Antipodes Owners - Systems - Whats Best at Your House

tom539

Active Member
Dec 28, 2021
47
140
40
50
5DDBBD68-0611-461F-9280-EE2E8363B1CE.jpeg

atb, Tom
 

gentcan

Member
Jun 15, 2022
66
18
13
51
Antipodes Oladra from S30.
CH Precision C1, soon to be upgraded to C1.2.
Audionet Stern preamp.
Audia Flight Strumento 8.
Magico Q3.
Double switches Renolabs.
 
  • Like
Reactions: ctydwn and OLADRA

ricjor1

Well-Known Member
Oct 13, 2012
214
162
948
Currently using an Antipodes S40 with the S60 and K21. Would like to go from my S40S/60 combination to the K41, but I don't have the opportunity to compare the S40/S60 to the K41 in my system prior to purchase. A dealer told me going from the S40/S60 to the K41 wasn't significant enough of difference, unless I required additional storage.
So, I trusted Mark Cole and ordered the K41 to go with my K21. Out of the box, cold, my system simply sounds better. I'm so happy that after listening to several songs I emailed Mark to thank him. Mark posted on this thread that there is a "massive" difference between my S40/S60 combination and K41. Instead of saying massive or night and day, this is the best testimony that I can provide. My plan is to compare a DCS Rossini DAC to my Chord Dave. I recently compared my Dave to the Bartok, but preferred the Dave. If I don't hear a big enough of a difference between the Rossini and Dave, I'm already considering going to the Oladra. This is a crazy hobby!
 

kennyb123

Well-Known Member
Nov 30, 2012
856
793
1,155
Kirkland, WA
So, I trusted Mark Cole and ordered the K41 to go with my K21. Out of the box, cold, my system simply sounds better. I'm so happy that after listening to several songs I emailed Mark to thank him.
Congrats! Happy to hear it.
 
  • Like
Reactions: F208Frank

tom539

Active Member
Dec 28, 2021
47
140
40
50
Switch the K50 from silver to black - fits the setup optical much better, for my upinion... :cool:

DSC03679.JPG

Full setup:
DSC03675.JPG

atb, Tom
 

ricjor1

Well-Known Member
Oct 13, 2012
214
162
948
In my humble opinion, changing from my S40/S60 combination to the K41 has as much impact as adding subwoofers.
 

OLADRA

Industry Expert
Aug 9, 2022
67
116
40
58
New Zealand
antipodes.audio
Soulution, Magico, DeBaer, Antipodes - Munich 2022

See you in 2023

321044752_1111084492888309_4938257016712894088_n.jpg
 

Audire

VIP/Donor
Jan 18, 2019
1,479
1,830
330
FL Panhandle
  • Like
Reactions: OLADRA

kennyb123

Well-Known Member
Nov 30, 2012
856
793
1,155
Kirkland, WA

OLADRA

Industry Expert
Aug 9, 2022
67
116
40
58
New Zealand
antipodes.audio

ricjor1

Well-Known Member
Oct 13, 2012
214
162
948
It's been a month since I've received the K41. Spacing and a far less "digital" sound are the two attributes that standout with the K41. It's crazy how much a music server impacts the sound.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Pokey77

kennyb123

Well-Known Member
Nov 30, 2012
856
793
1,155
Kirkland, WA
It's crazy how much a music server impacts the sound.
I couldn’t agree more. It’s baffling in some respects. I think too many don’t to hear how good their DAC really is because they have ignored the server.
 

Parsons

Well-Known Member
Mar 31, 2018
101
80
113
Ohio
I haven't made the jump to the newest Antipodes servers yet (EX/CX currently, but looking forward to doing so based on the feedback here and elsewhere), but for those of you with the top Antipodes servers, I would strongly suggest you experiment with top external clocks, network switches, network cables, and obviously better DACs behind the server. I suspect that as good as your servers sound now, you will get even more out of them with improvements before and after. It all adds up and it's exciting.
 

kennyb123

Well-Known Member
Nov 30, 2012
856
793
1,155
Kirkland, WA
but for those of you with the top Antipodes servers, I would strongly suggest you experiment with top external clocks, network switches, network cables, and obviously better DACs behind the server. I suspect that as good as your servers sound now, you will get even more out of them with improvements before and after. It all adds up and it's exciting.
This is all very true. It’s been my experience though that the server matters far more. I think one has the potential to gain a lot more by applying dollars to the source, but “everything matters” in this hobby so doing all these other things matter very much too.
 

ricjor1

Well-Known Member
Oct 13, 2012
214
162
948
This is all very true. It’s been my experience though that the server matters far more. I think one has the potential to gain a lot more by applying dollars to the source, but “everything matters” in this hobby so doing all these other things matter very much too.
Based on my experience I agree with you...in my system I hear more differences between the Antipodes S40 and K41, than I did between the Chord Dave DAC and DCS Bartok.
 
  • Like
Reactions: F208Frank

kennyb123

Well-Known Member
Nov 30, 2012
856
793
1,155
Kirkland, WA
Based on my experience I agree with you...in my system I hear more differences between the Antipodes S40 and K41, than I did between the Chord Dave DAC and DCS Bartok.
I think in general the mainstream audio magazines have done us a disservice by not emphasizing the optimum approach for assembling a system. I wasted money along the way because I mistakenly believed the DAC mattered more than the server.
 

microstrip

VIP/Donor
May 30, 2010
20,806
4,698
2,790
Portugal
(...) I wasted money along the way because I mistakenly believed the DAC mattered more than the server.

Well, I can't understand what "matters more " means in a system. Everything matters in a system, a poor choice in any component of the system can make it sound poor.
 

kennyb123

Well-Known Member
Nov 30, 2012
856
793
1,155
Kirkland, WA
Well, I can't understand what "matters more " means in a system. Everything matters in a system, a poor choice in any component of the system can make it sound poor.
Everything matters but the source sets the agenda for everything that follows. Poor choices are another matter. What I’m taking about is how the zero sum game can best be achieved when one has budget constraints.

For example, I would take a $10,000 K30 driving a $1500 Gustard x26pro over a $5000 Innuos Zenith Mk3 driving $6725 Chord TT2. None of those components represent a poor choice individually but if one has only $12,000 to spend, appropriating far more to the server strikes me as being the much better way to go.

(I am speaking from experience here as I moved to the former combo from the latter and it was one of the best moves I’ve made).
 
  • Like
Reactions: Pokey77 and ricjor1

ricjor1

Well-Known Member
Oct 13, 2012
214
162
948
Based on my experience I agree with you...in my system I hear more differences between the Antipodes S40 and K41, than I did between the Chord Dave DAC and DCS Bartok.

Everything matters but the source sets the agenda for everything that follows. Poor choices are another matter. What I’m taking about is how the zero sum game can best be achieved when one has budget constraints.

For example, I would take a $10,000 K30 driving a $1500 Gustard x26pro over a $5000 Innuos Zenith Mk3 driving $6725 Chord TT2. None of those components represent a poor choice individually but if one has only $12,000 to spend, appropriating far more to the server strikes me as being the much better way to go.

(I am speaking from experience here as I moved to the former combo from the latter and it was one of the best moves I’ve made).
To your point, now that I've heard the K41 and K21 together, I'm considering the Oladra as my next purchase, as opposed to spending more money on a DAC. I love the K41/K21 combination so much, I'm curious to hear the Oladra.
 
  • Like
Reactions: kennyb123

Parsons

Well-Known Member
Mar 31, 2018
101
80
113
Ohio
Everything matters but the source sets the agenda for everything that follows. Poor choices are another matter. What I’m taking about is how the zero sum game can best be achieved when one has budget constraints.

For example, I would take a $10,000 K30 driving a $1500 Gustard x26pro over a $5000 Innuos Zenith Mk3 driving $6725 Chord TT2. None of those components represent a poor choice individually but if one has only $12,000 to spend, appropriating far more to the server strikes me as being the much better way to go.

(I am speaking from experience here as I moved to the former combo from the latter and it was one of the best moves I’ve made).

I very much agree w/ your way of thinking here--especially at the relative price levels you're suggesting. But I might make the additional comment that overspending on the server relative to the DAC could be a miss at higher price points. You might make the same argument with the opposite (overspending on a DAC w/o the server), but that wasn't exactly the case for me.

For standalone DAC-to-DAC improvements, the jump in SQ can be similar in my experience to the jump in servers, especially when going from something like a PS Audio Directstream (a very solid DAC) to a Rossini w/ clock (in my particular case). That was an improvement that almost shocked me. Running Qobuz directly through the Rossini (bypassing Roon and my CX/EX) still sounds very, very good--not as good as through the servers--but a ton better than the CX/EX combo with a more meager DAC like the Directstream, a Concert Fidelity, the Chord, and a Formula, among many less expensive from there.

I haven't yet heard the Oladra (or a K series) and will assume from this thread and others that it's also a shocking improvement over my EX/CX combo (which was a shocking improvement itself over previous purpose-built servers I had).

And if I pull out the Mutec and SOTM switches, all my combos of above items drop a performance level...somehow the "filtering" / "isolation" / "timing" (or whatever those devices are providing) is additive to the server / DAC improvements (assuming you are streaming and keeping it network attached).

Good stuff!
 

About us

  • What’s Best Forum is THE forum for high end audio, product reviews, advice and sharing experiences on the best of everything else. This is THE place where audiophiles and audio companies discuss vintage, contemporary and new audio products, music servers, music streamers, computer audio, digital-to-analog converters, turntables, phono stages, cartridges, reel-to-reel tape machines, speakers, headphones and tube and solid-state amplification. Founded in 2010 What’s Best Forum invites intelligent and courteous people of all interests and backgrounds to describe and discuss the best of everything. From beginners to life-long hobbyists to industry professionals, we enjoy learning about new things and meeting new people, and participating in spirited debates.

Quick Navigation

User Menu

Steve Williams
Site Founder | Site Owner | Administrator
Ron Resnick
Site Co-Owner | Administrator
Julian (The Fixer)
Website Build | Marketing Managersing