@stevehuff , nice writeup. No question Innuos is a sonic step up but for many, Roon will be a critical piece given the other UI alternatives. I had the same experience with Orange Squeeze as you had with iPeng. It is clumsy with only the most basic control functionality and I can see some people being disappointed with it. Roon is great but with a cost of $119 per year or $699 lifetime it could be a barrier for some folks. I was also prepared to take the plunge on the lifetime membership but saw they increased it $200 as they are trying to maintain income via yearly subscriptions. The increase is at least a temporary deterrent for me and am opting for the yearly plan for now. I can't help but think that there will be a less expensive alternative inside of 6 years.
Innous Zen Mini MK 3
Here goes, another streamer thread. Does anyone have any experience with this streamer, specifically with the internal DAC. The Mini is at the top of my price range and, for now, I would like to avoid buying an external DAC. How would it compare to the internal DAC in the Node 2i?
As an aside I like that the Innous has a CD ripper, but I could do without one.
As an aside I like that the Innous has a CD ripper, but I could do without one.
Showing 3 responses by chilehed
There is a good review here if you haven't seen it: https://darko.audio/2019/11/innuos-zen-mini-mk3-review/ Unfortunately there are no comparisons to the Bluesound gear in the article. I have compared the Zenith Mk3 with the BS Vault2 and there is a difference, but in this case the Innuos is ~4x the cost compared to the Vault. Since you plan on using the integrated DAC you should try to listen to both. I will say that Innuos provides a compelling story if you are inclined to upgrade. You can start with a base unit and then add the linear power supply and/ or Phoenix re-clocker if they improve SQ for you; the Roon capabilities with Innuos are also interesting. |
Tough one...I doubt you would be disappointed with the Node. The other issue is the interface. The native UI that comes with Bluesound is easy to use and works well but not terribly rich. Not sure what Innuos gives you out of the box. I've heard the Innuos setup is easy and intuitive but am not sure about native music management. It seems many opt for Roon. Best of luck. |