AXPONA & Streamer Suggestions

Al has spoken, so it must be true…:joy:

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Choosing a streamer seems to be one of the hardest decisions in the digital chain. There’s so many choices with varying degrees of functionality.

It doesn’t have to be hard. Just buy a Grimm MU1.

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I have dealt with Jamie, the owner of the Audio Experience and found him to be quite knowledgeable and fair. This is way over your price range, but I bought the Innuos Statement from him and have been very happy. The Innuos Sense app has greatly improved from a year ago. The price listed is a deal and I think you would be very happy. Just my opinion.

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That’s a great idea, you can sell @DrPain your MU1 for his budget of $4,000 and pay his Roon lifetime subscription to work it.

The Innuos Pulse goes a chunk of the way towards the Statement, if you want reclocking and don’t need onboard storage.

@DrPain
Not manufactured in US (S.Korea) but does 32/768 DSD 512
Optional LPS adds $500 Optional master clock input adds $200
sMS-200ultra Neo network renderer and Roon end point – SOtM USA (sotm-usa.com)

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I definitely see the MU1 as an option for some. I seriously considered one, but went a different direction.

The Grimm as you know is for Roon users. There’s still a market for 1) Something that costs less; 2) Doesn’t rely on Roon, especially now that you can’t use Roon after you lose your internet connection; 3) Let’s people stream Tidal Connect and Spotify (and hopefully some day a Qobuz equivalent; 4) Has an included interface for managing local and streaming services that doesn’t cost extra; 5) Isn’t complicated to setup; 6) Isn’t single ended so an entire family can control it from their individual devices; 7) Doesn’t require a server or a workstation that’s serving up content.

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I would personally like to see different categories for streamers. It’s a challenge to lump every type into one group and know each one’s core functionality.

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To I degree I tend to agree. I did compare the Innuos Statement to the ZENith Mk III with the Phoenix re-clocker and could get a sense of the difference. Repeated at a local dealer which resulted in a purchase, so there is some merit in a listening session at a show, under the right circumstances. IIRC Innuos did not have an active demo at Axpona 2022.

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Innuos ZENith Mk III is a solid streamer server, and the Pulse is streamer only. I can vouch for F1/Audio Experience as a solid retailer in the Chicago area. At the price I found Innuos hard to beat, an the same sonic level as Aurender and Auralic. Personally I find the Innuos Sense app all I need. Some prefer Roon, I prefer to listen to music versus peruse metadata.

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My experience as well, Innuos customer support and technical service is outstanding. Additionally Innuos continues to support the Innuos Sense App with updates.

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Honestly if you’ve no use for the storage capabilities, skip Innuos ZEN/ZENith altogether and get the new Pulse. I compared the ZEN and Pulse when looking to replace a BlueSound Node 2i, the Pulse sound was comparable to the ZEN, slightly quieter backgrounds, but nothing startling. The ZENith Mk III sounding slightly better than a Pulse offering quieter backgrounds and a slightly warmer more organic sound. Again the difference was subtle. The true test is to arrange for multiple streamer demos in your system. I have a ZENith Mk III in one system and a ZEN Mk III in a second. My intent was to get a Pulse, but a spectacular deal on a ZEN MkIII with 2 Tb HD came up. I can easily put the additional storage to use, so I went for the ZEN.

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The Grimm MU1 for Roon users is a fine choice. A better value in my opinion would be the streamers the original poster listed.

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There are now too many varieties. I find it better to decide what you want it to do, a shopping list of functions, and narrow the field that way.

For example, if you want it to host Roon Core, your field in one step is dramatically reduced, otherwise you will be buying a server as well.

Do you want a good native app? There are very few.

The other big one is connectivity - usb: easy, I2S: not so easy

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In searching for a streamer with a great USB output, the Aurender N20 and Grimm MU1 are not included in my upgrade list anymore. I just found out Aurender N20’s SPDIF and AES/EBU outputs are driven by the “OCXO” clock which results in ultra-low jitter, but USB output is not.

So, I need to find a streamer that has USB as the best output. The choices seem to come down to Innous and Lumin. But I am not sure I want to spend $18k for a two-box Innous Statement; the new one box Lumin U2 is one-third of it and has a dedicated USB to DAC link. It may be a more comfortable choice for me.

What else out there with great USB outputs?

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Still playing around with the Red as NAA, using Jussi’s latest NAA image.
Also have the Sonore Signature Rendu SE Optical.
The Rendu SE has “more” of everything that the Red has. ( it also costs over 4 x the Red )
More extension, dimensionality, slightly larger sound stage, better definition etc…
That doesn’t mean that I don’t enjoy listening with the Red, I still experimenting with it.
For the versatility and performance, the Red is hard to beat at its price point.

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The Innuos Pulsar is optimised for usb and will be their top product. Production has been delayed, but it won’t be long now. They are apparently available and in stock in the UK.

Whether due to parts or demand, they decided to roll out Pulse Mini, then Pulse, then Pulsar.

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I’ll check it out, thanks!

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Great comments please keep them coming.

Someone may want to start a separate list of Streamers over $4000, but that is beyond my preferred price range.

I agree some of the product descriptions can be confusing. For example I have known of the Innuos products for years, but up until recently was not sure if they were what I was seeking. The Pulse line is attractive, the Pulsar is again more than I want to spend.

I know an audio show is not the best place to hear equipment. But it is one place to meet dealers and find deals. I have never attended an AXPONA show without buying something expensive at the show or shortly after at a discount price. So I appreciate your comments about good audio dealers that have given you great deals. That’s a bonus I’m taking from this thread.

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