I’ve gotten a little carried away with DAC’s. I’ve got an Allnic D10000 tube DAC that’s OTL and OCL Analog stage. It sounds glorious. Not overly warm as might be expected.
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OMG, that’s a stunning piece of kit, would love to hear that up close and personal!
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Pretty
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I have been handwringing about this for my office for quite some time.
How long does it take to warm up?
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Hi Vince, it just takes a few minutes to start sounding good but about an hour to sound great. It’s a lovely little furnace. I still have the Bartók and the No.519 but the Levinson is for sale.
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Sounds that much better than the 519?
Looking through old photos on my phone, if I had gone for Arnie’s speakers instead of the FR20, and if Paul himself stopped by to help set them up…
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After reading glowing reports from Luca and a wide range of professional reviewers, I finally decided to order an Innuos PhoenixNet. I’ve been very happy with the Innuos Sense software and my other Innuos gear (Zen Mk3 server/streamer and PhoenixUSB). I had heard that Innuos prices would be going up sometime in October, so that finally prodded me to make a decision about the PhoenixNet. I’m hoping to receive it within a couple of weeks.
For those of you who remember Kevin Jackson from his days at PS Audio, he’s now doing good work as the North American Sales Manager for Innuos. I recently viewed a YouTube video (from last year) featuring Kevin, in which he discussed the current Innuos line-up with a couple of guys from Suncoast Audio in Florida.
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Glad to hear that from you. I think the combo PNET > ZEN > PUSB can bring to the table the perfect Innuos “system” solution from this brand.
If you are liking Innuos sound signature, I’m confident you are going to “complete” the network with the PNET, nothing more nothing less, just natural, lifelike and smooth sound.
Let it burn in, be patient and don’t worry if it changes day by day, it takes some time don’t ask me how much I don’t remember but it’s not immediate.
If you find the sound more on the warm side of neutral (as I did), take into account a Purple fuse both into ZEN and PNET, I’m still using this fuse in my Innuos gear.
Which ethernet and USB cable are you thinking to use?
Congrats for your purchase and keep us informed.
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Luca, thanks for the encouraging words! I’m really looking forward to hearing the PhoenixNet in my system.
For ethernet and USB cables, I’ll be using a 50-foot run of Blue Jeans 6A ethernet cable from my router (in the basement) to the PNET, which will be replacing an EE 8Switch. I’ll then run my Network Acoustics Eno streaming system between the PNET and the Innuos Zen Mk3. My streaming path will be: Netgear router > BJC 6A ethernet > PNET > NA Eno streaming cable > Eno ethernet filter > Innuos Zen > Shunyata Alpha USB > PUSB > NA Eno USB Cable III > DS Dac Mk2.
I haven’t yet made a dive down the fuse “rabbit hole,” and I think I’ll put that off for a while longer. I’m more likely to try a bit of tube rolling in my BHK preamp before I explore any fuse rolling in my other gear. Fortunately, I like a bit of warmth in my system, as long as it doesn’t sound dull or rolled off in the high frequencies.
I’ll let you know how the PNET works in my system after I’ve had it for a few weeks. Thanks again for your encouragement and suggestions.
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Forgot about those. Weren’t they released close to the end of the Genesis Technologies production run in the late 1990’s?
Nope. Those speakers were his most recent work developing a new benchmark for PS Audio speakers, but did include tweeters from his previous designs and new midrange planar drivers from Bohlender Graebner (where Chris was prior to PS Audio)
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I just upgraded my tonearm cable. The stock one that came with my Acoustic Signature TA 5000 tonearm is the $125 Zavfino Spirit MK2. My system sounded wonderful with this stock tonearm cable, but I decided to try Zavfino’s top tonearm cable The Gold Rush that cost only $1200. That’s cheap for a top end cable, but I read some pretty good reviews on this cable beating out top models from Nordost and Furutech. Now I know what they are talking about. Not only did the Gold Rush get rid of some harsh edges off the sound of the stock cable, it’s resolution is in another level. It puts more meat to the bones and also gives the images more denser complex textures. Don’t laugh but I think the gold plating on the conductors really give the sound a richer sound and with less hardness on tone of horns and more natural human qialities to singing voices. I really love the sound of this cable and wholeheartedly recommend it.
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Zavfino is a great bargain for cables! I still use their top Silver Dart OCC power cords for my M1200 monoblocks. I rate them between AQ Firebird and Hurricane power cords that cost a lot more. They are very smooth sounding!
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I have an o mega upgrade that is scheduled for arrival tomorrow. The Sitech usb cable that I’m currently using from my Baetis to the MKII is quite good but hoping the Omega is able to better it.
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Donald, I’m interested the comments you made about the Zavfino Silver Dart power cord. Do you know anything about the less expensive Zavfino Prima OCC MKII power cord? I’m looking for a good power cable in the $400-$750 price range to use with the Innuos Phoenix.Net that should be arriving in a few days.
Most of my current power cables are Shunyata Delta or Venom, but I’d be willing to try other options as well. I’ve been considering the Triode Wire Labs Digital American series, the Cardas Clear or Clear Reflection, the Audioquest Blizzard, the Shunyata Venom V10 NR or V14 NR Digital, or the Zavfino Prima. Do you have any recommendations based on your prior power cable explorations?
Sorry I cannot help you here. My previous power cords were AQ Thunder and I have demo Hurricane too, I like Zavfino Silver Dart better. I only have read good reviews on their Prima OCC, but I have never tried them myself.
I have tried Anticables top-of-line power cords a while back but I don’t even remember model name anymore. They maybe at your price range. I found them a bit bright sounding in my system, but most of the cords at that price range would exhibit that character.
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A good power cord in the $400 to $750 range most likely will not make an audible improvement. It is where most of us started out, but very few of us stayed there for very long. I have cables that cost double or triple those amounts that I can only give away. If I can find someone to take them. They are all hanging in a closet in case I need one in a pinch.
This is a generalization. There are exceptions. It would be expensive to try to find those exceptions. Anticables comes to mind. I still buy cables from them. Their prices are in that range and I believe the offer a return policy.
Perhaps someone should start a thread where they write about good experiences they have had in that price range.
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Al,
I’ve never tried any Anticables products, but at least the prices are not exorbitant. I can still remember my first tentative embrace of the possibility that the stock power cord included with a piece of audio equipment might not be ideal. Jason at the Cable Company suggested I try the Audience Forte F3 for $125, and I was amazed at the improvements compared to the stock cable. After trying a few Shunyata cables though, I came to the conclusion that the F3 was a little too smooth and soft sounding. But I hate cables that over-emphasize detail and neglect to convey the fullness and richness of real instruments and voices. So I’m always looking for the power cable that is an “exception” or “unicorn” by being inexpensive but still able to convey the essence of real music.
There is probably an expensive cable out there that would make my old ears happy, but I’ve already spent more money on cables than I ever dreamed I would have to to get good sound. And that’s why I try to set cost limits on my cable buying, even if I often exceed those limits. So when people say they tried a $500 cable that sounds better than a cable costing 5x or 10x more, I may give that unicorn a try. Until then, though, I can just pull an Audience F3 out of the closet and enjoy the music.
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I’ve found the Transparent High Performance PCs surprisingly good(starts at $280). Even though it’s already more than what I really want to pay for any cable period.
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