Optical Rendu / Module or Network Acoustic Eno 2?

[Ricco275]

My digital chain is quite simple: NUC i7 to Lampi Baltic 4 via usb.
I’m not a big fan of too many boxes while I understand switches and filters and endpoint streamers help.
I use solely roon.
Would the Eno2 (or a second hand Muon pro) give me at least the same improvement as the Optical rendu with the optical module? If I go Eno2 I could later on add a network switch if necessary.
Do I need an endpoint or using the NUC as core and streaming to the Lampi either a good Ethernet filter would suffice?
Thanks in advance for the advice from users with similar experience.

 

[Di-fi]

My digital chain is quite simple: NUC i7 to Lampi Baltic 4 via usb.
I’m not a big fan of too many boxes while I understand switches and filters and endpoint streamers help.
I use solely roon.
Would the Eno2 (or a second hand Muon pro) give me at least the same improvement as the Optical rendu with the optical module? If I go Eno2 I could later on add a network switch if necessary.
Do I need an endpoint or using the NUC as core and streaming to the Lampi either a good Ethernet filter would suffice?
Thanks in advance for the advice from users with similar experience.

Hi @Ricco275,
You suggest two different approaches to improving sound quality:

Introducing a quality endpoint, such as the Optical Rendu (with or without the optical module), is the most effective solution. In this setup, the NUC i7 would serve solely as a server, while the Rendu endpoint handles audio playback with RoonReady Output - This output utilizes streams from Roon. While optical isolation can further enhance SQ, it may not be strictly necessary and you could also consider ultraRendu Plus.

Adding filters or switches between the NUC and your DAC aims to improve the NUC's performance as a Roon endpoint. However, in my opinion, this approach would fall significantly short of the quality provided by a dedicated endpoint like the (Optical) Rendu.

Regardless of the approach, always use a high-quality USB cable to connect to your DAC. If you wish to further improve the endpoint, you can experiment with filters and switches. However, as you wish to limit the number of devices in the chain, a single well-chosen endpoint can often provide sufficient improvement.

Separating the server and player functions into different devices, each with good power supplies, is a highly effective way to achieve better SQ.

 

[Ricco275]

Hi @Ricco275,
You suggest two different approaches to improving sound quality:

Introducing a quality endpoint, such as the Optical Rendu (with or without the optical module), is the most effective solution. In this setup, the NUC i7 would serve solely as a server, while the Rendu endpoint handles audio playback with RoonReady Output - This output utilizes streams from Roon. While optical isolation can further enhance SQ, it may not be strictly necessary and you could also consider ultraRendu Plus.

Adding filters or switches between the NUC and your DAC aims to improve the NUC's performance as a Roon endpoint. However, in my opinion, this approach would fall significantly short of the quality provided by a dedicated endpoint like the (Optical) Rendu.

Regardless of the approach, always use a high-quality USB cable to connect to your DAC. If you wish to further improve the endpoint, you can experiment with filters and switches. However, as you wish to limit the number of devices in the chain, a single well-chosen endpoint can often provide sufficient improvement.

Separating the server and player functions into different devices, each with good power supplies, is a highly effective way to achieve better SQ.

Thanks. I have purchased a Lumin U2 mini and I will add a Plixir custom LPS to it. I’m about to purchase an Eno2 system too.
I usually use USB but I’m hearing AES cable is of higher performance. I don’t know if this universally valid and in particular for Lampizator.

 

[Di-fi]

Thanks. I have purchased a Lumin U2 mini and I will add a Plixir custom LPS to it. I’m about to purchase an Eno2 system too.
I usually use USB but I’m hearing AES cable is of higher performance. I don’t know if this universally valid and in particular for Lampizator.

Congrats with the Lumin, great improvement, I am sure. I would say AES sounds different but not always better. Besides your system and what you are looking for, It depends on design of the output and input, and last but not least; the AES cable.

 

[Ricco275]

Congrats with the Lumin, great improvement, I am sure. I would say AES sounds different but not always better. Besides your system and what you are looking for, It depends on design of the output and input, and last but not least; the AES cable.

Will try some. I’m looking at Shunyata Alpha v2.

 

[Republicoftexas69]

I use both the oMD v2 and EtherRegen v1. I have the ENO2 upstream just because I have OCD and really did not hear any difference.

 

[Ricco275]

I use both the oMD v2 and EtherRegen v1. I have the ENO2 upstream just because I have OCD and really did not hear any difference.

I plan to have only the eno2 filter and maybe one day a switch. If I don’t hear significant impact with the eno2 I’ll return it.

 

[Republicoftexas69]

I plan to have only the eno2 filter and maybe one day a switch. If I don’t hear significant impact with the eno2 I’ll return it.

I am using optical as a filter also.