I listen to some recordings. The first two I got from NativeDSD in the DXD format. The last is a 44.1 Redbook track from Quobuz
The Feenbrothers recording I’ve heard on my system before I got the PF. I just don’t remember the imaging be so outstanding. Blue Rondo a La Turk is a great track to listen to.
The Quartet Integra is new to me. They pefrorm Beethoven’s String Quartet No. 16. The imaging and overall production on this recording is amazing. I don’t remember any other string quartet recording with imaging anywhere near this good.
I’ve listened to Stella by Starlight from Bill Evans Conversations with Myself many times. Now with PF the image is stellar In the past my guests sometimes had trouble picking out the piano… not anymore. I think I know why now, it clear that the middle piano is mixed little to the left so it would be easy to think there are only two pianos. The piano dynamics are outstanding too.
Did you ever listen to the Aurender N50, I have narrowed it down to aither the Ultra or the N50, The N50 gives my wife Spotify, and allow me to ditch Roon while the Ultra has lots of reviews and is Roon centric.
I have not listened to the N50. I did have an N20 on loan from my dealer, but I didn’t listen to it critically. I had it because the Roon interface for classical music just isn’t very good, but my dealer’s contact at Aurender told him that Conductor was great for classical music. After trying out Conductor, at least to me, Roon was still the cleanest dirty shirt in the classical laundry bag,
Unfortunately the N20 is a completely different beast than the N50. From what I vaguely remember about the N20, I would rather have the PF, but for me I don’t care about Spotify content.
And, yes, the current PF is tightly would around Roon core, except (as far as I understand) the OS drivers are PF’s own design and the fiber/MSB interface is their own design. So PF has corrected the key parts of Roon that affect sound quality.
Have you thought about getting an inexpensive streamer that supports Spotify connect, that has line out, like WiiM, and connecting that an analog input of the Cascade… then you could use whatever you want for your main streamer. I haven’t tried this but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work.
That is exactly what I have now the Renderer for me and a Bluesound Node for Nathalie but it’s not a good setup as Roon takes over when she is listening, her stream starts when I stop, the volume is very different between the devices, etc.…
The reality is I am sure both will be fine but I am waffling.
In the past my guests sometimes had trouble picking out the piano… not anymore. I think I know why now, it clear that the middle piano is mixed little to the left so it would be easy to think there are only two pianos. The piano dynamics are outstanding too.
