Grimm MU1 Streamer - Really "The Best"?

@nyev mine did not come with one when I bought last year. Do you have a rca/spdif cable? 

@ghasley ​​@metaldetektor ​​​@svenjosh , can either of you tell me if the MU1 comes with a generic AES cable as an accessory?

My MU1 is scheduled to arrive on Monday but I don’t yet have any ETA on my Shunyata cables and I have no other AES cable currently. The prior AQ Diamond cable I was testing the N20 with was a loaner.

If the MU1 doesn’t come with any generic cable I will buy a cheap one so the MU1 including the AES / 4X OS circuit can be burning in while I’m travelling for work Tues through Friday this week.

@fleschler , thank you, I will hold out hope that experimenting with the SR fuses will at least help with the day/night swings in quality.  This has actually been on my audio to-do list for a while now.

@nyev  I don't have specialty breakers but as you, everything is connected on one 20 amp breaker with 3 more available throughout the room if I need.  Without the SR blue fuse in the EAR 864, I would dump it.  80% of my CDs sounded adequate to mediocre with the glass fuse and LPs were good but not great.  Acme's coated fuse was quite good too but did not have the fullness of sound of the blue fuse.  The EAR 890 has an SR purple fuse.  The orange did not do much for me.  The glass fuse was okay but the purple fuse exploded the soundstage and separation of instruments.  Greater dynamics and 3D soundstage compared to glass.  Did not try an Acme fuse.  

I've been using boutique (SR brand) fuses in amps and pre-amps for almost 15 years.  So substantial that my cable manufacturing friend who hates tweaks, upon hearing the SR black fuses compared to stock glass and ceramic in my tube monoblock amps, did one better and installed circuit breakers in place of fuses in his amps.  

In my prior home, I did not connect my CD player into the isolation transformer as it sounded better directly into the wall.  With separates now, I connect my CD transport directly into the wall which sounds better.  

@fleschler I did upgrade my house’s AC circuits to address the issue last time (along with component upgrades).  Dedicated 20A AC circuits using 10AWG wire, all audio gear on the same phase, Shunyata receptacles, etc.  I don’t have a dedicated breaker panel for my system however.

I really need to get around to the Synergistic fuse upgrades though; everyone seems to say how much of a lift they add.  Do you have specialty circuit breakers in your panel as well?

@fastfreight , I am using an Audioquest Hurricane for all my source equipment.  One of these Hurricanes is the old braided style and definitely doesn’t sound as good as the others.  I keep this one on the PhoenixNET.  Once I get things sorted gear-wise, I do plan to upgrade my cords.  They are also 3m cords which is not practical (long story).  

 

@nyev  Yes, in my prior home where night and day differences were quite obvious and distressing, the installation of Synergistic Research power outlets and fuses diminished the problem.  It could be that providing superior equipment power is the key.  I already had a dedicated audio only power panel which I implemented in my new home.  My new home also has superior acoustic isolation and enhanced sound distribution.  After 1am, the sound may sound better but I'm unsure because the equipment has already been on for an hour or more and may just have warmed up to maximum sound quality.  At a minimum, I listen every night from 12 am to 2 am.  

I know where you're coming from because 15 years ago there were stark differences in diurnal listening, especially between 6pm and 8pm when people got home and put on their A/C, tvs, microwaves, etc. negatively effected the grid..  

@nyev what power cord are you using on your Tambaqui?

@fleschler glad to hear the day-night problem went always for you as your system improved. For me it was the opposite. As my system started to become more revealing the problem emerged. And yes the problem was diminished as I further upgraded from there. But now with the Tambaqui DAC I do find that at least for 5-6 hours a day, its exceptional performance with soundstage, dynamics and clarity collapse more than maybe my other DAC’s do during those hours. The Tambaqui can sound a touch more congested than the others when the lower is bad, with dinner time being the worst. But then again, the Tambaqui also does better in these areas than my other DACs do when the power is “clean”.

Still trying to make sense of this!  @fleschler did you notice any components you upgraded in particular that helped the most with the issue?

I agree and also purchased the same Torus isolation transformer from Bryston Bit-20.  However, as my system evolved and became better the day/night conundrum dissipated.  Biggest change in a decade has been SR fuses, now with a mix of blue and purple which made EAR equipment which was relegated to back-up status now the stars of my electronics.

Over the past two nights I’ve noticed sound with the Tambaqui to be significantly clearer with greater dynamics and more dimensionality at night, after midnight. Which is typical for most people I know, but the difference between day and night has become a bit more noticeable with the Tambaqui I think. My theory on why this is, is either the Tambaqui has greater headroom in terms of performance so with clean power the boost is more noticeable, or, that the Tambaqui is particularly sensitive to dirtier power. Certainly don’t see those big transformers in the small Tambaqui that larger DACs have.

I had this issue in my system before and the solution was to upgrade everything to the extent things sounded acceptable during the day. And the Tambaqui still sounds great in the day. But late night listening spoils me a bit.

Unfortunately I have found that while conditioners do reduce noise, the relative difference between day and night remains, as both day and night get better. That said I find conditioners adversely affect tonal balance and as such I went with a Torus RM20 isolation transformer instead. Which also reduces noise but without impacting balance, and not resolving the day/night difference (day/night improves equally so gap remains).

I’ve concluded there is no solution short of what I’ve read that some audiophiles have done: at their expense, convince their power company to upgrade the city transformer feeding their house. That’s not happening!

Waiting for the “I didn’t think it could get better but then I added the Grimm and new ICs” follow up :-)

Well, since you are already married you will have to let that slide LOL. Breakin for the Grimm is only a few day and Shunyata’s newwer cables are minimal as well. Looking forward to you achieving your goals.

@ghasley should have both next week, however I need to travel for work and will be gone most of the week which is terrible.  And my wife said she will NOT set everything up to commence burn-in while I’m on the road….

@nyev 

When does the Grimm and your Shunyata interconnects arrive?

@jetter thanks and I wasn’t aware you could actually use the Diablo as a power amplifier. But my thought of buying a Mola Mola Makua preamp and using the Diablo 300 as a pure power amp was more of a fantastical musing after being so impressed by Mola Mola’s Tambaqui.

@arafiq yes you were right. I really didn’t know what to expect with the Tambaqui, despite its price tag. I’ve seen in other posts that a few can find this DAC to be lean and analytical. While I certainly don’t like lean and analytical and at times have struggled with that side of things in prior iterations of my system, that is not in the slightest what I get with the Tambaqui. Maybe I did detect a bit of that on the first day, but after settling in it became lush and inviting. Obviously system synergy is playing a major role. But I think I “won the lottery” from the perspective of system matching. I feel like the trio of the PhoenixNET, Diablo and Tambaqui (and yes, Innuos Zenith and PhoenixUSB too) are so unbelievably dialled into the precise sound that I’ve been chasing all these years. Total spacial precision and clarity but solid, tangible, rhythmic, propulsive, muscular, fast yet totally unforced, the best dynamics I’ve heard on my system, all while having an incredible smooth flow of music. And a word I don’t often see in reviews: pretty. Can’t put my finger on it but some music just sounds pretty to me, for the first time. The bass has become stronger and even more resolute over the past two days. That’s a good subjective word for how I would describe the sound - resolute. I lot of this I was unknowingly searching for in my random testing of stuff. Blind squirrel found a nut.

Last year I made a TON of upgrades after selling my car to fund everything, and while performance when through the roof I think I felt that ever elusive musical engagement was still lacking. The Tambaqui has utterly closed this gap in my system.

I’ve had long term plans to eventually add a turntable to my system (my Diablo has a phono card) but I now feel like I will be disappointed on that front if I don’t spend an unreasonable amount to get to the level of performance and musical engagement I’m getting now, and the chances I will get there with the right voicing for me seems slim…. This sound is not just good (it is), but more importantly I just can’t get over how it simply ticks all my boxes for my personal tastes so perfectly.

Of course there are even higher end DAC’s which I was curious about (CH Precision aNR EMM Labs DA1) but I’m not so keen to even look at these anymore.

The one thing that I’ll repeat as a ding against the Tambaqui is it seems to have slightly less breath, air and space between everything, and maybe some other DACs might present a bigger, grander and richer sound than the Tambaqui’s more focused approach. But its resolute solidity and precision while still being utterly revealing is well worth the trade off for me, as I get more musical enjoyment at the slight expense of HiFi spatial pyrotechnics and overall scale, which possibly, for me, may even be attributes that get in the way of the music to some extent..

I spent last night playing all sorts of albums I love that for decades have sounded like crap on my system, being thin/harsh or bad recordings. For the first time every single one of them sounded great on my system with the full extent of the musical content clearly coming through without any unpleasant aspects. My system became more revealing AND harsh recordings have become highly enjoyable. So cool!

Update: Just remembered my criticism of the lack of space and air may be entirely related to the $300 AQ Red River balanced interconnects I’m using, which I’ve read are decent but known to clobber spatial distances. So the Shunyata cables should help with this when they arrive, as should the MU1’s 4X oversampling. But really, I’m not feeling I’m missing anything at all right now.  Pretty sure I’ve never felt that way about my system before, ever, in the decades I’ve been at it.

@nyev I think I mentioned before that you will have to spend ~$10K or more (retail) to hear a substantial improvement over the built-in DAC. It would have been a shocker had the Tambaqui not performed at a higher level than the built-in DAC at more than twice the price :)

If you peruse these forums, you come across folks who question spending anything more than a couple of grands on a DAC. You know the "bits are bits, all DACs handle ones and zeroes and jitter the same way, yada yada ... " crowd. People make these kinds of 'carved in stone' assertions without every trying a high quality dac in their systems. It is educational and refreshing to hear about someone trying a high end dac and be able to articulate what they're hearing as well as you are. 

I'm waiting for you to share your impressions once you get the Grimm streamer. The trio of Grimm, Tambaqui, and Gryphon is going to be one helluva system. Color me envious :)

@nyev

If somehow it were possible to just use my Diablo as a power amp for now I might actually have considered this!

I assume I am not mentioning anything you already don't know and you probably have already read the following which I happen to come across in he What’s Best Forum.  If I understand correctly they are discussing Diablo 300 software updates and running the Diablo as an amp only.

Gryphon Diablo 300 - 5.5 years of ownership | What’s Best Audio and Video Forum. The Best High End Audio Forum on the planet! (whatsbestforum.com)

Still trying to figure out how the Tambaqui can be this revealing and “musical” at the same time. I think its secret is in how transients are presented.  While the transients are so, so quick (finally my system matches the transient response I adore with headphones), the real trick is how stunningly gentle they are.  Gentle is the wrong word because there is great impact as well.  But there is no sudden edge to the transients, while at the same time still being well defined.

I’m enjoying the Tambaqui to the extent that I wish I had an excuse, to sell the Tambaqui and buy a Mola Mola Makua Pre-amp with the Tambaqui module installed.  I’ve seen some people report the Tambaqui performing even better as a pre-amp add-on module, vs as a stand-alone.  If somehow it were possible to just use my Diablo as a power amp for now I might actually have considered this!  Just for the purposes of a future upgrade path for my amp.  More fantastical musings.  

Either my Tambaqui is improving or I’m warming up to it more, but it sounds more lush and inviting than yesterday.  My interim cheap AQ Red Dawn interconnects are burning in too I guess.

I want to use it as both. 
a core to all my zones and a streamer to one of my zones.

Is this a good plan?

Good point @metaldetektor.

I ran into someone who sold his MU1 to purchase the new Playback Designs streamer.  He is already concerned he will miss his MU1 and was contemplating contingency options to get one back in case he has seller’s remorse.

That Hifi Advice review is interesting but doesn’t exactly track real world usage. He’s using a Grimm MU1 as a server only (taking advantage of the nice power supply and custom Roon coding by Grimm) and then uses PB as a pure renderer/streamer. That’s a $25k digital source…not entirely surprised that he prefers the separated components to the integrated solution — so it goes in hifi, more boxes and cables do usually sound better (but at what cost). Is anybody really buying a Grimm just to use it as a pimped out Roon Nucleus? :-)

@lalitk , interesting, let us know your thoughts.  I’ve heard the S1 punches above its price point 

Speaking of streamer/server options, JCAT XACT S1 server is now available. And thankfully it does not rely on ROON. They have their very own JPLAY app that I’m currently testing. The graphics, layout and responsiveness is pretty impressive. It offers native support for Tidal and Qobuz. And yes, it does have a Radio feature just like ROON and compatible with any streamer / server that supports UPnP protocol.

https://jcat.eu/featured/xact-s1/

https://jplay.app

Of note, Christiaan at HiFi advice now says the new streamer from Playback Designs is the best he’s heard.  He seemed slightly down on the Grimm with the latest Roon update softening the sound, while he acknowledged this could be a welcome change by some.  In his opinion Roon sounded best at v1.8 and went backwards at 2.0, but has since made some tiny improvements.

@ghasley did you notice the sound change with Roon 2.0?

@ghasley"At a certain point if someone has a massive library they are probably better served (pun intended) with a powerful server, perhaps in another room. This applies to most one box server/streamers. Then the MU1 could be the endpoint which is where its strengths lie in clocking, 4fs and the optimized aes output."

OK hello, this is very interesting to me as I have heard currently the MU1 will not work as an endpoint only, and must run Roon Core.

I currently have a Nucleus + in another room.  I am buying the Grimm for its AES output to my Tambaqui  Do I have a big library?  I don't know, is 3200 albums, between hard drive and Qobuz large?

And I have a second nice system currently fed by my Nucleus+, not to mention two more zones of lesser sound quality.

Can Grimm MU1 handle 4 zones like this?  Can I keep my Nucleus and use Grimm Mu1 as  a Roon endpoint?

Can I have one MU1 run Roon Core and Serve my tambaqui and another MU1 as endpoint only to serve my second system wtih Makua?

Thanks!  My Mu1 should come this week I hope!

My MU1 should arrive in a week or a few days later (really this time). It will be connected to the Tambaqui via AES of course.

The reason I was asking is the Mola Mola Tambaqui has a network bridge built in. Meaning you can “connect via Ethernet, RJ45 cable” so to speak, to your upcoming Grimm MU1 too. It will be easy to compare & contrast one vs. the other.

Of note I was not happy at all with my Zenith Mk 3 which I bought in 2019.  Last year I added the PhoenixUSB and this was a pretty major uplift.  The Zenith sound really wasn’t recognizable after adding the PhoenixUSB.  Not everyone has this experience with the PhoenixUSB though, as it is DAC dependent. 

The Phoenix USB did not do much for me when paired to the Zenith MK3. Sound changed a bit, but I was not sure if for better or worse. As you said, it must depend on the DAC, and ‘or we all hear differently.
 

@thyname the components I’ve been swapping out since January include the Aurender N20, Merason DAC-1, and now the Tambaqui. My MU1 should arrive in a week or a few days later (really this time). It will be connected to the Tambaqui via AES of course.

This rotating of gear is an unusual process for me as well and I’ve never done this before January. I set out shopping for a streamer and my search expanded to trying outboard DAC’s, and I tried this approach to get a better sense of what I’d be living with than a home audition would offer which for me has its stresses. This way I avoid the part where I feel pressed to make my decision in a week or two, with and eager dealer waiting to hear what I thought. I’ve been keeping each piece at least 4 weeks or longer.

My swapping is really an in-depth way of shopping really that goes a step further than home demos…

Still, I take your point as pro reviewers can live with a piece for 6 months before they do a review. It’s certainly possible I may have an evolved view of the Tambaqui in 6 months. Based on my experience I think it’s really likely the Tambaqui will be “the one” that stays for many years. The Grimm, who knows!

Of note I was not happy at all with my Zenith Mk 3 which I bought in 2019.  Last year I added the PhoenixUSB and this was a pretty major uplift.  The Zenith sound really wasn’t recognizable after adding the PhoenixUSB.  Not everyone has this experience with the PhoenixUSB though, as it is DAC dependent.  I will get around to trying my Tambaqui with and without the PhoenixUSB to see why difference it makes with it (I’ve been running the Tambaqui with the PhoenixUSB so far).  As I said the PhoenixNET is such a perfect match for the Tambaqui’s sound; things are looser and less smooth without it. 

 

ghasley

2,215 posts

03-19-2023 at 01:57pm 

Yes, it replaced my Innuos Zenith Mk3, which I was quite happy with.

Thanks. I am reading this thread from the start now

Yes, it replaced my Innuos Zenith Mk3, which I was quite happy with.

@ghasley : thanks. Sorry, I don’t remember, do you have a Grimm MU1?

@thyname

 

I just looked up the Grimm MU1. Retail price $12,500 without any internal SSD included. Wow! Pricey. A couple of observations:

1) Processor: Intel i3 2-Core. Definitely sufficient for Roon with no DSP, and with not a huge Roon library. But certainly not very powerful for those who use DSP (not me) and with big libraries

At a certain point if someone has a massive library they are probably better served (pun intended) with a powerful server, perhaps in another room. This applies to most one box server/streamers. Then the MU1 could be the endpoint which is where its strengths lie in clocking, 4fs and the optimized aes output.

2) Memory: 4MB RAM. Again, not impressive.

Its upgradeable if it isnt enough.

3) No USB audio (to DAC) output. Hmmmm….

Hmmmm, the Grimm uses the optimized aes and doesnt even attempt to address usb. When you hear the difference, you will understand why.

4) I don’t see any proprietary streaming software/ music management program (like Innuos Sense). Roon OK, I get that, but then you are at the mercy of Roon for everything.

It uses the best of Roon’s capabilities and dispenses with much of what Roon doesn’t do well like dsp, upsampling, etc. thats a noisy process the way Roon does it regardless of the server/streamer.

I am definitely curious about Grimm, given the reports & reviews, but these observations give me pause. A friend of mine ordered one a few days ago, so I should be able to learn more from “real life” experiences in a few weeks.

I set out to buy an Innuos Statement, the dealer I used sells both, and then a funny thing happened on the way to the Forum….(yep, pun intended). Peace all.

@nyev : of course, we all make purchase decisions based on what matters to us. I fully understand that. I will be curious to learn about your experience once you get it, especially as it pertains to comparing with your Innuos ZENith MK3. I have to say though, you change & swap things around so often, in a very short period of time (by my standards). I would personally have a hard time fully grasping how something sounds for such a short period of time, especially when so many other components in the chain are also being swapped at the same time 🤷‍♂️

How do you plan to connect the Grimm MU1 to your Tambaqui?

@thyname , yes the Grimm is known for doing more with less, and the price did just go up $2,500 right after I bought it. Being hostage to Roon updates with potential impacts to sound is somewhat mitigated by the fact that the MU1 takes control and Roon does less to the sound than in most cases. At least so I’ve read. But as I said above the MU1 apparently IS subject to SQ variances with Roon updates.

I would imagine Grimm is hard at work developing the support to use an alternate player, or even their own player. Maybe it will coincide with the launch of the MU2 player/DAC combo?

Of all its weaknesses you mentioned, this is the only one I really care about.  

I just looked up the Grimm MU1. Retail price $12,500 without any internal SSD included. Wow! Pricey. A couple of observations:

1) Processor: Intel i3 2-Core. Definitely sufficient for Roon with no DSP, and with not a huge Roon library. But certainly not very powerful for those who use DSP (not me) and with big libraries

2) Memory: 4MB RAM. Again, not impressive.

3) No USB audio (to DAC) output. Hmmmm…. 
4) I don’t see any proprietary streaming software/ music management program (like Innuos Sense). Roon OK, I get that, but then you are at the mercy of Roon for everything.

I am definitely curious about Grimm, given the reports & reviews, but these observations give me pause. A friend of mine ordered one a few days ago, so I should be able to learn more from “real life” experiences in a few weeks.

H @lalitk , “transformative” is a good word that I would apply to how I would describe the magnitude of difference that the Tambaqui brings. That said, I normally would use that word for when anyone, not just me, and not just audiophiles, would notice the magnitude of difference in quality. Upgrading my speakers did that in my house. As did my amp. But my family has not commented on the sound since adding the Mola Mola. That said, for me, I continue to be amazed. It’s got the quietness of a high end power conditioner, but none of the constraints on the sound that I found those products all are affected by. And it just gets closer to the sound of actual music vs a digital HIFi system. This morning I did a few back and forths with my Gryphon DAC, which lists for USD $6,000. My initial reaction to going back was “oh that is nice and smooth sounding”. But one moment later I was realizing that the smoothness was simply less musical information coming through, that the sound was less defined, that the bass was more big and round but far less resolute and driving, and that it was tougher to follow the music.

My objectives did evolve in this thread based on discussion, thanks to @ghasley’s suggestions. That said, I only expand the number of cables significantly if I stay with my Innuos server + reclocker solution. If the MU1 is better, it will replace both Innuos boxes and I will be at the same number of boxes as I was at when I started out. The balanced interconnect was an extra cable however.  There is still an off-chance that the MU1 will lift the Gryphon DAC to the extent the Tambaqui is not needed.  But I think the chances of that might be slim.

Currently, the Tambaqui is feeling really special; I like it as much as my Gryphon amp. I’ve not felt that way about any other components in my system, even though some do a really excellent job too (PhoenixNET, Torus, etc).

Back to the MU1, it will be interesting if it is an upgrade from my two Innuos boxes. Christiaan at HiFi Advice has said that subsequent revisions of hardware, software and Roon have changed the MU1 since his review. And one comment I saw was that Roon 2.0 did cause the MU1 to become more subdued which was less to his liking. He said he’s stopped using the MU1 as a lead reference because of how Roon updates can cause swings in sound quality. One disadvantage of the MU1 to be aware of I guess. At least, until Grimm provides alternative and more stable sounding player software support as an alternative to Roon.

“It’s perplexing how it can be so revealing while totally avoiding sounding lean and while being so musically engaging.”

@nyev

In my experience it is not! You are probably experiencing a complete transformation with Tambaqui DAC. A purpose built onboard DAC is exactly that regardless of its cost and not without its limitations which are only exposed once you have the opportunity to compare it with a well executed SOTA DAC like Tambaqui. You know the age old debate, Integrated vs Separates. There is a reason why separates (pre, amp, DAC, streamer) continues to exist and thrive in high performance systems. I read somewhere not too long ago, unless you’re a true music aficionado, an external DAC or a streamer is just an additional expense…..well what do you say to that :-)

You started out this journey by stating something like, “I prefer not to add more boxes and the additional expense of cabling”. The million dollar question now is, once you’ve heard Tambaqui DAC + MU1 at more than twice the cost of your existing setup, will you be going back to Innuos + Gryphon DAC? Is this Transformation worth the additional cost?????

The reason I went with Shunyata cables in the end (Omega AES and Sigma NR V2) is because I was impressed by a home demo / bake-off I did with Shunyata Omega vs Audioquest Dragon power cords on my Gryphon integrated, a couple of years back.  The Shunyata was great even though I chose the Dragon, and the Shunyata had this lush, liquid smoothness to it with an immersive soundstage.  While still being utterly transparent and neutral.  And I’ve heard people say the same about Shunyata’s digital cords.  I thought this might come be a good match considering the high precision front end gear I’m adding.  
 

Regarding balanced interconnects, I know some say the grade of balanced cables doesn’t matter as much, and I know people feel YouTube HiFi comparisons are absurd.  But @jays_audio_lab replaced Transparent interconnects and compared with Sigma NR V2 balanced interconnects…  Listen to the intermittent high-hat after 4:30 and compare with the same after 11:00.  Easily heard on my phone speakers even, but more pronounced on my tiny desktop Bose computer speakers!

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=NBuGLB1naqY

“if it’s bright when added to a system, there’s something else wrong in the system, in my opinion”

I agree @metaldetektor and that’s exactly my opinion of what people are experiencing when they feel Nordost Valhalla 2 cables are bright (although I found some of them have less bass but not the speaker cables). Revealing equipment can reveal other issues, and in fact the Nordost cables did for me - which took me down a major upgrade path over the past 1.5 years, one that I’m now finally feeling like I’m truly nearing the end of.  For the time being of course….

I completely understand how some might prefer a warmer, richer, fuller sound at the expense of detail, neutrality and precision, a sound that some might use the word “analog” to describe.  But yeah I think what you said applies to me - if I go that route I’m forever chasing issues.  It’s deceiving because the overall tone of the Gryphon DAC module is so pleasing that you don’t at first realize the trade offs.  And to be fair I didn’t start noticing them until my system became more revealing.

Glad you’re enjoying it. The Tambaqui is a great piece. Some criticize it as bright. I think it’s even-handed across all frequencies — if it’s bright when added to a system, there’s something else wrong in the system, in my opinion.

My system building approach is to go after neutrality/balance in all components. Otherwise you’re forever spinning your wheels (x has hot treble, let me add this rolled off component etc…that’s a recipe for endless tinkering - which is maybe the goal for some folks)

The Grimm will be a slam dunk. Especially with the Tambaqui. Keep having fun, that’s what it’s all about.

I’ve reverted back to causal listening mode for the past while while waiting for the MU1, Tambaqui, and fancy cables to arrive - just enjoying music. I tend to flip between states with the most time just listening to music.

But a day ago my used Tambaqui arrived. I couldn’t wait for my Shunyata cables to arrive, so I picked up a pair of Audioquest Red River balanced cables to try it with. The Tambaqui only has balanced output connections so I couldn’t use my RCA cables. My first impression after a day of listening - wow, I’ve heard this effect before! Will get to that later.

This is an utterly different sound than what I experienced with the Merason, with my Gryphon Diablo DAC, and with the Aurender N20. In fact this is at the totally opposite end of the spectrum from my experience with the Aurender N20. Here is what I found:

• Unbridled resolution at all frequencies. Without being lean or bright!
• Resolute, stable, rock-solid bass and mid frequencies. Density is great despite the extreme clarity.
• Lighting fast. Like really, really fast. Transients are really, really quick but not at all hard
• Neutrality compared to my Gryphon DAC module which has a boosted low end. So yes, the Tambaqui has less bass and for once I consider this a good thing with other elements being allowed to shine as they are supposed to.
• More bass snap/punch
• Imaging is fantastic with tremendous solidity with respect to positioning.
• Everything is effortless and unforced, but lively and engaging
• Really, really great connection with the music. Not sterile despite the extreme precision.
• Better fine dynamics than my Gryphon DAC
• My Innuos PhoenixNET Ethernet switch is a match made in heaven. It takes the Tambaqui’s sound and adds a focused liquidity to it. Although I guess technically it’s the other way around considering the signal flow.

Music is just fantastic and it’s actually tough to listen critically which is just great! This is clearly better than my Gryphon Diablo DAC module.

Are there any negatives yet? Two but these don’t bug me one bit:

• Could use a touch more body to have vocals and instruments be “larger” - maybe? But maybe this would remove the space needed to do all the things it does so well. So I don’t really think this is a real criticism.
• The space between vocals and all instruments is highly precise, but maybe with not quite as much distance between everything compared with my Gryphon DAC? With all of the positives I don’t even think of this as a negative, more of just a point of note. My Shunyata Omega AES and Sigma NR V2 balanced cables should help separate things when they arrive, not to mention the 4X hardware oversampling of the MU1. Which I’m told is in-transit finally!

Really liking this and feel it is totally aligned with what I am seeking. But it may not be for everyone. It reminds me of exactly the qualities that my Nordost Valhalla 2 speaker cables provided - detail that was really satisfying, delivered with lightning speed and without any lean-ness or hardness.

While this is right up my alley I could see how some may prefer a more fleshy and organic sound closer to what the Aurender N20 offered. But this is just perfect for me. And there is no tension or nervousness that my Gryphon DAC exhibits. It’s completely taken away my urge to tweak. I WILL tweak but because I will consciously do so rather than feeling compelled to do so. I haven’t even removed my speaker grills because it just sounds great and I’m too busy listening to music! This is effortless stress free listening - but with gobs and gobs of detail!

I know the less good things tend to come out with extended listening over weeks. But I really feel like I know this type of sound from my experience with my Valhalla 2 speaker cables, oddly, and that it’s totally aligned with my tastes. I would think that anyone who likes the Valhalla 2 speaker cables, which I know is not everyone, should really try this DAC. I know some people don’t like the Valhalla 2’s but I imagine some of these people may be exposing issues elsewhere in their system with the Valhalla 2’s and attributing the brightness they hear to them. Even in this thread I’ve been blaming issues on the wrong components only to find out later! On that note I’ve always thought the Diablo may not be the fastest sounding amp around but turns out it was the Gryphon DAC module holding things back.

The Tambaqui is clearly a cut above the Merason at more than double the price. But I will go back to the Merason to try it with the balanced interconnects. I still really like this DAC!

Will be interesting to see what the MU1 can do with my Gryphon DAC but at this point I’m guessing I’ll be stuck on the Tambaqui permanently. It’s perplexing how it can be so revealing while totally avoiding sounding lean and while being so musically engaging.

Oh and just for reference - this was all done with the USB output from my Innuos Zenith MK3 and PhoenixUSB.

Sound wise, I’d be totally happy if this was the end of the line. I could live happily with this sound.  But now I’m at +1 boxes until my MU1 arrives!

Better get that autocorrect for "Tambaqui" fixed as I see you writing a lot about it in the future!

A used mint condition Mola Mola Tambaqui came up for sale from a Canadian distributor for a fair price, so I went for it. Really looking forward to listening to this pairing, comparing with the Diablo DAC, and comparing with my Innuos Zenith Mk III & PhoenixUSB.  The prior owner of my Tambaqui traded it in for a Kassandra.

I feel like this should be a winning combo (one of the designers who had a hand in designing the MU1 also designed the Tambaqui). Not too concerned buying the MU1 and Tambaqui unheard; these two products sell fast on the used market. But hoping I don’t have to go there!

My phone wants to enter “Tampon” every time I write Tambaqui.

@debjit_g , on other forums and also in some reviews, I’ve seen people mostly say that the Taiko Extreme bests the MU1. At a more “Extreme” cost, of course….

In terms of generalizations I think Christiaan at HiFi Advice seems to do a good job describing the differences between the K50 and MU1, as others seem to agree with him. Check out the reviews and his short YouTube video where he contrasts the two products sound differences. He declared them both “favourites”. I’ve not seen any comparisons at all with the Statement. But all are great from what I understand. Stereophile should be doing their review of the new Statement with Next Gen power supply anytime now. For what it’s worth. They’ve been testing it for many months. I know pro reviews are of limited value but it can help in a general way. Stereophile raves about the K50 and the MU1, but I thought their original Statement review seemed to be less enthusiastic. Not bad, but just not using any of the typical superlatives. So it will be interesting to see what they say about the new version and whether they put it on a pedestal like they did with the MU1 and K50. Statement next-Gen is in a higher price tier though, more along the lines of the Antipodes Oladra.  Not that price means anything but sometimes it does (see the Taiko Extreme).

I have only heard good things about the MU1. My experience with various DIY streamers and servers has been quiet revealing to say the least over the years. I have found that a extremely well made (carefully chosen h/w with supporting s/w) streamer/server can turn the table up-side down. The better these sources are the less I have found the differences between the DACs. Off-coarse there is a balancing act that plays here - for example, a $50k will obviously sound better than a $5k DAC with the same streamer/server but a well executed $5k DAC can walk toe-to-toe or even better with a better streamer/server than a mediocre streamer/server paired with a $8-10k DAC. I would hold onto unless the MU1 is in hand and you have the chance to play with your current DAC and find the synergy.

Having said that, I wonder if anyone here has compared the MU1 with the best of the servers available in the market today - like Innuos statement or the Taiko Extreme or the PF Ultra or the Antipodes ?

My time with the Merason DAC-1 has been truly enlightening. Pretty much everything I said above that I attributed to my Innuos gear I now realize was coming from my Diablo DAC module. Don’t get me wrong, I think it’s an excellent performer more resolution than the DAC-1 (which is unfair to say as my DAC-1 remains hobbled by my current basic RCA cable at its lower output voltage vs balanced).

But the significant bottom-up balance of the Gryphon DAC really constrains the midrange. The DAC-1 is showing me how expressive the midrange can be, with far more emotion. And as I mentioned, it’s nothing to do with performance of the DAC other than being neutral.  Some songs are now a fundamentally different experience with a fuller and open mid.

Nothing I haven’t said already as I continue to wait for the MU1 and cables, but my realization is, I think my focus on the DAC side of things is really increasing. Will wait to see how the MU1 does with the Gryphon DAC before doing anything drastic, but I’m not sure the MU1 would actually change the heavy tonal balance of my Gryphon DAC. @ghasley I think was predicting where this might end up. I’ve now been looking into the Tambaqui.

Will take it slow though - as I need to! A few things I need to take care of on the financial side of things before I go down that path. Will give me a chance to get to know the MU1 first. Which is apparently ready to ship next week, but shipping will take some time…. Might be a couple more weeks.

“For the record, I found that my hearing began to suffer greatly on my wedding day and has degraded precipitously since that time. “

@ghasley , you might be on to something. Someone should do a study! In the interest of science. There is also the phenomenon that I’ve noticed, where I’ve oddly found it has been more difficult to acquire new gear following my wedding day. I wonder if the issues are related….

Just met someone who bought a pair of Sonus Faber Amati’s, the brand new edition, and he’s not planning to tell his wife until after they arrive!  Brave soul!

@ghasley,  "Do yourself a favor though, if you are convinced you have an optimized setup then DO NOT go listen to a truly optimized setup…it will be a costly mistake."​​​​​​

Boy daddy is that true!  I have loved and listened to my music all my life. But I first heard the magic about 5 years ago.  I was looking for an integrated to make music in my basement -  a second system for working on my model railroad.   I visited a local dealer and was auditioning the Halo integrated.  It seemed to sound just fine.  then the dealer switched in an Esoteric DAC. OH MY.  I heard it.  And now, like you, I evaluate every upgrade with my ears and love and appreciate all the improvements, some small some huge.  And then I will often take it away, and the 'missing it' confirms things.  It is like turning my subs off, you just plain miss them.  We all value what we value, and it is indeed very individual.  The Node is a great example; most of us have had or heard one.  It does the job.  Great for many, inadequate for some.  

@malibu457 I’m envious that you have access to wonderful live music and I’m further impressed by the effort you must make to do so. Kudos to you!

Seriously, if you are happy and content with your sound then you are doing it right. If you are curious though, the Aurender streamer/servers are terrific. There is no substitute for hearing it in your system. I believe your gear, depending on your speakers, should show you the next level of performance that an Aurender could deliver. Do make note, and I apologize for redundant info if that is the case, but if you utilize Roon then the Aurender will not run with Roon. The Aurender has a proprietary interface and software, which they believe sounds better.

Best wishes and even though our hearing evolves, sometimes in unwelcome ways, there is so much enjoyment with music played back through great gear that there are more discoveries in your future. For the record, I found that my hearing began to suffer greatly on my wedding day and has degraded precipitously since that time. Best wishes.