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anybody replaced their Connect with a Port?

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F
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What audiophile uses an external DAC with the variable volume setting?

I have to say, your tone is very antagonistic. I am not & have never claimed to be an audiophile. I simply stated that the Port sounded more compressed & less dynamic than my old connect whilst using variable output. As I’d paid £280 to ‘upgrade’ this bit of kit I was suitably miffed! Now as it turns out I was completely correct & the sound is being ‘managed’ more aggressively via the digital out. Something that only a few posts ago you were saying was not possible.

 

Please provide a link to where I said it was not possible. I’ll be waiting . . .

  

Also, one must be wary using the variable output, for unmatched volume levels can account for “differences” heard between two audio samples as much as actual differences.  Matter of fact, the bias for volume is so subtle (yet strong), it can be shown to be present even when the most listeners cannot distinguish a change in volume (usually between 3-5 dB change). Of course, a properly level matched ABX test will shine far more light on what is at work here, but I’ve yet see one, either in the audio press, or here.

jgatie

How are they supposed to “update” something that is already bit-perfect to the source?  
 

See above. Ok I’m paraphrasing! Maybe even mis quoting!! 😂😂Clearly it is not ‘bit perfect’ though. Nor do I care. If it sounds good! Unfortunately it doesn’t. 
The implication was that the Port was putting out an un processed digital signal. It isn’t in variable mode. I don’t want to get in a fight about it. 

Also, I don’t need to do a level matched A/B test. The differences are not ‘subtle’ enough to be a mis match of volume. 
I’m not disputing that confirmation bias is not a real phenomenon. Just that I really don’t think this is a case of that & Sonos have pretty much come out & said as much.

F
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Just to close off this thread. Couldn’t get on with the sound from the Port at all in the end. Picked up a 2018 version of the Connect on eBay. Much better sound (to my ears) & considerably cheaper to boot! 
Thanks to all for you input on this. 

F
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Neither link goes anywhere except to the top of this page.  InSided sucks.  But I’ll take your “paraphrasing” comment as an admission that I never said it was impossible (because I know I didn’t).   

 

As to your quote - At fixed output, it is most certainly bit-perfect.  If you were talking about variable output, well then by definition it is not bit-perfect, and thus is open to all sorts of updates.  I apologize for assuming you were speaking about fixed output, as I have repeatedly said in this and other threads that the Variable setting tosses all definitive,objective comparisons out the window.  Why you would think I was talking about an output that is by very definition not bit-perfect when I mentioned something being bit-perfect is puzzling.  

 


The quote was yours about it being bit perfect. I just don’t don’t know how to link back to it, so I just copy & pasted it! Sorry! Yes it was a misquote. For that I apologise. 
My point was that you jumped in to say that I must be wrong without reading the thread fully. No offence taken. I assumed that you had read the thread & knew that I was using ‘variable’. 

F
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Yet another review echoing my findings with the port. Using coax output a/b’d with the Connect. Over at Tech Hive....

https://www.techhive.com/article/3546333/sonos-port-review.html

 

jgatie


The quote was yours about it being bit perfect. I just don’t don’t know how to link back to it, so I just copy & pasted it! Sorry! Yes it was a misquote. For that I apologise. 
My point was that you jumped in to say that I must be wrong without reading the thread fully. No offence taken. I assumed that you had read the thread & knew that I was using ‘variable’. 

 

I never once said you were wrong.  I asked a question, assuming (wrongly) that you were talking about Fixed volume (hence the bit-perfect reference), since Fixed volume is the only objective way to make a comparison.  If you had answered “I wasn’t using Fixed volume, so I’m not talking about bit-perfect”, I would have said “Oh, sorry for assuming. Yeah, that can definitely be different”

F
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The quote was yours about it being bit perfect. I just don’t don’t know how to link back to it, so I just copy & pasted it! Sorry! Yes it was a misquote. For that I apologise. 
My point was that you jumped in to say that I must be wrong without reading the thread fully. No offence taken. I assumed that you had read the thread & knew that I was using ‘variable’. 

 

I never once said you were wrong.  I asked a question, assuming (wrongly) that you were talking about Fixed volume (hence the bit-perfect reference), since Fixed volume is the only objective way to make a comparison.  If you had answered “I wasn’t using Fixed volume, so I’m not talking about bit-perfect”, I would have said “Oh, sorry for assuming. Yeah, that can definitely be different”

I didn’t know that variable wasn’t bit - perfect. I know very little about how digital information is passed. All I know is my ears & my gear. To be honest it wasn’t just you. I was just a bit sick of being made to feel like I was imagining something when if I could just sit people down they would’ve heard the difference very clearly. It seems that people get pretty touchy about this gear. 😂
Anyway, the Port has gone back, I’ve got S2 running in my lounge via the Gen 2 connect which sounds excellent in variable mode & I’ve saved  a load of dosh..So I’m happy now. 👍

ratty

I did experiment with a new Dac last week. It was a Beresford Caiman Seg. That really opened the sound of the port up.

Don’t you think that points to your DAC(s) as being the source of the ‘problem’, such as it is?

 

However the Bass was a little too tame for me.

Again, that sounds like the DAC.

 

Do you still have your connect units @ratty?

I had ZP80s, from 2007-08, and they’ve all gone now. 

F
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Well, bare with me! Think I’m going to have to start a new thread called ‘ Sonos Port an apology!’.

Had to send back the Connect I bought from eBay as it was faulty. Hadn’t sent back the Port yet so dug it out for one last try. It updated when I plugged it in & now it sounds wonderful! Don’t know if, it was confirmation bias all along or whether simply rebooting the device triggered something but I am now 100% happy with the Port! 

What Hifi are talking out of their backsides!!

Cheers for all of your help,

 

F
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I agree that it does sound like the Dac is the problem, however, the Rdac  was perfectly acceptable with the connect.

I thought I would try the new Dac to see what effect (if any) it would have. The Beresford is well known for its amazing soundstage & separation so no surprise that it is exactly what it delivered. 

Not implying that the lack of Bass was anything to do with the Port. I am fully aware that this was down to the Beresford. 

I have no idea what is going on here. I’m having to upgrade perfectly good hardware (my dac) to  account for the drag factor of the port. To get me to a level of sound that I enjoyed with the connect. 
 

I worked out that (including the port) if I kept the Beresford it was going to cost me £530 just to upgrade my hi fi for the privilege of running S2 & the level of SQ would still be below what I had enjoyed. 

The sickener here is that is to all intents & purposes this is  a forced upgrade’ but an ‘upgrade’ it is not!

If you were still in possession of your connects I was going to suggest plugging them back in to have a listen. I think you’d be surprised at the difference. I really do.

luckily I have now passed on my connect also. My ears are now getting more used to the sound of the port as the memory of connect fades.

This however is not how ‘upgrades’ are supposed to be. I should be getting more but unfortunately I’m getting less. I’m also £270 poorer for the privilege as opposed to the aforementioned £530. 

 

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