Laptop Replacement - SOtM SMS-200 Impressions

[smiledon]

@a.dent Hey, you are supposed to be listening.!!!    

Edited June 30, 2017 by smiledon
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[a.dent]

I just thought I'd say bit more about the sMS-200 Ultra...............because I'm still in awe.

 

I've done a bit of a comparison with CD on my Vitus SACD/CD/DAC. Up until now I've always felt my CD player shades even the best music server/CA playback. Not anymore. This sMS-200 Ultra is just better in every way from CD. More open, lower noise floor, better instrument separation, much more refined bass, less "tizz" at the top end, deeper soundstage. Everything really. I'd like to say more analog sounding but that would be contentious.

[muznuts]

3 hours ago, smiledon said:

@muznuts  I use Squeezelite. My computer is in the bedroom...sms200 in the audio room. Ethernet connection. I fire up Eunhasu  [the stereo is all set to go] and check for the active sign under Squeeze [it is always active]. Then I fire up Logitech Media server and open web control. Even though I only play via ethernet, I always have to switch from Eunhasu to SMS200.

Not sure if that helps.

 

I would reboot the sms200 using the small rear button. Also remake your cable connections. Especially USB. Eunhasu may not see the sms200 if it has not shaken hands with a dac. This is a guess.

Hey mate thanks, I did nothing different to usual? connection with the dac is ok, tried reset, unplug/replug, over it now, 

[smiledon]

@a.dent

I think you need a nice new dc cable. Wotcha rekon, Bilbo???

[ABG]

3 hours ago, a.dent said:

I just thought I'd say bit more about the sMS-200 Ultra...............because I'm still in awe.

 

I've done a bit of a comparison with CD on my Vitus SACD/CD/DAC. Up until now I've always felt my CD player shades even the best music server/CA playback. Not anymore. This sMS-200 Ultra is just better in every way from CD. More open, lower noise floor, better instrument separation, much more refined bass, less "tizz" at the top end, deeper soundstage. Everything really. I'd like to say more analog sounding but that would be contentious.

 

Wow.  Better than a Vitus?  Big call Andrew.  Thanks for sharing your thoughts and thanks for being so honest.  I think I'll have to start watering the money tree a bit more seriously...

 

How much is an SMS-200 Ultra locally?  Also, would you mind letting us all know what power supply are you running it off and roughly how much that costs?

 

 

[Jventer]

@ABG and @a.dent

Thanks for sharing a.dent

I have been following several forums re the SMS products and great to see that it is picking up here on SNA. I must confess that a lot of what I am reading re the clocks is over my head.

Would be interested what ABG asked, re the prices,availability, power supply, especially what exactly you had done to the switch.

Thanks

[a.dent]

11 hours ago, ABG said:

 

Wow.  Better than a Vitus?  Big call Andrew.  Thanks for sharing your thoughts and thanks for being so honest.  I think I'll have to start watering the money tree a bit more seriously...

 

How much is an SMS-200 Ultra locally?  Also, would you mind letting us all know what power supply are you running it off and roughly how much that costs?

 

 

No. The sMS-200 goes to the Vitus DAC. So same DAC circuitry for CD and USB input from the sMS-200. I won't be changing my DAC. I love it.

 

I use an Uptone Audio JS-2. One output set to 9V for the sMS-200 and one output set to 5V for the ethernet switch. There's a clock output from the sMS-200 to the switch. The switch has modded internals.

 

For price you probably should contact JD at Sublime Hi Fi. The early bird price I got included the ethernet switch so may not still be available.

[ABG]

1 hour ago, Jventer said:

I must confess that a lot of what I am reading re the clocks is over my head.

 

Any clock that doesn't have Roman numerals on it is an indecipherable mystery to me Johannes.  Probably why I'm still such a fan of the vinyl format.  Mind you, I always find it funny when digital fanbois say it sounds completely un-digital or extremely analogue.  If it's an analogue sound you're chasing, there's a very simple solution...  

 

@a.dent  Thanks for the clarification Andrew.    Your set-up is drool-worthy but beyond my means unfortunately.

 

Is there anyone in Sydney that has an SMS-200 that would be interested in bringing it around to my place and spinning a few tunes in exchange for a nice drink or two?  I would like to listen to one in my system to see what it brings to the party before buying one.

[Guest gnnett]

17 hours ago, muznuts said:

Hey mate thanks, I did nothing different to usual? connection with the dac is ok, tried reset, unplug/replug, over it now, 

Hi Muz

I feel your pain and resulted in me starting this topic. 

I still have problems once a month. (Did I really say that?)

 

Anyway when turning on does not result in the "usual" of it working, I find that the key is, even when the sMS appears to see the dac correctly, the "fix" is to make sure the dac is switched off when the sMS is turned back on, make sure that it sees no dac connected, then turn on the dac and then check that it is recognised by the sMS and then everything seems to work. A real pain in the arse, but not as much as making sure the stylus is clean (every 20 to 30 mins, rather than every month) between each record change. :-)

 

Good luck.

Grantn

[a.dent]

Just leave the sMS -200 and your server turned on 24/7. Why turn it off? Unless you are going away for a few days.

[muznuts]

On 7/1/2017 at 3:01 PM, gnnett said:

Hi Muz

I feel your pain and resulted in me starting this topic. 

I still have problems once a month. (Did I really say that?)

 

Anyway when turning on does not result in the "usual" of it working, I find that the key is, even when the sMS appears to see the dac correctly, the "fix" is to make sure the dac is switched off when the sMS is turned back on, make sure that it sees no dac connected, then turn on the dac and then check that it is recognised by the sMS and then everything seems to work. A real pain in the arse, but not as much as making sure the stylus is clean (every 20 to 30 mins, rather than every month) between each record change. :-)

 

Good luck.

Grantn

Hi Grant, 

thanks for the reply, tried that just now but no joy

i spent part of today getting the latest version of the eunhasu 'image' onto the sms micro sd card but its still not working, although eunhasu recognises that the sms is connected to the network its not there to config or in roon to select as a device??

 

[smiledon]

I have decided that Audiophiliia is the craziest of hobbies. And, yes, I do play golf.

Bilbo has experimented with docks, brands of hdd's, power to the docks etc. and decided USB with a powered hdd is for him. I followed him most of the way, and decided that Ethernet was, for me, superior. I cited a sense of better depth...and he the same for USB.

On a whim, a few weeks back, I bought a cheap short 6 inch USB male A to male B cable from China. Dead cheap. It arrived today. Shorted out the 5v+ line with tape. [my DAC has internal ps]. I replaced the stubby solid connector that Uptone Audio says is the best way to connect the Regen to your USB DAC.

Well, ...I am godsmacked at the betterment. Bad English, I know.

The improvement has revealed enough to reverse my prior opinion and I now say, the USB/Eunhasu connection sounds better than the Ethernet connection.

Bilbo and I have similar $ investment in our systems. He...Maggy 20.7. Me Sanders Electrostatic Hybrid 10c.+ Deqx Hp4. Crunch came after various tracks of indecision...Lightning Hopkins...

On USB, he was THERE. Not so Ethernet.

 

To let you guys know where I am at for comparison...

Ethernet.

Desktop>cat 7 >Router>10 meters cat6 >Switch with 5v linear  ps and a starquad dc cable> cat 5ecable>SOtM SMS200 powered by a starquad cable with shield loop wire and a 12 v car battery >Chord Silver Plus USB cable>Regen with 5 volt linear ps> 6 inch cheap Chinese usb cable.>DEQX XMos HP4.

USB

WD Purple 2tb hdd.>cheap Dock powered with a starquad cable from a 12v car battery.> cheap supplied USB cable> SOtM SMS200.

 

Where next.? Better dock? Better ps for dock? [ Bilbo says LPS is better than car battery.]  Better USB cable from dock.

I have some cat7 cable coming, so maybe Ethernet will resurge???

 

But, back to my opening line...it is crazy that  a commercially chosen item should prove wanting [in my system]. Bravo Bilbo. I think you already have Curious cables. I now have no choice!!!

 

 

 

 

 

Edited July 3, 2017 by smiledon
extra info

[Bilbo]

The eternal search for audio Nirvana @smiledon !

'Tis a rocky road we travel but the journey is fun. 

[Steven Hinchliffe]

Carry on@smiledon ! And yes, the curious cables are excellent! !

Sent from my SM-G900I using Tapatalk

[muznuts]

well i have fixed my issue with the sms-200/roon not working, it turned out to be the usb cable but i have no idea what exactly is going on, maybe someone with better technical knowledge could explain...?

 

basically roon wasnt recognising there was an audio device because the dac and sms-200 werent connected, BUT, the screen on the dac was reading SR: 48KHz, which I presumed meant it recognised the sms-200

 

With another cable in the dac reads SR: 192KHz, now it recognises the sms-200, BUT, when music starts playing it changes to read SR:44.1KHz

thanks muz

 

[a.dent]

SR:44.1 just means you are playing a CD rip. Looks like it's working properly. Is the DAC limited to 192kHz sample rate? If so that explains the SR:192

[Snoopy8]

6 hours ago, muznuts said:

well i have fixed my issue with the sms-200/roon not working, it turned out to be the usb cable but i have no idea what exactly is going on, maybe someone with better technical knowledge could explain...?

 

basically roon wasnt recognising there was an audio device because the dac and sms-200 werent connected, BUT, the screen on the dac was reading SR: 48KHz, which I presumed meant it recognised the sms-200

 

 

 

With another cable in the dac reads SR: 192KHz, now it recognises the sms-200, BUT, when music starts playing it changes to read SR:44.1KHz

thanks muz

Had a different problem. SMS-200 did not work with DAC using Squeezelite, but works using MPD.  Tried changing some of the Squeezelite server parameters to no avail. Squeezelite works from Win10 laptop to DAC.

 

Anyone here using MPD?  Am having problems with cover art,  web download giving some wrong covers. Have all artwork embedded in music, and also as jpg files in individual folders on NAS.  Need help with setup to use these local artwork; much of web docs on MPD are geared towards Linux users (am a novice). Have tried MPdroid and M.A.L.P. android clients.

[smiledon]

Talking of DACs being limited, recording studio Sound Liasons in the Netherlands is offering free test samples.

http://www.soundliaison.com/all-categories/6-compare-formats 

I have bought a couple of album downloads from them...[ I love Carmen Gomes]. The process worked well.

You register and go through the shop, but the cost is 00.00 so no charge is made, and the downloads become available.

I think it is a worthwhile exercise, and might save [or cost!!!] you a lot of money.

Sound Liasons are honest, unlike charlatans who merely upscale tracks and offer for sale as HD.

[Bilbo]

2 hours ago, Snoopy8 said:

Had a different problem. SMS-200 did not work with DAC using Squeezelite, but works using MPD.  Tried changing some of the Squeezelite server parameters to no avail. Squeezelite works from Win10 laptop to DAC.

 

Anyone here using MPD?  Am having problems with cover art,  web download giving some wrong covers. Have all artwork embedded in music, and also as jpg files in individual folders on NAS.  Need help with setup to use these local artwork; much of web docs on MPD are geared towards Linux users (am a novice). Have tried MPdroid and M.A.L.P. android clients.

 

I'm not familiar with Android apps however you may find that artwork files need to have a specific name to be recognised in MPD apps.  I had to change all the jpg artwork files I had placed in the individual directories to "Folder.jpg" to have them recognised in Soundirok.  You may find that MPDroid is the same and be aware it is generally case specific.  One question though - do you get some artwork or none at all?

[Bilbo]

42 minutes ago, smiledon said:

Talking of DACs being limited, recording studio Sound Liasons in the Netherlands is offering free test samples.

http://www.soundliaison.com/all-categories/6-compare-formats 

I have bought a couple of album downloads from them...[ I love Carmen Gomes]. The process worked well.

You register and go through the shop, but the cost is 00.00 so no charge is made, and the downloads become available.

I think it is a worthwhile exercise, and might save [or cost!!!] you a lot of money.

Sound Liasons are honest, unlike charlatans who merely upscale tracks and offer for sale as HD.

 

Is the free sample for one track or the whole album.  I'm also a big fan of Carmen Gomes.

[Snoopy8]

2 hours ago, Bilbo said:

 

I'm not familiar with Android apps however you may find that artwork files need to have a specific name to be recognised in MPD apps.  I had to change all the jpg artwork files I had placed in the individual directories to "Folder.jpg" to have them recognised in Soundirok.  You may find that MPDroid is the same and be aware it is generally case specific.  One question though - do you get some artwork or none at all?

I remember your files sit on the usb, but mine are on NAS. Yes, MPdroid is expecting a certain file name and I will need to some homework with folders and pictures.

 

More than half the artwork from the web are correct but it is missing many and some are wrong, particularly the classical ones when there are so many versions of a piece. 

 

Will persist with finding out how it will work with a NAS; docs mention a need for a web server running there. If it does not work, then will consider a powered usb drive.

[smiledon]

It is a 2 minute snip of 1 track [of dear Carmen] served up 11 ways...

You can choose from the following formats:

1.  DXD 352kHz

2.  PCM 192kHz

3.  PCM 176kHz

4.  PCM 96kHz

5.  PCM 44kHz

6.  DSD 256

7.  DSD 128

8.  DSD 64

9 . FLAC 352kHz
10. FLAC 192kHz

11. FLAC 96kHz

Pick as many as you like, all free. Recorded as the best of the 11, then down sampled accordingly.

[Bilbo]

1 hour ago, Snoopy8 said:

I remember your files sit on the usb, but mine are on NAS. Yes, MPdroid is expecting a certain file name and I will need to some homework with folders and pictures.

 

More than half the artwork from the web are correct but it is missing many and some are wrong, particularly the classical ones when there are so many versions of a piece. 

 

Will persist with finding out how it will work with a NAS; docs mention a need for a web server running there. If it does not work, then will consider a powered usb drive.

Sounds like it's the file names and case that is causing the problem.  I spent a fair bit of time getting mine all the same and with a capital "F" for Folder.jpg.

I haven't had any problems since.  It also shouldn't matter that they are on a NAS.

 

Thanks @smiledon - Carmen served up 11 ways sounds good!

[muznuts]

16 hours ago, a.dent said:

SR:44.1 just means you are playing a CD rip. Looks like it's working properly. Is the DAC limited to 192kHz sample rate? If so that explains the SR:192

yes i think the dac is limited to 192KHz

still confused why one cable will recognise 48KHz but not work, the other 192/44.1KHz and work fine

[Snoopy8]

On 05/07/2017 at 11:04 PM, Bilbo said:

Sounds like it's the file names and case that is causing the problem.  I spent a fair bit of time getting mine all the same and with a capital "F" for Folder.jpg.

I haven't had any problems since.  It also shouldn't matter that they are on a NAS.

After much experimentation, surfing the web and testing of various MPD Android clients, got MPDroid to work with local artwork on the NAS. 

 

Note that in the MPD setup, it is the client which manages the artwork, not the server. Hence, no use asking Sotm (I did! ). Each client is different.  As far as I know, none of the MPD clients reads the embedded artwork.  Also, MPD was developed in the Linux environment and much of the docs are at the Linux command line level.

 

For those using MPDroid, in Settings / Cover Art Settings:

• Enable Download cover art (does not say which providers it uses).
  Maybe two thirds downloaded correctly. In albums view, try reset and download additional image; sometimes can get correct one. Using the web downloads reduces the amount of remedial work, and you can focus on the album art which are wrong or missing.
• Enable Download local cover art
  Ignore web server comment; this is for Linux users (wasted much time pursing this, would have required getting into Linux on the NAS, Yuk!)
• Set Path to music to: /music
  This is same as the NAS top level folder.  Do not put in ip address or anything complex
• Cover file name set to Cover.jpg
  This is not case sensitive (different to what Bilbo found).  MPDroid will also pick up "name of album".jpg files, but not consistently (trying to find out why)  Cover file name is case sensitive.  To ensure consistent local art, rename jpg in folder to Cover.jpg.
• Am using cache cover art which makes it much faster, does not take that much space.

Two MPD clients were listed on Sotm website: M.A.L.P. & MPDroid. M.A.L.P. has the ability to select which internet provider to use and it did find covers that MPDroid did not.  However, no local artwork capability, with developer saying this is low priority.  Also M.A.L.P. has no option to mute music when in a call, MPDroid does. 

 

Tried many of the MPD clients in Google Play.  There is a fork of MPDroid called Mupeace which will work with local artwork, but found its naming conventions strange eg works=album? 

 

In summary, if you intend to use MPD on the SMS-200, highly recommend MPDroid for Android users.

 

Edited July 7, 2017 by Snoopy8
updated cover.jpg advice