Shakti is back to Digital ( Innuos, Roon, Brinkmann)

shakti

Well-Known Member
May 9, 2015
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Cologne, Germany
10 years ago I started my digital journey to streaming, using iTunes and La Rosita Streaming interfaces. All my files were ripped in WAV, so I was ending up to add Meta Data at my own.
The upcoming possibility of online streaming (like Tidal) made my digital set up obsolete, as it is impossible for Apple to allow mixed playlists of Tidal and Harddisc. The world of the Linn streamers was my answer, so I was able to use my iTunes directory and Tidal plus!!! High Res files which iTunes is still not capable of.

But the usability of all the different Apps were just not satisfying, after all the years with the smooth iTunes world.
Then came the point, were my 8TB NAS was faling while doing a back up and I list the majority of my files.

I decided to just listen to CD and to my favorite source, to analog.
For more than a year, my Lampizator Golden Gate DAC was nearly not playing any music, I also have to say, that I started to get bored with all the tube rolling on the GG, I was missing a "neutral reference" if such a source is possible at all.

On the other hand, I had (have) a lot of fun with my analoge set up.
But after this year, I started to miss some of my music, as not available on Record.

Visiting friends, I looked into their digital set ups and found out, that the most of them are using Roon as control software and that the time of standard NAS seems to be over. A dedicated Music Server is now the must be.

It became clear to me, that going back to digital streaming means a complete redesign of my digital set up.

Software:
As I liked, what I have seen at my friends homes, it was clear, what I want:

Roon !

Musicserver:
My requirements are like this:
- Roon Core
- Roon Endpoint
- UPNP (DLNA)
- > 4TB SSD
- USB out
- LAN out
- Solid CD Ripping
- "Plug'n Play" (not Plug'n pray...)

As Computer Technology is developing fast, I gave myself a max budget of 5000,- eur , so no SGM, W20, Statement :-(
But the Innuos Zenith MKIII 4TB ssd has all the features I am looking for, and still is within the given budget.

http://www.innuos.com/en/catalog/go/zenith-mk3-1tb-ssd-black

DAC:
My requirements are like this:
- Roon Endpoint
inputs:
- LAN
- USB
- AES/EBU
- RCA SPDIF
outputs:
- RCA
- XLR
DAC chip
- separate for DSD and PCM

Using now Lampizator DAC's for some years, I am a kind of biased regarding possible performance and tonal balance.
But my current preamplifier (Grandinote Genesi) has a relatively low input impedance and I have the feeling, that some of my gear did a better job on my former Koda Preamp. But some sources do like the Genesi Preamp a lot, specially the sources with a low output impedance. My Golden Gate is in the range of 1500ohm, which is very high. The output impedance changes by all the different sets of available tubes. So driving the Genesi Preamp, the differences of the tubes become very clear.

Many of the available DACs with low output impedance can be found in the professional Studio market, but all of them, where I had the chance to listen to, were not according to my taste.
Lampizator has defined a standard (in combination with a matching set up), which ist difficult to match.

During the last Munich High End fair I had the chance to listen to the Brinkmann Nyquist II ( 15000,- eur) , which was a very good demo! To my surprise, Mastermind Brinkmann managed to develop a tube output stage DAC (NOS Telefunken tubes) with only 10ohm output impedance. nyquist.jpg
https://www.brinkmann-audio.de/main.php?prod=nyquist&cat=default&lang=en

Since a couple of days the Zenith server and the Nyquist DAC do play music at my home and I have a day by day increasing learning curve.

I will share my findings in this thread in the next days.
 
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Audiophile Bill

Well-Known Member
Mar 23, 2015
4,293
4,093
675
10 years ago I started my digital journey to streaming, using iTunes and La Rosita Streaming interfaces. All my files were ripped in WAV, so I was ending up to add Meta Data at my own.
The upcoming possibility of online streaming (like Tidal) made my digital set up obsolete, as it is impossible for Apple to allow mixed playlists of Tidal and Harddisc. The world of the Linn streamers was my answer, so I was able to use my iTunes directory and Tidal plus!!! High Res files which iTunes is still not capable of.

But the usability of all the different Apps were just not satisfying, after all the years with the smooth iTunes world.
Then came the point, were my 8TB NAS was faling while doing a back up and I list the majority of my files.

I decided to just listen to CD and to my favorite source, to analog.
For more than a year, my Lampizator Golden Gate DAC was nearly not playing any music, I also have to say, that I started to get bored with all the tube rolling on the GG, I was missing a "neutral reference" if such a source is possible at all.

On the other hand, I had (have) a lot of fun with my analoge set up.
But after this year, I started to miss some of my music, as not available on Record.

Visiting friends, I looked into their digital set ups and found out, that the most of them are using Roon as control software and that the time of standard NAS seems to be over. A dedicated Music Server is now the must be.

It became clear to me, that going back to digital streaming means a complete redesign of my digital set up.

Software:
As I liked, what I have seen at my friends homes, it was clear, what I want:

Roon !

Musicserver:
My requirements are like this:
- Roon Core
- Roon Endpoint
- UPNP (DLNA)
- > 4TB SSD
- USB out
- LAN out
- Solid CD Ripping
- "Plug'n Play" (not Plug'n pray...)

As Computer Technology is developing fast, I gave myself a max budget of 5000,- eur , so no SGM, W20, Statement :-(
But the Innuos Zenith MKIII 4TB ssd has all the features I am looking for, and still is within the given budget.

http://www.innuos.com/en/catalog/go/zenith-mk3-1tb-ssd-black

DAC:
My requirements are like this:
- Roon Endpoint
inputs:
- LAN
- USB
- AES/EBU
- RCA SPDIF
outputs:
- RCA
- XLR
DAC chip
- separate for DSD and PCM

Using now Lampizator DAC's for some years, I am a kind of biased regarding possible performance and tonal balance.
But my current preamplifier (Grandinote Genesi) has a relatively low input impedance and I have the feeling, that some of my gear did a better job on my former Koda Preamp. But some sources do like the Genesi Preamp a lot, specially the sources with a low output impedance. My Golden Gate is in the range of 1500ohm, which is very high. The output impedance changes by all the different sets of available tubes. So driving the Genesi Preamp, the differences of the tubes become very clear.

Many of the available DACs with low output impedance can be found in the professional Studio market, but all of them, where I had the chance to listen to, were not according to my taste.
Lampizator has defined a standard (in combination with a matching set up), which ist difficult to match.

During the last Munich High End fair I had the chance to listen to the Brinkmann Nyquist II ( 15000,- eur) , which was a very good demo! To my surprise, Mastermind Brinkmann managed to develop a tube output stage DAC (NOS Telefunken tubes) with only 10ohm output impedance. Just by chance I had the opportunity to try out the Nyquist at home, and I found, what I was looking for!
A DAC, meeting all of my requirements .

https://www.brinkmann-audio.de/main.php?prod=nyquist&cat=default&lang=en

Since a couple of days the Zenith server and the Nyquist DAC do play music at my home and I have a day by day increasing learning curve.

I will share my findings in this thread in the next days.

How does the Brinkmann compare to the Lampi
 
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shakti

Well-Known Member
May 9, 2015
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480
Cologne, Germany
How does the Brinkmann compare to the Lampi

Unfortunately I cannot answer this obvious question, as my GG does not show his potential on the Grandinote Preamp, the Nyquist on the other side is a perfect match. So I only would describe the effect of a technical match / mismatch situation.

As you can imagine, I am also interested to answer this question, so I am currently looking, If I can get a another preamp for a weekend to make this comparison.
 
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Ron Resnick

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Jan 24, 2015
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I am happy for you that you found a DAC you like!
 
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microstrip

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Congratulations on finding a digital you enjoy - if I was looking for a DAC the Brinkmann Nyquist II would be one I would consider, a great price in Europe for a DAC with a tube output, reviews and accessible measurements! BTW, the low output impedance in due to the Lundhal output transformer, something the Nyquist II shares with the Metronome DACs.

It is curious that a DAC is named after Harry Nyquist - although people usually associate him to the sampling theorem, we should not forget his great contribution on feedback - the Nyquist stability criterion .
 
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spiritofmusic

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Francisco, you mention published measurements, but there are some critical comments online from the Stereophile review/test data that this dac measures poorly across a range of parameters.

And £18k is hardly what I'd call a great price, especially in the dac world that rates out of date every 12-18 months.
 

microstrip

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Francisco, you mention published measurements, but there are some critical comments online from the Stereophile review/test data that this dac measures poorly across a range of parameters.

And £18k is hardly what I'd call a great price, especially in the dac world that rates out of date every 12-18 months.

It is why I appreciate to see the measurements - I like to see the raw data and judge it myself. And coupled with MF subjective review makes an interesting read, although I suffered when I read " I have thousands of SACDs but currently no SACD player that works." in his review. Most of the best sound I can currently get in my Vivaldi stack is from well recorded SACD's ...

IMHO, unless you are on a vintage diet, analog out dates as fast as DAC's, see that the Vivaldi is now 8 years old and still on top ...
 
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bonzo75

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It is why I appreciate to see the measurements - I like to see the raw data and judge it myself. And coupled with MF subjective review makes an interesting read, although I suffered when I read " I have thousands of SACDs but currently no SACD player that works." in his review. Most of the best sound I can currently get in my Vivaldi stack is from well recorded SACD's ...

IMHO, unless you are on a vintage diet, analog out dates as fast as DAC's, see that the Vivaldi is now 8 years old and still on top ...

Haha, vivaldi on top of what? A 4 box rack?
 
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bazelio

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I have also heard from ears I trust that the Brinkman DAC is very good. I'd love to hear it. Congrats!
 

Tango

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Francisco, you mention published measurements, but there are some critical comments online from the Stereophile review/test data that this dac measures poorly across a range of parameters.

And £18k is hardly what I'd call a great price, especially in the dac world that rates out of date every 12-18 months.
Around 10k in actual transaction.
 

bonzo75

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In Munich 2018 I was quite impressed by the way the Brinkmann dac was sounding next to their analog, unlike the many dCS rooms over the years there. In fact the dCS next to the restored idlers in the Silbatone room convinced me to take a look seriously at analog a few years ago. They used to alternate each track across the vinyl and the dCS. This year they replaced the dCS with a 30k Silbatone dac and I couldn't tell the difference when they moved from one to the other. Well you could make out a difference as a shift from one table to the other. I have no experience of the brinkmann or Silbatone outside of Munich though
 
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spiritofmusic

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Around 10k in actual transaction.
Gosh Tang, I would love to buy high end gear for those levels of discounts. Never managed it yet.
 

108CY

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May 4, 2013
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And £18k is hardly what I'd call a great price, especially in the dac world that rates out of date every 12-18 months.[/QUOTE]

I am not sure where its listed at £18000, I believe its £10800 plus VAT which is £12995

https://www.coolgales.com/product/brinkmann-nyquist-ii/
 
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spiritofmusic

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Whoops, missed that first zero Lol
 

christoph

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BTW, the low output impedance in due to the Lundhal output transformer, something the Nyquist II shares with the Metronome DACs.

Are the output trafos in the Brinkmann Nyquist DAC already on board for the price or are they a very expensive option like with all the Nagra stuff?
 

Tango

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spiritofmusic

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I bet my first estimate is right after 3 months of Brexit.
 
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shakti

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May 9, 2015
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Are the output trafos in the Brinkmann Nyquist DAC already on board for the price or are they a very expensive option like with all the Nagra stuff?

The output Trafo is part of the main design, so included in the recommend retail price calculation.
 
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Lagonda

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The output Trafo is part of the main design, so included in the recommend retail price calculation.
Jürgen, don’t you have your Genesi for sale on ebay ?
 
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