I used DRA Labs' MLSSA system and a calibrated DPA 4006 microphone to measure the Bowers & Wilkins 705 S3's behavior in the farfield, and an Earthworks QTC-40 mike for the nearfield responses. I left off the grille that covers the woofer for the measurements.
B&W specifies the 705 S3's sensitivity as 88dB/2.83V/m. My B-weighted estimate was a little higher, at 88.9dB(B)/2.83V/m. The 705 S3's nominal impedance is specified as 8 ohms…
Having just written that, I'm picturing scores of vinyl lovers laughing smugly as they read about such server…
Output is more complicated. Antipodes considers I2S (provided over HDMI or RJ45) the Oladra's best-sounding output. It's the only output that can deliver up to PCM 32/384, DSD256 via DoP, and DSD512 native DSD, but many DACs (including my three-piece dCS Vivaldi Apex stack) cannot accept I2S. Other choices, in Antipodes's order of sound-quality preference, are AES3, S/PDIF (BNC and RCA), and USB…
Description: Dedicated music server/ streamer with R21 Reclocker. Input: Ethernet (RJ45). Outputs: Direct Stream Ethernet, USB 2.0 handles PCM to 32/768, DoP to DSD256, native DSD to DSD512; AES3 (XLR) handles PCM to 24/192 and DoP to DSD64; S/PDIF on BNC & RCA & TosLink (3 separate outputs) handles PCM to 24/192 and DoP to DSD64; I2S on HDMI & RJ45 handles PCM to 32/384, DoP to DSD256, and Native DSD to DSD512. Storage: 3-Bay SSD user-installable SSD Slide-Ins up to 24TB.
Dimensions: 17.5" (445mm) W × 15.7" (400mm) D × 3.2" (80mm) H. Weight: 46lb…
Digital sources: dCS Vivaldi Apex DAC, Vivaldi Upsampler Plus, and Vivaldi Master Clock; Uptone Audio EtherRegen, AfterDark Giesemann Emperor Double Crown Master Clock, and Nordost QNet Ethernet Switch, all powered by Nordost QSource linear power supplies (2); Synology 5-bay 1019+ NAS, Small Green Computer Sonore Deluxe opticalModule, Linksys mesh router and Arris modem, all powered by HDPlex 300 linear power supply; Apple 2017 iPad Pro and 2017 MacBook Pro laptop with 2.8GHz Intel i7, SSD, 16GB RAM.
Preamplifier: Dan D'Agostino Momentum HD.
Power…
Because the Antipodes Oladra, like music library/reclocker/server solutions from Melco, Aurender, Auralic, Innuos and others, is a data-storage and -delivery device, any technical or subjective uplift in performance—over a conventional NAS or PC/Mac USB solution—can only be inferred via an attached, third-party streaming player or DAC. Identifying any reduction in jitter or circulating RF interference from the Oladra also depends on the efficacy of the USB receiver's jitter suppression and/or galvanic isolation; a USB DAC with excellent data recovery/reclocking may…
Nothing worked as it should. The stalk for the blinkers was missing; I substituted a screwdriver. The radio was like a wavering zombie: dead one day, sputtering to life the next. I got well acquainted…
Traces of the RS520's Koreanness surfaced occasionally. Tap on the RosePodcast icon and then on Genres, and you get a screenful of Hangul characters (the Korean alphabet). RoseFM attempts to pull in Korean stations as the factory default, although changing that to the US or another country is trivial. One of the icons on the display…
Description: Solid state Roon Ready streamer, DAC, and GaN FET–based class-D integrated amplifier with a 12.6" TFT LCD touchscreen (1920 × 510 pixel resolution). DAC section utilizes ESS ES9038PRO chip. Custom Android 7.1 OS. Infrared remote control included. Dedicated phone app available for download. Frequency range: 20Hz–90kHz. Continuous power: (at 1% THD) 250W into 8 ohms (24dBW) and 4 ohms (21dBW). Dynamic power: (at 1% THD): 248W into 8 ohms (24dBW), 500W into 4 ohms (24dBW), 428W into 2 ohms (20.3dBW), 235W into 1 ohm (14.7dBW). Input impedance: 100k ohms…
Digital sources: 16" MacBook Pro M1 Max running Roon 2.0. Roon ROCK (Lenovo ThinkCentre). Auralic Vega DAC. Naim Uniti Atom controlled via iPad Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max.
Preamplifiers: Benchmark HPA4, Naim Uniti Atom.
Power amplifiers: Krell FPB 200c (recapped). PrimaLuna EVO 400 integrated amp with Tung-Sol KT150 and Gold Lion platinum 12AU7 tubes. Anthem STR integrated.
Loudspeakers: Tekton Moab, Focal Scala Utopia EVO, Raidho TD3.8.
Subwoofers: Two SVS 3000 Micro, Hsu VTF-2 Mk5.
Cables: AudioQuest, Blue Jeans, Clarus, Nordost, RSX,…