Bluesound releases 2024 ICON streamer

[pogo]

Wiim Pro and SMSL SU-9 were tested here as transparent. The Icon does the job better. So the test methods do not seem to be sufficient.

 

[pogo]

At that price it is not possible

Evidence?

 

[pjug]

Wiim Pro and SMSL SU-9 were tested here as transparent. The Icon does the job better. So the test methods do not seem to be sufficient.

You are talking about just the DAC? Icon does the job better in what way than another device with the same DAC chip?

 

[pogo]

I can't tell you that. And the listening experience Centuriaromano has had is now one of many with a similar result. The fact is that Bluesound relies on MQA QRONO.

 

[pjug]

I can't tell you that. And the listening experience Centuriaromano has had is now one of many with a similar result. The fact is that Bluesound relies on MQA QRONO.

Do you believe all the stories like this that you hear or only the ones that seem to support the product hype? Maybe someone will make some recordings and we can see if anyone really hears a difference. Until then I wish you would stop saying Qrono is some kind of great improvement when you don't know that and there isn't much to it where it should matter much.

 

[Esprit]

Evidence?

The evidence is the fact that measurement microphones that cost 10 times or more than these need an individual calibration file (and need to be recalibrated over time...).
If you prefer to believe that for a few euros/dollars they are selling you Earthworks microphones, good for you…
I'll move on, have a nice evening.

 

[pogo]

The issue with the individual calibration file from some manufacturers is questionable, as you can also see here: Link
NAD/Bluesound's approach with their mic will be no worse.

 

[pogo]

Maybe someone will make some recordings and we can see if anyone really hears a difference.

This will probably not work if QRONO does what is described in the Technical White Paper.

 

[pjug]

This will probably not work if QRONO does what is described in the Technical White Paper.

Only if you believe that Qrono filters for 44KHz and 48KHz files are some kind of magic instead of recognizing that they are just minium phase slow filters. A high sample rate recording should be fine for capturing everything for listening tests, but I know the MQA devotees will never accept that.

 

[Esprit]

NAD/Bluesound's approach with their mic will be no worse.

You work for Bluesound.

 

[pogo]

No.

A high sample rate recording should be fine for capturing everything for listening tests

And with which hardware (DAC) do you play back that can show the possible advantages of QRONO? As I have already written, this will probably not work.

 

[netape]

You work for Bluesound.

This is my assumption as well. Where are the moderators to reign on this kind of marketing behavior and baseless claims?

I think nobody argues that there's no audible difference between "MQA kind of sound" (=QRONO) and "neutral" (= regular filter) sound. What I object to is calling this "better" sound when it's in fact artificially modified sound. You may like it and that's fine, but I assume many ASR readers are looking for the most transparent & 'creator's intent' sound as possible.

If we're waxing lyrical about things, with MQA (and QRONO probably is a carbon copy of it) I felt the reverbation of sound was artificially diminished. It sounds pin-point accurate but it also sounds wrong with acoustic guitars etc. Many years ago I read an analysis describing how MQA does that effect, but I can't find the article at the moment (maybe someone remembers it? It discussed how the effect affected Bob Dylan recordings)

 

[pjug]

No.


And with which hardware (DAC) do you play back that can show the possible advantages of QRONO? As I have already written, this will probably not work.

That is where you are buying into the magical thinking as well. Any DAC that can play the high sample rate of the recording. The idea that the reconstruction filter matters at extremely high sample rates is far fetched.

 

[Galliardist]

You work for Bluesound.

He claims not to, and I see no reason not to believe that. I presume he would be described on less friendly forums as a "fanboi".

He could be working for somebody whose business is dependent on Lenbrook products, of course. I'm fairly certain some of our local hifi dealers here made profits from selling MQA enabled products, after all, while MQA Ltd itself was a money sink.

@pogo, would you care to say a bit more about who you are, and lay the employee claim to rest?

 

[Centuriaromano]

Wiim Pro and SMSL SU-9 were tested here as transparent. The Icon does the job better. So the test methods do not seem to be sufficient.

At last we are the quality control.

 

[Galliardist]

Wiim Pro and SMSL SU-9 were tested here as transparent. The Icon does the job better. So the test methods do not seem to be sufficient.

Test methods? I still see no independent measurement and no controlled/blind testing. "I say it sounds better" is what is not sufficient.

 

[Centuriaromano]

To me is perfect

 

[pogo]

would you care to say a bit more about who you are, and lay the employee claim to rest?

I have nothing to do with the hifi industry and I am not affiliated with any hifi stores. I am an ordinary hifi user with a technical background who likes to think outside the box.
Back to the topic.

 

[Galliardist]

To me is perfect

To qualify my remark, you are entitled like everyone else to like any particular product. I'm not challenging that.

What I am saying is that the remarkable technical claims for QRONO are unproven, and in the light of what MQA's previous product didn't do, claiming anything objectively special is remarkable and demands proper evidence.

Lenbrook and their MQA subidiary have not given that, and we have no independent evidence for their claims. And one or two people liking the product is not that evidence for those claims.

At last we are the quality control.

No you aren't. You are a consumer expressing a personal preference. From the small sample of reports we have here, quality control might not be that great. We're already greeted here by problem devices including one with a dead display, remember?

 

[Centuriaromano]

Do you know what quality control does? Well, that's exactly what we users do when we have the right to purchase products and then give our open opinion about whether we like that product or not. That, for me, is my quality control or personal preference.