Hi Christian,
I did not believe you till i try disconnecting the UTP cable.
This is shocking.
I do have opto isolated ethernet but it seems not enough.
Hi,
As I said above, a K50 (or any server) has to be connected to many things if you want to hear it. You seem to prefer no connections but it’s unavoidable in audio and unfortunately there is no way you can only listen to a K50 without other devices and cables. ‘Dirt’ as you call it, will always be there. So in computer audio you try to minimize ‘‘dirt’’ and the above proposed solution eliminates a lot of it.
What is left for this ‘‘as less dirt as possible’’ extremely bare audio network is:
- a router
- a switch
- a music server
- and an iPad/phone.
In the example you will create your own network SSID: AudioChristian and you enable the DHCP server. Indeed you could use for example TP-Link AC1750 Wi-Fi Extender (RE450). It could have 192.168.1.1 as address. You broadcast in the range 192.168.1.10 to 100 and the DHCP server will assign an address to the K50 and other devices like the iPad, Pixel 7 or an other music harddrive with music like a NAS for example.
If you want to improve more you can also choose good linear power supplies and better DC cables to power your router and switch and upgrade (or not) to an audiophile router or switch. Note that for example the Innuos Phoenix NET connected to a music server can make that server sound better for playing local files in the server (read that twice ;- please). I say this only to illustrate that when you add a device to a network it can benefit also as opposed to always degrading. Yes, the audio network counts, whether you like it or not.
Good luck.
There are many sources of harm we need to contend of our aim is to have reproduced music sound like the real thing. In my experience our rooms do the greatest harm. Our AC mains the likely do the next greatest level of harm. Our cables and power cords can do a lot of harm, as can our network and our equipment supports. Computers can do a heck of a lot of harm too.
For each of the areas I rattled off, there are companies who specialize in providing solutions that minimize the harm. Since these problems are difficult to solve, what we usually find is that companies are only able to solve one or maybe two of these problems at most. The skills it might take to make the very best music servers might not translate well to allowing that company to make products that compete well at addressing the other sources of harm. That’s why we see music server companies largely focusing almost all their energies on music servers. That problem is still very far from being solved so it’s not in their customer’s best interest for them to divert R&D to tackling other problems.
The good news for us consumers is that we don’t have to stick to a single brand. We can purchase best in class products from companies that specialize in doing one or maybe two things exceptionally well.
I think Innuos can show us what happens when a company overextends itself. I used to own a Zenith Mk2. We were promised an upgrade to the Mk3, but this never came. Innuos was instead focused on the PhoenixUSB. Their attention next went to the PhoenixNET. Those on the Zen or Zenith platform are seemingly stuck there unless they aim to dump their box in favor of purchasing one of the newest class of streamers they have been releasing. Antipodes, on the other hand, tries to ensure that current owners have some opportunity to bring their current server more up to date with occasional upgrades offered. That’s the way it should be done.
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Maybe create somthing yourself to disconnect the ethernet connection.
By using relais (to physical disconnect).
You can control the relais (on/off) remote.
Hi Harry, I strongly advise against using fiber optics. This is because the conversion from fiber optics to copper generates additional jitter. The server runs at peak performance in offline mode. No added jitter, no added noise. And we’re talking full power on jitter and noise! Just because of the network.
No, it is the manufacturer’s responsibility to provide me with such a slight jitter-free, noise-free music signal. Not me. For this we pay in expensive servers. I don’t think Antipodes has ever tested offline operation.
I’m able to power down my fiber span using a smart plug. It used to be that I would hear a slight uptick in sound quality with the span powered down. That changed when I started using a REF10 reference clock with my EtherRegen. After upgrading the REF10 to SE120, I found I preferred the sound quality with the fiber span powered on.
Not so if it’s done right. The signal can actually get reclocked so jitter and noise both get reduced.
In the real world, no server actually achieves this. I don’t even believe any manufacturer even claims that they are able to deliver this. Manufacturers shouldn’t be held accountable for meeting a standard they never claimed they could deliver. The noise problem is incredibly difficult to solve.
I think you have the most jittery music signal of all that it already sounds good. Disconnect everything and listen offline. Then it will be analog again.
The Grimm Audio MU1 should be able to. No matter how dirty the network is. But unfortunately never heard.
During the test, I heard an improvement when using fiber including LPS.
With the risk of going a little off topic: as far as the chosen hardware and it’s ‘‘expiration date’’ allows. You claim Innuos did not keep a promise but at the same time Antipodes had to replace different parts in the same device still in production due to a sudden supply problem. Antipodes also discontinued a server, not due at all.
So, yes except for the support and software development resulting in upgrades, but not only unique to Antipodes. By the way Innuos Zenith Mk3 sounds much better today thanks to the latest version of InnuOS. Long live OS updates.
But regarding hardware here at Antipodes as elsewhere you get nothing more than what you initially paid for. For example, today you can have your re-clocker integrated but over time it will still be the same hardware. Whether that is Antipodes, Lumin, Innuos or Taiko etc. (the latter maybe an exception since they support even with an exchange program for hardware upgrades).
I think every company has their reasons to choose a certain design, try to follow a certain path and choose to address certain issues. But new developments will always push them in a certain direction. With this in mind it is also good to re-consider certain brands after a deception. A “bad” choice made 3, 5 or 10 years ago should not punish them forever. Try again and you might be surprised.
@Christian, It seems your comments here come from a perception that something like perfect sound reproduction exists with devices you buy in a store. I think you have to except that any device , how perfect, will color the sound. Taste matters. Add to that all the variables Kenny mentioned like room acoustics etc.
So from a theoretical point of view, sure one server should do it all. But in the real world you have to deal with it in your own way, or follow some advice from peers whether that be Antipodes helpdesk or forum members.
Cheers.
Apples to oranges. Innuos not following through on the promise to offer upgrades to Mk2 devices had nothing to do with the pandemic. I was told that the delay in offering the upgrade had to do with them having to working hard to meet demand for the PhoenixUSB.
I ultimately opted to just purchase a Zenith Mk3 and sell my Mk2. It was a nice upgrade.
Who says it does have to? Any reason to change course can be valid. Remember these are small companies. It’s apples to apples. But it doesn’t make Innuos a bad apple.
They developed a phoenixUSB and phoenix NET. Combine (one of) these with your mk3 and you almost have a Statement for much less money.
They update software as Antipodes does. That was my point. 
I simply put forth an argument about the harm that can come to customers if a company overextends itself by trying to do too much. I bolstered that argument by providing an example.
That Anripodes was Impacted by the pandemic was a different issue altogether. I thought by quoting me you were trying to make a counter argument. I was simply rebutting your reply by pointing out that these examples had nothing in common.
I think even Innuos would admit that they overextended themselves back then. They subsequently hired more staff so they are better able to walk and chew gum. But I suspect many of their Zen and Zenith customers would still prefer that their current hardware platforms were getting more attention.
My understanding was in the last paragraph you compared Innuos to Antipodes closing with: That’s the way it should be done. Their hardware platforms were getting more attention (?) while Innuos focused on optional addon USB and Network devices (hardware). A personal experience that you seem to generalize to ‘‘they need to dump their (Innuos) box’’, because you did maybe?
Both companies brought out software updates, sorry if I repeat myself, that at least I know for sure improved SQ for the Zenith (MK3) significantly, I do not know about the K50 SQ improvement due to software updates. Did I want my S30 to have more attention? Indeed, but not sure how that will happen. 
I think my argument is clear as long as one 1) limits their interpretation to the words I actually wrote and 2) tries to derive context from the text I actually quoted.
Have it your way then. But in the future be careful to extrapolate personal experiences in favour of the brand you prefer and to the detriment of the brand you do not prefer (anymore).
Hi Mark
I’ve updated my K50 to 4.4 and can no longer use the Squeeze player/Roon Server auto mode although I can use Roon auto
When I select Squeeze player and press the ‘More’ button it shows two Server connection options. It is currently on ‘Hostname’.
I’ve disabled C-3PO in Squeeze, restarted and rebooted but when I open Roon on my tablet it cannot find the K50. There is a message saying ‘Searching for Squeezebox devices. If you don’t see your Squeezebox devices here, make sure that LMS is turned off’.
Where is LMS? as I can’t find it in the Squeeze settings.
Alex