I compared the Bluesound Node 2i, a modded Sonos Connect and the Zen Mini III on it's own, with the Linear Power Supply and with the Phoenix. https://www.stevehuffphoto.com/2020/03/01/hifi-innuos-zen-mini-mkiii-review-with-phoenix-usb-re-cloc... |
I have one on loan from my local dealer and have for about a week. Placing my order today after an entire week of testing it out. But I use a Zen MINI MKIII and it drastically improves it with exactly the same things LiquidSound said above. When I listen for a few days with the Phoenix, and then remove it I notice a collapse in Soundstage, less bass, more grain and less refinement and air. When it goes back in, it's like an all new server. Refinement, smooth, wide soundstage, more holographic, etc. All the good things get better, and not by a tiny margin. I also have the power supply on order for the Mini III and feel a Mini with Power Supply and Phoenix will be quite special. It already is with the re-clocker. My dealer says he has no idea if they are in stock, which tells me there may be a wait. I have been waiting on my Mini MKIII power supply for about 3 weeks now. The Mini III came in one week. Anyway, the Phoenix makes a difference and a good one, with the Mini MKIII. IN fact I auditioned the Zenith III and prefer the sound of the Mini III with Reclocker over the Zenith III. It took me a week of audition to relieve I had to have the Phoenix. Again, when I took it out...I lost a lot of the magic. Cant explain it, but it works and I am not using crazy cables. I have one Audioqest Diamond USB and one Forest USB. The Phoenix ships with a power cable and USB cable. I tried the stock USB and it's just as good as my Forest. I do not feel I need to buy another Diamond and won't. Nor will I upgrade the power cable on the Phoenix. Its great as is. |
I will say that compared to the Zenith III, the Mini III with Reclocker brought me a little bit more body. Without the re-clocker the Zenith III wins over the Mini without question. With it, in my system, not really. I could have bought the Zenith III but went with the Mini III, Power Supply and Re-Clocker. Works for me, and if I upgrade to the Zenith III in a year or whenever I am sure the Phoenix will help that and it will be better than the Mini III with the Phoenix. As is I will be happy for a long while with this. Used a Sonos for the last several years. This is a HUGE upgrade. As I write this, I am listening to the Mini III and Phoenix. My power supply has not come in yet...but when it does I expect a little jump up again. If we talk cost, retail of the Mini III 1 TB, Power Supply and Phoenix come in at around ($1249 = $3149 + $699 = ) $5097. This is MORE than a Zenith III 1TB, yes, and for me, it added body and did the space thing better than the Zenith III alone. Makes sense too. It's not going to be as good as a Zenith III with Phoenix though. But that is a much more expensive option. Thanks. |
Yep, "From Vinnie Rossi on the L2 DAC module. On-board FPGA buffer and femto-reclocking circuitry negates effects of jitter. Isolated input stages." That is correct. Doesn't matter. This changes the sound and it's not a small difference. Again, I do not care how or why it's doing what it is doing, I just know what it is doing. I have a very resolving system and the differences are literally night and day here. So however it is working or whatever it is doing, does change the sound for the better. It's not even up for debate to those who heard it here and I would not have spent money on it if it did not do these things. So while I agree that it should not be doing anything, it does. ; ) |
I am using an Audioquest Diamond and Forest. Stock power cable for the Pheonix (and will not buy an aftermarket). I was reading a review of the Chord M Scaler and there was a paragraph there that explained EXACTLY what I find the Phoenix is doing here... A quote from Audio Bacon on the M Scaler... "Firstly, you’ll notice how much more depth and focus lays before you. Without the Hugo M Scaler, it sounds completely flat, a bit fuzzy, and lean. It doesn’t have the proper shine or clarity – and comes off a bit grainy and edgy. Moreover, string plucks also don’t have that palpable reverb. It’s a more confused and splashy sound. Aside from an incredibly spacious sound – the Hugo M Scaler tacks on weight, dimensionality, and resolution to everything." That is exactly what the Phoenix does to my system when added to the Mini MKIII. It's crazy really. |
