Beta testers wanted for LANRover

Accessories and Tweaks
181

Paul, so I guess I’m back to my prior question (and mindful it’s Sunday, don’t feel the need to answer or test today) - has anyone on your end run this specific configuration - Ernst Mini, Roon, LR, DS Jr.? Wondering if it’s something with only MY computer/Roon setup or if this is something that will happen for anyone stringing these bits together. Trying to isolate the culprit(s). Jes’ doin’ my job ; )

You had been posting that there was only the one LR prototype up until now, and if you were not using Roon and the LR on your Ernst Mini…not to mention any possible difference between the proto and production units.

Or, for that matter, anyone else here in the beta have this particular chain to test?

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I have since switched to a full production LR so all tests and results might mirror customers. I use it exclusively with the Mini which Bill Ernst modified so no worries there and with Roon and iTunes/Bit Perfect all the time.

This is usually through a DS, but I have also done it on a Junior, though I can’t swear I did Roon too on the Junior.

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Is the “full production LR” different in build than the “beta LR”?

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Not really, though I always do this just to be certain.

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Paul McGowan said I have since switched to a full production LR so all tests and results might mirror customers. I use it exclusively with the Mini which Bill Ernst modified so no worries there and with Roon and iTunes/Bit Perfect all the time.

This is usually through a DS, but I have also done it on a Junior, though I can’t swear I did Roon too on the Junior.


Paul,

Can you share your preference settings for Bit Perfect? I am getting no sound again if I use it with iTunes. Thx.

Allan

186

Sunday night update:

I reinstalled the LR tonight and still had no sound but could the DAC to lock onto a 44.1 signal. I then connected to a USB 2.0 only output from my PC but still no luck.

On a whim, I replaced my 1.0 meter WW USB cable with a 0.5 meter from the PC to the sender and using the supplied USB from the receiver to my DAC and voila! We have sound. Now I will test it a little switching on the fly from DSD to 24/192 to 16/44.1 and see what happens. If I believe it stable, I will start more serious listening this week.

In short, tonight I switched to a USB2.0 output from my PC and to short USB cables and my system now works with th LR.

UPDATE

After running various DSD files for 20 - 30 minutes, it crashed when I switched while playing a DSD file to a 24/192 file. The DAC lost the signal and displayed 44.1 with no sound.

What can be done?

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Paul McGowan said I have since switched to a full production LR so all tests and results might mirror customers. I use it exclusively with the Mini which Bill Ernst modified so no worries there and with Roon and iTunes/Bit Perfect all the time.

This is usually through a DS, but I have also done it on a Junior, though I can’t swear I did Roon too on the Junior.


Just curious what the next steps are going to be.

Are there plans to update the “firmware” and push that update to everyone that is in the beta test group? While I love what it does for my system, I’m a bit hesitant to keep it when it only works with 2 of my 5 players. I’m concerned any future updates to the other 2 players would cause the same problems. There must be some common thread to the incompatibility issues.

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Hi all,

I’d like to share my observations so far. I’ve tried several setups. I first tried using jRiver 20 as I thought that might be the easiest to test with. I’ve used jRiver for years before recently switching to ROON. At this point I’m using Legacy Audio’s Wavelet. It is a combination of preamp, DAC, digital crossover, and DSP and is the brain of my Legacy V speakers. For whatever reasons I never could get music to play. The Lan Rovers lights displayed they were synched. jRiver could not find my DAC. I also tried jRiver with the addition of jPlay. All the settings seemed to be correct except the Wavelet was never discovered. Drat I had wanted to use this as a baseline for the setup I really wanted to try. Darn!

And what would that be? A combo of ROON server installed on my 10 tb WSY2K12V2 server, HQPlayer installed on a WIndows 10 pro Zuma Clone PC with both systems running the AudiophileOptimizer and Fidelizer, the Sonore mRendu, and the Lan Rover. I used Ethernet and a gigabyte switch with a linear power supply to connect all the components.

I plugged the mRendu output via my Lampizator Silver USB cable into the Lan Rover then Cat 7 Ethernet made the connection between the Lan Rovers, then from Lan Rover into the Wavelet via a Clarus Crimson USB cable.

Much to my surprise both HQPlayer and ROON synched and found the Wavelet. All the Lan Rover LEDs said action, and I played the first cut a 24/96 version of Fleetwood Mac’s “Oh Daddy”. While not SOTA I like to listen to Buckingham’s guitar work and the drum work of Fleetwood and McVie’s voice as she sings, Oh, Daddy. They repeat this combo several times in the cut so it’s easy to find. What did I hear? Could the mRendu and Lan Rover do something special together? (If you haven’t heard what the mRendu as NAA for HQPlayer can do you might want to check it out if you get a chance. It certainly outperforms my fancy USB card with linear power supply.)

Much to my surprise and consternation (I was hoping I wouldn’t want to buy one.) the Lan Rover easily elevated the mRendu’s performance. At first listen I heard 3 different areas that really stood out, the soundstage became deeper front to back and it was easy to hear the original room’s boundaries. Next, the sound across the audio spectrum became full fleshed and vibrant, and last (really in no special order) the bass (powered by about 3,000 watts per channel) just became fuller, richer, and more dynamic. The band was in the room. I quickly played my favorite cuts from Gladiator, Casino Royale, Diana Krall, Louie Armstrong, Ella, Johnny Cash, and my new favorite soundtrack, Brendan and the Secret of Kells. The Lan Rover and mRendu performed their magic on all.

Ok so how much real difference was there? In reality in probably small to the casual listener but too audiophiles the Lan Rover was quite an upgrade especially its ability to project the soundstage and images correctly. Can’t wait until Lampi comes back from an upgrade so it and the Dude can perform their magic. I’ll probably be able to each out and touch the performers then!

be glad to answer any questions and provide more setup data on request.

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I am using a Mac Mini with JRiver MC22 without issue. I have the Mini feeding the LR boxes with the included cables. The USB cable I was using connects the Receiver box to the USB input of. DEQX HDP4 crossover/processor. All I had to do following installation was to reselect the proper audio path in the options menu. I am using pcm, not dsd and I have JR converting 44.1 to 88.2 and 48 to 96. All other rates are left along. So far I have found the new release of MC22 to be less buggy than MC21.

190

Update:

My system path is show below.

After some initial digressions due to a Roon update, I’ve had no issues with having my DirectStream seen either with PureMusic/iTunes, or with Roon/HQPlayer.

When I first hooked up the LANRover the other day, listening away from the main room, I was hoping to be floored by the difference, but quickly realized that it would be closer than that. So, we did some A/B testing last night between the Mini -> Regen -> DS using Curious cables, and Mini -> LR pair -> DS using the same cables.

Listening in the sweet spot, it really was close. Mind you, we don’t have golden ears, nor the vernacular to adequately describe what we hear. In the end, when we compared notes, our results agreed 100%. In our system, the Regen bested the LANRover time and time again.

I’m not sure why that is. In theory, isolating the USB signal should work wonders, but we couldn’t deny what we heard.

I also tried Mini -> LR pair -> Regen -> DS, but quickly realized that it was the worst of the options. For some reason, the soundstage collapsed, and a veil was thrown over the presentation.

I have another experiment to try, that of moving the computer farther away from the stereo rack while using the LANRover. Perhaps that would make more of a difference.

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Perhaps some of what I heard from the mRendu and LR could be attributed to using a long Ethernet cable between LR and using a long USB cable from the mRendu into the Wavelet.

When I sent Lampi out for update, I was lazy and didn’t want to move my HQ Player PC w/ accessories down to the other end of the room. Again. Thus the long USB cable from mRendu. When I return home in a couple of days I’ll rearrange things so I can use a long Ethernet cable to the mRendu and a then the USB cable into the Wavelet. Then I’ll compare with LR or without.

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Rob H. said Update:

…

When I first hooked up the LANRover the other day, listening away from the main room, I was hoping to be floored by the difference, but quickly realized that it would be closer than that. So, we did some A/B testing last night between the Mini → Regen → DS using Curious cables, and Mini → LR pair → DS using the same cables.

Listening in the sweet spot, it really was close. Mind you, we don’t have golden ears, nor the vernacular to adequately describe what we hear. In the end, when we compared notes, our results agreed 100%. In our system, the Regen bested the LANRover time and time again.

I’m not sure why that is. In theory, isolating the USB signal should work wonders, but we couldn’t deny what we heard.


Exactly what did you hear that led you that way? I’m using a single Windows desktop computer and finding so far in many ways it’s not close in the other direction. But here’s the thing that so far appears to have been missed in the thread: the LR needs burnin. Even 20 hours here has made a big difference. To be continued.

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If it turns out that the length of the Ethernet cable makes a significant difference, would it be possible to daisy chain two sets of Lan Rovers, using a short cable between the second pair?

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stevem2 said If it turns out that the length of the Ethernet cable makes a significant difference, would it be possible to daisy chain two sets of Lan Rovers, using a short cable between the second pair?
Optimum length you've found so far?
195

I wanted to give an update after several hours listening to LR. My system is Mac Mini with HQPlayer driven by Roon with AQ Carbon>LR pair and Nordost Blue heaven>PSA NuWave DSD DAC. That feeds into Anthem AVM60>Mcintosh MC205 and ultimately DefTec 8060s. I was struck at first how much more crisp and open the system was in lieu of just Nordost USB. Now having listened to the system a while and changed back and forth a little with the old config, I’ve noticed that the “cycling” of the old config is gone. By that I mean sometimes the system would sound dynamic and open and other times it would by closed off and flat. There was no rhyme or reason to it. I was honestly beginning to think it was my ears! Maybe the Mac was sending cleaner signal some times more than others. Now it’s all clear, all the time! No cycling, no intermittent flatness. Just a crisp, open soundstage. Wonderful. One thing I’ve also noticed is how much less listener fatigue I’m getting. Last night I listened for two hours straight and would up listening to music I normally will not pull out. I think when that happens, you’ve definitely made and upgrade to your system, IMO.

I was wondering what you guys are doing in terms of playback of your digital sources. After experimenting a while with HQPlayers settings, I think I’ve settled on letting HQP noise shape/filter my DSD files with ADSM7 and converting PCM files to DSD 128, also with ADSM7 (also poly-sinc-mp?). I think this preserves the vinyl sound of my DSD vinyl rips and takes the harsh digital “edge” off lesser quality PCM files. I do think the DSD feed to the DAC via the LR is a pretty great combo. I wonder if others who haven’t been as taken with the LR would possibly benefit from experimenting with this a little? Just a thought.

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ozzymilton said
ozzymilton said
ozzymilton said
ozzymilton said Mine should arrive tomorrow.

I can compare it to my chain of Intona, Recovery, and 2 Mutec-3+USB’s in tandem. The Regens were sold long ago.

Source is from a Bryston BDP-2 and will be using the Curious usb’s into the Direct Stream Dac.

First I’ll try it alone, then in tandem with the others.

It would be great if the LANRover could replace the others.

Well I received the units today, everything works fine thank you. The sound quality is pretty good but the soundstage seems to be more inside the speakers than what I have been used to. Need more time to let it play though.

More to follow.

Update:

Today, I am not getting the wide and deep soundstage that I had with my above chain. But, that chain costs about $2700.

So it might not be fair to compare it to this PS $500 version. I’ll keep it connected and playing for a few more days. But at this point it is only about 25% of the quality I get with my former chain connected.

More to follow.

Update:

With the PS LANRover unit inserted into the Direct Stream Dac usb input and the output of my Intona/Recovery/Mutec/Mutec plugged into the XLR input, I can toggle back and forth. After much more A/B testing, the PS LANRover is much closer to the chain than I thought. Playing one input or the other is quite enjoyable.

What I can share is the PS LANRover has a tighter (smaller) soundstage and a little more high frequency distortion. That probably contributes to the difference in the soundstage width / depth. Perhaps with a better power supply it could even come closer. But it is a very good value.


Update:

Hold the presses…

I just couldn’t resist trying the LANRover WITH my chain.

That is;

Bryston BDP-2>LANRover>Intona>Wryed Recovery>Mutec-3+USB>Mutec-3+USB>PS Audio Direct Stream Dac.

All of the usb cables are the Curious Cables and most are the shortest made. The Recovery is powered by a linear power supply. Also, the Mutec’s, Intona and Recovery have been upgraded to the latest firmware.

So, with the LANRover in the chain, it seems to add some clearness to the sound. That includes to the treble and bass. I’m not sure at this early testing if it is not a little too bright, but it definitely changes the sound quality.

I know most of us will think that this is probably overkill and maybe it is. Surprisingly though, each product provides there little something to the overall sound quality.

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ozzymilton said
Hold the presses...

I just couldn’t resist trying the LANRover WITH my chain.
…
So, with the LANRover in the chain, it seems to add some clearness to the sound. That includes to the treble and bass. I’m not sure at this early testing if it is not a little too bright, but it definitely changes the sound quality.

I know most of us will think that this is probably overkill and maybe it is. Surprisingly though, each product provides there little something to the overall sound quality.

Brightness and upper end distortion or roughness were among what I heard initially. I'm giving the unit some time. I think Paul's and others' comments about improvements right off suggesting burnin is not necessary are overly optimistic. Virtually everything in this world, animate and not, needs burnin, and thus far here the LANRover hasn't been an exception. Which doesn't mean all initial issues will necessarily be overcome. The supplied cables and power supply are certainly a variable here.
198

I have had my Beta test LAN Rover since Friday. It was as easy to install on my Mac Mini as simple plug and play. I have Roon and ITunes with Bitperfect to compare. I also have a recently installed bridge II installed in my DS dac running Torreys final.

As far as the LAN Rover goes, it is really an amazing difference from USB even with USB filters and tweaks. I had been using the Uptone Audio REGEN as of late and started off with the Audioquest Jitterbug. Both helped a bit, but NOTHING like the LAN Rover.

The audio is immediately more open, relaxed, tons of detail, and the wide deep soundstage is amazing. Funny thing I didn’t like Torreys final vs Yale before the Lan Rover or Bridge II. But now, forget it! I am NOT going back.

I will say at least in my system, the LAN Rover is so, so close the Bridge II it’s amazing. Both super easy to use, and set up on the MAC. I

If someone didn’t want to use Roon then the Lan Rover is the way to go, also more options as to dac firmware. I have both. I can’t see myself not keeping the LAN Rover as well as the Bridge II. I may ty to use the Lan Rover to send info from PS Audio NuWave Phono Converter to my mac over the network! I’ll post results once I try it later this week or weekend.

I have the Regen up for sale! if anyone is interested. It’s good, but the Lan Rover is GREAT! The Bridge II is outstanding!!

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highstream said
stevem2 said If it turns out that the length of the Ethernet cable makes a significant difference, would it be possible to daisy chain two sets of Lan Rovers, using a short cable between the second pair?

Optimum length you’ve found so far?


I’m a Bridge guy and don’t even have a LR at this point. I was just posing a hypothetical based on the reports of some beta testers indicating that the length of the Ethernet cable seemed to matter. I’m hoping it turns out the length of cable generally does not make a significant difference but I leave that to the folks who have LRs.

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Does anybody have the LR running with a Windows PC and JRiver into any DAC?

Does anybody have the LR running with a Macintosh PC with any software into an Esoteric DAC?