A good buddy is all about optical, and seems to think that with optical, he avoids whatever color cables might give.
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There are several AC-XX PS Audio power cord/cables listed in N. America on hifishark. I searched for āPS Audio Powerā.
Depending on the actual heft of the Red some of the bulkier and stiffer cables could be an issue if you donāt allow for enough slack. Without weighing it down with one of the audiophile doorstops the front of the unit might not want to stay down.
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Silly question: if you already use a streamer in your system is the RED able to act just like a DDC (Matrix like)?
Streamer (with its own App, SenseOS from Innuos for instance) > ethernet switch > Holo red RJ input/I2S output > DS MK II
Iām curious to hear from anyone who is testing alternatives to Matrix what kind of improvements are possible when a streamer (not necessary running Roon on it) is already in the system, and is directly connected via USB to the MK II. I mean a DDC only function unit between streamer and MK II able to provide a different connection (other than USB) like:
- galvanically isolated via ethernet > I2S path
To be clear as the AirLens was once designed to do and maybe the Bridge box one day could/should do too. Are the Red or the A Cappella (Vince is recently talking about) able to act in that way?
Thank you.
Yes the Red can act strictly as a DDC and replace the Matrix. It has itās own internal linear power supply and doesnāt require an external LPS for best results. As a DDC itās USB in with output to any of the other outputs. The A Capella on the other hand would just replace your Statement altogether. As you are you are already in rarified air with streaming capability.
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Thank you, then if the red is using ethernet input and I2S output is not able to act as a merely DDC?
Iām trying to find out if I can experiment going from my Innuos streamer (running Sense App) to MK II via ethernet/I2S (as the AirLens was supposed to do). As a possible alternative in future to USB that Iām loving now so much due to excellent USB output in my Innuos component and more than excellent USB input in MK II.
Just curious about ethernet/I2S to be compared in my set up to USB. If and whenā¦
If you are using it as a DDC the Ethernet port is out of the picture and is not needed. It is only needed in streamer mode. As a DDC the only working input is USB and then it can output to the other four outputs.
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Perhaps if you can point your statement to UPnP running on the Red you could use it via Ethernet in and any of the outputs.
I canāt imagine that this would sound better than the Statement directly into the MKII. Itās named āStatementā for a reason 
.
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Iāve been saying the same thing for a while now. It doesnāt matter whether itās Matrix, Red or the āmysticalā AirLens none of their tech is equal to that in the Statement. Tedās work with the other inputs on the Mk II has made the need for I2S input irrelevant. There is at this point only one frequent poster that has yet to grasp that.
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Even better - it looks to be the ideal tool for the job - Iām familiar with the software āecosystemā too - if I didnāt already have 3 pi-based streamers Iād be saving up for one, it looks ideal and very well built too if the pics are to be believed 
Thank you, I have well understood the concept, my curiosity has a reason though. Innuos permits me to have 2 ways to go from the Statement to the MK II, both of them are supposed to be of the same quality (and this is the question I want in future investigate deeper).
- Directly USB output to USB input
- Thanks to my PhoenixNET via ethernet (with an AirLens like box or something similar)
I know I can happily live with option 1, why in future do I need to exclude testing also option 2?
The Matrix is no more an option because I2S and USB are equivalent IME now with the MK II. We donāt know if ethernet path via the Phoenix can outperform the USB output of the Statement.
Ted said also that, even if I2S and USB input are almost equal, a galvanically isoleted path (from an AirLens for instance) could provide beneficial effects. Are we so sure that ethernet vs USB in that case doesnāt matter? Innuos emailed me suggesting to keep the PhoenixNET, becasue it is not just a switch, it could improve SQ in my system not only as an internet provider to the Statement but also to feed a DAC (via an high quality DDC box) as per Innuos staff like an improved ethernet output of the Statement itself (much better than the one it has on board).
Hope you got what Iām thinking about and why.
The disease is bad with you. 
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My health was better before I met some folks on this forum!
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Luca
I understand about curiosity which is why even though I have no need for one at all I have had a Red in my Shopping Cart for over a month. At some point I will probably even pull the trigger out of curiosity. And if you buy one your curiosity will be satisfied one way or the other. Order one from Magna and give it a shot. At this point should be easy to sell if it doesnāt do what you expect.
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My health is getting better already because of the new constraints imposed by my better half leaving her incredibly well-paying job. (Sheās not even spending money on horses and barnsāthatās when one knows thereās an austerity program in place.)
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Started buying cables from Cap in the very beginning of this journey by recommendation from one of his classmateās from engineering school, who is a dear friend of mine! I have had a full loom of his/their stuff. TWL is a new name for me.
His power cable is still a bargain and does a good job. Pete at TWL is also ID only and like Capās his cables are flexible and easy to place.
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I have a bit of a streamer addiction. I now own:
- Holo Red
- Lumin U1 mini
- iFi Neo Stream
- Bluesound Node v2
- RPi4 with PI2AES HAT
I managed to resist buying a Bridge2 for my DS Sr. but I am having withdrawls with all these Airlens delays! 
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would love to hear your thoughts on which wins, and by how much? editā¦ oh darnā¦ regular badgeā¦ that be a bad sign 
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Whaddayathink so far?
TIA.