2. digital
  3. 182773-88754

Innuous Zenith Mk3 and Phoenix vs Esoteric N-05XD

I own the Zenith and Phoenix, came from computer audio and was amazed at the quality difference these made, along with upgraded power cords, to transform my 20 year old system (which doesn’t even have my Krell amp in it..repair) into a very pleasing sound. The downside of owning these (it’s only been about 6 weeks) is that after using Audirvana (with computer) the Innuous Sense app drove me crazy. I’ve been told that this is one of the better softwares for controlling music compared to others...one man’s ceiling is another man’s floor. It drove me crazy and still has limited to no library management tools but it looks pretty with album cover displays and black background.
I’m being urged by a digital expert friend to trade that in for Esoteric 05-XD. He says it has world class DAC and i wouldn’t need to spend any more money. Scenario two is to keep the Innuous and spend at least 5,000 or more on new DAC (i am using 12 year old original PS Audio Perfect Wave DAC) My friend believes that even with new DAC and more money, that i won’t beat the Esoteric. For about the same additional money I could buy a Master Clock for the Esoteric and improve even more, he says. My problem is I can’t audition the Esoteric nor do I relish the idea of starting over on a new software wondering what it looks like, how it works and whether I’ll be as frustrated in the use of it as I was with Innuos’s Sense. Sound quality is number one for me but this recent experience of being so frustrated in making playlists as me wondering about usability along with sound quality. I would love the group's thoughts as all this is completely new to me, and is not my style to change something so quickly.

bossa

Showing 1 response by creditingkarma

Ag insider logo xs@2x
creditingkarma
102 posts
 

Let me through a big curve ball. I suggest that you try the MSB discrete with the renderer module. Add a gigafoilv4 with the ifi elite power supply.  This should run about $15,000 usd. This would allow you to get rid of all the Innuos gear and run roon on a Mac mini or nuc with more processing power and better interface and library management too. The renderer is also a roon endpoint. 
 

My friend and I compared both an MSB discrete and Reference with this setup vs the same dacs fed by the Innuos statement with Phoenix net. We both were shocked that the gigafoil setup sounded better and more real with less digital glare. This was on a system with Estelon X Diamonds, MSB s500 and a stromtank. I found the same results at home with my system with Rockport Atria II and Dan D’Agostino momentum M400s and Momentum HD pre. 
 

I am not sure if this is in you budget but if you are looking at esoteric it may be. 

More to discover