{"id":15001,"date":"2018-06-02T21:29:03","date_gmt":"2018-06-02T19:29:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/?p=15001"},"modified":"2023-04-09T17:12:06","modified_gmt":"2023-04-09T15:12:06","slug":"antipodes-ex-music-server","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hifi-advice.com\/blog\/review\/digital-reviews\/network-player-reviews\/antipodes-ex-music-server\/","title":{"rendered":"Antipodes EX Music Server"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Review sample supplied by Antipodes Audio<\/a>
\nRetail price in the Netherlands incl 21% VAT: 4650 euro<\/h4>\n

With its ODAPS2 power supply,\u00a0four separate shielded chambers, and user-installable storage, the relatively affordable EX server marks the start of a new Antipodes range. When using the EX by itself, both server and renderer apps run on the same device. The EX enclosure has a similar build as the DX and consists of very thick aluminum panels screwed together very sturdily. Because there are no fans, the machine is whisper-quiet, nicely heavy and feels incredibly solid. Interestingly, the EX is the Antipodes entry-level music server but at the same time, its rendering capabilities are considered to represent the company\u2019s best solution!<\/p>\n

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Although The EX works sublimely just by itself, it can also be teamed with the CX to form the top-tier CX-EX combination. In this configuration, the CX is a high-power device running only the server app and the EX is a lower power, purist device, running only the renderer app.<\/p>\n

The EX has already started shipping and the CX will follow soon. At the time of writing, the EX has been received for review but not yet the CX. So, I\u2019ll start with the EX and add a follow-up review when the CX has also been received.<\/p>\n

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Technical<\/h3>\n

What you should know first and foremost is that all Antipodes servers can be set to function in various capacities, such as Roon Server, RoonReady renderer, Squeezebox (including UPnP server), MPD renderer and HQPlayer NAA.\u00a0There is a lot more, and I mean A LOT more to write about the technical side of this server, but much of this is the same as for the\u00a0DX<\/a> or DS<\/a> servers that I reviewed earlier. So, for a full description of all the technicalities and possibilities, and a wealth of screenshots, please refer to the earlier\u00a0reviews.<\/p>\n

The most notable differences from the earlier DS and DX servers are that the EX uses user-installable storage, has a new ODAPS2 power supply, two, rather than one, Ethernet ports and no integrated CD ripper.<\/p>\n

The user can very easily install up to 4TB of HDD or up to 8TB of SSD storage, without having to open the enclosure. The drives simply click into place using rear panel slots.<\/p>\n

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Antipodes are all about reducing noise, but only in manners that are not detrimental to the sound. The new ODAPS2 supply reduces high-frequency noise without resorting to filtering that would impede the speed of current delivery. Any USB ripper can be used, but Antipodes also have a separate external CD ripper in their portfolio, the P1, which has the same footprint as the EX.<\/p>\n

As mentioned, the EX has two Ethernet ports.\u00a0One can be used to connect to the network and the second to provide a low-noise dedicated feed to an Ethernet DAC. According to the manufacturer, “Ethernet can introduce high levels of noise into the receiving device. The Direct Ethernet solution in Antipodes servers minimizes network ‘chatter’ on the link and creates a high bandwidth, phase accurate, low-noise direct link between the server and renderer. This provides a dramatic improvement over connecting your server and renderer devices through a noisy switch or over a long length of network\u00a0cable”<\/em>. I’ve put this to the test and indeed, the direct connection sounds considerably cleaner as well as freer than a connection via the existing network.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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When using Roon on the EX and streaming via Ethernet, the destination device must of course also support Roon. When using USB, any USB DAC will work. Alternatively, when using UPnP as part of the Squeezebox emulation, virtually all network endpoints are supported. This opens up a whole new can of worms, but the manufacturer has gone to great lengths on the Antipodes website<\/a> to describe all the possibilities in detail, with easy to follow step by step solutions.<\/p>\n

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The orange ring around the power switch indicates that the unit is in standby<\/em><\/p>\n

Sound Options<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n
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Just like with the earlier designs, the EX allows the user to run the server in several operational modes and several audio output modes, and they all result in a slightly different sound, allowing the tailoring of sound precisely as needed. While this may sound complicated, the excellent user interface makes it really very easy to change these settings. For the complete overview of modes and output settings, please check the earlier DX<\/a> or DS<\/a>\u00a0reviews.<\/p>\n

In short: the EX when running Roon can use two output modes: Roon Ready or Core Direct. These are just two of the modes that can be selected using the Settings – Audio tab on the Roon user interface. Both outputs can be enabled at the same time, and if you like, you can enable many more but Antipodes states that it is best to activate as few outputs as you need for The best sound quality. For these tests, I enabled only Roon Ready and Core Direct. Once enabled, you can quickly switch between them using the Transfer Zone popup window.<\/p>\n

Contrary to earlier observations with the DS and the DX (and a very different audio system), of these two modes, Core Direct sounds more free-flowing and relaxed and Roon Ready tighter and more articulate. This difference really is a matter of taste and is subject to system synergy. I currently prefer Roon Ready but I’d suggest just trying it for yourself and using whichever sounds best to you.<\/p>\n

Update 05-08-2019<\/strong><\/p>\n

As I now found out having used various Antipodes servers as well as the combination of CX+EX, the difference between RoonReady and Core Direct depends on where the Roon Server and RoonReady applications run.<\/p>\n