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anybody replaced their Connect with a Port?

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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.

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FinbowAnswer

Trending Lyricist III

Just to update this thread as promised.

Received the amp today & it wasn’t for me I’m afraid.

I found the sound to be way to bright & shrill.

played around with the EQ but couldn’t find the right balance unfortunately. Shame as otherwise a wonderfully engineered bit of kit.

I’m pairing with a pair of a Monitor Audio Rs1’s & a Kef sub. The Monitor Audios are a little on the bright side themselves so I’m just putting it down to bad pairing.

I had the Nad recapped & serviced last year so its functioning as new really & just sounds really warm & much more hifi than the Sonos amp.

interestingly the 20 watt Nad drove my speakers better than the 125w Sonos!

As an aside, absolutely no problem driving the Kef sub. So no idea why so many people are having issues with their 3rd party subs.

just ordered the port instead.

thanks again for all of your input.

ratty

I have a number of Ports, which replaced ZP80s (the ancestor of Connect).

The What HiFi review had a few ‘subjective’ observations about the internal DAC’s analog output quality. Despite complimenting Port’s “fairly clean and lean presentation” that was “cleaner and more detailed than its predecessor” they appeared to be looking for a ‘zing’ associated with a choice of filter/roll-off that I personally probably wouldn’t go for.

In your case all this is totally irrelevant as you have an outboard DAC, so feel no reservations on that score. The Port digital output is 24-bit when using variable volume -- to allow the level to be reduced to ~25% before any loss of resolution -- and a straight-through copy of the 16-bit samples in fixed volume.

As the ‘root’ of your SonosNet mesh you’ll also find that a Port has a distinctly stronger wireless than Connect.

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FinbowAuthor

Trending Lyricist III

Cheers Ratty! Precisely the answer I was looking for. Hope all is good with you wherever you may be, Might order one today. Plenary of time to try it out whilst I’m stuck at home.

buzz

Grand Maestro

One potential issue is that the CONNECT’s digital optical output has been eliminated.

PORT’s 12V trigger output can be very convenient.

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FinbowAuthor

Trending Lyricist III

Thanks Buzz. I actually run my Dac using the coaxial output at the moment anyway. Presumably my current set up would be a more hifi sound than the Sonos Amp? Which is the other option.

ratty

Presumably my current set up would be a more hifi sound than the Sonos Amp? Which is the other option.

Different. The NAD 3020 had a ‘classic’ sound back in the day, which was hugely popular. Only you can be the judge really. You could always get an Amp from Sonos and, if you don’t like it, return it and buy the Port instead.

buzz

Grand Maestro

Goodness of sound is in the ear of the listener -- and everyone’s opinion is correct -- for them.

I know that the 3020 has been very popular, but it’s not on my ‘A’ list.

AMP will have a different “feel” (great technical term!) than the 3020. Better or worse is up to you.

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FinbowAuthor

Trending Lyricist III

Thanks for the help everyone. Think I’m going to give the Amp try. Just one more question.
if I decide I want to plug in my Technics turntable at a later date. Is it possible to plug this into the NAD & then feed the pre-amp of the Nad into the line in on the Sonos Amp??

ratty

The TT will require a phono pre-amp, so you could certainly use the NAD’s for that. You could pull the jumpers on the back and take the pre-amp out from there. That feels a bit more elegant than using the Tape Out.

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FinbowAuthor

Trending Lyricist III

Thanks again all! Just ordered the Amp. I’ll report back here in a week or so & let you know how I get on.

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FinbowAuthorAnswer

Trending Lyricist III

Just to update this thread as promised.

Received the amp today & it wasn’t for me I’m afraid.

I found the sound to be way to bright & shrill.

played around with the EQ but couldn’t find the right balance unfortunately. Shame as otherwise a wonderfully engineered bit of kit.

I’m pairing with a pair of a Monitor Audio Rs1’s & a Kef sub. The Monitor Audios are a little on the bright side themselves so I’m just putting it down to bad pairing.

I had the Nad recapped & serviced last year so its functioning as new really & just sounds really warm & much more hifi than the Sonos amp.

interestingly the 20 watt Nad drove my speakers better than the 125w Sonos!

As an aside, absolutely no problem driving the Kef sub. So no idea why so many people are having issues with their 3rd party subs.

just ordered the port instead.

thanks again for all of your input.

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