@Roymor I did also notice that my K50 v2 was initially warmer sounding and that over time it lost some of this warmth and opened up alot more in sound… Because of the type of music I listen to and overall system synergy this change actually suited me. I assumed at the time the chnage was due to a “running in” effect. Though I did subsqequently note that Christian Punter in one of his reviews also noticed a chnage in sound voicing following one of the software updates. So in terms of the upgrade, my own experience is that there was no discernible loss in “warmth” between the run-in K50v2 and the upgraded G4 version. I think the Oladra would much better suit your listening preferences in the long run but it will sadly come at a hefty price premium.
I actually had an opportunity in the last couple of weeks to directly compare the K50G3 to the new G4. I could confirm my initial observation that the new G4 did not integrate well to my gear and hears. The G3 sounds much more “musical” to me with warmer presentation and tonality.
@Roymor that is super interesting. A couple of quick questions:
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do you know whether both units had the same operating software version (eg AMSv4…4.0)?
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were both units using the identical player app preset setting… eg Roon (Auto) or Squeeze Player with Roon Server (Auto).
Everything was completely identical including power cable, network, digital cable etc. I’ve used Roon (auto).
@MarkCole for running/burn in upgraded (or in fact brand new) units, does the digital out cable need to be live at both ends…ie dac being fed is also switched on and drawing in/processing the signal being output from the music server? Apologies if this has been answered elsewhee…i couldn’t find it Thanks.
Good question: Yes, the Antipodes need’s to be attached to a LIVE DAC so the DAC receives a signal.
I leave my system on 24/7 playing music at a very low level, as soon as I want to hear anything I just hit volume, no mucking around. I realize this isn’t for everyone, or possible for everyone.
Burn in, is a thing. It can take quite some time, to move from a server that is over a year or longer old, to essentially a new server with an upgrade, it is going to take time to settle, 200 hours is just a base, it will continue to improve well after that.
@Roymor try using “squeeze auto” as the preset (ie squeeze for server and squeezlite for player) instead of roon. In my system this sounds consistently the absolute best. If you use an ios device you can use the “squeezepad” or “iPeng” apps as the controller otherwise go into the K50 server dashboard page and in the squeeze section (scroll page down) click on open.
The UI is no where near as good as Roon but if SQ is your absolute priority then this is hands down the best option (as also confirmed by many others) and the UI compromise will quickly be adapted to. Let us know how you get on.
Thanks @Musiclover. I did try the different server/player alternatives.
For me, the full squeeze did not close the gap I felt between the new G4 and my former G3.
I ended up returning the G4 and stay with the G3.
For SQ, is the Sqeeze player with Roon server makes a good middle ground in your opinion ?
@Roymor Yes i have found Roon+squeezelite player to be significantly better than just Roon on its own. So it’s a great middle ground compromise if all of Roon’ s fantastic UI functionality is important.
Personally for critical listening I have forgone the awesome convenience of roon to use squeeze for both server and player because i get to hear what my K50 is truly capable of. Making the switch was a revelation.
If I’m in casual listening, new music discovery mode then i switch back to Roon+Squeeze…so the best of both worlds is on offer to be had.
Interestingly, i have a streaming Dac in my second (headphone) system. The difference between using the Dac’s ethernet input (fed from PhoenixNet switch) while using K50 as roon core is much closer to the SQ of feeding the dac directly from the K50’s BNC output. I had expected the difference to be substantially greater, so it was an interesting finding. I also tried the ethernet out of the K50 into the streaming Dac but this was very noticably not as good as the other two scenarios.
Long story short it defintely pays to experiment to the limit of all the options provided by one’s kit as the optimal/best outcome will vary system by system, musical/listening preference by preference.
Enjoy having your G3 back😃
Prior to my upgrade to the Kala K50, I used the AES/EBU output on my K50 and the ROOn/Squeezelite combination. After the upgrade, I found I liked ROON/ROON and really liked the USB output (with Wireworld Plat 8 USB).
The USB output and my new cable provide a more reverberant sound. More meat on notes. The sound stage is more expansive with everything more expressive. Hard for me to describe.
I have had a few fellow music lovers hear the net result and agree that in my system, ROON / ROoN and USB provides the best SQ. YMMV
Thanks for sharing @crwilli. Have made a note to self to revisit my own UsB tests. 2 quick questions. What AES cable were you previously using? What Dac is the K50 feeding? Cheers
I was using a Nordost Valhalla 2 AES/EBU cable.
Hi, i have received my G4 upgrade within just under 2 weeks. Very pleased with the painless turn around from Washington DC to NZ. I was worried about the sonic results based on discussion on this thread. My heart sank as I could not recognize my K50. So, the requisite 200 hr burn in ensued 
… the K50 connects to Mola Mola Tambaqui DAC over Sablon AES cable. While after 400 hr things have definitely improved, i still could remember the sweetness and relaxation of G3. Then, I decided to try USB! … the switch to USB made huge difference! … my setup is Sablon 2020 USB with ISO REGEN usb regenerator. Hope this helps.
Does that provide a benefit? I found it made important differences when I was using a Mac Mini along with a microRendu. I could no longer hear it doing much after I moved to a better sound (an Innuos Zenith Mk2),. I had powered the ISO Regen with an LPS-1.2 so maybe an even better power supply was needed to improve USB to a point where it was better than what was coming from the Zenith, but I opted to sell both the ISO Regen and LPS-1.2 instead. Reduced clutter was a nice benefit.
Hi Kenny … oh Mac Mini with the Uptone power mod and JS-2 is such fond and sentimental memory!.. LOL … I’d like to say that ISO REGEN+LPS1.2 adds sonic value … it’s just there so i used it. … I am tempted to try the Sablon EVO USB … as a next step… but then i am worried about USB component pollution if I let myself “go” into USB world! … take care! /Andrew
@fuzzypoodle Did u compare K50 USb without the ISO regen vs K50 AES? That would remove another external variable (as you have already done by using relatively comparable (quality/cost) same branded usb/aes cables)) and provide the purer/ truer reflection of comparative performance. Having trialled the Tambaqui at home which I found to be absolutely exceptional it doesnt surprise me that a dac of its calibre may reclock better than the K50 itself (reclocked AES output): in my setup the K50 reclocker appears to be better than the one in my Ayon stratos dac, noting that like you I used comparable cables…Telleurium Q silver diamond USB and AES cables to get a truer comparison of the K50s USB vs AES performannce. Long story short, I ihink the DAC really matters…as does isolating/ minimising the impact of cable differences as much as possible to get a truer apples for apples comparison. My 2 cents worth.
Have you tried Squeeze server stand-alone without Roon, meaning rather than Roon/Squeeze, using Squeeze server ONLY? I ask bc I agree that Roon/Squeeze doesn’t seem to sound as good as Roon by itself, but using a great AES cable, ALL of my friends and I agree that there is simply comparison in SQ between Squeeze and Roon. To our ears Squeeze sounds infinitely better. So pls leet us know! Cheers -
I once tried Squeeze only but hated the interface and moved on quickly to ROON / Squeeze.
Since the Kala upgrade of my K50, my room SQ with USB is so good I now stick with the ROON / ROON interface. Of course, my equipment, room and tastes. YMMV
The past and ongoing roon updates and resulting chnages in SQ are another key variable / complication that makes it difficult to provide definitive answers on this. That said, if the Oladra is the gold standard, then on the various (quite different) Dacs i have experimented with using my K50 G4…then AES and squeeze (bypassing roon altogether) in every case got me closer/closest to the oladra gold standard in terms of overall musical flow, tonal/timbral realism, noting that I listen mostly to classical music. I can imagine someone who listens mainly to EDM (which I dont) could well say something entirely different…other sonic things will matter more with that type of music. So that variable matters too.
I have a lifetime subscription to Roon and insofar as I love the Roon interface, music discovery and wealth of meta data I too have to determined that Squeeze via my K41/K22 delivers a far better musical experience. That mid-range “ congestion” so prevalent in Roon is entirely absent in Squeeze which for me, more closely approaches a genuine analog/vinyl experience. I now visit Roon primarily on Fridays to check out the new Qobuz releases.