I have a very niche and unknown DAC, from a Dutch brand called EC Designs. It’s the PowerDAC R. A brilliant DAC really, never looked back.
Only drawback is, it only has an optical input, which is part of the design concept, galvanic isolation. So I have to choose between a USB or Coaxial signal and translation to optical. I will probably go for coaxial since it’s simple transformation to optical.
Hi Wheaten,
Thanks for your suggestion, I’m aware of those. According to EC Designs themselves it’s better to use the coaxial output since it doesn’t need advanced electronic components for signal translation, just keep it simple is their advice.
Do you have any experience in this regard?
Grtz,
Huub
Unfortunately not, I just bought a NAD D3045 so I could connect everything to it.
Hi, from your entry, I’m guessing Rivo should have better sound than my Allo DigiOne Signature. Also have sotm sms-200 ultra which I’m quite happy with but what I’m really after is Tidal Connect.
Have you tried it? Some years ago, I had not a good experience with Volumio running on RPi4.
In my setup the Rivo get’s Tidal via Roon or on the Volumio UI but just tried it and it’s working.
Cheers
Christian
As mentioned, I only have Toslink input on my DAC. And since the Rivo only has coax or USB out, I need a converter.
That’s why I recently bought a coax to Toslink converter, to already try it out on my current streamer. This way I’m able to compare the sound of Coax->Toslink with the native Toslink output of my streamer. I was curious whether this would impact my sound in a negative way, with the additional coax cable & converter in between.
To my surprise it hardly does so, it still sounds great, at most it is slightly different, not better or worse. So I will be using this converter on the Rivo to start with.
Is it already end of november…? 
yes it is. The sound should not be impacted as COAX or TOS are still in the digital domain.
Hi all,
Ordered the Rivo and while waiting I was looking for a linear power supply. I can’t seem to find however what connection it is. Is it 2.1 or 2.5mm Dc?
Thank you all in advance!
the barrel jack is 5.5mm (out diameter) / 2.1mm (inner diameter)
To all early Rivo owners here: Are you still happy with the Rivo up until today?
I’m checking every day, but it’s still no end of November unfortunately… 
Hi Huubster,
I´m realy happy with Rivo. Everthing works fine, sound is like expected! O.K. we talk about streaming/data…
My Equipment: Content on 2 TB SSD HD - USB - Rivo - USB - RME ADI 2 DAC FS - XLR - GGNTKT M1 Speakers.
So, you will have fun at end of November.
Sorry.
Best to you, the Volumio-Team and all Rivo Users- Stephan
Great to hear Stephan!
It might be just streaming data, but sound quality is in my experience greatly impacted by the source of that data. I really hope the Rivo meets my (high) expectations 
As I mention before I was surprised that the Rivo is able to make an improvement of sound in comparison to a Pi or the Primo or even against high end streamers. So I am totally happy to have it and still trying diffrent setups to find out if I “need” a secound Rivo. This is from my point of view, really a “HiFi-pearl” with outstanding sound quality without lunatic pricing. Last weekend I tried the following. Primo and Rivo digitally conected to a SMSL SU 8 DAC, (Rivo USB and Primo coaxial) feeding a SMSL DA 8s Amp with Teufel Standspeakers. Primo and Rivo conneted to roon. With the Primo it sounds good, nice, nothing wrong and when you put the Rivo on it sound more stable, less nervous and simply correct. If you switch back to the primo you think - hey there is something wrong- not completly but something is not the same and it’s not good.
I do not recognized any improvement when the Rivo is connected to my NAD M33 in comparison to the internal streamer so here I do not need a Rivo.
Cheers
Christian
Hello Christian,
these are interesting results.
Have you changed Primo and Rivo one time? It could be, that the differences in sound are caused by the slightly different conversion in the DAC. So once Clockmaster (USB) and then Slave (Coax). Just an idea, maybe wrong thought and certainly not important.
Wishing a maximum opf listening pleasure
Stephan
Hi Stephan !
No haven’t done so. I was just curious. But the Rivo is now back in the place where it should be;). I had never tried the USB out on the Primo. I never thought about that because the coax digital out is working flawless.
Cheers
Christian
Interesting input Christian, thanks. I recognize your way of putting it. Sometimes it’s hard to describe what it is, you just feel/hear it. Those type of outcomes mostly take some time and cannot be concluded based on some quick A/B testing.
I will use the Rivo in my main system with a Yamaha integrated amplifier (A-S3000), quite a beast, and Sonus Faber Guarneri Homage speakers. It’s quite a revealing set and hope to get the same type of improvement you describe.
Does anybody use Spotify by the way? I see a separate topic on reliability issues with steaming with Spotify, I hope that will not be too big of an issue, since it’s the main source for my music listening…
Apparently nobody uses Spotify…
Something else now, front panel options. I once saw a picture of options for front plates, but I did not get the option to choose anything when I placed my pre-order. I jus5 came across that picture again, does somebody know anything about that? Because I would prefer black above the default blue…
Spotify connect is working without a problem. And the front panel of mine is light blue.
Cheers
Christian
