100% enjoyment
Contents
Nice experiments like this, where we want to go is to use the Melco N10 as storage and connect it to the network player via the Player port. The LAN port is the link to the Roon NUC. Melco explicitly does not want a switch behind the Player port in order not to disrupt the data connection. If necessary, you can place an AQVox switch there, but we don’t recommend that either.
The Melco N10 has been playing in the set since the beginning of January 2019, almost daily, so that a large part of the music library has been reviewed. From heavy classical work to light pop and everything in between.
Justification?
The price of the Melco N10P may be justified by the fact that the wall behind the speakers is virtually meters to the rear. The speakers themselves have virtually disappeared from the room. Music comes from “somewhere”, with a stereo image that has grown in every way and has become much, much looser.
That’s not all. It has been established by several listeners that sung lyrics are suddenly much easier to understand, easier to follow, come across as more natural. The details that previously appeared as in a search picture are now continuous and not just to be heard with trained ears that know what to look for. An enormous tranquillity with a dead quiet background characterizes the reproduction. Music flows, enchants and is more playful. Low notes get more slamm, without increasing in volume, high notes are more intense, more natural and for violin softer in nature. Drive is increasing, it’s mainly the experience of music and emotion where profits have been made by a middle area that is opening up.
Ripping
Melco has had the D100 ripper/player available for some time now. Another blurry thing; is a file ripped on an NAD or other machine different from a file ripped on a D100 linked to an N10?
To investigate that, the CD’s reappeared after years, the offset of the D100 was adjusted correctly in the N10 and we made new rips. In FLAC with a compression of 5, just like the NAD does. After listening carefully, it can be concluded that the D100 rips just a bit better than any other drive. Something more spacious, more natural you may call it, unfortunately these are also elusive concepts.
In FLAC without compression or in WAV there is a small superlative. Let’s put it this way, if you spend as much money on a Melco store as you do on an Melco N10P, take the D100 to rip. If you’ve ripped all the music before, grab the most important CDs and leave the rest for what it is. Gives a great result by importing a backup made on another machine via USB, ripping from a D100 is fairly fast, flawless and the result is the best that can be achieved.
