Question Peachtree GaN 1

[Gray]

Cheers Gray!

Oh yeah, it's pricey.

Where's the 200W per channel Class D streamer running BluOS from Cyrus?

Funny enough, Cyrus announced a collaboration with Bluesound some time ago.
Wouldn't be surprised if something materialises soon but, as you say, it's not going to be cheap.

 

[podknocker]

Notwithstanding the current vinyl, cassette, wind up gramophone comebacks, I do think Cyrus et al, will move away from CD players and streaming devices will gradually replace them. They might still have options for onboard, or offboard processing, or preamps, like they have done for ages. The DAB/ FM tuner went and I don't see a tuner returning.

I can see a streamer/DAC/preamp, with 1 or 2 power amp options, along with an integrated. I don't mind a few boxes in the model range, but I don't like many model ranges. I don't think they offer anything really different and I would rather Cyrus had the top range only and were a bit more reasonable with the prices.

I see anything in a lower Cyrus range as 'inferior' and something that's involved having corners cut. Just belt out the latest stuff and be proud of it. Just keep prices sensible.

 

[npxavar]

I heard the GaN 1 is limited to 24/192 which is enough, but I wondered if my Omnia would send a signal at too high bitrate for the GaN1 and there would be silence.

Reading through the specification on the official website, there is no mention of digital outputs on the Omnia.

 

[Gray]

....can't imagine myself paying 2-3 grand for anything with streaming built-in, with the risk of switch-offs at somebody's whim.

I chose the Raspberry Pi due to a choice of free operating systems.....and not too much financial loss if things get discontinued.

 

[npxavar]

I chose the Raspberry Pi due to a choice of free operating systems.....and not too much financial loss if things get discontinued.

With a Raspberry Pi you can always upgrade the software. The only way it becomes "discontinued" is because of hardware, like new sockets for connecting to other devices.

 

[podknocker]

....can't imagine myself paying 2-3 grand for anything with streaming built-in, with the risk of switch-offs at somebody's whim.

I chose the Raspberry Pi due to a choice of free operating systems.....and not too much financial loss if things get discontinued.

The backlash would be huge, if BLuOS, or even DTS was removed from devices, or no longer supported. I think streamers are here to stay and there is money to be made, offering products with this option. Someone will do it.

BluSound and NAD are probably here for the long haul. I am wary about a £3k Leema Quasar having an in house app and then the company disappears. I'm not sure if the device would need regular updates, to maintain it's functionality.

 

[podknocker]

Reading through the specification on the official website, there is no mention of digital outputs on the Omnia.

https://www.richersounds.com/media/catalog/product/cache/6c4c5e8737e34948a27ccc103631b00e/4/1/412301_4_175f.jpg

The optical and coaxial outputs are to the left of the 2 pairs of inputs. The Omnia is quite flexible with onboard, or external options for processing. I can also switch from integrated, to pre and/or power amp function.

I never understood why an amp would offer digital output, with such a high quality DAC inside and then the Peachtree GaN1 appears! Still unsure if the Omnia's outputs are variable. The manual doesn't say, unless I missed it.

 

[npxavar]

This picture is also featured on the official website. Yet the specifications fail to mention those two outputs. Richer Sounds mentions the Coaxial though!

 

[podknocker]

This picture is also featured on the official website. Yet the specifications fail to mention those two outputs. Richer Sounds mentions the Coaxial though!

The Audiolab site is not very easy to navigate and they need to clean it up, with each model range on its own page. It's still a mess at the moment.

 

[nopiano]

https://www.richersounds.com/media/catalog/product/cache/6c4c5e8737e34948a27ccc103631b00e/4/1/412301_4_175f.jpg

The optical and coaxial outputs are to the left of the 2 pairs of inputs. The Omnia is quite flexible with onboard, or external options for processing. I can also switch from integrated, to pre and/or power amp function.

I never understood why an amp would offer digital output, with such a high quality DAC inside and then the Peachtree GaN1 appears! Still unsure if the Omnia's outputs are variable. The manual doesn't say, unless I missed it.

I cannot imagine why they’d be variable. For what purpose might they be, bearing in mind the GaN is unique? (And probably not even thought of when the Omnia came out)

 

[podknocker]

I also doubt it's variable. John Darko and Peachtree themselves recommend partnering with a BluSound Node, so this must be compatible. I know the node has extensive processing options, including cut off points for a sub, so there must be a variable output control also.

 

[npxavar]

My guess is that the output is fixed. I have a 7 input DAC and all inputs go through a receiver chip which outputs the selected signal on the Coaxial and Optical output pair. Such functionality comes free with the receiver chip because the signals go in and out as the same type of signal. Variable digital out would be quite complicated if it was to be applied to all digital inputs, not just streaming.

 

[Gray]

The backlash would be huge, if BLuOS, or even DTS was removed from devices

Yes indeed.
Not so much the well established apps disappearing - of concern to me is where the things on their platforms just suddenly go.
Certain radio streams for example - one day there, next gone for some users.

I'm a realist (ok a pessimist really) and I never take anything for granted.
Streaming may be 'the future' but I'm not much a fan of the future in general 🤨

 

[podknocker]

My guess is that the output is fixed. I have a 7 input DAC and all inputs go through a receiver chip which outputs the selected signal on the Coaxial and Optical output pair. Such functionality comes free with the receiver chip because the signals go in and out as the same type of signal. Variable digital out would be quite complicated if it was to be applied to all digital inputs, not just streaming.

Peachtree have an offer, on the US site and it shows a picture of the Node on top of the GaN1 and John Darko seemed to get it working and do a lengthy listening session.

I can't imagine Peachtree releasing a product knowing it's going to have a very limited appeal, with no devices out there to feed it a variable signal. Something's missing here and I'm hoping John Darko can offer more information at some point.

 

[nopiano]

Yes indeed.
Not so much the well established apps disappearing - of concern to me is where the things on their platforms just suddenly go.
Certain radio streams for example - one day there, next gone for some users.

I'm a realist (ok a pessimist really) and I never take anything for granted.
Streaming may be 'the future' but I'm not much a fan of the future in general 🤨

Good point - it’s happened already with so-called Smart TVs, as apps are not kept up to date beyond three or four years. And let’s not contemplate Smart Motorways…

 

[npxavar]

Peachtree have an offer, on the US site and it shows a picture of the Node on top of the GaN1 and John Darko seemed to get it working and do a lengthy listening session.

I can't imagine Peachtree releasing a product knowing it's going to have a very limited appeal, with no devices out there to feed it a variable signal. Something's missing here and I'm hoping John Darko can offer more information at some point.

I was talking about the Omnia.

 

[podknocker]

I think companies and customers assume the lifespan of any product is 5 years and we are 'expected' to discard our current kit, for their latest offering.

Technology does progress and we can't use analogue TVs now, for example. The new TV you buy today, will no longer be capable of being updated, in order to use the technology available in 5 years perhaps.

It's expensive and wasteful, but it's going to happen. TV panel technology in particualr is a rapidly changing sector and you could be buying something today that's regarded as old fashioned in 5 years.

I remember John Lewis being full of CRT TVs, while I was watching some tennis and they'd gone within 18 months.

 

[podknocker]

I was talking about the Omnia.

Ahh. I see.

I've just been into the menus on my Omnia and there are 2 settings for each of the digital outputs.

They both have 'normal' and 'wide' settings.

I'm guessing normal is fixed and wide is variable, although being called fixed and variable would help.

No mention of these outputs in the manual, so I've emailed Audiolab support to get an answer.

 

[PlastermanOG]

Ahh. I see.

I've just been into the menus on my Omnia and there are 2 settings for each of the digital outputs.

They both have 'normal' and 'wide' settings.

I'm guessing normal is fixed and wide is variable, although being called fixed and variable would help.

No mention of these outputs in the manual, so I've emailed Audiolab support to get an answer.

Normal and wide are jitter rejection options for the spidif and toslink inputs and have nothing to do with fixed or variable volume control.
The manual doesn't say whether the digital outputs have any volume control in fact they're hardly mentioned at all.
The menu tree doesn't have an option for them, so I think it's fair to assume they're full output. You could use the digital outputs to feed an external dac to another system or a digital headphone amp or a pair of powered speakers with a dac input which have their own volume control

 

[podknocker]

Normal and wide are jitter rejection options for the spidif and toslink inputs and have nothing to do with fixed or variable volume control.
The manual doesn't say whether the digital outputs have any volume control in fact they're hardly mentioned at all.
The menu tree doesn't have an option for them, so I think it's fair to assume they're full output. You could use the digital outputs to feed an external dac to another system or a digital headphone amp or a pair of powered speakers with a dac input which have their own volume control

Yup.I just went through the menu tree and nothing listed. The manual doesn't even mention the outputs. I'll be getting an email from IAG this week, probably wanting to know why I'm asking about this. The manual is poor TBH.

 

[podknocker]

I'm wondering how many devices could actually be used with the GaN1 and it does seem to be a very niche product. I'd love to know how John Darko got it working, with the Node. I wish he'd go into more technical detail, when testing things. He's good and ahead of most review sites, but I can't find the information I want.

 

[plastic penguin]

I'm wondering how many devices could actually be used with the GaN1 and it does seem to be a very niche product. I'd love to know how John Darko got it working, with the Node. I wish he'd go into more technical detail, when testing things. He's good and ahead of most review sites, but I can't find the information I want.

The only way to know is go and demo the device. Some things on a forum can't be answered unless you have a poke and a prod and ask a lot of questions at a dealer.

If they can't answer your questions, look elsewhere.

In your situation I would look at one of Hegel amps and probably the Leema Pulse IV or Quasar.

 

[WayneKerr]

Notwithstanding the current vinyl, cassette, wind up gramophone comebacks, I do think Cyrus et al, will move away from CD players and streaming devices will gradually replace them.

The same was said when CDs came along but turntables still sell in big numbers. Fortunately I'm loyal to a brand which seems to support all playback formats and will probably continue to do so

 

[podknocker]

Many companies are still covering most formats and that's admirable, as people still have a variety of formats, for different reasons or 'occasions'.

This does mean however, that these companies need to share their research and design budget between many different devices and it's not a bottomless pit.

Vinyl still has a loyal following, but the cassette thing is a fad and as I said in another thread, as the older generations disappear and the new technology gets a bigger slice of the music pie, the streaming devices are going to flourish and there could be massive competition from the current tech companies and new ones.

I would like a company, like Leema, for example to really hone the streaming market and offer the best possible solution for this platform.

I didn't see the streaming amp/DAC thing coming and I spent a fortune on some analog only Arcam kit and left them unopened. I'm glad I did. I traded these in to get my Omnia.

I'll be trading this in, possibly, to get a grand off a Leema Quasar. My HIFI journey might finally be over then.

The only other upgrade I will be looking for, is a sound quality one. Spotify still need to release a high res package, but this might never happen.

I've moved to streaming in the last 3 years and won't go back. I was a hardcore CD user 3 years ago and I won't spin an optical disc again. It's the same quality as some online stuff, but it's more cost and storage and faff!

Sound quality and price and convenince have convinced me and I think the physical formats will struggle in 5 years, as more people realise the benefits of streaming and adopt this, while selling their old kit, like I did.

 

[MUSICRAFT]

Regarding servicing, would you need to send the unit back in the U.S. for repairs?

Their UK distributor has UK based service support so in most cases there won't be any need to send the GaN 1 back to U.S.