Roon Endpoint Streamers - Direct Comparisons between Current Offerings?

Hi @mitch2 :

Isn’t the Grimm MU1 a server/streamer combination? Any sonic advantage to using it in the streamer, or Roon endpoint, capacity only?

The Grimm MU1 is definitely a Server (Rooncore) and Streamer.  You can now see them for just under 10K lightly used.  It is far and away superior to my old Auralic Aries G2, or any embedded bridge in a DAC I have heard.  And you save quite a bit not needing a different Roon Core and its associated cords and power supplies.  It is incredibly stable as Core, again much more so than my finicky Auralic unit.  It sounds very organic and natural, and many have called the pairing with the MM Tambaqui a perfect match.

The MU1 sounds amazing with my MM Tambaqui.  But it is not as yet functional as a Roon endpoint ONLY.  Per my conversations with Grimm, it soon will be.  This is really only an issue if you have two systems, where one runs Core and the other needs to be endpoint only.

I also would look at an Aurender N20 or one down, but again for me it needs to be Roon Certified as an endpoint.  Aurender has repeatedly stated this is coming, but not yet.  I personally would not buy an Aurender N series (the only ones touted as soon to be roon endpoints) until it happens.  It's Interesting to me that I have seen more N20's for sale in the last 6 months than ever before.

You will continually hear that other software sounds better than Roon.  I believe this but love Roon, so I want to have both available.  Hence, no Aurender until Roon certified.

Hello @ghasley ,  Yes, 100%.  I use my Grimm MU1 as Core / streamer in my main system and my second system uses my onboard Tambaqui in my Makua as Roon endpoint.  But the internal Bridge / Streamer in the Makua (Tambaqui) is not as good as the Grimm MU1.  So I could conceivably have one MU1 as Core / streamer in one system and a second MU1 in my second system as endpoint only.

I will likely keep waiting until Aurender gets Roon certification for their N series regardless, as I can then pick which endpoint is better suited for each system.

Having two good systems can be problematic, as every time one gets better the other seems left behind!!  Quite a first world issue, but makes comparisons much easier and noticeable.

My experiences for optimizing Roon Sound:

-I am a lifetime Roon subscriber for some time and love the features.

-avoid all DSP as much as possible as to me it adds noise.  You don't hear noise     per say, but it destroys the soundstage and ambiance.

-for critical listening only run one Roon endpoint at a time.  This is easily heard if you turn other endpoints on and off while critically listening.

-for the above reason, I have moved away from having 4 Roon endpoints in my home.  Now my bedroom and master bathroom (hardly critical areas) are now the new Sonos ERA 300 speakers which are really good.  They are extremely stable and sound just fine in my bathroom and bedroom. It is easy to add playlists from Qobuz onto your Sonos system.  The Sonos ARC is also excellent, better than my Marantz AVR with a passive soundbar.

-I am not saying Roon sounds better than Innuos Sense or Aurender Conductor.  But the features, ease of use and music discovery of Roon are better and it still can sound amazing.

-I would not buy a high end streamer that is not Roon Certified as an endpoint. (come on Aurender!!!).

-the main place I NEEDED DSP was the master bathroom.  the Sonos ERA 300 easily adjusts its frequency response to the glass and tile environment.