Ah, thanks Mark. Apparently I don’t do that very often 
Alright I’m ok now. 
I haven’t done the Roon server Squeezebox thing in a while. Correct, DSD is downconverted to DSD 64. Picture is worth a thousand words:
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Antipodes servers are unique because they let you choose between several server and player apps, each with its own sonic character. Software matters as much as hardware here : the app combination has a clear impact on sound quality. Below scores are just a guide—your system may reveal new details or improvements when you experiment.
If you want the highest level of performance, Squeeze or UPnP playback usually gives the best results. While using Roon, you can go to the Server App overview and enable Squeeze Server in addition to Roon Server. But note that having Roon Server also active at the same time will affect the sound.
With some help, I created a visual guide comparing four popular server/player combinations. It’s meant to make it easier to understand the differences and choose the one that matches your listening priorities.
Note that these values can be system-dependent and reflect my experiences as well as those of a few others who shared their impressions. Please don’t take them at face value—focus on the differences between the four combos and listen for yourselves. Of course, everyone should enjoy their music server however they prefer.
How to choose server and player apps objectively based on what you want:
- Each characteristic is rated for each playback chain.
- Scores 1 to 5 are relative to the four combo options, not absolute values.
- Legend:
5 = strongest expression of that characteristic
1 = weakest expression of that characteristic
If you want maximum detail, neutrality, and precision →
MPD + MiniDLNA (JPLAY)
- Most neutral
- Highest transparency
- Tightest bass
- Best for analytical listening
If you want the best musical realism with detail →
Squeeze + Squeeze
- Best balance of musicality + resolution
- Very articulated but still flowing
- Significantly enhances the performance
If you want balance between warmth and detail →
Roon Server + Squeeze Player
- Good compromise
- Cleaner than Roon+Roon, warmer than Squeeze+Squeeze
If you want ease, comfort, smoothness →
Roon + Roon
- Warmest, sweetest, most relaxed
- Not the most detailed
- Best interface
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Great work Paul.
For me MPD and Minimserver and jplay like controller is the best configuration.
Nick
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And poor HQPlayer isn’t even listed. HQPlayer is sad now.
Good point about HQPlayer! I didn’t include it simply because I haven’t used it in my system. The four combinations I compared are the ones I’ve actually lived with over the past years, so the overview is based only on firsthand experience.
It’s not meant to suggest HQPlayer is better or worse, just that it wasn’t part of my own testing. If others have experience with HQPlayer on Antipodes, it would be great to add that perspective to the thread.
HQPlayer can absolutely be excellent, but depending on the Antipodes model it may run only as NAA, and it seems to me its sound varies widely depending on filters and the external HQP server. That’s why it’s difficult to rank it meaningfully against the four fixed combos I tested.
To me JPLAY has a similar overall balance to Squeeze to Squeeze but presented in a more “headphone style” way. It is closer, cleaner and more revealing. Squeeze sounds smoother and a little richer, while JPLAY is more neutral and precise. The bass with JPLAY can feel slightly leaner, but not in a negative way. It becomes tighter and you hear more subtle variations and textures in it.
So if you enjoy the musical flow and natural smoothness of Squeeze but sometimes wish for even more detail, separation and clarity, JPLAY gives you that extra level of insight without losing the core Antipodes character.
Squeeze for smoothness and JPLAY for maximum insight
Paul Jplay is a controller.
Do you mean MDP and Mininserver?
Nick
Yes, using JPLAY as a control app. I think you can choose either Minimserver or miniDLNA as server app.
Yes, that’s correct about HQPlayer. Many factors come into play. But that’s no different with Roon. You can also use a different core/server for the Roon Server, except for Antipodes. This can have a positive or negative impact on the sound. I’ve created a post about HQPlayer, including some questions, but it hasn’t been approved yet. Let’s assume for your comparison and test that only Antipodes devices are used. I’ve repeatedly tested HQPlayer (standalone) for 30 seconds at a time (always without Roon as a server). Of course, I also tried various filter settings. It’s definitely a topic that can drive you crazy. But with my currently preferred filter setting, it was really good. Better than Squeeze/Squeeze? Well, that’s hard to say. My DAC is a Nos DAC (Merason DAC 1 MK2). I think upsampling benefits it, but I often find it better without it. Squeeze/Squeeze without upsampling sounds flatter; it simply sounds like the recording itself. The HQPlayer (standalone) sounds noticeably rounder, softer, warmer, richer in timbre, and significantly more detached from the speakers. It’s a pleasure to listen to for extended periods. Everything sounds more pleasant, beautiful, and less stressful with upsampling and the HQPlayer. But is what I heard with the HQPlayer realistic and truly neutral? I have no idea. I didn’t select any power-hungry filters and always used the appropriate upsampling rate, such as 88kHz for CDs and, depending on the situation, a maximum of 192kHz. The HQPlayer creates almost the same soundstage with nearly all filter options. It’s quite compact and centered. The overall sonic character of the HQPlayer is always somewhat consistent. Squeeze/Squeeze sounds significantly more open and wider. I’ve switched back to Squeeze/Squeeze for now. But upsampling shouldn’t be underestimated. Squeeze/Squeeze with PGGB seems like it’s definitely worth a try.
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The question is, is it JPlay that makes it sound that way, or is it more likely MPD/Minimserver that’s responsible for the sound? I agree that the sound is more direct with MPD/Minimserver. But I used the BubbleUPnP Android app for control. Squeeze/Squeeze sounded far better to me than the MPD/Minimserver combination.
Jplay is a remote controller.
The sound come from mpd/mininserver.
For me this is the best configuration, but also squeeze is not bad.
Nick
If that makes sense to you?
JPLAY claims to minimize network noise.
Has an Antipodes owner found that to be true relative to the other apps that can control MPD/MinimServer playback? I did not, but in fairness I didn’t invest much time in it as I found that MPD/MinimServer smeared things too much relative to the other options.
How did you arrive at such precise scores when factoring the experiences of others? What was your approach to weighting? Several others and I have posted numerous times that we find the greatest strengths of Squeeze+Squeeze to be transparency/clarity and tightness/precision. I don’t recall a single post where anyone reported favoring any combination involving MPD as besting Squeeze in these areas, but maybe I missed them.
Thanks for the comment. I understand, and that’s completely valid. If several users consistently report that Squeeze to Squeeze offers the highest transparency and precision in their systems we can adjust the radar charts strictly according to your priorities and those traits would indeed score differently.
But this is also the reason I emphasise that the charts are not absolute measurements. They simply reflect a blend of impressions from my listening, Christiaan Punter’s descriptions, and feedback from a few others. Your experience may place Squeeze further ahead in certain areas, while mine may have MPD with JPLAY slightly stronger in others. That is exactly why Antipodes gives us multiple paths to choose from.
The key idea is not that one combination is “the best,” but that listeners have (at least) four distinct flavours available and depending on the system, the room, and personal taste, someone may gravitate toward Squeeze while someone else might prefer MPD + MiniDLNA.
Everyone is free to adjust the chart to match their own findings. The value is in recognising the differences, not in proving a universal ranking.
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I haven’t heard it that way but I recognize others have.
As an aside last night I got to hear what a Taiko Olympus with XDMI DAC card can bring to an excellent system. It replaced a Taiko Extreme combined with a Chord DAVE powered by a Sean Jacobs DC4 ARC6 power supply. Two things really stood out.
First off, purity of tone was at a level I’ve never heard from any high end system ever. Stunningly real, which was made more stunning because Roon was the playbook software.
Secondly, my friend’s system now gets the best time domain performance I’ve ever heard from any audio system. I always understood the paramount importance of accurate time domain performance but what I heard from some bass playing from Dave Holland had me realize how much is missed when the notes don’t stop and start when they are supposed. His playing on the track Badrah was so incredibly lyrical and later listening to this on my system I found that quality missing.
I should point out that the Olympus is now selling for close to $90k according to my friend. One would hope that it would deliver a huge dose of magic, and it was my impression it did. Was the cost justified? I can’t say as I really don’t know if that level of performance can be achieved for less.
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The chart is just an attempt to translate my impressions, together with a few others, into a visual overview. It’s normal that different listeners prioritise different aspects. For example, if many indeed find Squeeze to Squeeze strongest in transparency and tightness that is completely valid.
For fun, and not to debate any characteristics, here is a quote from Christiaan @ HiFi-Advice regarding the Antipodes K22 G4:
With JPLAY [MPD+miniDLNA], the K22 [G4] sounds similar to Squeeze but with further increased precision and transparency. The K22’s tonally rich character still shines through, but this is definitely the most neutral rendition I’ve heard from the server. The bass is a tad leaner still, but not lean per se. It’s just tighter and even more articulate, and while the overall presentation is less smooth than with Squeeze, let alone with Roon, it’s still fluid and highly refined.
@ Taiko Roon is not just supported, it’s central to Taiko’s design philosophy (Roon is used by at least 80% of their customers according to Taiko).
Antipodes does have a software design philosophy, but it’s quite different from a “single-app” ecosystem like Taiko’s focus on Roon. Instead, they emphasize flexibility, efficiency, and sound quality by supporting multiple playback apps. (Future Audirvāna promises a highly optimized, single-DAC playback path with potentially superior timing and detail).
What I (and some Hifi-friends) has tested in the past (K50 G4)
K50 runs with „HQPlayer with Roon-Server“
It makes a notible different, if I play a track in Roon-APP or over the HQplayer-APP.
Both use the same files (on SSD) and the same server.
JPlay as Controll-Point tested at the same time (with minimServer): no different to the HQplayer-APP, but the same different to Roon.
After all this testing: since severall month, I use Squeeze only…
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