Friends, does it make sense to change CX+EX to K30? Will there be an improvement?
In theory K30 should be 10-20% (in rough/general numbers) better than Oladra upgraded CX+EX.
But for those that are prepared to experiment, the 2 separate units provides opportunity to try different arrangements connecting to the network. For instance, a good isolator in the connection between CX and EX might be preferable. Or connecting both CX and EX to a fantastic switch may be even better.
what is a fantastic switch ? Please name the model?!
I am afraid they all probably sound different, so there is no one answer. I was using EX as server and Devialeyt as endpoint and inserting a Gigafoil or Ether Regen between the EX direct out and the Devialet provided improvement. I know people connecting their CX and EX solution into Renolabs rather than using the direct out.
But first you really should ensure your network up to your hifi is isolated, such as router > fibre > hifi switch. After that Ether Regen would be a good starting point by using fibre in the Side A, connecting Side A to CX and Side B to EX. Then add an external clock to the Ether Regen.
Go K50, there will most certainly be improvement 
There is no money, there is no K50
1 Like
He is asking about K30.
1 Like
He’s telling him it would be a sideways move.
Not sure he’s saying that, but I hope @MarkCole can clarify. I believe he has previously said that S30+S40+S60 is a step up from EX+CX. The OLADRA upgrade brings the EX+CX closer, but it seemed to me that the S series still had the advantage. The K30 is simply the S30+S40+S60 all within the same physical enclosure. Logic would suggest that the K30 should bring an upgrade over EX+CX.
The question was already answered by dbsstin prior to my post
My comment was a cheeky one, and an obvious fail on humour.
1 Like
Well … from what I understand Go K50, there will most certainly be improvement is true … and yes, cheeky too coming from the company’s head of service, sales and marketing. I think it would have been an obvious joke if you said OLADRA instead of K50.
I will cheekily say that keeping CX+EX, add some TLC to the connection between them, and add a reclocker/format convertor like Innuos after EX could be good value considering the cost of changeover due to selling CX and EX.
But this topic does make me wonder, what is special about the ethernet connection between the server and player in the K series?
1 Like
From all of the above, I conclude that while CX+EX occupies a confident position and has no analogues in its price category yet.
1 Like
That is a good question.
I read that my oladra upgraded cx and ex is 80-90% of higher performing K50 and not K30 ?
Yes, I do have an Uptone ER externally clocked with a high performance afterdark double crown oxco clock between the cx and ex which yield notable SQ improvement.
I also do like separates of cx and ex that will still operate if one fails and like how we isolated transport and dac unlike cdp or pre and power amps instead of integrated amp.
Mark’s sharing of an ideal music server setup also helped me to keep the cx and ex and proceeded with the usd4000 oladra upgrade since I do have the Denafrips Terminator Plus DE with its high quality oxco to sync a Denafrip Hermes DDC for preferred i2s which the EX’s usb output, Bel Canto Fm1 tuner’s AES output, Zen Blue’s coaxial outputs etc. are connected to.
Moreover, it is only usb or i2s needed for my substantial dsd music files to my Denafrips Terminator Plus DE dac … my usused P2 reclocker together with P1 ripper are primarily footers for completeness which looks very nice 
Cheers.
1 Like
Good to hear, I suspected that would be the case. With Oladra upgrade to cx and ex plus the ER with external clock I imagine that would be quite special. K50 won’t give you the ER+clock benefit.
Consider reviewing power cables and then ethernet cables. And explore sample rate conversions.
I use roon to convert PCM to DSD64, send that to Devialet which converts it to itsnative rate PCM 192/24. This was a surprisingly good improvement compared to converting PCM to 96/24 to send to the Devialet. Perhaps this is due to the format conversions.
1 Like
Thanks thanks for the recommendations on powercords and ethernet cables.
I had already stretched for 4 pcs audio revive tripleC ethernet cables as I have another ER + cheap BG7TBL oxco before the cx as well as not inexpensive Zonotone Shupreme powercords for all my AC powered components.
Had also just upgraded the usb cable to rather expensive Shunyata sigma usb cable which I like to think made a nice improvement but all these cablings had exceeded my 20% guideline 
Awaiting for Uptone ER gen 2 for some hardware tech change next but while off topic and yet still on sound quality on cx and ez stack, I still struggle on internal ssd playback with some exception of really nice recordings as compared to live streaming from qobuz and most internet radio stations … any possible reason why and possible fixes ?
Cheers.