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I have just upgraded to the CX+EX, having previously used a gen2 DX.  Although not inexpensive, and somewhat cumbersome (2 boxes for serving music...) the sonic benefits are brutally obvious.  The CX+EX is a significant step up over my DX, which is somewhat unexpected given how good the DX sounds.  Highly recommended to anyone interested in achieving arguably the best sounding reproduction of served or streamed digital audio.

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  • 2 months later...
On 15/02/2019 at 7:47 PM, Stereophilus said:

I have just upgraded to the CX+EX, having previously used a gen2 DX.  Although not inexpensive, and somewhat cumbersome (2 boxes for serving music...) the sonic benefits are brutally obvious.  The CX+EX is a significant step up over my DX, which is somewhat unexpected given how good the DX sounds.  Highly recommended to anyone interested in achieving arguably the best sounding reproduction of served or streamed digital audio.

Any updates on how the CX+EX combo is sounding after a few months burn in. I am seriously considering the combo after some research between that and an innous zenith mkIII. I can't seem to find any comparisons between the two although the CX+EX combo is relatively new on the market at the moment so comparison reviews may still role in. 

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Yes I'm surprised that there can be any improvement over the DX as a source. I guess it depends on how good the rest of your system is as to whether you'd hear a difference or not. I owned the DX from new and never heard any improvement in SQ over time. It's a music server...

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13 hours ago, noddyc43 said:

Any updates on how the CX+EX combo is sounding after a few months burn in. I am seriously considering the combo after some research between that and an innous zenith mkIII. I can seem to find any comparisons between the two although the CX+EX combo is relatively new on the market at the moment so comparison reviews may still role in. 

I’m still very happy with the upgrade.  I always find it a little subjective to compare differences over time, partly because other things change as well.  Having said that, I can perhaps elaborate further on my initial impressions.  Compared to the DX, the CX+EX combination is:

- more relaxed, with a greater sense of ease and flow to the music

- low level detail seems more palpable

- rhythmically more engaging

 

I have tried running the CX and the EX separately, comparing to the combined CX+EX, and this has only reinforced my thoughts above.  Streamed music (Tidal via Roon) on the combo is almost undetectably different from a flac file stored on SSD... that could not be said of the DX, or CX, or EX in isolation.

 

Concerns and issues so far: 

- the CX runs quite hot, especially when transferring files initially.  Make sure Roons background audio analysis is throttled as this contributes to the heat.

- the CX still lacks the processing power to run all the HQplayer upsampling options.

- no ripper (unless you buy the optional one)

- its 2 boxes for a server!?

 

I haven’t heard the latest Innuos server, but I believe they are excellent, and they have a ripper built in.  The software on the Innuos is not as appealing to me though.  In my system, the benefit of the CX+EX seems be in the physical separation of the server and renderer duties, which the Innuos does not do.

 

Finally, as suggested, improvements garnered from a CX+EX may not be apparent without a commensurate system.  The improvements I observed are in the last few % of system improvement.  Nonetheless the improvements are significant enough, and in my case, take me closer to that sense of involvement in the recorded performance.

 

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Thanks for the update @Stereophilus

Great to here that you have tried them seperately and then as a combo to validate the upgrade in quality as widely dpcumented. Can I ask if you are using USB or ethernet port out into a DAC? I understand there is a separate unit (P2) that has spdif output but further outlay . I have not had chance to try the innous zenith mkIII yet but hope to as there has been some talk of an audible hum from the transformers on some models.

 

 

 

.

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4 minutes ago, noddyc43 said:

Thanks for the update @Stereophilus

Great to here that you have tried them seperately and then as a combo to validate the upgrade in quality as widely dpcumented. Can I ask if you are using USB or ethernet port out into a DAC? I understand there is a separate unit (P2) that has spdif output but further outlay . I have not had chance to try the innous zenith mkIII yet but hope to as there has been some talk of an audible hum from the transformers on some models.

 

 

 

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Curious cable USB from the EX into an UpTone ISO-Regen, then via USBPC (UpTone regen link) to the DAC.  ISO-Regen is powered from an uptone ultracap power supply, in turn fed from a Gieseler LPS.  Unfortunately, all those elements in the USB chain are important for my system.  The Mola Mola DAC needs the 5v USB power intact to work.

 

The Antipodes combo is dead quiet in operation.

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7 hours ago, noddyc43 said:

Thanks for the update @Stereophilus

Great to here that you have tried them seperately and then as a combo to validate the upgrade in quality as widely dpcumented. Can I ask if you are using USB or ethernet port out into a DAC? I understand there is a separate unit (P2) that has spdif output but further outlay . I have not had chance to try the innous zenith mkIII yet but hope to as there has been some talk of an audible hum from the transformers on some models.

 

 

 

.

The second ethernet port on CX, and EX, is not a audio out port.

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Hi Stereophilus, I have the same USB chain as you except I use the supplied meanwell psu to power the Ultracap. Does the Geiseler make much difference? Apologies for off topic post, regards

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1 hour ago, Pebbles said:

Hi Stereophilus, I have the same USB chain as you except I use the supplied meanwell psu to power the Ultracap. Does the Geiseler make much difference? Apologies for off topic post, regards

In terms of sonic differences, I find Gieseler powering ISO regen to be no different to Gieseler powering ultracap powering ISO regen.  I do believe the Gieseler LPSU sounds better vs the ultra cap psu though.  I only use both in the chain because the ultra cap theoretically adds galvanic isolation.

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  • 2 weeks later...


On 21/05/2019 at 6:53 AM, Step hen said:

Hi has anyone any views on the Antipodes EX music streamer? I’ve been looking at various streamers and keep coming back to this one? 

 

There's a member using the CX + EX combo in the Antipodes thread if you scroll down in this section of the forum. Honestly you can't go wrong with their servers, I've owned 2 of them in the past. They are awesome. You get the best support possible from them too. 

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I agree on the support and quality. I’m using a 5 year old DS Reference and no issues with it.  The response time and willingness to help is second to none.  It still sounds brilliant and is very stable. 

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  • 2 months later...

My old DS  needed a software upgrade recently and since then has not behaved.

It's on VortexBox 2.3 now (and that's the limit apparently, for hardware reasons).

On bootup now it sometimes displays 44.1 on the Audiolab M-DAC+  and plays properly,

but usually it will show DSD 11.2 and won't play at all.

Playing DSD in the past has never been a problem, only displaying DSD when a

DSD track was selected.

Please help me get back my wonderful music machine.

Maurice

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1 minute ago, BATMAQN said:

Have you contacted Antipodes surely they would be your first point of call?

Yes, yesterday but no response yet.  I know it's only a day and I didn't expect a reply over the weekend, but it means a whole weekend without my music and I couldn't face it.  So I gave in and asked here.

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1 hour ago, mbash said:

Yes, yesterday but no response yet.  I know it's only a day and I didn't expect a reply over the weekend, but it means a whole weekend without my music and I couldn't face it.  So I gave in and asked here.

No response?

 

Surprises me.  I am staggered as to how quick and when I get responses from support from Antipodes. 

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1 hour ago, mbash said:

Please help me get back my wonderful music machine

Turn it off.  Then unplug it for awhile to clear any residual memory.  As well do the same with what ever you are using to control it including the network just in case.  Then try again.  Just maybe this may fix things?

John

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@mbashAntipodes are fantastic and they do need to have weekends off. In my case I have the older DS Reference with linear power supply and SOtM card (upgraded by @Gieseler Audio). I made the mistake of upgrading the software and given that it is older 32 bit architecture Tony from Antipodes couldn’t get me back up and running. This was a blessing in disguise as the old hard drive was getting noisy and the machine was always running hot. 

 

I was obviously upset to contemplate binning such a great machine. Clay gave me the brilliant idea of getting a new hard drive and loading Daphile a free software that runs on Linux. I’m very much below average when it comes to IT but this wasn’t too difficult after a few pointers from Clay. 

 

The SSD runs a lot cooler and no more whirring sound from an old spinning hard drive.  In my opinion the sound is even better and no issues with my Dac having pops due to the older software. The Sound Quality is awesome and the cost was a few hundred dollars. 

 

My my recommendation is to wait for Monday and follow up with Antipodes- their service is awesome. 

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