Mconnect-Control & PSAudio Issue/Thoughts

I’ve had a chance to live with my DSDAC jr for around 6 months and love the sound quality and the product in general but I have to say that the reliance on the mconnect app leaves a lot to be desired. Given the high quality of the PSAudio gear the spotty an irregular performance of the app doesn’t improve the user experience. Mine routinely drops the connection with that DAC, has odd performance issues with both TIDAL streams and files from my NAS (Skipped tracks, skipping forward, lost connection its…)

I understand the dynamics of the Bridge II and the mconnect software as external non PSAudio products and I’ve also followed the growth of OCTAVE and related products from PSAudio. I mainly posting this to express hope that when the new products are rolled out that effort will be made to support existing products with better control apps and the like.

However I have extremely happy with both my DSjr and M700’s so there is that :):grinning:

Hi chanifin,
I too experienced the same issues as yourself and I now use the usb input. Please check out my post here:
Royville reply to "Ethernet vs usb dac connection - why
Even now I’ve not found a better method.
Regards
Roy

My issue is that I’ve set up network that keeps a NAS in the basement along with the router. I did that to keep all the noisy fans etc… far away and allow me to use my files on multiple systems in the house. I can’t really go with USB for a number of reasons and a big reason why I went with the DSD Jr. was the connectivity as well as the general quality of the product. In the end I can try ROON and might go with a dedicated ROON system with a NUC (or equivalent. I’m frustrated because (in a small part) because I went from a Yamaha CD/Network player that used the Yamaha app that worked flawlessly and consistently to the PSAudio which sounds 10,00 times better but does not play music as effortlessly or without deeply annoying interface errors.

You did not mention your connection method. Are you using a wireless or wired connection to the DSjr?

The whole network is hard wired with CAT 7 cable and very short runs. Obviously the iPad/iphone connection to the DAC is wifi through a dedicated wifi router. The network is stable and I’m pretty good with IT/Network setup and don’t have issues with other connections or if I’m running the DAC with footer 2000 from a PC.

I just noticed this older post. A little earlier than this, PSAudio issued a Bridge II update. I completed the update and later, PSAudio decided the update was not ready, so they pulled it back. My Bridge network connection stopped working. I called tech support for help and he could not get the bridge to communicate. We decided that when the update was being pulled back by PSAudio my DAC got turned off and the Bridge became damaged. I sent it in and they repaired it. It works fine now. Try calling for tech support.

@chanifin - I used Mconnect with QNAP 251+ for NAS into Bridge II from router. I just went to Roon w/ Nucleus+ and what a difference. Now I love streaming more than my PSA DS DMP. Also, went Samsung 860 Pro SSD in Nucleus+ and got rid of the very noisy (sound & SMPS). I am streaming TIDAL using Roon on iPAD 2017. I am so happy with the Nucleus+.

I finally bought a subscription to ROON and am running the core on a PC in my office. ROON just works and I haven’t had the energy or compulsion to sit a tease apart any of the differences in SQ between ROON and Mconnect to the Bridge II. I’ve made other major changes to my system (Kimber Hero balanced between pre and my M700s) as well as moving the system much further away from the speakers. I did the Bridge firmware update and am waiting on the DS jr update.

The next step will likely be a server from Small Green Computer to run ROON. Beyond that I am actively trying to avoid compulsive quests into the realm of diminishing returns.

@chanifin - I went the Nucleus+ route because I’m using convolution filtering for room acoustic help on top of treatments. Mconnect was problematic, would freeze. Roon on iPAD with Nucleus+ core just sounds amazing and I never have issues. I bought an AQVOX SE switch and Nucleus+ and man does the system sound amazing now. My next step in a few years is to go Pink Faun 2.16 streaming (lose the Nucleus+); then I2S into PSA DS DAC. To me, there is no contest, had both and Roon is the bomb. Now if you want to get into metadata, managing an on-board NAS… no comparison.

After using my PC running Roon Core and using mconnectHD on my iPad for the last six months, I finally switched over to a sonictransporter i5 just this week. The difference was instantaneous. It really was a whoa moment for me. It’s so much more palpable with much better imaging and dynamism. It does seem a tad bright in the upper registers but it’s only been two days and I’m hoping that will clam down in time. I’ve not been a huge fan of Roon/Tidal using Bridge, but the sonictransporter does take it up a notch or two. I really wasn’t expecting too much, and I’m so glad I went this route. Wish I’d done it sooner. All I can say is, you will hear a difference for the better. I’ve not heard Nucleus+ so can’t compare.

I’m intrigued by the AQVOX switch and how much of a difference that will make.

(A belated response) A couple of FWIWs:

  1. I am not sure Mconnect or the bridge is the issue - have you ruled out WiFi and Ethernet connection and Router issues? IME, dropouts are internet connection/services related.
  2. I have the Sr. With Bridge II and Snowmass FW. I can control streaming from my iMac files with Roon, mConnect and JRemote. Roon Core and JRiver Media Center are loaded on my iMac. Since I have had the DS Sr., I have always preferred the overall sound of my files via JRMC and JRemote. The music just sounds better than those other options (IME/YMMV).

Cheers.

Probably not network issues. Cable lengths are short. The router is stable and nothing else on the network shows this kind of behavior. Before I upgraded to the DS jr/Bridge II I was using a Yamaha network player with a Yamaha control app that always worked (same network) after switching to ROON and changing nothing in the network I haven’t had any issues so pretty much associated with Mcontrol.

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10-4. Interesting.

Try BubbleUpnp. Much more stable than mconnect. I myself prefer the Bridge II over USB, and I tried everything. Using an i7 PC, with windows server core, audiophile optimizer and HQPlayer. Tried an iFi USB regen, with an lps1. No good. Then the ultrarendu.no good. Music always seems darker than with the Bridge II. I will give a go to the LAN rover.

I have Roon on my PC laptop and I have usb connected to my DS Sr. With Mconnect Control HD and Masters in Tidal, the sound is better than either Roon or usb. Usb is a little bass tubby. I’ve had no hick-ups with Mconnect. I can even save whole albums to a playlist now whereas that would not work earlier. I think some of the earlier problems with Mconnect have been resolved. The sound is great through my M700’s and Magnepan 3.6’s.

I’m not proclaiming they cannot be a cause, but in my particular experience, the only thing I changed was getting rid of the Mconnect/Bridge II partnership in my system for a Mac Mini running Audirvana+ to my Oppo 205 and then to my DSD Sr. via Coax. Been several weeks and not a single stutter or hiccup, which was a constant problem prior. My Internet service/connection was unchanged.

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@JeffofArabica - My Mconnect to Bridge II experience was horrible. Freezing every other minute, issues with dropping… just really bad; however, I never streamed and it was like baby steps… so I used my PSA DS DMP a lot in its place. Then, I went Roon w/ Nucleus+ & AQVOX SE switch with the same Ethernet infrastructure. Holy crap was the sound amazing and the organization of material and handling of meta-data, plus zero freezing, no drops, super fast jumps from any source material with no freezing (internet radio, NAS: 1TB SSD (Samsung 860 Pro in Nucleus+), TIDAL…), many DSP zones (SRC, parametric filter, convolution filter, head phone crossfeed…). It was like being in a cave w/ Mconnect w/ Bridge II and everything is really fuzzy and then you step out in the light and reality of what great can be emerges. Now I love streaming; almost as good as PSA DS DMP, as good with CF. I use my DMP maybe twice a week now for nostalgia. I also believe you turned me onto AQVOX SE switch and that was an amazing addition; thanks. The initial BD did not show my great room video set up. Since I incorporated the ISOTEK power bar and Sbooster for Wireless Router, I thought it appropriate to add the great room video system. The Bose system w/ Oppo 103 is great and I use the Oppo 103 to rip SACDs. That Blue Ray player is amazing.

Initial 2 Channel System Block Diagram (BD) - Mconnect & Bridge II

Present 2 Channel System BD - Roon, AQVOX SE switch, Nucleus+, and Bridge II

@cardri I knew I wasn’t the only one. I can’t say if its the Mconnect Control app, the ConversDigital hardware on the Bridge II, or a combination of both, but I had the most awful time streaming Tidal and Qobuz with that setup. I even changed internet service halfway through after trying several router options. The end result was the same, inconsistent, unreliable playback. Audirvana+ with the Remote app is my current jam! Completely reliable, superior sounding and a 1000X better UI.

Yes! That was me with the AQVOX SE. One of the best additions to my digital playback system. I have a 1/2 meter AQVOX ethernet cable running to my modified Mac Mini and a 1 meter run to my Oppo 205 which is acting as the UPnP unit feeding my DSD Sr. via coax. My DSD sounds better with the AQVOX SE in the chain, I am certain.

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@JeffofArabica - Yeah, I have (2) 0.5m AQVOX cables running from AQVOX SE switch to Nucleus+ and DAC… My system is amazing now and the DMP is like a novelty… I love the Nucleus+; however, going to Pink Faun in a few years so I can go I2S to DAC and TSS down the road… Thanks for the help!

Roon Nucleus+ w/ AQVOX SE is 1000X better than Mconnect w/ Bridge II. Now if you talk about meta data, DSP… 1,000,000X better…

I started using Tidal today, and the server I have may or may not do MQA. I heard an ugly rumor that the DSD can do MQA via the Bridge 2 card. I have one of those. So I followed the instructions, I download Mconnect Control HD to my wirelessly connected iPad. The I set the wired Ethernet connected DSD into Bridge mode. The instructions say the Bridge 2 show show up as a connected device in the Mconnect Control HD app. It does not. Tried many things, but it does not show up. I think the wireless iPad with the wired Bridge is an issue.
Is there another app that could possibly work?
Or perhaps a special incantation?