STEREOPLAYER_LOGO_gold

SERIOUS MUSIC SERVER

About

The STEREOPLAYER is a mature digital source device and conveys a completely analogous music experience.

The development of the STEREOPLAYER was always at the most possible. We do not want to offer component that provides certain features but the ultimate level of a device asset.

We have not wasted a day in the past ten years not to question our own product. A compilation of carefully selected hardware and software components in a modular structure. Future-proof, durable and with a sound performance at the reference level.

Operating System

The STEREOPLAYER has an ultra-light Linux operating system developed by Roon. It was optimized for the tasks that are related to the administration and reproduction of audio signals and is extremely reliable.

Server Software

The ROON Core, which is installed on the STEREOPLAYER, is the brain of a ROON system. It manages your entire library and provides you with a unique visual context.

Control

The STEREOPLAYER works headless, without a monitor, since all the disturbing influences of the GPU are switched off. The operation is conveniently done using mobile phone, tablet or remote desktop. The app for this is unprecedented, there is no alternative that is even approaching this concept. It is free of charge on all devices.

Hardware

Chassis

High quality chassis made of massive sandblasted aluminum. Minimalist timeless design.

Completely fanless concept, the components are cooled using a special heat pipe system and heat sinks, as is known from power amplifiers.

Well-known rack dimension, thus easy integration into a normal rack.

Computer Power

Every music server has a data center. It is responsible for all control and memory functions.

In normal everyday operation, there are no great demands on its performance. A processor utilization of the main CPU is in the range of zero and one percent. And that is also quite wanted.

However, there are also possible constellations that can result in higher processor utilization.

For example, if you want to influence the audio signal in real time. Or if a DAC is used, which better performs when the music signal is upsampled, a CPU can sweat.

Or if you would like to have corrections processed with the help of convolving, for example to make room corrections.

And last but not least, there is always an unknown when we talk about digital signal processing. We do not know whether a format or processing process will be presented in half a year, in two years or maybe tomorrow that presupposes greater performance potential.

We would like to take this into account and decided very early on choosing an "official" hardware setup as a basic equipment.

This is not common, even leading competitors opt for more economic solutions.

This ranges from Intel-NUC platforms, compact main boards, including preinstalled processor to specific all-in-one, PCB boards, to which all fundamentally necessary component groups have been soldered.

The reasons for this decision are simple.

Because, first of all, all of the setups mentioned work. So it can be concealed. The fact that there can be other constellations mentioned above is simply not addressed and therefore does not immediately catch the eye.

The last and mostly decisive reason is - it is cheaper. Much cheaper. We are talking about up to eighty percent cost savings compared to our hardware.

In addition, there are effects for the manufacturer of such concepts that they are not so unhappy about.

There remains space. And with an all-in-one variant, there is an even more comfortable situation. There is no accessible operating system on these control units. It is a so -called firmware. There is no way to control or change them if the manufacturer does not want it.

This firmware is adapted to the limited hardware resources and these are almost exhausted when they are delivered.

That fits perfectly into a modern business concept.

The device is marketed, the customer gets two to three updates and, after around two years, it is made aware that there is now a newer better product.

Perhaps one of the following statements are familiar to you:

"The device cannot do that, but we have a follow -up model / larger model ..."

“There is no update for your device, it is too old in terms of hardware. We are happy to offer you our new ... "

Not only that this behavior is unnecessary resources of our blue planet, it is also a deliberate frustration for the user when he realizes that his investment is such a short joy.

As you have already recognized, we only use high-quality full aluminum housings and durable components in really every area.

We would be incredibly sad if we had to tell you after a usual life cycle of two years: “Dispose of the old device. Buy a new one. "

That is the reason why we stay with our philosophy.

Our built -in components correspond to the international standard format, which there were already twenty years ago and will certainly also be given in twenty others.

Mainboard with energy-optimized Intel i7-core main processor and 8GB RAM

High quality internal power supply - not a cheap open-frame power supply or plug-in power supply. Completely encapsulated chassis with an energy efficiency of 93%. In contrast to frequently used "open frame power supplies", EMI emissions are completely shielded. Passive operation mode, no forced ventilation (fan).

Samsung SSD Pro for the operating system. Samsung SSD 2TB (other sizes optional) for the music library

(optional)

Teac drive. Special "audio-only" drive as an OEM version. In contrast to multi-drives, much better focus of the audio track. Best rip results

Digital-Analog Conversion

DISCRETE PURE DSD DAC

Analog Out

We build the best DAC in the world.

That's what everyone who introduces a DAC. We also say that, but we don't present what everyone actually presented:

-A DAC, built on a state-of-the-art DAC chip from the largest digital chip houses in the world. Burr-Brown, Sabre, Akm. It is clogged on the supply voltage, with all tricks with transformer and capacitor orgies. At the output amplification, Class-A can be found in Nirvana versions, single ended discrete or tubes in triodes.

-A DAC, built on a NOS DAC chip of the beginnings of the digital age in no oversampling mode and the same effort as just described.

-A DAC, built up from resistor networks that discretely builds the properties of a PCM-NOS-DAC chip, R2R, controlled with an FPGA computer chip and the same effort as just described.

And there is our DAC, the DISCRETE PURE DSD DAC, which simply does everything differently. Simple. Different. We would like to formulate it in the same way.

We are sure that you can create really good converter with all the approaches described above. There is nothing that is not exhausted in the PCM segment, the conventional CD format, and still leaves room for improvement.

When it comes to flesh and blood, analog forensics, we describe the efforts to adapt an analog change to the biometric properties of humans, these concepts remain ours.

We chose the DSD concept. This is old, but should not be a co-criterion, since the terms NOS and tubes have also fallen in the current top notch concepts just mentioned. Old is not synonymous with bad.

In all critical discussions about PCM VS DSD, the same disadvantages of DSD are mentioned.

We can advance that these disadvantages in our concept are simply negligible to be neglected, such as the difficult editability of a DSD file, which only comes into play in music production. Or an increased noise that is not in the listening area and starting with DSD128 principle also outsourced the PCM technology here. In our time, an increased storage demand of DSD files are also negligible, since the storage prices have decreased extremely.

DSD does everything differently.

It makes it better. Unfortunately, the SACD was unable to survive, had economic reasons.

A 1-bit concept is nevertheless easier than a multibit concept. There are only two states 1 or 0.

It is simply possible to trace an analog wave shape by asking the curve at the shortest possible intervals. If a query is "smaller than the one before" you set a zero, it is "larger than that before" you set a one. Consequently, an upsampling in the DSD area is increasing absolutely performance, since the analog signal is asked at shorter intervals and thus getting closer to the analog signal.

It is not for nothing that DSD is also called "digital analogue".

That is the one story. Now you could say, nice, but DSD can do a lot of digital analog converters today.

Not quite right. The omnipotent super chips can do that

NOT WITHOUT INTERNAL INTERIM CONVERSION TO PCM.

The actual advantages of DSD are therefore destroyed again before they can be delivered analog.

If you want to convert a pure conversion without intermediate conversion, however, these super chips are left out. Since there is no finished chip from the shelf, you have to build it yourself. It will be difficult and complex.

But it works. And how!

We gave up all the attempts at compatibility to PCM and only took care of the DSD protocol. You can meet this 100 % with simple discrete components. There is no typical chip sound, there is no programming. It is a rock -solid discrete decoding with the simplicity of a slide.

Then why not everyone else build such a DAC?

It gets a little more difficult because there are several reasons. The DISCRETE PURE DSD DAC is exactly what the title already indicates. Pure DSD. It works overwhelming if you feed it with DSD signals. This does not necessarily have to be native DSD sources, because there are not as many of them as in other formats. But a 44.1kHz PCM Signal also wins after conversion and playback by the DISCRETE PURE DSD DAC of analog authenticity, even an MP3 stream.

However, this conversion requires a potent player who meets this demanding upsampling in real time. The strongest upsample chips can do this up to DSD256. Then it's over. This is where the STEREOPLAYER comes into play, which can fall back on a mighty Intel Core processor, which, by the way, is around six times as expensive as the most exclusive DAC chip, and is able to convert every stream, any source signal on-the-fly to DSD512.

Most DAC developers prefer to trust the trendy highly integrated chips and can brag about compatibility and best measured values. Unfortuntaely you will never achieve the audio nirvana.

Our concept, the combination of a powerful music server with a PURE DISCRETE DSD DAC, reveals you a modern future -proof source component that can actually measure itself with a highest quality analogue setup. A masterpiece.

The heart of every digital source is the digital analog converter

There is no DAC chip, the conversion takes place exclusively with discrete components

The DISCRETE DSD DAC draws its voltage via its own two -stage analog power supply. This is also filtered EMI and DC. The actual highest quality (24 pieces!) voltage regulators are located on the DAC main board, always next to the components that they supply

There is no output amplifier. The signal isolated galvanically, optionally single ended via cinch or really symmetrical via XLR

The connection to the mainboard is asynchronous via USB. Even the I2S Interface is modified at seven places in hardware and programmed with special firmware

Testimonials

Feedback

"... because when it comes to a source device of the highest demands, apolitan is still a real insider tip for me, which can really look forward to any comparison to devices from well -known competitors ..."
Martin R.
Customer
Part1: "... that worked out and sounds right and without warm -up time at the first album of the" AmbitioS Lovers - Lust "very pleasant. Wow. This disc is completely new to me. A live recording from '75 from a club with a lot of atmosphere: you can hear conversations, laugh, cough, dishes and glasses. Experience first. Now it also goes through the speaker - very fascinating! Where does the information come from suddenly that all sounds/noises (and of course the instruments!) Are so well arranged on this disc in the room? (Even my thick turntable Very nicely dissolving Benz SL system does not succeed as well as your DAC). In addition, otherwise "sharp or shrill" - so rather height -heavy pieces sound softer when listening for the first time and somehow "Ausha Ltbar ”… (I only heard three of these known torque numbers, but notices immediately. Sorry for my writing diarrhea, but I am only a bit perplexed here and I have to express my astonishment. "Part2: Only yesterday I switched from your DSD-DAC to my aqua la scala after a week of daily hearing. Music heard intensively all evening. I was very flabbergasted that my expectation that it would of course sound "different" but not necessarily worse, added a different experience. It occurred to a certain disillusionment that I actually lack something. Disillusionment as I would, not by constantly listening to the La Scala DAC, would give myself away from my impression that was given during the week. Also expensive. Even when feeling the sound, the old Voltaire saying seems to have the better than enemy of the good, unrestricted validity ... What did I find better? Solution and spatial arrangement of instruments and voices in the room. I have only really learned to appreciate certain live recordings, like the already mentioned Jim Hall. But after a certain time of hearing, I could also relax music that I had perceived as a little unentential to even nervous until then. I don't know and somehow I don't care about my music hobbies, but the effect is irritatingly obvious: it sounds clearer and very pleasant in a certain way. In this respect - and the long speech short sense - I only have to ask you what we do now if I were reluctant to send the good piece back ...? Kind regards sends an enthusiastic
Michael S.
Customer
"... I can only say that the effort was worth it. I would buy the music server again exactly ..."
Ekkehart T.
Customer
"Thank you for the test device. After three days and initial start-up difficulties, I have now been able to get a first picture. Your fears that I would take the test device can" unfortunately "confirm ;-) In addition to many things, it is in particular Three to four parameters that the DAC makes different from my (...): rather dark timbre, which remains very authentic at higher volume. In my opinion Worked out. Room resonances in the bass in my 10 m long room are largely eliminated, which speaks for a very differentiated reproduction of the bass impulses. In general, the structures of the low -tone components, even compared to the (...), which takes up a good position here, are again 2 classes more finely worked out. So, I would like to keep it. "
Andreas S.
Customer
"Admittedly, I couldn't really make friends with digital music and the associated players. Perhaps it was also because my best friend was forced me to buy a CD player in the early days of the CD. Until then, the good old vinyl sacred. When listening to music on CD, I always lacked something. I was more likely to consume digital music and rarely enjoy it properly. Even the best CD players could not inspire me permanently, whether accuphase, forsell or music Components. And then there has been streaming - mega convenient, huge music selection and master quality for several years. You could think: What does the music -loving heart want more? However, even here I am - even with various different components - never permanently happy became. My reference remained the vinyl. A few years ago I started to change my facility. away from the award -winning test winners au S of mass production and towards small manufacturers who develop exceptional high -end with a lot of expertise and lots of passion. In this context, I became aware of the apolitan. What should I talk around the hot porridge? In my view, Oliver Winkler is just a type of developer in which the heart beats for music. After the first phone call, I had a very good feeling. With his philosophy of music and its reproduction, I was able to identify myself immediately. Then made an appointment, drive there and picked up a device for a trial. The usability is very easy, I find the design appealing and timeless. Since I already had a necessary Roon account, nothing stood in the way of music enjoyment. And in my eyes, music enjoyment is exactly the right description. Everything is right for me. No digital hardness. The music is just there. Everything as it should be. The sound of this wonderful apolitan completely inspired me. The first time after so many years I had goose bumps with digital music. Apolitan plays pure music without any effects. I can completely indulge in music and relax. Even the little hairs on the body regularly give feedback that everything is right. Thanks for this extraordinary product. The purchase decision was made quickly. For me, the apolitan now means: digital music - very happy, at any time. :-) "
Markus T.
Customer

Configuration

After many years with a wide variety of configuration options, we decided to offer the reference configuration as standard. Because even the customers who initially chose an entry-level configuration all ordered the upgrades for reference configuration later. Only the storage capacity of the library hard drive and the definition of a STEREOPLAYER with or without ripping drive are coordinated in advance.

Technical Specifications

Audio Output

Digital Out

USB 2.0 (supports USB Audio Class 2), DOP, Native DSD

Connections

Ethernet

1x RJ45 Ethernet

USB

2x USB 2.0 (DAC), 2x USB 3.0 (Backup)

Formats

CD Format

Red Book

CD compatibility

CD, CD-R, CD-RW

Audio formats for ripping

FLAC (lossless), WAV (lossless)

Audio formats for playback and streaming

WAV, AIFF, FLAC, ALAC, AAC, MP3

Sample Rates

Sample Rates

Native up to DSD512

Bit Depths

16bit, 24bit, 32bit

Control options | Interfaces

Web Interface

Web browser via any Internet browser: Windows, Linux and OSX

Smart Mobile

App for iPhone/iPad, Android and Windows

Autonomous

Control via monitor, keyboard and mouse

Hardware

CD drive

(optional) TEAC „audio only“ Slot-loading drive

Hard drive for the operating system

Samsung SSD Pro

Hard drive for the music library

Samsung SSD 2TB (optional 1TB, 4TB, 8TB)

CPU

Intel i7 Core

RAM

8GB

Streaming | Ripping

Streaming Services

Qobuz, Tidal, Internet Radio

Roon compatibility

Roon Core und Roon Bridge

 

CD Metadata

automatically

Requirements

LAN Connection

LAN Internet connection to have access to album meta files, for streaming services and the internet radio as well as for software updates

 

Recommended APP

Roon Remote (iOS and Windows)

 

Account

For streaming services such as Qobuz or Tidal, usage costs are incurred, depending on the provider

Power

IEC

230V AC / 115V AC

Physically

Dimensions width x height x depth in mm

440 x 117 x 319

Weight

ca. 10kg

Package Contents

STEREOPLAYER, completely preconfigured

Power Cord

Every STEREOPLAYER is hand build with passion in Germany.

Delivery time
A manufacturing time of 3-5 weeks can be expected.
 
Prices

We have deliberately not shown prices on our online presence. If you send us an email, we will of course be happy to send you a price list.

 
 
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