Answered

anybody replaced their Connect with a Port?

F
Userlevel 2
Badge +2
  • Finbow
  • Trending Lyricist III
  • 52 replies

Hi,  begrudgingly having to replace my connect as the connect is the beginning of my mesh network & I will not be able to separate my system.

Any forum members picked up a Port to replace their connect? 
I am running my current Connect through an Arcam Rdac into a classic NAD 3020.

Any one experienced a degradation in sound quality using the Port?

The recent ‘What Hifi’ review has made this potential  purchase even more of a quandary.

Didn't fancy shelling out the £279 before. The fact that this might actually be an inferior product to the connect makes me doubt it even more.

i don’t want to get into a ‘bun fight’ about DACs & ‘subjectivity’ only want to hear from people who have actually upgraded please 

Any input greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

 

 

icon

Best answer by Finbow 27 March 2020, 18:38

View original
This topic has been closed for further comments. You can use the search bar to find a similar topic, or create a new one by clicking Create Topic at the top of the page.

109 replies

K

 

 

And of course you have conducted a rigorous, level matched, double blind test to prove your findings 

 

I have given up asking.

K

Boy, am I glad I quit focusing solely on the equipment some years ago, and started listening to the music. 

Lol. Just listening to the music and not using it as a test signal? Get a life, man...:-))

L

Aside from the sound being better/worse than the Connect - does the Port offer any performance gains?

I have one of the old Connect/Zone Player units (stuck on S1) and with Spotify Connect it’s not always been that great  - sometimes it refuses to start playing or randomly stops.

I do realise that this is mostly likely network based issues...but just wondering if the much newer chipset of the Port was any better at handling such things.

I’m not very keen to drop £££ on a new Port, although the Airplay functionality does look quite handy.

Edit  - I’m on wired network, not wifi. 

 

 

 

T
Userlevel 2

Really enjoying streaming again from Qobuz now I have swapped the Connect for the Port. The CDs from my NAS were always spot on, now all is good.

 

I use the digital output through Arcam rDAC into Quad pre/power into B&W 805s - magical!!

 

The Sonos app controls everything.  Next step is to improve the power supplies. First for Port and then for amps. 

 

Totally blown away by the great sound quality now!

M
Userlevel 2
Badge +3

I have not found a way to immobilise the volume slider as is the default for S1 for using the digital output, which I find annoying having only 2 locations in use.

Settings → System → Room_name → Line-Out → Line-Out Level

If you’ve been adjusting the volume limit all along while leaving the Line-Out as Variable, rather than Fixed, then it potentially explains the ‘night and day’ differences between Port and Connect. As I remarked in an earlier post there is evidence that Port uses more DSP in Variable, to protect the S/PDIF from clipping.

In Fixed Volume mode there should be zero difference, whether the SMPS is inside the enclosure or at a safe distance in an outboard PSU.

 

thankyou ratty !

as i mainly use the desktop app, i had no idea re these extra settings for line out/volume limit levels.

subsequently, my ‘volume limit’ was set to 100%.

so, as per your advise elsewhere in this thread i have dropped this to 80% , and boom, my music sounds so much better than ever before.

clearly this has been the cause for my ongoing distortion issues that i mentioned a few weeks ago.

all these years.

better late than never.

thank you.

 

R

I have ordered a port. Going to connect it via coax digitally. Update to follow, fingers crossed.

E

I just replaced my perfectly decent (and working) Gen 1 Connect for a new Port and am really regretting that decision. It should have been plug and play but this was not the case.   The Sonos 2 App couldn’t find any of my devices.   Three different calls with Sonos support (approx 5 hours of my time) and the Sonos 2 App can now find my devices however I can no longer play anything through my wired speakers/stereo system as I could with the Connect.  So frustrating.  I’m very close to adding the Connect back into my system and sending the Port back to Sonos; I may look for a Gen 2 Connect since that will work with the Sonos 2 app, though the Sonos 1 app worked just fine for me.

I used to be a big fan of Sonos and had raved about it to many of my friends who ended up purchasing Sonos themselves.  No more. Really disappointed.  

L

Glad I checked here.  Saw the couple reviews saying the newer, more expensive kit was worse.  It may be only slightly worse, or barely noticeable, if you’re willing to give up variable line out.  But why pay more for slightly worse?  

 

Opted for a gen 2 connect.  But if someone tries the fixed line out and finds it solves the problem, I’ll be ordering a port.

jgatie

Glad I checked here.  Saw the couple reviews saying the newer, more expensive kit was worse.  It may be only slightly worse, or barely noticeable, if you’re willing to give up variable line out.  But why pay more for slightly worse?  

 

Opted for a gen 2 connect.  But if someone tries the fixed line out and finds it solves the problem, I’ll be ordering a port.

 

Fixed line-out is not affected, nor is the analog out (either fixed or variable).  Only the variable digital outs have the problem.  

Terms & ConditionsCookie settings