SOtM, XACT, Sonore, Jimi Hendrix, Dynaudio, And More

    Audio: Listen to this article.

I usually focus on a single item and write in-depth reviews. That means I often have a long list of items I want to write about here on Audiophile Style, not necessarily in a long form review, that never see the light of day. My iOS Notes app is chock-full of sentences, ideas, paragraphs, and the like, that are all interesting to most people here, but like emails, they fall off the first page and are never seen again.

Today, I’m breaking my old habit by publishing an article full of these items. Even after this article is done, I have pages more waiting in the wings, but I must be respectful of everyone’s time. Here we go.

Competitors With Options

I didn’t plan it this way, but it turns out that I have items from three companies that are often viewed as competitors, here in my listening room. As each company continues to innovate and evolve, the products have less similarities, giving us audiophiles more choice, and enabling us to find the solution that fits our needs even better than in previous years.

One combination I’ve been using for a couple weeks is a Small Green Computer sonicTransporter i9 (Gen 4) running Audirvana as a built-in app, sending audio to the world’s first Sonore Signature Rendu SE Deluxe. It’s no secret that I love all Rendu iterations, awarded the Rendu product of the decade, and have the utmost respect for everyone involved with bringing these products to market. I can’t wait to spend more time with this combination, as it has serious potential to be the best offering ever from Sonore.

As soon as I put the SE Deluxe in my system I knew the team had nailed it, in terms of sound quality. I sent an email telling them that! I can count on less than one hand how many times I’ve contacted a manufacturer with such news, so early in the review process. Perhaps my familiarity with every Rendu ever released and the fact that I use mine quite frequently, made it fairly easy for me to notice the improvement. Who knows. Anyway, much more to come from this combination.

SOtM has made a return to one of my audio systems as well. I enjoyed talking to May Park in Munich this year and seeing the SOtM MS-2000 server / player that contains all the SOtM internal goodies. However, until I can get my hands and ears on that, I’ve been using a custom SOtM computer with many of the same parts, including the new tX-USBx10G USB card.

Connecting a USB cable, flipping the card’s power switch on, and glancing at the internals of this computer, I couldn’t help but think about the first time I saw an SOtM USB card (tX-USB PCI card). It was at the California Audio Show in a server from Auraliti (remember those guys?). Comparing that initial card to the tX-USBx10G is a little comical. At the time, the initial card seemed amazing, but the new tX-USBx10G is on another level.

The tX-USBx10G is built to the much higher standards of USB 3.2 Gen 2x1, but keeps the USB A connector of earlier generations. Similar to networking components that support 10 Gbps, USB cards such as the tX-USBx10G supporting USB 3.2 Gen 2 have to meet much tighter specifications than previous tX-USB products from SOtM.

The new tX-USBx10G also features many more options than previous SOtM cards. This will be either a dream or a nightmare for audiophiles. Those seeking the ultimate in SOtM ease should stick to the SOtM MS-2000, but for the adventurous the tX-USBx10G has an external clock port, several adjustable jumpers, and a nice internal power port that can accept power from another SOtM card such as the sNI-1G, which itself can be simultaneously receiving power from an external SOtM supply. I can see some audiophiles salivating and others shuddering. The key is knowing oneself.

I’ve been using the SOtM custom computer with tX-USBx10G and really enjoying it. I have it accepting audio from a sonicTransporter running Audirvana, and feeding a dCS Lina DAC. I’ve also used it with JPLAY for iOS with similar success. The externally powered and clocked tX-USBx10G just works, and works very well. Those still “stuck” with a tX-USB series card will want to get their hands on the 10G. My guess is that it won’t come out of any system in which it’s placed.

Speaking of JPLAY for iOS, I also have the XACT S1 Evo server and XACT N1 switch in my listening room now. I used this trio with great success at The Audio Salon in Santa Monica, CA for my review of the Wilson Audio WATT/Puppy, and I’ve enjoyed as much or more success with it here.

I really like using the S1 as an all-in-one solution, with my local music on its internal SSD. This is a configuration I typically avoid due to the large size of my music library, but that library baggage has gotten so heavily that it’s holding me back. I selected a subset of my 14TB, and placed the albums on the S1. Listening has been pure pleasure so far. Look for a full review later this summer.

Big Dynaudio Firmware Upgrade

I reviewed the Dynaudio Focus 10 speakers a year and a half ago (link), and loved them and their integration with Dirac for room correction. At the time I concluded by saying this.

A streamer, DAC, preamp, amp, and loudspeaker in the same chassis, is a compelling solution on its own. Add to that the engineering prowess, reputation, and support from Dynaudio, and you have a sonic solution that's tough to top. The Focus 10 features classic Dynaudio aesthetic lines, but even more importantly contains an "engine" capable of very high performance. From the Pascal amps, proven for years in professional reference monitors, to the Stream810 module, to the custom DSP engine, to the dual room correction options, including Dirac Live, the real secret sauce of the Focus 10 is hidden under the hood.

The Dynaudio team has been working hard to make this and other systems even better via firmware. The recently announced Focus firmware 1.2.107 is slated to take my Focus 10 speakers, with newly added Dynaudio Sub 6, to new heights. The new firmware brings features such as advanced subwoofer management (distance compensation, presets, output gain), Dirac Live subwoofer support (a huge deal!), and Tidal MAX support for pure PCM high resolution audio.

I’ll be upgrading my Focus 10s, connecting the Sub 6, and updating the Dynaudio app shortly and delivering a full review of this complete system. I’m really looking forward to this one, as I’ve been waiting for the sub integration for a while.

Bummer

I like to end on good news, so I’ll stick my bad news right here in the middle.

After three years, one of my Bluesound Powernodes has failed. Members of the Audiophile Style community may remember I setup a dual zone outdoor audio system using Bluesound Powernodes and Dynaudio speakers in the summer of 2021. I installed the speakers so I could easily remove them prior to the harsh Minnesota winters, but I never have. After three subzero winters, the loudspeakers are playing like the day I installed them.

One of the Powernodes, not so much. It won’t even power up, no matter what I do. I have an open support ticket with Bluesound that is progressing at a snail’s pace. One email per 24 hours, asking me to play Radio Paradise through the unit, even though the message from me was loud and clear that the unit won’t even power up. Anyway, I’m sure the unit is long out of warranty. It may be time to find a better solution for one of my outdoor zones or to at least survey the market for what’s available. It’s possible another Powernode is still the best solution because of its versatility and high quality, at a reasonable price.

The other bummer comes after I was energized by seeing the release of 72 Japanese jazz albums in the East Wind 1000 series from Universal Japan. I started listening to a few of the albums that I found online and liked what I heard. My obsession with Japanese jazz knows no bounds, as evidenced by my Three Blind Mice collection, so I was prepared to talk to my loan officer about the East Wind collection.

However, the collection isn’t available in the US and is a big pain to order from Universal Japan. If I cold click a button and add the entire 72 album collection to my cart, even if I had to use a translator to understand what I was doing, I’d be very happy. The experience doesn’t work like that however. Perhaps I’ll work my way through Disk Union’s Worldshopping international shipping option, but they don’t make it easy. Perhaps that a feature, that makes finally getting such a collection even more enjoyable :~)

Jimi Hendrix Like I’ve Never Heard

The rest of my family must think I’m crazy. I’ve listened to the same 15 minutes of music over and over, for several days. OK, there has been some other songs mixed in, but the Jimi Hendrix Experience’s Electric Ladyland 50th Anniversary version in Dolby Atmos (Apple Muisic link) is so astounding that I can’t stop listening. It’s the purest example yet of 50+ year old music, made long before Atmos was a thing, being mixed to sonically transport listeners back in time and fully immerse them in a way never before possible. Listening to this album in Atmos is like sitting in the Record Plant in NYC back in 1968. I’m enthralled!

To set the stage (from Wikipedia):

“During the Electric Ladyland recording sessions at the Record Plant, Hendrix and the band often jammed with other performers at New York City clubs. After one such jam at the nearby Scene club on May 2, 1968, Hendrix brought a group of about 20 people to the studio. This practice of inviting large groups to the studio led Noel Redding to storm out of the Record Plant earlier that evening and he was not present during the recording of "Voodoo Chile". Organist Steve Winwood from Traffic, bassist Jack Casady from Jefferson Airplane, and jazz guitarist Larry Coryell were among those present. Although Coryell was invited to play, he declined and Hendrix proceeded to record "Voodoo Chile" with Mitchell, Winwood, and Casady. The remainder were on hand to provide the ambient crowd noise.”

I never listened to Voodoo Chile until the Atmos version was released. I’ve heard Voodoo Chile (Slight Return) numerous times and enjoy that song immensely. But, straight up 15 minutes of Voodoo Chile was never on my bingo card, until now. And, WOW!

Right from the start, the listener is placed in the recording studio with the musicians and 20 others mentioned above. Hendrix’s guitar reverberates in the room in such a way that the only thing I’m missing to make it more real is the aromas from the in studio audience, if you know what I mean. The main guitar playing comes from the right side of the room, while the reverb floats over to the left side and decays. It’s seriously like I’m in my listening chair watching this recording take place. I don’t know how many times I’ve chuckled to myself while listening to this, it’s that much of an enjoyable experience.

Roughly nine minutes into Voodoo Chile, the studio audience can be heard applauding the musicians from all around the listening position. I can visually picture people standing all around, sitting on amps, with beverages and smokables placed on recording equipment, just soaking in this performance. Over 50 years later I can’t stop soaking in this performance.

A song that also blew me away is Rainy Day, Dream Away. It’s more of an adventurous mix, in the style Hendrix would’ve preferred according to the engineers who mixed it for Atmos. Hendrix talks, coughs, plays amazing guitar, while Freddie Smith fills the room with his tenor saxophone. Mike Finnigan’s organ sounds superb, as does Buddy Miles on drums. In fact, I love the sound of Miles’ drums on this track. They are solidly in the front of the room, while Miles keeps the rest of the players on track with his perfect timing and groove.

On Rainy Day, Hendrix’s guitar is mixed in a way that makes it sound like he’s on both the left and right side of the room, at the same time and at different times. At first this may seem strange, but it sounds wonderful. And, equally as important, according to legendary producer Eddie Kramer who worked with Hendrix, Jimi loved playing with phase effects. One time Hendrix and Kramer heard his guitar come out of another side of the room, by accident, and Hendrix absolutely loved it. A much better version of the story is contained in a video Eddie Kramer, Chandler Harrod, and John McDermott participated in about this Atmos mix. I highly recommend it. (link here)

This Atmos mix has turned me into a much bigger Jimi Hendrix fan because I can hear him like never before. It’s an experience to be with The Jimi Hendrix Experience in this immersive manner. I’d pay $500 for a high resolution TrueHD Atmos version of this recording in a heartbeat.

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