Set-up
Contents
Set-up 1:
Speakers
Audio Physic Spark ii
Amplifier
Naim Nait XS2
Ricable Dedalus Mk1 speaker cable
Streaming
Dlink DGS-108 switch with LHY LPS25VA power supply
Belden Catsnake Cat5e ethernet cable
Art Speak SPDIF
Power
Audes ST900 balanced power transformer
Essential Audio Tools cables
Set-up 2:
- TAD Evolution Two
- Pass Labs XP-12 and X-150.8
- Sonnet Pasithea d/a converter (for comparison)
- AlphaPC (streaming bridge) with Jcat USB and Ethernet
- Pura Dodo power supply on Jcat cards
- Mutec MC3 USB / Mutec REF10-120
- Isotek Titan V5 filter for Pass X150.8
- YETI Reference 1000 for sources
- Yeti power-cables on all devices
- Van den Hul The Nova
- Van den Hul CNT XLR interconnect
- Grimm TPM XLR interlink
- PSI AVAA active bass traps
- Simple unbranded copper ethernet cables
- Dlink DGS-108 switch with nameless linear power supply
- Supra mains block
Music
The following tracks are mentioned in the review:
- Georg Solti, London Philharmonic Orchestra – opera “Carmen” by George Bizet – Kiri Te Kanawa and Placido Domingo – “Parle-moi de ma mère!“
- Fink – Beauty In Your Wake – “Be Forever Like A Curse“
- Mammal Hands – Captured Spirits – “Spiral Stair“
- Mammal Hands – Gift from the Trees – “Labyrinth“
Got me the Rivo+ & Lineo5 combo recently as an upgrade to my 1st gen Auralic Aries femto.
The Auralic had already been upgraded with an Sbooster PSU, but the Rivo+ and Lineo5 combo is clearly in another league.
The results with two DACs (Denafrips and Norma Audio) are equally impressive.
So much for “bits are bits”. Dang!
The Denafrips is R2R, and has quite a soft sound profile, so I guess the Rivo+ adds the right amount of spice into it. I am curious about the Norma DAC. They have their own design, which is relatively rare. How would compare it soundwise to your Denafrips?
The Denafrips is the 2022 Venus II, upgraded with the latest 2023 “12th” firmware. That moved the sound from “mellow and sweet” a good bit into the direction “modern”.
The Norma REVO DS-2 sounds still a bit more precise, grippy, palpable. It’s really astounding. Drums, snares, plucked guitars… no digitalitis, just engaging sound. Cello and Violins – you can feel the strings under the bow.
I didn’t know the brand at all, but had the chance to borrow it from my brick’n mortar dealer only to buy one after listening to it in my home system.
Great supplementary review of a streamer that’s been tested many times worldwide with more or less the same verdict. No one will say the Rivo+ is a mediocre streamer. Yet, I ultimately opted for the Rivo without the plus. 1 – I only had to pay €600 for it. 2 – I exclusively stream Qobuz and don’t use a NAS. I only use Qobuz Connect, which I prefer. 3 – I already had a nice PDcreative power supply. And 4 – and most importantly – the Rivo is connected via USB to a Denafrips Hermes DDC, which serves as a central hub (Audiolab CD transport is also connected to this, which makes for a beautiful combination). Unfortunately, the Rivo’s front doesn’t look very nice with my black setup, but my wife made a nice solution for that 😊. Thanks for the great review 👍