How Sforzato Works
Sforzato DSP (Digital Stream Player) consists of a main DAC board and board with a powerful CPU, which under custom firmware performs all tasks related to receiving digital data over the network and subsequent D/A conversion. Since the Sforzato DSP is a network player, you need to take advantage of its Ethernet connection, which provides better SQ compared to a USB connection. But Sforzato players can be used just like a normal USB DAC since all units have USB input.
It is recommended after each reconnection to restart Sforzato by turning it off and on again after 5 seconds
How to Connect Sforzato Player to the Server
By Ethernet
Sforzato is compatible with any Network Server that use a server app such as Twonky Media Server, Minimserver, or Asset UPnP over the standard UPnP/Open Home protocol, and also Roon. Sforzato is also compatible with servers that support the DIRETTA special Hi‐End protocol (such as Pachanko, Fidata, Soundgenic) or with servers running on Windows with the Diretta driver. In this case, you can get very high sound quality!
Compatibility with other servers is also possible, but this needs to be checked.
Full control of Sforzato Network Player is done on a tablet or smartphone via free applications such as Taktina (main), LINN KAZOO, LINN Kinsky (old), or Fidata Music app. You can also use any other DLNA/Open Home controllers (m-connect, Bubble UPnP, Lumin, etc).
Make sure your smartphone is connected to the same network as the server!
In case ROON CORE is installed on the server, it is very easy to use Sforzato players as a Roon Ready endpoint (player) since all Sforzato players are fully Roon Ready. The quality of LAN cables greatly affects the sound in any case.
Via USB
You can also connect Sforzato player to the server via USB.
Sforzato players are equipped with USB‐B Audio Class 2.0 input devices. In this case, the server will also perform the function of a player, and Sforzato will only serve as a network DAC. Control will also be carried out using the same apps. In this case, the sound quality will be noticeably worse compared to the Ethernet connection.
How to Connect Sforzato DSP−xxx to Windows PC
Via USB (standard)
This is a standard connection where you may need to install the Sforzato USB driver on your PC, but usually, Windows finds and installs this driver automatically the first time you connect.
If necessary, the driver can be downloaded from here: http://sfz.co.jp/Download/SFORZATOUsbAudioSetup.zip
To play music files from a computer, you can use any soft player (Foobar, J‐river, HQ Player, Audirvana, etc.). In the output menu, you must select ASIO SFORZATO USB AUDIO in advance.
By LAN via Diretta for maximum SQ
This is a unique opportunity to get the maximum sound quality from any Windows PC, as it allows Sforzato to become a LAN–DAC, which is much more efficient and higher quality than USB–DAC.
In this case, you need to download and install the Diretta driver from here: http://sfz.co.jp/Download/SforzatoASIOdriver_1_100_0.msi.
After that, connect your PC and Sforzato player directly with a high‐quality Ethernet (LAN) cable. To play music files from a computer, you also use any soft player (Foobar, J‐river, HQ Player, Audirvana, etc.), in the output menu of which you must select ASIO SFORZATO DIRETTA.
How to use streaming services
You own streaming platform
The easiest and highest quality way to use streaming services is to use the special application TAKTINA, which provides direct (and therefore high‐quality) access to three streaming services: TIDAL, Qobuz, and Amazon HD.
ROON
To use the ROON app, which already has all the streaming services. Just connect Sforzato to Roon Server or PC with Roon Core installed and select Sforzaro player as the end point (player), since all Sforzato players are fully Roon Ready.