Hi, I bought an SOTM SMS 200. I haven't compared it to any other similar product, but compared to my CD player or Laptop, it ticks the hifi tick boxes (greater transparency, and more details emerge due to perhaps lower noise levels (e.g. texture of bass), wider soundstage and it also helps the musical cause. I am very happy with this purchase (available in India with the Surat based Absolute Sound). For futher details read on.
I have been itching to buy a streamer for a while. While there were many (ahem) "reasons", essentially, I wanted to see what it about. However, a bum internet connection at home, my tehnophobia, love for physical media and the need for ethernet kept me away.
However, I decided to take the plunge. I also ordered a Netgear N300 wifi extender, which has an ethernet out and hence could be used (I did consider powerline extenders as well, but owing to costs, decided not to go for it till I was sure how the streamer would work).
I initially tried to set it up using my main router modem , but could not get to the Eunhasu (which is the software that controls the SOTM) site. I gave the device to my friend, who with a little help from his friends, set it up. Overall, he was happy with the potential, rather than the sound, believing that a better quality power supply would help. Thank you BPD, for without this, it may well be sitting in the box. Fortunately, I had a 12V linear power supply at home (yeah, DIY bugs bite hard - I made it with the Teddy Pardo super regulator), and it also helped that the SOTM accepts a wide Voltage Range.
So yesterday, I took a deep breath and decided to go for it. I must admit wasnt easy (local buying would also mean that Jignesh from Absolute Sound can help), and he's super good with this.
Eunhasu loaded finally, but it wasn’t intuitive – the manual is skimpy, and the one on the net which is more detailed doesn’t help either. I was going to use DLNA/MPD using JRiver as the player. The use of a wifi extender created its own set of problems and I got around that by referencing both the extender and router using Static connection mode. Fortunately, the DAC got recognised, which I took it as a “sign”.
(Unrelated problems). My Mac had a depressing problem of audio getting muted out (initially, the Mute was permanently greyed out in Sound Preferences, one which I overcame by going to Audio Midi and removing mute, and finally, sticking my headphones into the output jack. Finally, with the power of internet searches, got JRiver going as the source.
There was sound, and then music! I listened the Rachmaninoff’s Trio Elegiaque (the one with Berezovsky), Symphony No. 2 (which I have started to love ever since I saw the movie The Birdman), Schiff playing Bach’s Well Tempered Klavier, Scriabin Piano Preludes with Lettberg, Stravinsky’s The Rites of Spring (Gergiev’s mayhem), assorted Jazz including Sonny Rollins’ I’m an Old Cowhand (listen closely, and you can hear Shelly Manne "speaking out" his solo as he plays it, which is great fun), Brubeck’s Take 5, Nat King Cole Trio, James Newton’s brilliant African Flower and Art Farmer’s Five Spot After Dark (about four minutes of joy), and Rumours from Fleewood Mac.
All the albums benefited from greater transparency, with increasing detail being evident (compared to my CD player playing through the same DAC). Notably, the bass output and quality (texture) also was much better (my Graham 5/9 cut off at about 50Hz), but without muddying up the the midrange. The treble was clean with no irritation. The soundstage also very good - wide! The sound was so clean that I was turning up the volume (fortunately it was New Year’s Eve) to enjoy myself. The sound also seemed to get better as the evening progressed (and no, I wasnt drinking!). However, some network issues cropped up now and then, but also they seem to go away (so you can be sure I wont be abandoning my CD player and LP player).
So I shut down reluctantly last night. Will it work as easily again? Fingers crossed. Importantly, get a good network connection..those who have “LAN” via cables at home will find this a breeze.
Perhaps worth setting up a separate thread in "Media Streamers". However, it helps if everything is in one place, so I put in here.
I have not listened to any other streamers (yes, I have Googled "MicroRendu SOTM compare"
). I am happy with this one - the price is right, but I would recommend adding a better quality Power Supply (and other audio voodoo).
from their system.
and did waste my energy. First make your source better, then all other things will fall in place simultaneously as per my experience YMMV.
