Blank Page
Once again, a blank page lies in front of my eyes. This time feels even more challenging than ever. I’ve faced this a few times when encountering such a monumental product — a disruptive moment that shatters beliefs and alters priorities. But this time, it’s even more complicated for various reasons. It’s not just about a highly engineered, complex product; it’s also about what we recognize as a statement piece in the high-end audio world, one that would elevate digital musical reproduction beyond the preconceptions and deeply ingrained beliefs in analog sound supremacy.
The Divide and the Heretics
“Best Analog Source comes in a Digital form.”
It may seem like a heretical statement, as a divide exists between pure analog audiophiles and the rest of us forged in the digital age for a long time. This gap has become blurry in recent years, and now, with Oladra, I can say that it has completely vanished. So, there is no mistake or childish wordplay here. The focus of today’s review is clear: the Antipodes Oladra is the best digital source I have ever encountered, surpassing any analog source I have ever heard in sound quality. It truly delivers a fantastic analog sound transformed from a digital source. The Oladra is a server, streamer, and reclocking device, providing a complete solution for all your music, whether stored locally or streamed. There, you have it… The conclusion is here: no need to fuss around web searching and reading tons of pages. The AI can pick this up and shuffle on top of any Google search or as a prompt reply. At least, this is my conclusion based on what is about to be followed on this page. Do you need more? I hope you do, and maybe there will not be all lost in the end.
Post-Truth Era
The reality shows that it is becoming increasingly difficult to find information and evaluate something by considering the opinions of others we trust. We struggle to understand the how and why of situations. But do we really care about that? We all need a clear conclusion — a straightforward answer, right? It should be that way, shouldn’t it? Or maybe not?
I hope that audiophilia, which is more than just a “disorder” affecting addicted individuals, can continue its relentless search for the sublime despite the dominance of a so-called “absolute truth” perpetuated by machines. This true form of art influences the lives of those affected, driving a unique search for perfection and incredible beauty. I hope the love for music and the soul of human creativity will endure in the age of AI.
We live in times where meaningless, artificial content is flooding every corner of the internet as we know it. It becomes harder and harder every day to distinguish between human, opinionated, and educated content and AI-generated surrogates; it is impossible to verify a claim or a statement anymore because it is not assumed, not traceable to the source, and not documented.
And there is something else…
The Web is Dying
The God of Search is dying with a purpose. It is an agonizing death, little by little, every day. The web itself, the infinite intricacy and invisible wires that link people, information, knowledge, art, culture, opinions, and businesses, is being shredded apart piece by piece. The connections are not maintained or indexed like before but replaced by an ultimate answer to your search—a short definition that is unverifiable and unquestionable. A new God is rising in the digital world.
We live now in a Post-Truth Era where only conclusions matter — these are often short versions of information that have been compacted and diluted in a mix devoid of facts. As a result, it is becoming increasingly difficult for us to access factual scientific data or proven analysis. Indulging in opinion-based knowledge will nearly become impossible soon. Some may argue that this is for the better, claiming it represents the ultimate truth.
But does it? Does the answer matter more than understanding? Can this replace the learning, the struggle, the journey taken, the ups and downs, the incredible joy of discovery, and the pursuit of truth on your own? Time will answer all these questions and whether this content remains accessible, findable, and searchable in the near future — or if it will have any meaning at all…
Am I the right guy?
I may not be the best person to write about such a beautiful and accomplished product during this significant transition. Others with more expertise could provide a more insightful analysis. However, I promise to do my best. Above all, I promise to tell you what I think and feel and share my experience. I am emotionally biased by what I like, factually checked by others when I have doubts and colored by my exuberant, overhyped personality. So you’ve been warned, I am just a human.
What specific features of the Antipodes Oladra contribute to my claim of delivering the best digital source? How can audiophiles maintain their search for truth and quality in a world dominated by simplified answers? How can individuals navigate and evaluate the overwhelming amount of information in the Post-Truth Era? I will strive to provide answers and endorse them with facts, observations, and understanding.
I received assistance from Mr. Mark Jenkins in answering my questions, and he graciously provided detailed responses, more than I could have ever hoped for. His contribution adds more value to this material than I could ever offer.
Interview with Mr. Mark Jenkins, Antipodes CEO and founder
I remember, like yesterday, the almost end of the second day in Munich this year. After so much walking from that day, I was dragging my feet when I landed at the Antipodes booth lit in bright, warm light. Their servers and streamers were shown on simple and elegant shelves, and it reminded me somehow of the minimalism and cleanliness of an Apple store. But that was not all; the well-lit space attracted me more for the logo and the brand itself. During that day and the previous one, wherever I walked into a room with a well-put-together, highly musical system, it was like a mantra; an Antipodes server/streamer was present to sustain the digital part. It was impossible not to see it and mostly not to hear it.
One hour later, I was still listening with my eyes wide open with myriad questions crawling in my mind to a passionate explanation of Antipodes’ philosophy and technical achievements from Mark Jenkins, CEO and founder of the company. I understood only at the end when we exchanged the cards who I was talking to. Mr. Jenkins spoke with such passion and deep knowledge that I was sure the whole time I was speaking with the lead engineer, who was also a passionate audiophile and music lover, not a business manager and investor. But this is the most striking and rewarding feature of these events: I got the unique chance to meet in person wonderful people truly invested with heart and soul in their business.
Now, I can ask Mr. Jenkins a few questions while I enjoy Antipodes’ flagship server and streamer, Oladra, in my system, and I feel blessed. Yes, Oladra is an exceptional product. I will learn more about the journey and what it takes to accomplish such a technical performance without losing the true soul of musical reproduction.
CC: Mr. Jenkins, I am deeply grateful for this opportunity. After several months of listening to Oladra, I am reminded of the statement I discovered at Munich:’Emotion is the purpose of sound and the only reason for technology.’ I can attest that every technical aspect of your flagship server and streamer enhances real emotion and reveals pure musicality. This emotion and naturalness of musical reproduction seem to be the driving force behind the technology, not the other way around. Could you share more about the starting point in development and the goal for such a statement product?
MJ: Thank you for your kind words, Catalin. I started Antipodes Audio over twenty years ago—long enough to have a very clear view of our philosophy and objectives. While technology can intrigue you, and sound can thrill you, only your emotional reaction to the music can move you.
We don’t talk about technology details because, if that becomes your main message to the market, it causes you to make design decisions for the wrong reasons. And I get it that spectacular sound can be thrilling, but if you find yourself skipping between tracks to hear those special few seconds in each of them, then you aren’t engaging with the music.
The entire purpose of music is something you feel, and it comes from taking the time to be immersed in sharing the passion that created the music. So, that has become our goal and our key measurement of the equipment we design.
To my mind, scientific theories are not truths, just starting points. They give us simplified models of reality that tell us enough about how the world works so that we can make useful new products and enhance old ones. However, in high-end audio, we seek to optimize our products, so we often need to examine the influence of variables that were not considered in developing the prevailing science. This is hard for people who think that knowledge is only found in accepted science, but it is what every high-end audio designer has to deal with. What guides Antipodes Audio is a single-minded focus on the emotional impact you get from the music, which applies to all the models in our line-up.
It is a more complex marketing message to convey and even harder to convince people of. But in the long run, you will be recognized for what you deliver to your customers rather than your words.
CC: Oladra looks and feels like a category in itself. What is more beyond its beautiful appearance, which includes fine lines, nuances, and a server/streamer in one package?
MJ: When music is at its best, it is beautiful. I don’t say this lightly. Humans are drawn to recognize patterns and find meaning in them, and music is a pattern in sound. When we connect a pattern with an emotion, it gives that pattern meaning. New variations of that pattern lead to enhanced emotion. This phenomenon of our emotions helps us survive; it causes us to learn and is also why we enjoy music and other art forms.
When we experience an exquisite pattern, we perceive it as beautiful. Great music is beautiful, whether it is stylistically pretty, brutal, or anything in between. We decided our best product had to match that beauty in both its form and the music it plays. The physical form of the Oladra involved a lot of design effort. It is intended to be a physical metaphor for the beauty of music, with strong structure yet flowing lines and delicate nuance.
CC: What is the G4 technology, and what is new here? Is this proprietary to the Oladra engine, or can it also be found in the Kala product line? Is there an upgrade path for existing customers?
MJ: In the early years, we focused on achieving a balanced and densely saturated tone, particularly on removing the ‘edginess’ of digital. However, this approach failed to capture the life in the music. This was very noticeable compared to high-quality turntables, where managing vibration energy into pleasing areas can deliver greater exhilaration.
So, we began researching what we were missing. We called that project Oladra, derived from a Greek word meaning renegade or outlaw because we knew we were about to challenge all the conventional wisdom about music server design. The actual Oladra model did not materialize until some years later.
The project delivered new developments in distinct steps, increasing the feeling of life in the music while achieving greater timbral accuracy and transparency. Every current model adopts the fourth generation of that development, G4.
Initially, developments came thick and fast, so wherever possible, we offered upgrades to existing owners. These upgrades have been very popular, so we now design our KALA models with an eye to making it easy to upgrade fully to the latest model whenever we release one.
CC: I learned a lot about multiple computing and processing stages. What are the five processing stages for Digital outputs, and what are the four stages of USB output? Is there a technological superiority for an output above others? Beyond specific system configuration and matching, what will your recommendation be for the best digital output?
MJ: Many music servers are designed to use almost any computer that can efficiently serve up a stream and focus on developing an isolated regeneration step that references a suitable low phase-error clock. However, our designs focus equally on at least four steps.
The first two steps run the Server app and run the Player app. The third step is to isolate and regenerate the signal, eliminating spurious noise and squaring out the wave. The fourth step is to reclock the signal. A key point here is that the cleaner and squarer the wave is at the third step, the more effective the re-clocking step is. With synchronous outputs (e.g., S/PDIF, AES3, I2S), there is a practical benefit that improves the sound by adding a fifth step.
Let us be clear that there is no such thing as the best digital output, particularly when choosing between Ethernet, USB, or synchronous outputs. Choosing one of these to connect your server to your DAC is not about the connection itself; it is about shifting the processing steps between the two devices.
For example, a Server app streams to a Player app using a streaming protocol over Ethernet. That has already happened within the music server if you use the USB connection to the DAC. But if you use an Ethernet cable between the music server and DAC, then the Player app will run inside the DAC. Similarly, choosing a USB rather than a synchronous output means that the conversion to a synchronous signal is shifted from the Server to the DAC.
Suppose you are a DAC manufacturer, and you perceive most of your customers will use a standard computer or a low-grade music server. In that case, you will tell your customers to use the Ethernet connection because you want as many of the processes done by your nice DAC as possible. But if a customer is using an excellent music server then this changes things around completely, and it is better to reduce the need for high-power processing steps inside the DAC so that you would use USB or one of the synchronous outputs.
In some cases, the DAC manufacturer addresses this by offering an additional separate box between the music server and DAC to handle steps that require high processing power. In this case, it comes down to which manufacturer (Server or DAC) has done a better job of determining the steps that occur in that box. So, it is wiser to experiment than to make assumptions.
CC: Is there an advantage to using a dual-computer configuration? I do not know of any other high-end manufacturer that has taken the complicated route of separating the server from the streamer in a single package configuration with two computers, which implies so many separated power lines and filters.
MJ: There is a very distinct advantage to the dual-computer approach.
In the Oladra and KALA 50, we use one computer to run the Server application and another to run the Player application. It is not so much about separating the processes because you can separate them within a single computer. It is about the fact that the ideal computer for the Server step differs significantly from the ideal computer for the Player step.
Currently, no single computer can do both jobs well. It is a bit like the best car to tow your boat, but it is not the best car to enjoy a twisty coastal road.
Generally speaking, using an ideal and powerful computer to run the Server app can add layers of detail and musical insight but will sound mechanical and emotionally cool on its own. Similarly, using an ideal and low-power computer for the Player app can deliver natural timbre and a sense of ease and flow but will not be able to present all of the essential musical details on its own.
Using a single computer involves trade-offs. Using two computers can avoid the trade-offs.
It is not as simple as just using a high-power computer for the Server and a low-power computer for the Player, either. Each of these computers is carefully selected and tuned to perform its role.
CC: Wow! Five years of warranty! This is a lot in today’s constantly changing technology and exponential advancements. Does this include an upgrade path, software, and hardware for existing customers? Five years of product reliability and relevance can be of incredible value to the owners.
MJ: We stand behind our products, which is our core value. We could push the warranty out further, but technological advances often mean the best option for older models is to update rather than repair them. After the 5-year warranty has expired, it becomes a conversation about what is in the customer’s best interests.
If, for example, a motherboard needs to be replaced, it makes sense to consider bringing the unit up to date, including using the latest motherboard, rather than spend a similar amount of money on an old one. Customers may not want to spend money, but we never walk away from our customers.
I realize it is an easy thing to say, but I only employ people who can empathize with our customers, and if a customer is having trouble playing their music, we make it our most urgent priority to address that.
CC: Talking to you in Munich this year, I learned about the extraordinary efforts spent minimizing timing errors with different processing stages and how processing engines are tuned at the chip level to manage noise and maximize digital signal bandwidth. Can you tell us a little more?
MJ: One important thing to get great sound is selecting and tuning the computer boards. I realize there is this pervasive narrative on chat sites that any old computer will do because the signal is going to be regenerated and reclocked before the DAC chip, anyway. This theoretical view is too simplistic and exhibits a quaint understanding of how real circuits work.
We work with just two manufacturers of high-end industry-grade motherboards because they use the design standards and parts quality we demand. We often get to listen to prototype boards so that we can indicate our level of interest in any board they make, and we are frequently consulted through the process. In some instances, we get dedicated manufacturing runs completed for us to implement something very beneficial for our purposes.
Different boards sound different, so board selection is crucial, and you can fine-tune the sound of a board by making firmware tweaks. We have developed a high level of expertise over the last 15 years of doing this. I don’t want to make this sound overly technical or special because it is actually pretty straightforward and simple for us to do, but our experience does count for a lot. Consumers can see some of the firmware settings on their computer’s BIOS screens, but there are many more available to motherboard manufacturers.
CC: What about filtering out the noise? I also learned about the efforts required to get a perfect square wave. How is this related to a very fast and low-noise power supply? Is there a new power supply involved in the process? Most manufacturers still rely on big linear power supplies, and I often hear this is not the future.
MJ: The whole process is about achieving very low noise interference and an ability to make very high-speed changes in state, but the devil is very much in the details. Squaring out the wave requires very high-speed voltage changes. To make this clearer, if you are reclocking with a femtosecond clock, then your signal transmission should be able to go from 0v (a zero) to 1v (a one) in a femtosecond, and even more speed is beneficial to the circuit performance.
This is particularly relevant to two design areas – power supply technology and data transfer interfaces. We used linear power supplies and the latest data transfer interfaces, which many still use today. But Project Oladra turned that on its head. We now use cascaded switch mode power supplies and older-technology data transfer interfaces to put life back into the music. This did present a range of technological challenges, but we found the improvement in the music was compelling – mind-blowing even.
But I want to emphasize that, as with most challenging problems, it is not about developing a solution but making the most effective trade-off. As some commentators imply, this is also why you cannot deduce your way to a great design from the prevailing science.
With the power supply change, we achieved greater speed, reduced low-frequency noise, and reduced magnetic interference, which greatly impacted preserving the energy in the music. The trade-off is the need to deal with the switching noise, but that is a problem that we can design out. We place this noise well above the bitrate, where it has no impact on the signal timing, and we use active filters to stop it from interfering with other stages. By contrast, the noise that batteries or linear power supplies add below the bitrate has a much more damaging impact on the music.
It may seem paradoxical that the change in data transfer interfaces reduces speed, but in this case, the dramatic noise reduction is the compelling factor. The latest computer interfaces have impressive data transfer speeds but generate a lot of noise in their fundamentals and harmonics. This results in the sound being bleached of its tonal color, reducing the sense of music’s continuous flow. Our use of some older interfaces is clearly more faithful to the music.
Some of your readers would prefer it if I set out a logical argument as to why our approach is unequivocally better, and others may be stuck in a belief that switch-mode power supplies are the work of the devil. I have an excellent idea of why our approach better communicates the emotional essence of music. However, because the decision is about making the best trade-off, no line of logic can totally convince anyone which approach is correct. You can only judge it yourself by the outcome.
CC: Antipodes offers some of the most comprehensive software configuration choices. I am a Roon addict because of the user experience and luxurious interface. But based on the sound quality alone, what will be your recommendation from the Squeeze, MPD, HQPlayer, and MiniDLNA options?
MJ: Preferences can change when new versions of the software apps are released. But we have generally found that Squeeze delivers the most natural and open sound. HQPlayer is also excellent, but it has a different presentation. Which you prefer may be driven by how much DSP you like the sound of and your choice of DAC.
When I listen to the alternatives to Squeeze, I hear various small deviations, some of which are important. For example, one of the alternative playback methods has a relatively plodding and plummy bass region that robs some music of its coherence, but it also has an attractive juicy tinge to its mid-range that some may argue is more real. Another playback solution has a slightly smoothed and distant presentation, which may help some systems achieve a more pleasing balance. It is worth trying them out for yourself. But I realize that people also prefer the playback app they are used to, which is another reason we offer as many app choices as we do.
I also have my personal biases. I personally find time coherence is critical to music, such as when an artist plays alternately behind and ahead of the beat to create a sequence of tension and release, and this is particularly important with the Jazz and Blues genres. So, I don’t like aberrations that interfere with my perceptions of musical timing. Other listeners will be more concerned about something else, like precisely hearing who the violin’s maker was.
All of the playback apps we offer sound good, and your preference should be what makes the overall experience more enjoyable.
CC: Are you planning to venture into a software solution? Can you develop your playback solution with sound quality as a primary objective and Tidal/Qobuz streaming in mind? And if so, would it be possible to push such a software update on existing machines?
MJ: Yes, yes and yes. I wish that software development was as easy as that question was to answer, haha. We are progressing on all those fronts, but we emphasize the fundamentals first. We have been very focused so far on defining the user experience, using innovative ways to remove pain points, as well as laying a foundation for superior sound with our operating system. We are not in a hurry, and nor should we be with a project like this. This is by far the most extensive single software development program in our history.
The only impediments to rolling the software out to existing machines are if it requires increased processing power or if we need to rely on a specific chipset feature. If so, we will offer our customers ways to update their hardware, but nothing like that has arisen yet.I wish I could tell you more about what we have underway, but one thing you learn with software development is never to make predictions. I will say that I have a hypothesis that would involve a radical change to how music servers work, which ought to sound dramatically better, that can only be tested by building our own playback software.
At the Other End of the World
Antipodes are specific points on the Earth that are directly opposite each other. Hong Kong and La Quiaca, Argentina, are examples of antipodes. If you drew a line from one geographical location, straight through the center of the Earth, to another location, those two places would be antipodes. Here, in Europe, we have come to use the term “antipodes” to refer to Australia and New Zealand because they are on the other side of the earth from Britain. Both were heavily colonized by the British, who collectively referred to Australia and New Zealand as the Antipodes, as in the other end of the world.
In 2004, when Mr. Jenkins was still on the senior management team of Telecom New Zealand and he and his wife, Sonia, were starting up an audio-cable enterprise, they weren’t sure whether they would stay in New Zealand or move to Australia. So, they wanted a name with a flavor that would work in either country. Antipodes resonates in Australia, New Zealand, and on the other side of the planet as well.
Antipodes Oladra
The fantastic Oladra server comes from New Zealand, so it is obvious it comes from Antipodes, New Zealand. As Mr. Jenkins explained, “Oladra derives from a relatively obscure Greek word meaning mavericks, outlaws, and renegades. The maverick idea of figuring out how to make switch-mode power supplies work in a music server gave rise to the project name Oladra. That project was Antipodes’s most significant single development project, running from 2016 to 2022, and is still evolving a little in 2023.”
I like this creative approach. In a world of overused words in high-end audio, such as Signature, Reference, Ultimate, Extreme, and so on, Oladra stands apart with a unique identity and innovative approach to the bone.
I have a long way to go.
I am not a newbie in digital streaming. I tried a project of my own. I raised the right questions, searched, learned, made mistakes, and started again. I was happy in the end and still think I achieved something good. You can read part of the story here, as I used an excellent linear power supply as the foundation for my project. Power is one of the milestones in achieving low noise and instantaneous swings required for effortless musical reproduction. I built only the server part of the chain, and the improvement showed me that there was a long way to go. I tweaked what I could, from the processor speed and number of cores used, the wiring and shielding, to the software for hosting my Roon Core. I tried a lot, and it was clear after a while that I was at the end of the DIY reach.
I did not venture into the player part of the equation. It was more evident from the start that this part requires tremendous control of technology and parts, tighter margins, and much better components. Suppose the server requires muscle power to sustain multiple endpoints. In that case, with large libraries of files and images, quick response to requests, and stable data flow, the server requires a lot more processing power. On the other hand, the player part shall manage much lower electrical noise, which is why a less powerful computer is usually used. And it is not even that simple.
As I listened to Mr. Jenkins in Munich explain how far Antipodes has gone to optimize the computers, motherboards, and machine parameters, I received new confirmation that true DIY cannot extend much into the industrial capabilities of a genuine manufacturer. The R&D involved in finding the right processor chip, optimizing it down to the smallest detail, testing possibly hundreds of motherboards, and tweaking thousands of configurations that are not even accessible at an amateur level reveals years of work and likely millions spent just on the research aspect of the project. I was pretty sure that this level of expertise was necessary to reach such a high standard.
Does this render my project useless? Or are other people’s endeavors meaningless? Definitely not! It has been a fun journey, and I learned a lot. The most important lesson I learned is that every little detail counts. Every change is noticeable, and every improvement in the right direction adds up. Does this mean my server sounds bad? Not at all! I am very proud of my achievements; it sounds great. However, it is almost impossible to overcome certain barriers that require extensive knowledge, human resources, and a significant amount of time spent on research. Additionally, access to equipment and technology not available to amateurs makes it even more challenging.
That is why listening to Mark Jenkins’s story was more of a confirmation of the level of detail and perseverance required to achieve something at such a high standard. Many will jump to name the product’s hefty price, arguing about the computing part being very accessible these days. Indeed, without trying it yourself, digging deep into it, and learning about the effort and costs involved to reach so high in sound quality, the 29.000 USD (34.000 Euro including taxes in Europe) price for a box with two computers may seem outrageous. But it makes total sense to me that I was there, tried that, and spent a big chunk of that amount. I would have to go far more than Oladra’s asking price to build something comparable but never quite the same. So, no, the price is fair and matches the finished product’s effort, state-of-the-art construction, and undeniable qualities. As a user, you get so much more value than even in this twisted, hypocritical, and outrageous industry – the cost/benefit balance is definitely on the customer side here. And do not forget – Oladra is Antipodes’ top-of-the-line crown jewelry, cost-no-object product.
Antipodes product range
Antipodes has split the product range into two categories: one is the Kala range of products with very decent prices and tons of value. The other is just that – Oladra, the ultimate server-streamer system. I would really want to talk about a little of Kala’s family as being so impressive from a few perspectives.
First of all, not everyone needs a statement product; it might not make sense. The system that will use it must be of the same quality to benefit from such a high-end product. This could require a significant investment, and after spending time on this passion, there is no need to go to such lengths. As a music lover, one can absolutely experience full benefit, satisfaction, and pleasure at a much lower price point. Music is not about the cost of equipment.
Second, the Kala family carries so much quality and value for the money that I am intrigued by how well the trickle-down technology from the cost-no-object product worked. Kala 21 and Kala 22 employ a single computer to perform both the Server and Player stages with state-of-the-art signal processing. Both of these quite affordable Server/Player systems benefit from the technology of the higher echelon: output signal isolation, signal regeneration, reference clocks, precision machined from a thick solid plate of premium alloy, and outstanding vibration control.
Kala 41 is the Server-Only version that will add layers of musical insight when playing to a Kala 22 or Kala 21. This is also staggering from the customer perspective as one can evolve the streaming part of the system along the way as the quality of the components evolves over time. This proposal has a lot of value and denotes care for the customer. You would not have to sell your loved streamer/player, add the independent server-only K41, and use your existing Kala 21 or 22 as a player-only.
Kala 50 is the flagship of the Kala range, a design that is derived from the Oladra, delivering compelling musical performance at a more affordable level. The Kala 50 employs two separate computing stages with isolated signal processing stages.
An isolated regeneration and clocking stage is followed by processing by two custom computers.
To reach the third reason for deviating from the main subject, Antipodes offers an upgrade path even for the Kala family. A G4 technology platform is now deployed with the top configurations, and an upgrade path is available from the G3 series. This means sending the product back to the Antipodes headquarters, paying only for the upgrade, and waiting a bit for the new platform retrofitting. However, this represents a significant advantage and a real protection for your investment. Can you name other companies that would do the same for their customers? I can think of maybe only two others, and that is all.
Design & Build Quality
After a few back-and-forth emails with Mr. Mark Cole, Director of Business Development, I got a notification from DHL that a package was handed over and would arrive shortly. That happened in the summer, so it took me some time to assemble this review — more than necessary. With my apologies to Mr. Cole for such a long overdue deadline and many thanks for his support and patience along the way, I have to state why I was dragging my feet for such a long time. I come clean now, Mr. Cole; I did not want the time spent with Oladra to come to an end. I was trying to figure out how to listen to music without it. But on that a little later…
Unpacking Oladra and attempting to raise it from the box proved to be a mind-bending experience. Its heft was far greater than the dimensions of such an entire aluminum block would suggest. It was as if it were not built from aluminum but from an unknown material, one of those exotic heavy materials with an unusually high mass per square meter. With a weight of 20 kg, Oladra is much heavier than at first glance.
Precision-machined from a solid block of premium alloy, the black version I received is matte, soft to the touch, and impeccably finished. The quality of the construction was immediately apparent, the screws, the gaps where the main chaise meets the metal plates from the bottom, everything speaks a very high industrial quality. And there were the vibration control footers. After seeing so much equipment over the last few years, I am trying to remember a manufacturer that treated the subject correctly. Regardless of price, even the finest DACs and critically vulnerable to vibration products were never developed with such care. The footers are everywhere, an afterthought, and curiously enough, very few manufacturers cared to listen to their product with proper vibration isolation.
But not Antipodes. Every part of Oladra screams quality and attention to detail:
“The footers are a sandwich of two different metals with a thick polymer between them. The polymer is specifically designed for vibration control, and its tension is set to the correct level for optimum results. The mass and rigidity of the two metal pieces are also an important part of the design. With such an inert chassis (due to being a solid alloy and with no parallel surfaces), we wanted to ensure that the Oladra was also as isolated from the rack as possible without messing with timbres. We used some very highly regarded footers for comparison, and the effect of our footers was at least to match them in terms of isolation (clarity) and to have an invisible impact on timbre (making them markedly superior to the alternatives we used for comparison).”
From the moment I touched it, I was utterly captivated. Milled from a solid block of aluminum with sleek, subtly curved lines, Oladra is a stunning departure from square and bulky designs. Its smoothly organic, elegantly warped sides create a beautiful piece that stands out in any setting. Once you feel the unusual weight of an alien rock with uncommon density, it somehow conveys an ultimate piece with utter confidence and uniqueness compared to all the other boring black boxes on your rack.
Controls & Connectivity
Oladra’s sleek and attractive front showcases just two small LEDs: a bright green light indicating that the power is on and a dim amber light signifying standby mode. During the minute-long On/Off sequence, both lights blink, activated by a prominent button on the front panel. By briefly pressing the large button (a half-second press will start the standby process), the single small green LED can be turned off.
The Oladra’s well-organized rear panel includes various inputs, multiple outputs, and three SSD slots for internal file storage, alongside the main power switch, IEC inlet, and grounding post. Internal storage can be expanded to a maximum of 24TB. Antipodes recommends using Samsung PM893 cards (Enterprise Grade), but I successfully utilized the more affordable Samsung SSD, the 870 Evo, 8TB, by inserting up to three cards into the slots until they clicked securely into place. Additionally, the Oladra can access files stored remotely on a NAS and stream music from services like Qobuz and Tidal.
Oladra provides a comprehensive selection of connectivity: USB, I2S, AES3, and S/PDIF. Notably, it features dual connection types for I2S, including an HDMI connection and an RJ45, and for S/PDIF, with both RCA and BNC options available and even an optical output. So, everything is fully covered.
The network connection supports 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet, and there is also a Direct Stream Gigabit Ethernet output for DACs capable of handling the Player part of the process. However, I do not have a DAC capable of this anymore, and to be honest, I was more interested in finding out what Oladra is capable of with all four stages involved in the proprietary chain of regeneration and reclocking the signal. I will discuss that a lot deeper, a little later.
Two additional USB ports are also available for enhanced connectivity with storage devices or an external CD drive, which can be used to rip existing CDs. I can attest that I tried it, and Oladra delivers exceptional quality.
Core Philosophy & Technology
Like yesterday, I remember listening to Mr. Jenkins talking about the perfect squarewave and timing in audio signal processing. It was right then and there when I realized how much more is involved in digital signal processing. I was concentrating on low noise and beefy power supply and, to some degree, on isolating the processes at the processor level, keeping it running way below its capabilities to keep the high-frequency noise down and create headroom and isolation for instantaneous demands. I was just scratching the surface, nothing more.
Then, it was about the paramount importance of using an extremely quick power supply that can provide instantaneous power on demand—not just outrageous swifts but extremely quick. This is where a linear power supply, even a good one, will fall short. I did not hear that argument for the first time. In recent years, some industry titans have changed their perspective and started preaching the advantages of switching-mode power supplies. Go figure…
Why A High-End Music Server?
Before we delve deeply into technology, let’s establish the foundational principles and the importance of a high-end music server. Digital audio data, represented as binary code —ones and zeros — captures the sound signal’s amplitude. However, the quality of the digital signal depends not only on these amplitude measurements; timing is equally crucial, a factor influenced by the music server in use. Consider a turntable. Have you ever tried to change the rotation speed, maybe even accidentally? It skews the signal’s timing, changing the tonality and illustrating that the binary representation is only part of the whole story. The nature of digital audio often leads to a common misconception: many believe that as long as one has a high-quality digital-to-analog converter (DAC) with a precise clock, the quality of the music server becomes irrelevant. This misconception arises from the belief that the DAC can perfectly time the data just before the digital-to-analog conversion. Theoretically, perfect digital signals may exist, but real-world circuits frequently struggle to achieve even acceptable results. In reality, successful outcomes depend on excellent circuit design and various practical considerations. Ensuring accurate signal timing before reaching the DAC significantly enhances the quality of the resulting analog audio.
A clock stage’s effectiveness depends on the circuit it operates within and the power supply providing energy to that circuit. For the re-clocking stage to function accurately, it must receive a high-bandwidth, low-noise signal. If the signals before and after this stage are contaminated by noise that falls below the bit rate — such as that produced by linear power supplies — the re-clocking process will be largely ineffective. Anyone who asserts that digital data is merely ‘ones and zeroes’ has clearly not confronted the challenging realities of practical applications.
That is why there is an obvious necessity for high-end equipment in the role of a music server from at least three factors’ perspectives – noise, isolation, and time-based signal distortion:
- Noise reduction: common in general-purpose computers and networks, can significantly degrade audio quality.
- Isolation: isolating processor-intensive digital signal processing from analog signals is crucial.
- Specialized Audio Optimisation: High-quality music servers can be tailored to provide superior audio playback. This involves utilizing high-quality components, enhancing operating systems and software applications, and effectively managing services to prevent time-based signal distortion.
If you want even more information on the following subject, I recently came across an excellent explanation by Hans Beekhuyzen on his YouTube channel: “016 Connecting your DAC #2: how digital can go wrong.” Mr. Beekhuyzen presented a clear, non-engineering-complex approach to explaining why the square wave is so essential and how errors in the time domain can lead to decoding errors and signal smearing.
Squaring the Wave
At Antipodes, they talk a lot about timing, and for good reason. It is a key optimization for achieving the music’s perfect timing. Our brain is so susceptible to even the most minor timing inconsistency that it transfers a colossal burden to the equipment used in musical reproduction. Any minute time error will ruin the experience by smearing the reproduction, altering tonality, and losing detail and dynamics. Perfect timing is crucial!
A perfect square wave maintains its shape in the time domain. The vertical rises and falls occur instantly, representing the wave as closely as possible to a square, with different amplitudes for 1 and 0. This signal optimization and reshaping (regeneration) can happen several times in the digital domain, but generating precise square waves demands a very wide bandwidth. Attempting to fix noise after the event reduces bandwidth. Antipodes believes that “creating a square wave requires high bandwidth to accurately square out the wave for at least seven or more harmonics above the bitrate. Otherwise, the square wave will be less square and less precise in representing the timing. To produce a clean square wave, it is essential to reduce noise and transition almost instantaneously from 0 to 1″, according to Antipodes. This highlights the need for a very fast and clean power supply.
“Years ago, we began trying to make the fastest possible power supplies. By 2022, we had found how to take linear power supplies completely out of the picture and not have a noise penalty. Our new design choices eliminate the flux leakage from the large transformers used in linear power supplies and provide much faster current delivery, resulting in a big improvement in sound quality.”
Antipodes call their power supply “triple-cascade switch mode” because it involves three regulation stages that feed each other in series. Each stage uses a different topology, is isolated from the others, and has much smaller transformers than those in linear supplies.
The Architecture: 2 Perfectly tailored computers
The Oladra employs two custom computers and extremely carefully chosen parts to employ four total stages (from Antipodes documentation):
- 1 – Server stage – Initiates the process by streaming data to the player
- 2 – Player stage – Regenerates and transmits the data to a regeneration step
- 3 – Signal Regeneration – This buffers the signal and generates a new low-noise, high-bandwidth signal representing the same sample amplitude data.
- 4 – Signal Reclocking – Re-clocks the signal with reference to a stable, low-phase-error, precise clock.
Depending on the architecture and specific requirements for each stage, various components are needed to meet those demands. The high-performance custom Oladra Server computer delivers rapid responses to your commands and captures the finest musical details for streaming to the Player. The custom Oladra Player computer provides a signal with remarkably precise timbre, rich tonal density, natural dynamics, and captivating musical expression. The signal regeneration and reclocking stages utilize precise clocks and immaculate power.
The digital signal from the Player computer is first isolated and regenerated with an ultra-stable clock to eliminate spurious noise and shape the wave for precise timing. In the final processing stage, the signal is further isolated, regenerated, and reclocked using oven-controlled ultra-low phase error femtosecond clocks before being sent to the DAC.
Through measurements and listening sessions, Antipodes optimizes each stage perfectly. With the latest G4 platform, the USB output is now more aligned with the digital outputs of the four stages’ beneficiaries (AES/EBU, S/PDIF, and I2S). I can’t speak to the differences from the G3 version, but I can say that there are distinct changes in the sound signature of Oladra’s fourth stage of reclocking and how the USB reclocks on my Lampizator Poseidon DAC sounds different. It will be fun, I promise; wait a bit more.
Software
AMS Web Interface v5.0.1
The Oladra can be controlled from tablets, phones, and computers through its native control apps, such as Roon. Antipodes has created a user-friendly web interface compatible with any device featuring an internet browser, including phones, tablets, and Windows and Mac computers, to launch other apps and adjust their settings.
The AMS web interface (the Dashboard) is user-friendly and provides a range of valuable tools. To find your Antipodes device(s), simply enter myantipodes.com in your browser. If you have the IP address of your Antipodes device, you can access its user interface directly by typing the address into the browser. The easiest way to reach the interface is to visit the Antipodes website and click the “My Antipodes” link.
The Oladra Solution page offers comprehensive control over both the server and player from a single interface. The Presets dropdown menu includes “smart” presets that allow you to create a functional server-player combination with your chosen app, automatically selecting the most suitable digital output with just one click.
Server-Side
On the server side of the dashboard, there are Squeeze, Roon, HQPlayer, Plex, MinimServer, MiniDLNA, and, surprisingly, Sonos. Each of the servers can be started or stopped; however, it’s better not to start services that are not in use to keep resource usage to a minimum. CPU usage remains consistently in the 0 to 2% range, demonstrating extreme optimization for minimal noise generation. Memory usage stays around 1%, and the temperature hovers around 42 degrees Celsius. All of this indicates a very high headroom and plenty of memory and computing power to ensure the lowest noise possible, even during highly demanding processes.
On the server side, there is also the Storage section presented. I was highly impressed that simply adding a new 8TB SSD by inserting it into an empty slot seamlessly upgraded the storage capacity. On the user level, you can see all the storage capacity as one unit, which I have never seen in another server computer. Generally, to work like this, you will need some RAID setup, and in most cases, the SSDs need to be the same type with precisely the same capacity. The manage Disks button will give the user an overview of the installed units on the server.
There is also a Ripping button that opens a Ripper Dashboard, where one can set up the encoding format and see the status of the process. Once the encoding is set, everything is completely transparent for the user—inserting a disk into the external USB device will automatically start the ripping. And it works like a charm!
In general, the server apps are managed from the player side as they are elegantly linked.
Player Side
The Player Dashboard offers a wealth of information and provides access to all sub-options of the various player apps. From the Playback Method dropdown, you can quickly choose from Squeeze, Roon, HQPlayer, and combinations of partner servers: Squeeze Player with Roon Server, HQPlayer with Roon Server, MPD with Minim Server, MPD with MiniDLNA, and MPD with Squeeze Server. It’s quite a plethora of options, and what’s particularly nice is that selecting a Player and Server combination will automatically adjust the settings and restart both the player and the server, making them available in no time.
Also, Audio Output shall be selected between Digital Audio (all digital options will be available: AES/EBU, S/PDIF, I2S) or the DAC recognized over the USB if it is connected and powered. DSD Method can be selected from DoP and Native.
The Player section has the same gauges for CPU and Memory usage and processor core temperature. As on the server side, everything runs at the minimum stress after booting. We can clearly see that the server has 64GB of RAM installed and, for the Player, 8GB. These are impressive values. One last thing: any change on the Player side that does not directly affect the server being used will only restart the player. Additionally, there are buttons on both sides for quickly restarting either the Player or the Server.
My Setup
We eventually arrived. It was a long road, and I am grateful you followed me here. Now, it is time to discuss how the wonderful Oladra sounds. A detailed list of associated equipment is included at the end of this article so that I will provide only a brief context for the sound story here.
Oladra replaced my custom server and Lumin U2 streamer. Alternating between the AES/EBU and USB outputs, Oladra was connected to the LampizatOr Poseidon DAC, which then amplified the music through either the Chord Ultima 5 power amplifier or the Trafomatic Glenn 300B monoblocks to my glorious Raidho TD 2.2 speakers.
Along the way, some USB cables played the leading role in the system, and I was lucky enough to come by something outstanding. I received the Network Acoustics muon2 USB cable for review, and it was such an incredible partner for Oladra and the Poseidon DAC. A full review will follow shortly; that is a promise. Somehow, muon2 allowed me to dig even deeper into the outstanding qualities of Oladra and understand beyond the beauty of music; it allowed me to recognize unsurpassed qualities and witness incredible technicalities while preserving all the naturalness and analog character ingrained quality of Antipodes server/streamer.
Only the Music
This is the part I enjoy writing about the most, but it is also the most challenging. I would love to experiment someday and focus solely on sound qualities, music, and my feelings when I have the rare opportunity to explore such an outstanding product. It’s difficult because sharing such a significant part of my soul makes me feel vulnerable. There are rare moments like this—deep and personal—that seem incomprehensible to the outside world without revealing my most intimate thoughts and emotions. I wonder if this utterly complete sincerity of my ideas and feelings can stand for logical arguments and technical details.
There is immense joy in sharing my inner reality, uplifted by the beauty and happiness of being part of this representation of effortless, refined, and even transcendent sound reproduction. Oladra sounds remarkably natural, unforced, and fluid, with lifelike expression and dynamics. This organic expressiveness renders the usual discussion about frequency response unnecessary; Oladra operates on a much higher plane, where these artifacts seem mundane and inappropriate. It’s akin to asking Leonardo da Vinci about his dinner on the evening he drew the Vitruvian Man instead of discussing the unique synthesis of artistic and scientific ideals behind that masterpiece. The ideal body proportions depicted and inclusion within a circle speak of perfection— a meticulously crafted, masterful artistic representation of man at first glance. However, there is also perfection in the harmony of the microcosmos inside the circle, a complete reproduction of the harmony that exists in the universe outside. My mind may wander to such places when the ideal body proportions of sounds and rhythms emerge before my closed eyes. You understand now my fear of ridicule in sharing such introspections 🙂
Best Analog Source comes in a Digital Form.
The title of this article boldly expresses my point. You may refer to it as a review, but it is a story for me, and every story deserves a meaningful name.
The truth is that I do not have much experience with analog sound reproduction in its purest form. Most of my audiophile life has been spent in the digital realm, and only by chance have I had the opportunity to listen to a few awe-inspiring analog systems. However, when I heard them, it completely altered my perception of what many people rave about. The incredible naturalness and organic quality of analog sound stayed with me as a reference. Once I heard it, I could not forget it.
I had the same feeling listening to Oladra for the first time. There was something special about it, even if it wasn’t terribly impressive at first. Nothing demanded my immediate attention. There was a strange flow that seemed to lack nothing but, at the same time, didn’t cry out for incredible details or unnecessary embellishments. It was just right, and for that reason, maybe not as electrifying as expected initially; nothing felt lost, only colorful and fluid. I had grown accustomed to expecting more in the pointless pursuit of achieving less (I understand that now). The naturalness threw me off balance but, at the same time, offered comfort and support. I remember listening to a well-crafted vinyl system at our friends’ place from AVstore, where the transparency and immediacy of the sound felt so natural that it became the new normal, not something meant to impress the listener.
I searched frantically for the playlist created that day in the AV store listening room. Our friends had played high-quality pressings a few times, so I made a short playlist. The first piece was a Sonny Rollins masterpiece from the “Way Out West” album. As it played, I instantly recognized the saxophone’s effortless and utterly natural reproduction, with reflections of the vibrating air inside—not overdone, but flowing seamlessly with the standing wave. All those small cracks and micro-vibrations were present in the flow, defining the instrument’s richness and adding an organic character. The tonality was just right, showcasing Sonny Rollins’s unique magic and expressiveness. I was blown away by how beautifully and lifelike Oladra successfully reproduced the main instrument, capturing its organic definition, the body, the venue’s dimensions, and the magnitude and glow of light surrounding the instrument as it played. I could envision a single light shining down on Sonny, illuminating him while the entire stage remained dark, where the double bass kept the rhythm. The track “There Is No Greater Love” from that album was just the beginning; I simply couldn’t change the track. I let it play into the next—“Way Out West,” where everything opened up as more instruments took their place on stage. I was totally amazed at how the dynamics built up around each instrument, with none being overdone, harsh, or overpowering the rest. It was as if each instrument lived in its own bubble of space, and all the dynamics, the details, and the whole manifestation were contained within. Somehow, without contaminating other spaces, a glow would rise with the amplitude, subtly enlightening the surroundings and other bubbles of sound, bringing details and contouring instead of overshadowing. It was utterly strange—almost spooky—how each instrument could flicker in its beauty and how precise the glow of each one was. To call this surgical separation would not do justice to the glorious presentation.
I am a big fan of Etta Cameron. I am hopelessly attracted to just a few incredible voices like hers, which translate into boundless emotion. Sometimes, it feels as if her soul has left the body’s constraints, singing in a different dimension, totally free and fueled by the hidden powers of the universe. Few voices can convey such power and genuine emotion. I discovered Etta Cameron recently and keep it as if it were my secret treasure. But today, I must share it with you as there is no other way to tell you my story.
My first discovery was the album “Etta,” released one year before her passing in 2010. Listening to “Summertime,” “You’ve Changed,” or “Motherless Child” was a highly emotional experience with Oladra. The extreme presence of Etta’s voice, the tactility of every little detail, and the nuance were overwhelming. I cried. I did. Even if I had listened so many times to all those songs, by now, somehow, the emotion transferred by Oladra through LampizatOr Poseidon was like from another world. Every inflection of her voice conveyed pure emotion and dug deep into my soul.
Initially, I used Oladra’s Digital Output with an AES/EBU silver cable, the Statement SE, provided by Marohei Cables. I tested a few less expensive cables, but none could rise to the level set by Marohei. Statement SE is complete, very detailed, and has a rich analog character. It very well suits Oladra’s full-body character.
I listened to a lot of music, more than I ever hoped for. I eagerly seized the chance to hear at least a few tracks during every free minute I had. Oladra opened up during the first few weeks, and the sound grew more mature and sophisticated with each passing day. All this new, digitally liberated character, fantastic flow, and incredible tonality were intoxicating; I felt the need to immerse myself in as much music as possible once again. It was a huge surprise to discover music I hadn’t enjoyed much in the past, and now I understand why – it didn’t sound right; it had too much of something, too little of something else, was not articulated enough, sometimes felt lighter, and generally not convincing. I often wondered if there is any truth to the suspicion that we tend to prefer music that resonates well with our systems. For me, Oladra confirmed a greatly expanded range of genres I enjoy.
And then I was smitten again. One afternoon, during my lunch break, I took the opportunity to listen again, and Roon insisted that I had to hear Nina Simone. From the album “Feeling Good: The Very Best of Nina Simone,” the track “Don’t Explain” transported me to another world in the blink of an eye. The whole atmosphere sent goosebumps up my skin, and tears welled in the corners of my eyes. Usually, the Nina Simone recordings I encountered sounded lifeless and distant; I always presumed they were poor-quality recordings from that time, akin to an old transistor radio lacking body and substance (of course, I am using some thicker strikes to make a point). Not all recordings from the album are as intimate as “Don’t Explain,”but then there was “The Other Woman (Live In New York, 1964),” which floored me with its convincing, organic, and incredibly emotional tonality. With absolutely no harshness or edginess, Nina’s voice was reproduced by Oladra with such depth and sweetness that every tremor resonated in its purest form, illuminating the stage with color and vibrancy. Roon describes this album as a “good collection of tracks for beginners.” So be it! It was a revelation; another door opened to a new universe. I promise I am no longer a Nina Simone beginner; I am one of her biggest admirers.
Another phenomenal piece of music that has never sounded so good and lifelike on my system is by Anohni and the Johnsons, whose powerful voice embodies trembling vigor and sensuality, at least for me. The “Turning (Live)” album is a prime example of details rendered with such delicacy and expressiveness. It’s simply music in its purest form. Oladra transformed something that was already captivating into a magnificent event. “I Fell In Love With A Dead Boy,” “Cripple and the Starfish,” and “Find The Rhythm Of Your Love” are simply fantastic; I could have listened to it on repeat for hours. And that enforces an undeniable quality of Oladra – there is no listening fatigue, and everything sounds so unforced, free, and genuine. It is not a warm sound or lacking vigor or impact; it is just depleted of any form of digital harshness and artifacts. The live version of the “Turning” album shows just a clear window to the full stage; there are no walls anymore. I can not say that the stage is wide or deep; it is just how it is: full and complete.
Later, I transitioned from my solid-state Chord Ultima 5 power with Ultima 2 Pre to the newly accustomed Trafomatic Audio Glenn 300B SET monoblocks. That translates to about 10% of the solid-state power, and one might expect a dramatic drop in dynamics and control, leading to a complete soundstage collapse—nothing could be further from the truth. Those roughly 27 Watts of pure single-ended 300B broadened the stage and elevated the organic quality to extraordinary levels. I have never experienced a more musical reproduction. The holography and soundstage positioning with Oladra in a tube amplifier setup are beyond remarkable. Yes, I may miss the exceptional control and precision of the Ultima 5 powerful amplifier, but an intensely lush and liquid midrange has replaced it, and in the end, everything is a trade-off, right? Well… not with Oladra! Antipodes state-of-the-art does not compromise in any configuration, consistently maintaining the analog, organic, fluid, and liquid character every time.
I grew so accustomed to and spoiled by such a perfect reproduction that I even forgot I needed to listen attentively after a while. I overlooked Oladra as a component and took it for granted. It had become a perfect foundation for my endeavors in the tube world- something ideal to build upon. It never let me down from a software perspective or regarding sound. I occasionally pondered two questions: What will I write about it since it is perfect? And what in the world will I do when I have to send it off to another reviewer? Silly and uncomfortable questions. To get out of this loop, I decided to return to my custom server and Lumin U2 configuration one day. Somehow, I knew it would be a tremendous change, but I still hoped to survive it—silly me!
The dramatic change was not one of the technicalities or dynamics. There wasn’t a significant difference in the attack or even in tonality; the 300B added enough sweetness and midrange lushness to the sound. It was something more profound and unexpected. The sound became mechanical and rigid, exhibiting an audible roughness of the digital reproduction—a tightness and aggressiveness that surprised me. I couldn’t fix it with any cable; even the 300B quads failed to correct the mechanistic aspect of the sound. It was a fundamental problem, one that couldn’t be treated afterward. Beyond the acceptable higher noise floor and slight edginess of the sound lay something more profound, grounded in the basics of reproduction. The analog character of Oladra appears anchored in the fundamentals, not merely in a total lack of edginess or lower noise floor. The fluency and liquidity were, in fact, just a reflection of the non-mechanical sound character, deeply organic and natural. Discovering that it was a total bunker, I can tell you. The only good thing was that now, I knew how to address the first question.
What is the best digital output?
Another test involved switching from the Digital Audio (AES/EBU) port to USB. From Mr. Jenkins’s detailed answer, I understood what was happening behind the scenes. I trust my LampizatOr Poseidon will reclock the signal effectively, as the USB output reclocking is missing on the Oladra side, so I am obviously passing this to the DAC. This final stage is applied to all other outputs. And to answer my question, there is no recipe for this.
Through USB, the server exhibits a noticeably tighter and leaner sound, becoming slightly more expressive and direct while being less spacious and less relaxed overall. There is not a big difference in fluidity or organic character. USB added a more analytical character to the sound, another level of expressiveness you could like or not. It greatly depends on the DAC’s capability to reclock the signal at a level that can match Oladra’s own reclocked, which is not easy.
I felt the change as a side step, offering a more lucid presentation without losing naturalness or, God forbid, becoming mechanical or less organic. It was just a bit more present, less relaxed, and maybe slightly less spacious. You become part of the soundstage as if you are moving a few rows closer to the event. For me, it was quite impressive—another face of the same coin. It allowed me to test a few USB cables without losing any of the ingrained Oladra character. Unfortunately, there is no definitive answer to this question. It all depends on how your DAC treats each type of connection internally. Everyone does it differently. There is also the matter of matching the cables. I had very different representations with every other cable that I tested. One shall test it and experiment with it. It is just another path, like everything else, with this hobby.
Roon vs. Squeeze Endpoint (player)
I’ve read a lot on the Antipodes forum about the different qualities of player/server combinations. Somehow, common knowledge surfaced from other people’s experiences, backed by those from Antipodes as well. I did not like it, I tell you. I am one of the biggest fans of Roon on the planet, and it seems that the general opinion was that the Roon Player/Server combination was not the best for sound quality alone. Highly disappointing, right? Well, I kind of heard it before and decided to ignore it while I was building my own Roon server, and I always used a Roon endpoint as a streamer (Player). Now, with the ease of switching between so many combinations with Oladra, I thought it was time to test at least the recipe given by Antipodes: Squeeze Player + Roon Server. It might not be the definitive combination, but at least I do not lose access to my beloved Roon app and server.
I must admit that Squeeze Player sounds more accurate, and it is a step up from a pure audiophile reproduction perspective. The tonality is improved, the sound is more open, and the bass is cleaner. It offers a more coherent presentation, providing a deeper insight into the music with better timbral quality. The Roon player tends to both accentuate and soften the bass while adding some lushness and sweetness to the midrange. This is a pleasant aspect and has a clear advantage in some more clinical systems. However, the sound tightness and clarity are not as well defined as with the Squeeze Player. I miss the richness of the midrange, where the voices and most instruments thrive. It’s a tough choice, but hey! It is not a definitive one. Keeping the Roon server in place as the manager and brain of your music collection means there is always a back-and-forth between these two options. All it takes is a Player restart – two separate computers – remember?
For now, I have adopted the Squeeze player, as it is the better tool for correctly assessing different sound qualities. It provides a clearer view of the sound without the apparent aberrations imposed by the Roon Player. I hope that Roon will consider this aspect and put a little more effort into the sound quality. It might not be as important now in their quest for world domination under Harman, but it matters a lot to us hardcore audiophiles who have supported Roon from the very beginning. I am not ready to part ways with Roon Server as I could not find something better from the user experience perspective, design, and functionality. Not by a very long range…
Wow… and we reached the last significant section of this story. Is anyone still here?
Conclusion
What is left to say? I hope not much. Otherwise, I didn’t quite perform a good job. I will try to gather my thoughts… well, what is Antipodes Oladra in the end?
Antipodes Oladra is the best analog source I’ve ever heard! It comes in digital form and, for the first time in my experience, not only possesses all the outstanding qualities of pure analog reproduction but also none of its downsides. To say that there is now a digital source that can match and even surpass the best vinyl on the planet is an understatement. Oladra is a genuine source player/server/reclocker platform that is as natural to use as the air we breathe. There are no finicky mechanical parts involved, no degradation in sound quality over time, and no time wasted on endless adjustments—yes, you got it, I’m thinking of vinyl spinning.
Oladra presents such a deep tonal saturation, lushness, liquidity, and organic flow to the music that I learned not all brilliant qualities are visible; some remain hidden in the shadows. These provide highly resolving, lifelike fundamentals for this unique, profound analog character. The technicalities are above any analog source that I heard, providing the music with a highly emotional expressiveness and such a high resolution that it is easy to forget where it comes from.
I truly appreciate the engineering and R&D invested in this project, as it is clear that this is one of those endeavors that started from the ground up. There is no other product or project that I know of that offers such a fundamental and comprehensive approach to digital musical reproduction. Sure, there are powerful computers with linear power supplies, two-body machines that tried to separate the Player from the Server part, and a ton of less competent players/servers that attempted to solve everything by merely separating the power into another box. None of these are as technologically accomplished, and I reserve the right to have reasonable doubts that any can match the incredible analog sound reproduction ingrained in the Oladra platform. Until proven wrong, I will stay with Oladra as the most accomplished digital source on the planet.
One last word – Antipodes Customer Service
This was an unplanned experience, if not a chapter in itself. But it happened. I was foolish enough to perform the unthinkable and was left with a stuck Oladra caught in some strange, unwanted update cycle on the server side. It sounds dramatic, but it was much simpler in the end. Without going into much detail, I had to apply for a customer service consultation and a long-distance screen-sharing procedure. This occurred on a Friday evening, just when I planned to wrap up my story.
I had to follow the customer path on the Antipodes website, schedule a meeting, install some software, and endure two days with my crushed soul from my stupidity. At 2 AM on Sunday, I waited, hardly breathing, for the head of IT at Antipodes to connect to my computer and assess the malfunctioning patient. And it went off without a hitch. From the scheduling process to receiving the email with a link to the necessary steps for the meeting preparations and getting access to my computer, everything fell perfectly into place, including the prompt resolution of the incident. When I finally summoned the courage to breathe again, I realized how smoothly and professionally everything had been handled and resolved my problem. I couldn’t help but imagine having to call someone long-distance with such a time difference on the other side of the planet and the possibility of not getting an answer… That is a nightmare for another night.
So, you may not feel that good customer service is required until, you know what, actually heats the fan. I heard horrifying stories even at this price point and well above. Thinking about the manufacturer being on the other side of the planet sounds scary, but Antipodes proved they know that and are fully prepared. Not only was the intervention and solution beyond reproach, I had a highly instructive chat with the Antipodes head of IT, Mr. Prince. And it was an absolute pleasure, especially after I got some air in my lungs and Oladra played in the background. Thank you, Mr. Prince!
Editors’ Choice Award
This is easy, the easiest.
Based on all these words and my incredible experience with Antipodes OLADRA, I am proud to present our highest honor—the “Editors’ Choice Award.” This is my first time offering such a prestigious award on our website. It is definitely well-deserved, and I am doing this with complete confidence. OLADRA is an outstanding product that can shift beliefs, alter priorities, and create an entirely new category where it reigns alone for now.
Some appreciation words are also in order. Thank you so much, Mr. Mark Jenkins, Mr. Mark Cole, and Mr. Prince, for all your trust, support, and fantastic collaboration!
Associated Equipment
- Digital source: a custom passive server with Euphony, Roon, JCAT NET XE powered by linear power supply – FARAD Super 10
- Transport: Melco N100 powered by FARAD Super 3
- D/A converter (DAC): LampizatOr Poseidon
- Amplifier: CHORD Electronics Ultima 5, Trafomatic Audio Glenn 300B SET monoblocks
- Preamplifier: CHORD Electronics Ultima 2, Trafomatic Audio Lara line preamplifier
- Loudspeakers: Raidho TD 1.2, Raidho TD 2.2
- Headphones: Meze Elite
- Headphone amplifier: Trafomatic Primavera
- Speaker Cables: Marohei Statement SE, Crystal Monet Speak Diamond2
- Interconnects: Marohei Statement SE balanced, Crystal Reference2 Diamond XLR
- Digital Cables: Marohei Statement SE AES/EBU, Crystal Monet USB Diamond2, Network Acoustics Muon2
- Network Cables: Crystal Da Vinci Network Cable
- Power cables: Marohei Statement SE, Crystal Ultra2 Diamond Power, Roboli Charlin
- Power: Keces IQRP-3600
- Network: Melco S100/2 switch powered by FARAD Super 3, Lumin L2 switch/music library
- Racks: Woodyard Suspended Triple, Woodyard Baby Modular
- Anti-vibration accessories: Arya Audio Labs RevOpod, Viablue UFO DOME Cable holders, Viablue UFO Vibration Absorbers
Antipodes Audio Oladra Details
Product Weight & Dimensions:
- Weight: 20Kg
- Width: 445mm
- Height: 100mm
- Depth: 400mm
Power & Network
- AC Power: Unconstrained Mains Current , 110-120VAC or 220-240VAC, Filtered IEC 320-C14 Input
- Network: 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet, RJ45
- Direct Stream: Gigabit Ethernet, RJ45
Signal Outputs
- USB – USB Audio 2.0 Full Compliance
– PCM to 32 bit/768kHz
– DoP to DSD256
– Native DSD to DSD512
– On USB A - I2S
– PCM to 32bit/384kHz
– DoP to DSD256
– Configurable Native DSD to DSD512
– On HDMI & RJ45 - AES3
– PCM to 24bit/192kHz
– DoP to DSD64
– On XLR 3-Pin - S/PDIF
– PCM to 24bit/192kHz
– DoP to DSD64
– On RCA, BNC & TOS
Storage
- Disk Capacity: 3 Rear Panel Slots
- Disk Type: 2.5″ SATA SSD, Enterprise Grade Preferred
- Installation: User-Installable, No Tools Required
Warranty & Price
- Warranty Type: Return To Dealer, 100% Coverage For Manufacturing Defects, All Parts & Labour
- Warranty Term: Three Years Automatic, Five Years If Registered
- World Price: USD29,000 plus local duties & taxes
