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Is Innuos Zenith or Statement Overkill with a High-End Streaming DAC?

Some of you may have noticed I started a discussion on the Analog side regarding phono stages.  The fact is, I just sold my house and have no intention of owning again, so I'm putting some of the equity into things that bring me joy. 

Now the topic is digital.  I have an Innuos Zenith Mk. 3 and was considering upgrading to the Statement and also wanted to upgrade my DAC from the Border Patrol  SE-i USB.  Some of the next level DAC's having streaming capability and are Roon ready.  The fact is I'm not even coming close to filling the 1TB of storage on my Innuos, and 99% of what I've ripped is available on Qobuz.  I'm also not interested in spending nearly $30k on the upgrade.

So...doesn't it make more sense to ditch the Innuos, use my iMac as a Roon core, and get one of the killer streaming DAC's?  Or do the power supplies, reclockers, etc. in the Innuos really make a difference?  Candidates at this price point would be the Mola Mola Tambuiqi, Weiss 501/502, or TotalDAC d1-tube-mk2, as well as any other suggestions or thoughts my fellow brethren would care to offer.
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12 responses Add your response
jjss49's avatar
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jjss49
6,612 posts
 
i have no opinion on the product but cannot help but comment on and note the appropriateness of the naming of ’statement overkill’ on a souped up megabuck streamer... funny indeed

apologies if my comment is made being ignorant of what the product is... i have not run across it
rikkipuu's avatar
rikkipuu
278 posts
 
Source matters but will only sound as good as the weakest links in a system.  I have found Roon to be a weak link and hard to get around.  Roon will definitely sound worse on your iMac. 

Innuos lets you use squeezelite as the player with Experimental Mode and its an unmistakable improvement.  Innuos is expected to release their OS upgrade soon and it is supposed to sound better than Roon.  I would wait for it.

As far as DAC's go, using a killer DAC with Roon from an iMac is going to leave a lot of the DAC's capabilities un heard.  A killer DAC will reveal the ugliness of a poor source.  It won't put lipstick on a pig.

Garbage in equals garbage out.
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jjgasp OP
64 posts
 
Thanks anz
dletch2
455 posts
 
Yes, upgrading will be a waste. Get the killer DAC. Isolate the iMac from the DAC, and learn how to use Roon.  Not all killer DACs are killer DACs.  The Mola Mola is. They market it as "DIGITAL THAT’S AS GOOD AS ANALOGUE", but really there is nothing analog that does or has ever come close in the audio world. However, it appeals to a certain target clientele.  That does not mean you will like it. However, there will be no value using a super expensive streamer with this product. Nothing the streamer does will make the DAC better assuming you have some electrical isolation.  I can't say that will be the case for other DACs.   I am sure you will get lots of people saying this is not true, but I also am sure they have never blind tested a product like this with a low cost, but bit proper electrically isolated streamer, and compared it against so called "extreme" streamers.  At some point diminishing returns = no returns.
thyname's avatar
thyname
3,107 posts
 
@jjgasp : I would keep the ZENith MK3 as is, and upgrade the DAC. Yes, Mola Mola Tambaqui is a great DAC. In case you want to spend less, and since you like BP DAC, you will love Holo Audio Spring May DAC. It does not have a streamer built in, but you can "feed" it via USB from your ZENith.

Another less expensive (than Tambaqui) is Cary DMS-700. It has a streamer built in
antigrunge2
1,418 posts
 
Don‘t even think of ‘upgrading’ by getting rid of the Zenith! It’s a great streamer. When upgrading the DAC think of getting a DAC with an analogue volume control to go directly into your amp. Digital output levels being what they are only need attenuation, there is nothing to be gained from inserting a pre.
snackeyp's avatar
snackeyp
455 posts
 
I have the Zenith Mk3 and added the Phoenix re-clocker to it with excellent improvements that were/are very noticeable.  Definitely worth consideration, and you might want to take this step before a DAC upgrade.  
I also upgraded my DAC from a Mytek Manhattan II to a Holo Audio May3 DAC and that has proven to be a wise move.  Read the dedicated thread about the May DAC for more details and testimonials on this great product.  
I am enjoying the best digital sound I've ever experienced, and while I know it's not equal to (my) analog sound, it's as close as I've ever heard.  So good, in fact, that I often forget I'm playing digital music.
thyname's avatar
thyname
3,107 posts
 
Hopefully the OP comes back here with a follow up, and not just “drive by” posting 
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jjgasp OP
64 posts
 
Thanks all for your input.  I decided to order a Holo Audio May KTE based on recommendations here and other threads/reviews.  Didn't need to pay for streaming since the Innuos already has that feature.  I'll let you know how it sounds.
thyname's avatar
thyname
3,107 posts
 
Congratulations! Thanks for the update
mahler123
3,357 posts
 
I think that you are right on the money.  The bigger determinant of the sound is the DAC.  Transports matter, but you can get superb DACs in the 5-15 K range.  Why spend all that dosh on storage if you have determined that streaming is your future?
jred
94 posts
 

Great post. Valuable insight for my own quest. 

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