have to turn on my PC, go to the HQPlayer Web UI, choose HQPlayer Embedded (with a password that I didn't find anywhere on the Aqua-site), check if DoP is enabled, and click Apply. Certainly not a brilliant result for an investment of € 14 205.


Is there anyone who knows an answer to this? Or can the manufacturer finally help me out of this nightmare after six months?

 

Where is the Aqua service?

At the end of August 2021 I ordered an Aqua LinQ with HQPlayer and NAA module, a La Scala dac and a Neutrik Ethercon I²S cable. The devices were delivered on September 1, 2021. I connected them to an Intel NUC8i5BEH and installed everything. Unfortunately, it turned out that I couldn't get a note of music from my installation.

I tried to understand what could have gone wrong, redid the setup of the Nuc and the LinQ, replaced cables, replaced a switch, changed the router setup, all to no avail. I found out that the dac worked flawlessly, and I could’t find an error in the NUC. Indeed, it did all Roon tasks perfectly, outside of music making (display albums and tracks, composers, performers, etc., and now also choose a new album at the end of a playlist).
Meanwhile, I also started asking for help from the manufacturer, the importer, the seller, a reviewer, an HQPlayer specialist, an IT specialist… Several times I thought I had located the error. Unfortunately.

The first months I didn't hear a note of music. The manufacturer referred me to the importer, the importer to the seller. The seller said it was the NUC's fault and he wasn't responsible for it as he didn't sell that. He also didn't have a Nucleus to test if the fault was in the NUC. The importer came by three times but found nothing wrong, also pointed to the NUC, but had no replacement neither.

After a few months, the seller referred me to an IT-specialist who at last could pinpoint the cause of the malfunction in the LinQ. In “HQPlayer Embedded” a “DoP” box was not checked. Check the box and “Apply” and the best music flowed through the room … until the LinQ shut down and the next startup failed again. Sometimes “DoP” is checked, but then you still have to click on “Apply”.

The strange thing is that another LinQ (from the seller) shows the same errors with me, and that my LinQ with the seller would work (says the seller, but I see no reason to doubt that). On this basis, he maintains the claim that the fault lies in the NUC, followed in that by the manufacturer, but the last never examined my LinQ.

Jussi Laako from Signalyst (HQPlayer) thinks it is purely a mistake in the LinQ.

So, after six months, I'm no further than that the LinQ only starts up normally in one in three cases. Otherwise, I have to turn on my PC, go to the HQPlayer Web UI, choose HQPlayer Embedded (with a password that I didn't find anywhere on the Aqua-site), check if DoP is enabled, and click Apply. Certainly not a brilliant result for an investment of € 14 205.


Is there anyone who knows an answer to this? Or can the manufacturer finally help me out of this nightmare after six months?

Very strange what is happening to your LinQ.
I've have my LinQ-Formula combo since june of 2021 and it's been working flawlessly.
Like you i use a dedicated Roon Rock NUC with separate LPSU.
Even though it took me a little while to understand how to set things up between my Roon NUC and the HQPlayer core of the LinQ, when everything was done i didn't have any bugs.
You should probably ship your LinQ to Cristian Anelli so he can look at it.

 

An unexpected twist in this story?

A few months ago I contacted my provider to inquire about the status of my modem/router (owned by the provider). Everything normal was the verdict. I indeed had no complaints about the performance. Cable TV was okay, computer internet was okay and cell phone connections were okay. Only on my mobile sometimes interruptions did occur in the connection; people sometimes reported that the connection went down for a short while. But with a second cell phone everything worked well.
And then there was the above mentioned story.

But a few days ago I suddenly couldn't connect any more to the NUC (Rock) with my iPad. I thought my wireless connection wasn't working, but after checking, the provider just said I did have an older modem/router and wanted to replace it with a newer one. Since I still had cell phone connections, wireless connections still had to work he said.
The next day (the day before yesterday) a technician installed a new modem. He too asked if we still had mobile phone connections, so the wireless connection still had to work.
Once the new modem was plugged in, the iPad connected immediately and the LinQ worked immediately upon startup. Since then (for 2 days now) no more hitches!

Could it really be? A normal working modem with "something" that allows wireless signal for cell phones but refuses a wireless iPad connection, and above all, that hinders a connection in a LinQ?
This seems like food for a real network nerd.

I just hope this shit is finally fixed after six months, and that it stays that way. I’m done with it.
And in this case, Cristian Anelli now knows a possible vulnerability in his equipment.

 

Hey Thieliste, which LPSU do you use?
What's the difference that you experience? Is it worth it?

 

Hey Thieliste, which LPSU do you use?
What's the difference that you experience? Is it worth it?

For the LinQ you don't need one, just a good power cable.
I use one LPSU for my Modem and one for the NUC,
Sbooster and Farad Super 3.

 

Hi, I have a probably trivial question, but I would like to be sure about this:
can LinQ be used as a pure streamer? I mean connected to the home network in which there is a NAS with a large library, without other objects such as NUC, which I see that some have put upstream of the Aqua LinQ.
I add that I would not be interested in Roon, but I would use HQPlayer.
Thanks Roberto

 

I think that, if the NAs has intelligence such as a music server and can install HQPlayer then yes. But as a simple stand - alone NAS no unless you get the HQPlayer NAA = core module in the LinQ.

 

But as a simple stand - alone NAS no unless you get the HQPlayer NAA = core module in the LinQ.

Eventually, having to order it new, I could request with inside the module that serves to make it work as an independent streamer, or am I wrong?
Maybe I should speak to the producer.

 

Eventually, having to order it new, I could request with inside the module that serves to make it work as an independent streamer, or am I wrong?
Maybe I should speak to the producer.

I would email or call Aqua. Cristian is a stand - up guy and I believe he's the lead designer.

 

Would be very curious about folks thoughts on the LinQ both in combination with non Aqua DACs and the Aqua Formula. Thinking about this combo or perhaps the LinQ as a first step with my current DAC.

 

@R S - I have a Linq and it sounded very good paired with my old Formula XHD rev2. I tried probably @20 different cables across all of the formats and the best outcome was with my own spdif using Bocchino platinum rca plugs - better than Aqua’s i2s interface, so there is no reason why it should not work equally well on other dacs. I simply haven’t tried that as my objective was developmental.

 

@R S - I have a Linq and it sounded very good paired with my old Formula XHD rev2. I tried probably @20 different cables across all of the formats and the best outcome was with my own spdif using Bocchino platinum rca plugs - better than Aqua’s i2s interface, so there is no reason why it should not work equally well on other dacs. I simply haven’t tried that as my objective was developmental.

thanks for the valuable insights. Any other experiences with LinQ Vs other streamers? I have a narrow window before I need to make a decision. And if i do sounds like bocchino rca is the way to go!!!!

 

For some reason, my footer with system details isn't showing (@admin - Julian, is there a known issue here?) however I ordinarily use a Taiko Extreme but, being usb only whilst the LinQ is everything except usb, can't make a valid comparison. The LinQ is however very good sounding and I have a 230v unit surplus to requirements