The Article
432 EVO Master: a Roon-compatible music server
7th May 2018
The new 432 EVO MASTER is 432 EVO’s first music server with its own power supply in a dedicated matching enclosure
From Belgium, the EVO can rip your CDs, play your existing files up to 32bit/768kHz PCM and DSD64 and DSD128 files. The 432 EVO suppports HDMI AUDIO up to 192kHz and USB2. A linear supply, RAM playback and spring suspension system for HDD are also available, with a dedicated USB3 low noise low jitter output plus 2TB silent storage for up to 6,000 CDs, extendable by an external NAS.
The 432 EVO can be controlled by both Apple and Android devices and via any web browser.
The company commented, “First, we improved the triple linear power supply drastically: custom double side gold plated PCBs, better shunt circuits, higher buffer capacity, better shielded transformers, improved internal and external silver plated cabling. We also improved the three bundled DC cables with better internal cabling & insulation and high-end sleeves.”
Software wise, the 432 EVO now has it’s all new and improved 432 Hz renderer/upsampler, which is named SQi (sound quality improved) and offers 10 filters including time domain mode, Archimago intermediate phase filters with two custom variants designed by 432 EVO. SQi is a free software update for all current 432 EVO customers.
There is also a new Roon 1.5 compatible motherboard with “improved clock source”. Roon 1.5 now offers MQA as a free update for 1.4 customers. Price is €11,000.
To learn more, click 432evo.be
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” …There is also a new Roon 1.5 compatible motherboard with ‚Äúimproved clock source‚Äù. Roon 1.5 now offers MQA as a free update for 1.4 customers. Price is ‚Ǩ11,000.”
Umm, is the $11K price for the reviewed product, or is it for the “There is also a new Roon 1.5 compatible motherboard with ‚Äúimproved clock source‚Äù ?
If it’s the price of the Server w-P/S, it would have been great to show (the likely) bare bones interior of the processing unit (with $30. DVD drive).
But, let’s start with what we can see, the power-supply; sloppy wiring to/from the toroids to the regulation boards and to the control boards up front. It’s simply construction effort/care to ‘dress’ wiring appropriately.
Having twisted wire ‘hanging’ (without securing) along with the ‘looped’ wire of the transformers simply “landing/floating” wherever it lands -after connections are made- is laughable at this price point.
As I was reading your review and first took notice of the company’s indifference /sloppy build, I thought, well maybe it will offer a superb value proposition and so could be forgiven (although barely).
But no, the thing (I’m guessing, since it wasn’t clear) has a retail price of $11,000 Euro ($14-$15K US$). Five-hundred (US$) bucks in parts does not equal/equate to a $15K product, but rather at a typical 5-6/1 ratio, we have a $3K unit. Yet, even at $3K, how hard is it to secure the wiring in an orderly manner? Answer is: ‘not difficult at all’.
Stuff like this (glorified PC’s) will be a dime/dozen in no time flat. And I’m speaking $1-$3K units.
the only “EVO” I see is the fanciful pricing that will keep this company’s coffers empty.
Thanks for the good laugh.
There really is no shame out there (in greedy hi-fi land). Incredible.
pj
Just a quick point for you Peter and other readers out there – my initial post was only a news item and not a review so I did not actually have the product in my possession at any time and the featured details are those supplied to me by the company.