Lol, yes sir, I am and I do have very pricey USB cables. Do you run your USB straight into your DAC?
Yes, Zenith -> Tellurium Q Silver Diamond USB -> PhoenixUSB -> Tellurium Q Silver Diamond USB -> Chord M Scaler -> Wave Hi-Fidelity STREAM dual BNC -> Chord DAVE DAC. Russ Andrew’s PowerKord 500 IEC mains cables. I have a Farad Super3 PSU for the M Scaler. So 4 power cables, 2 USB cables and one BNC pair. Tellurium Q Silver Diamond XLRs from DAC to amp.
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Oh, now I see. In your setup the Innuos gear is the inexpensive stuff.
I am envious!!!
@IanO has one serious digital set-up.
On the other hand, after speaking to Innuos about Zen v Zenith, I went for a 4tb Zen. I plug it into the wall with a £30 cable as it has a high quality mains filter and connect it to my streamer with a £90 25m AQ CAT6a ethernet cable, making use of the Innuos ethernet output, which is not much use if you’re feeding a usb DAC or upscaler.
I actually checked the prices - @IanO’s cables cost over 50 times the price of mine, and I have a 25m run to bridge from my Zen.
So there are different ways of doing things. I do have a Chord C-USB cable, that came free in a blister pack on the front of a magazine about 8 or 9 years ago.
I dont have the zenith but the zen mk3 with the pheonix and have to say the sound is great and, more importantly really easy to use.
Has anybody tried this with Zenith or Zen? Its supposed to work with Lumin.
Sorry for jumping in this thread after long long time but I want to let Elk relaxing without moving too many posts from other inappropriate thread about AirLens where I’m debating about Innuos products and Roon with other friends.
I was wondering if my upcoming ZENith MK 3 will be able to use Roon running both as Roon Core and Endpoint together.
I’m afraid I will soon purchase a Dragon Source PC to feed it, opening my wallet again! Anyone experienced better results with different cables feeding the Innuos?
As for software I’m reading about a comparison, with the above mentioned set up, between Roon and Innuos player. It seems that the 2.0 version sounds better than Roon while Roon is a winner for use with streaming services like Qobuz. Any thoughts about?
Last but not least: the ZENith is not Roon Ready (for hardware reasons) like other Innuos servers but they assured me it perfectly works with it and I’ll also be able to mate the AirLens via ethernet connection when it arrives, using it as a streamer (as it is) and the ZENith as a core. Without any SQ compromise of course. Once again any Innuos owner here to comment?
Thank you.
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Zen MK3 using Sense sounds a fair bit better in my system than anything I’ve heard using Roon at home. The only thing I miss is Roon radio. Otherwise it’s Sense all the way.
I also treated my Zen to a QSA Yellow fuse, which got upgraded pretty quickly to a QSA Violet. Wowee! It was also very responsive to various power cords and a Telos Macro Q. Incredible value for money upgrades in the QSA and Telos.
It’s also well able to show the difference between USB and Ethernet cables. AudioQuest Diamond currently and loving it!
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I really love my recent purchase of the Zen MK3. The Sense app is terrific too. I see no point in using Roon at this time.
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Innuos are very clever because they have gone from a hardware company to also having very good software. Roon was really unique for music distribution, as well as being a good streamer with excellent metadata. Innuos Sense now has uPnP integration built in. This is very new, but basically allows you to sent to most wireless audio systems.
uPnP was actually built into Innuos 1.8 (pre-Sense), but not switched on. I had it enabled and used Innuos to send to multiple uPnP devices.
As Air Lens has uPnP, but no app, Sense uPnP should be a good option.
Thanks for the explanation.
If you currently have an Innuos unit and use Sense what is the need or sense ( no pun intended) to get an Air Lens unit ?
When you are referring to better SQ of Innuos 2.0 (Sense) vs Roon is this intended at the same level both playing files (ripped/downloaded) and streamed from internet (Qobuz)? My prevalent usage will be streaming music from Qobuz.
Now the SQ playing CDs is by far better than streaming, this is the reason why I bought the ZENith MK 3, what’s your experience about?
Are you going to plan to connect the upcoming AirLens to the Innuos via USB or via Ethernet? Pros and Cons?
Thank you. I will buy a AQ Dragon Source to feed the ZENith soon and maybe to try a M-1 fuse I already have (3 of them) in my system. Which specs for the fuse assuming ZEN and ZENith have the same one (230v)?
USB and Ethernet I already have AQ Diamond, too. I go to Matrix via USB then to DS DAC via I2S AQ Dragon HDMI 48
Both are streamers. The selling point of Air Lens seems to be using I2S for galvanic isolation into a PS Audio DAC. Innuos provides that with an Ethernet output, but you can’t plug that into a PS Audio DAC.
I have no issue with usb, I used it with a PS Audio DAC, but lots of PSA people do and want to use I2S. If you are OK with usb, just plug it into your DAC (it is very low noise on Innuos) or do the HDMI conversion thing.
As the Air Lens will not have its own streaming app or storage, you can do that with Innuos Sense, other uPnP apps or Roon.
Air Lens started as a server/streamer, then a streamer, now it seems to be a digital transport or Bridge.
There are of course other brands, loads of networked streamers with usb output. It really depends where you are at with streaming whether or not Air Lens makes sense.
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No because I sold my PS Audio DAC years ago. I use the Ethernet output from Innuos into Devialet. Sometimes I use Sense via usb. PS Audio started developing a server 5 or 6 years ago, I was waiting to see what arrived, but Innuos Mk3 came out, Devialet went Roon Ready and I bought into that. I wanted a fully integrated house, all of it coming off one server and app.
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I recall that one of the stated objectives of Sense was to improve the sound quality of Qobuz compared to stored files. Innuos does bitperfect WAV rips of CDs, so they are identical to a CD source.
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I think it’s also worth noting that servers/streamers are probably by far the best value components in home audio. There is little magic in them and anyone with basic DIY skills can build one. Then there are those Pie kits for a few $100. People know what is in them and what the components cost. There are relatively few manufacturers, so volumes are probably higher. with smaller profit margins, and they are easy to sell online as they are usually sold on specification, not sound. The hardware does not go out of date and they can be upgraded with hardware and software. For example, Innuos will factory upgrade Zen to Zenith. I could probably sell my Innuos for what I paid for it new 3 years ago. That does not happen with any other type of audio component.
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Zen series has a 2A fuse standard, but Innuos recommend 3.15A if you’re putting in an audiophile fuse.
Streaming Qobuz via Sense app sounds better to me than streaming it through Roon. Anything you can do to get computers away from your hifi…
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Thanks for demystifying this issue.