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Chord Electronics Owners & Discussion Thread


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First impressions - not so good.

 

a. the iOS app to control the unit isnt out on the App Store yet. So you need to use the SIM replacement tool (comes with the Poly) to "reset" the Poly into AP mode that you need to join so you can configure it. Considering it is an Airplay compatible device, iOS actually comes with an incredible utility built in that sets up an Airplay speaker, connecting it to your existing WiFi networks (in your iCloud keychain) without you keying in the SSID/passwords. The Marantz 2016 AVRs all had similar methods of configuring and it's a breeze to set up.

 

b. The whole idea of getting this was for Roon compatibility. Right now it appears as a uncertified Roon device. And for the life of me, I can't configure it for DSD playback. Every DSD file I sent gets converted to PCM.

 

c. Like a few others, I have encountered DSD files not playing back fully. I get 10 seconds and poof. Music stops. Then again this could be the DLink modem/router/AP. This morning, I am hooking it up to my office mesh network and there doesnt seem to be an issue.

 

Looks like a work in progress.

 

But otherwise, it sounds great.

 

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Its interesting that the Poly is dedicated to the Mojo only.  John Franks has said elsewhere, "Sorry guys it won’t be possible to use poly with anything other than a Mojo. As Poly reads usb back data from Mojo in order to enable itself. We will be bringing out a comparable unit for Dave and Hugo2 and even the TT too in due course."

 

Looks like there will be a streamer solution for DAVE in future? Wonder what the form factor would be like and if it will incorporate the M-Scaler function [emoji4]

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Listening to the MojoPoly combo via Roon. Listening to some HDTracks Bocelli with my old UE11Pro custom IEMs and it’s pretty damn impressive.

 

The DSD drop outs after 10secs I encountered seems to be gone after I switched from my router/modem WiFi to the Linksys mesh WiFi. My office mesh WiFi also worked fine with the Poly

 

Of course it still resamples DSD to PCM with Roon for now.

 

 

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Guest AndrewC

First impressions - not so good.

...

Looks like a work in progress.

 

But otherwise, it sounds great.

 

Interesting!! Can't wait to get my hands on one!  ;)

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So looks like MQA is still on the table

 

From John Franks Chord

 

Yes we are now getting so much valuable feed back such as Poly’s use with many combinations of player and phones this is allowing our software guys to refine the software in some detail

Regarding loading times we’ve tested the 400 Giga byte SDCard and with the present operating system it takes about eight minutes not the twenty nine minutes previously stated so we think there are other issues however We feel eight minutes I’d still far too long. So in a few days we will be sending out a major software update to all of the poly’s to allow them to load far faster almost instantly even with massive SD cards There will be many enhancements that we will be switching on too. I will outline them here now and we will put out full notification formally later.

r additional code and connectivity required for the new app to function.

Update to Roon mode to include new features (DSD and MQA support)

Modification to the WiFi SSID and password to accept special characters and increase password length to 63 characters.

Improvements to the music database build to increase micro SD card access and loading speed especially for high capacity cards.

Fix DSD visibility via DLNA server.

Rebroadcast of available services when changing WiFi networks.

SMB connectivity.

There will also be other minor bug fixes and tidying up of the operation and configuration.

 

Some of this is still in test so we will confirm the availability of all the changes when the update is released.

A further update may be required to enable all features. I hope all of you can see that we are working to make Poly a really wonderful product that is great to use with what ever payer or control device your using with it.

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Guest AndrewC

So looks like MQA is still on the table

...

Update to Roon mode to include new features (DSD and MQA support)

...

 

Interesting though that he would mention MQA in the context of a Roon update... I wonder if they're waiting for Roon's implementation of MQA Decode and to sub-license it from them (instead of going the direct MQA route).

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...
Guest AndrewC

Picked up a Chord Poly on my way back from London this past weekend (for a tidy saving ;D). Only got a chance to test it out late last night. None of the Poly reviews available online describe any of the little nuances of operating this pretty sophisticated little thing, so here’s a couple of technical notes… (not so much on how it sounds just yet).

 

  • The unit feels a quite finicky… mainly because a number of things documented in the manual are not really available (yet?). For instance, Chord’s supposed (Bluetooth based) “GoFigure” configuration utility hasn’t appeared on either Apple’s nor Android’s App Stores yet.  Likewise the manual claims Tidal and Spotify integration (by which I assume they meant something like Spotify Connect)… Nope! Doesn’t exist (yet). I’m forced to use Airplay for Tidal or Spotify playback to Poly.

  • Without GoFigure, configuration is via the tiny recessed “Config” button. Pressing the button for 5 seconds toggles modes, while a brief press causes Poly to actually read back it’s current basic configuration and IP address… the synthesised voice is pretty crap, but understandable.

  • There are two main modes via the config button; Access Point mode and Network mode. Access point mode is also called “Hot-spot mode”, why the two different names for exactly the same function I have no idea (briefly depress the Config button while in Access point mode and Poly will say “Hot-spot mode” ::) )

 

 

Access Point mode;

  • Used for both Configuring Poly, as well as acting as an Access point while on the go. When activated, Poly switches it’s WiFi to Access point with a builtin DHCP server that allows multiple devices to connect to it and get assigned with IP addresses

  • When a smartphone or laptop first connects to Poly in Access point mode, Poly throws up a Captive portal for configuring the unit… things like your home WiFi SSID/Password etc.

 

 

  • With an iOS devices, once Poly is configured, exiting the captive portal kicks the device off Poly’s WiFi Access Point unless you configure “Keep in Hot-Spot mode” (see above pic).

  • Also, trying to assign Poly a custom SSID doesn’t work, it sticks with it’s default SSID :(.. but the custom name does become the AirPlay device name

 

 

Network mode;

  • If configured properly, network mode allows Poly to connect to your home WiFi network, which works without any glitches except the WiFi

  • I configured Poly for AirPlay/DLNA… (I haven’t had the time to test Roon playback config nor MPD with the built-in micr-SD card slot yet)

  • Airplay works consistently well, from either iPhone or MacBook

 

http://i67.tinypic.com/ad0mt3.png http://i65.tinypic.com/dxk01v.png

 

  • Likewise DLNA which I tested with Audirvana… works flawlessly including MQA unfold and stream into Poly over WiFi - no dropouts, no glitches :)

 

 

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Guest AndrewC

Part 2

 

Decided to see if Poly would reveal any secrets, so I did some network probing;

  • Unlike other network streamers, Poly is as tight as a Virgin! ;D… No network security lapses, or loopholes that I could find

  • And they’re careful with which TCP ports are open in each mode; in Network mode only the bare essential ports are open (left image below), while in Access point mode more ports are open for HTTP based configuration etc.

 

http://i64.tinypic.com/1hz1h0.png http://i64.tinypic.com/qs5s0z.png

 

  • It’s interesting that they open up port 111 for SunRPC (possibly for some debugging purposes)

  • Likewise the inclusion Secure HTTP (port 443), unclear what it’s for and I wasn’t able to connect to it

  • Other than the above, I really couldn’t get very far

  • Poly does feel like it’s in sore need of a firmware update.. The manual describes its done via the GoFigure App, or via the Captive port, but I could find no hints on how to check nor trigger a firmware update via the captive portal.

  • In any case, there’s still lots to test out :)

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mine is currently ready for pickup @ Zeppelin Audio but since I'm currently out of town, it will be next weekend till I have it in my hands. really hoping for the GoFigure app and firmware update to be released by then. for now I am tracking the user experience over @ Head-Fi.

 

what sd card are you using by the way?

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Guest AndrewC

mine is currently ready for pickup @ Zeppelin Audio but since I'm currently out of town, it will be next weekend till I have it in my hands. really hoping for the GoFigure app and firmware update to be released by then. for now I am tracking the user experience over @ Head-Fi.

 

what sd card are you using by the way?

 

You're going to have lots of fun :)

 

I don’t have a micro-SD card yet… I’ll probably pick-up a 128GB Sandisk and test it with MPDelux or something.  Good point, I hadn’t thought to follow Chord Poly news on head-fi… I just took a quick glance through the last 2-pages, seems like some people are having problems.

 

I tested Roon today. I initially had occasional drop-outs even on 44.1/16 material, which I didn’t experience with Audirvana. But once I updated my Roon from 1.3 Build 248 to the latest 276 build (which has specific performance improvements for RAAT over WiFi), no more drop-outs! Even 352.8/24 (DXD) streams were perfect!

 

This is despite Roon saying Chord Poly is “Uncertified”…

 

     

 

Pretty awesome when you consider the DXD track is literally a sustained 16.9Mbps stream over a 2.4G 802.11n WiFi connection. Albeit, I’m getting a 65Mbps throughput WiFi connection with Poly to my Access point, so a DXD bit-stream should be no problem.

 

 

 

PS: I’m not sure why Roon shows its DSP Engine in the chain (post Poly RAAT), even when I’ve got the bloody DSP Engine Disabled… In my experience, Roon’s DSP Engine negatively impacts sound quality.

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John Franks has indicated that the app and firmware update will be rolled out by end of Nov so when that happens, a lot of the issues faced by the early adopters on head-fi will vanish. I've got an upcoming biz trip to shanghai during the 2nd week of Dec so I'm looking fwd to taking the MojoPoly on the road.

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Guest AndrewC

Except for the Configuration hassle, Poly works quite well and pretty much exactly "as advertised" actually :)... The only update I'd need immediately is Tidal Connect; everything else isn't important in the context of a portability and sound quality.

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Next week...

 

Ok so a quick update for everyone.

The first of three firmware updates will happen next week.

I will post again when I know the exact day and also give instructions on how the update process works.

The first update will be as follows:

 

1. Communication Update

 

Update to Manage Networks in Access Point Page

MAC address, Bluetooth MAC Address and firmware version visible on Access point page

Airplay improvements

DLNA Operation on Certain routers resolved

DLNA SD Card Database management and speedup of indexing

MPD Update to support m4a and ALAC

 

We will then roll out the next update shortly afterwards:-

 

2. Audio Update to fix file playback issues and update Roon

 

Finally

 

3. Update to provide integration to GoFigure App, ( soon to be released )

 

Please bare with us whilst we continue to work and test these updates. We are working as quickly as we can and also taking onboard

your feedback to fix additional issues along the way.

 

Matt

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