Last year I reviewed the original version of networked audio streamer, Sonore microRendu. Recently someone offered to loan me the newest version 1.4 to test and measure. So here are the results.
Functionality:
The Sonore microRendu is a super light, tiny aluminum box, requiring external power to operate. The device is too light to support the weight of the cables attached to it and runs super hot. I don't recall the original version running this warm. I can barely keep my hand on it for a few seconds.
The microRendu comes with support for Roon which is the way I tested it. For external power, I tested it with iFi iPower power supply ($50), UpTone LPS-1 and my Lab Power supply.
Roon recognized the device after a minute of so of being powered on and reliability was good.
So as a way to network a DAC and remotely using it from your computer or NAS device, it works fine.
Retail price is $650 which is quite high. You can easily buy a computer for the same price although probably not a silent one. And this price does not include a power supply.
Measurements:
For DAC, I picked the iFi iDAC2 again. The iFi is USB powered and retails for $350 DAC.
For reference, I tested the DAC directly connected to my PC and then compared it to Sonore microRendu driving the same.
As a way of comparison, since I still have the SOtM SMS-200 networked audio player (see: http://www.audiosciencereview.com/f...d-review-of-sotm-sms-200-network-player.1846/) I compared its results to that unit (which retails for $200 less).
Let's start first with the lab linear power supply:
As noted on the graph, the results are essentially identical. You can choose to use USB direct (from a laptop as I did) or use either the microRendu or SMS-200 and get the same performance.
At the other end of the spectrum, this is what happens when you power them with iFi iPower2 wall-wart:
We see fair amount of degradation in both networked players. Mains related leakage is evident as are additional distortion spikes. This means both devices are pretty sensitive to quality of power feeding them. If you do not want to see such degradation, you need to use them with quality linear power supply.
Note however that these degradations are far more disturbing to the eye than the ear. Their levels are extremely low and very unlikely to be an audible concern.
Testing with UpTone LPS-1 supercapacitor supply did ease the pain but as shown in my review of that product, unless a linear power supply is still used with it, you are going to get more mains leakage than not using any of these devices.
Summary
From functionality point of view, the Sonore microRendu works fine as a reliable Roon endpoint.
On performance front, the only way to avoid degradation of (measured) DAC performance is to use a linear power supply. That makes the Sonore microRendu even more expensive.
The SOtM SMS-200 provides an excellent alternative here. It is $200 cheaper, and built far better. It has a solid enclosure and the engineering inside is just excellent. If you need a remote networked audio streamer, my recommendation is to go with SMS-200 with a linear power supply (or decent switchmode).
As always, comments, feedback, jokes, etc. are welcome.
Functionality:
The Sonore microRendu is a super light, tiny aluminum box, requiring external power to operate. The device is too light to support the weight of the cables attached to it and runs super hot. I don't recall the original version running this warm. I can barely keep my hand on it for a few seconds.
The microRendu comes with support for Roon which is the way I tested it. For external power, I tested it with iFi iPower power supply ($50), UpTone LPS-1 and my Lab Power supply.
Roon recognized the device after a minute of so of being powered on and reliability was good.
So as a way to network a DAC and remotely using it from your computer or NAS device, it works fine.
Retail price is $650 which is quite high. You can easily buy a computer for the same price although probably not a silent one. And this price does not include a power supply.
Measurements:
For DAC, I picked the iFi iDAC2 again. The iFi is USB powered and retails for $350 DAC.
For reference, I tested the DAC directly connected to my PC and then compared it to Sonore microRendu driving the same.
As a way of comparison, since I still have the SOtM SMS-200 networked audio player (see: http://www.audiosciencereview.com/f...d-review-of-sotm-sms-200-network-player.1846/) I compared its results to that unit (which retails for $200 less).
Let's start first with the lab linear power supply:
As noted on the graph, the results are essentially identical. You can choose to use USB direct (from a laptop as I did) or use either the microRendu or SMS-200 and get the same performance.
At the other end of the spectrum, this is what happens when you power them with iFi iPower2 wall-wart:
We see fair amount of degradation in both networked players. Mains related leakage is evident as are additional distortion spikes. This means both devices are pretty sensitive to quality of power feeding them. If you do not want to see such degradation, you need to use them with quality linear power supply.
Note however that these degradations are far more disturbing to the eye than the ear. Their levels are extremely low and very unlikely to be an audible concern.
Testing with UpTone LPS-1 supercapacitor supply did ease the pain but as shown in my review of that product, unless a linear power supply is still used with it, you are going to get more mains leakage than not using any of these devices.
Summary
From functionality point of view, the Sonore microRendu works fine as a reliable Roon endpoint.
On performance front, the only way to avoid degradation of (measured) DAC performance is to use a linear power supply. That makes the Sonore microRendu even more expensive.
The SOtM SMS-200 provides an excellent alternative here. It is $200 cheaper, and built far better. It has a solid enclosure and the engineering inside is just excellent. If you need a remote networked audio streamer, my recommendation is to go with SMS-200 with a linear power supply (or decent switchmode).
As always, comments, feedback, jokes, etc. are welcome.