Streamer Comparison and Suggestions

Thanks everyone, so far.

@joc3021  - I am glad to hear you have had good luck with the Pulsar.  I have heard several times that the SQ from Innuos' own Sense app is better than from Roon.  Do you know if there would be a way to toggle between Roon and the Sense app, depending on whether I were listening casually or more critically?  BTW, I have not considered Aurender because it is not Roon ready.

@fuzztone - You are saying the Metrum Ambre (not Alambre) is "hard to beat", right?  I am not surprised, because I also think it sounds good.   I wish I could try a couple of these streamers (mainly the Pulsar and the Sig Rendu SE opt.) in my system so I could compare them to the Ambre that I am currently using.

@nekoaudio 

I have looked at the Lumin line up and was interested in the U2 mini, especially with the option of removing the SMPS and changing over to an exterior LPS.  However, I could not find anywhere on their website the voltage or amperage of the X1 PS to determine if that would work with the U2 mini, but there are other options.  It may be one of the best low-cost options, along with the Optical or Ultra Rendu with upgraded external PS.  The full size U2 at $5K has its own internal LPS, which appears to be pretty good.

Wow, what a great thread.  Thank you for the responses everyone.

Based on what I have read, the Innuos Pulsar and Sonore Signature Rendu SE Optical remain strong choices in the $5-8K range, along with the Auralic Aries G2.2.  One drawback with the Pulsar and Sig Rendu SE is that they tie me to using USB, unless I add another box.  Cost effective options less than $3K include the Lumin U2 mini with upgraded outboard LPS or the opticalRendu with an improved outboard PS.

Thank you to @joc3021 for the additional information about how easy it is to switch the Innuos Pulsar between their Sense app and Roon.  That was helpful.  

To those recommending the Grimm MU1, it is within my budget and I have read the reviews but as good as it probably sounds, I really want to have the server separated from the streamer/endpoint for the SQ reasons mentioned by @dmiller01, as well as for the ability to repair/replace the server if necessary without affecting the streamer.  Finally, I like the idea of sticking with products from a company that is established and experienced with servers/streamers as I suspect the support will be more reliable like it was when I used the Antipodes DX3.

@antigrunge2 

Are you suggesting either the ZENith Mk3 or the ZEN Mk3 along with the Phoenix USB reclocker? 

I noticed Antipodes did go from their separate EX/CX to the one box Oladra or K50 solutions.  I really liked using the DX3 and would consider their K41 and K22 pair but their pricing went through the roof.  If I wanted one box, the K50 would be on my list.

So, for all of you Innuos owners, how active are they on updates and how responsive is their support if you need it?

@jonwolfpell ​​​​@antigrunge2  - Thanks for the feedback.  That is the type of support I am looking for and that I remember from when I was using the DX3.  I believe you are much more likely to have proactive and responsive support from the companies that are heavily invested in the digital front end side of audio (servers, streamers, clocking, etc.) and that maintain teams of people to work on this stuff.

The support issue and newness of servers to Grimm is part of my reluctance to the Grimm MU1 that maybe I need to get over.  They have been in business almost 20 years and their first products were digital so they know what they are doing.  I wish they had a streamer only product instead of the all-in-one MU1/2 solutions.  I am a little concerned with the market longevity of running a server using the computing power from an i3, which is what I believe is in the MU1.  Another issue with not having a mature digital line-up is that they are coming out with new products (MU2), so I would hate to purchase the MU1 and then have them come out with a streamer only product that I would be much more interested in.  I need to give this more thought.  The reports of great sound quality are enticing.

So you all got me interested in Grimm again and I reached out to them and asked whether they were considering developing a streamer type product.  John-Paul Lizars replied that their goal of the MU1/MU2 was to offer "a self contained solution to digital audio playback."   They strive for "the best possible fidelity, an elegant simplicity and user friendly operation."   Of the separate server and streamer set-up, he said, "the use you describe, while having merit, is more complex than we like."   However, he also mentioned, "the MU1 can function as a Roon endpoint and customers do use it that way to accomplish the configuration you describe."  

Subsequent to that, I found and purchased a Sonore Signature Rendu SE Optical from a seller who is only about an hour from me.  I like the simplicity of the Sonore streamer and if the sonics match the reviews, it should work fine for me.  If not, there is always Grimm.

Any of you directly compared the Innuos Pulsar with the Sonore Signature Rendu SE Optical?  Impressions?

Good comments and about streamers - thanks.
I was able to hook up the Sonore Signature Rendu SE Optical (SRO) today in my system for a trial, and I like what I am hearing.

I then wired a new dedicated line to my panel to power my IT-server area and ran 45-feet of OM1 LC to LC fiber (because I was previously using SC/SC terminations) so tomorrow I will move my Deja Vu server into the IT area, away from my system room, connect the server directly to my router, and to a Bonn N8 switch, then a very short Ethernet cable to the Sonore Optical Module (with LPS) and then 45 feet of fiber from the IT area (or server room) directly to the SRO outputting USB to my DAC. I look forward to getting that done and hearing some music.

I will not rule the Innuos Pulser out because of all the positive responses about how well it performs, along with the apparent SQ benefits of using the Sense app. However, if the SRO continues to sound as good as it did today, I may stick with that until the Pulsar matures. This stuff has been moving pretty fast wrt improvements when you consider the highly regarded products that have come out in the past year or so; Pulsar, Auralic Aries G2.2, Grimm MU1/2, and more.

Thank you @grannyring for your feedback on the SQ of the Pulsar, the responsive support of Innuos, and your preference for the Sense app over Roon.  I will have a hard time giving up the artist write-ups on Roon but for better SQ, maybe.

The SQ of my system took a surprising step forward this week by moving my server to a separate room with my modem, router, switch, and fiber converter, LPSs for all, and connected to a dedicated 20A line.  I put my muon filter directly between my router and server, and then extended 45 feet of fiber to a Sonore Signature Rendu SE Optical (SRO) in my system room.

The improvement was beyond subtle and is characterized by a somewhat rounder, fuller, more dimensional, and more musically enjoyable presentation compared to using the Metrum Ambre as a Roon endpoint, which is a bit more incisive with perhaps a slightly flatter presentation - still pretty good but not as good.  Some of the improvement may be from using the USB input on my DAC, which seems better than the S/PDIF input, although going through the SRO still improved on a direct USB connection between my server and DAC.

I could be satisfied and finished for now but, based on all the positive comments made here about the Pulsar, I would still like to hear the level of SQ improvement/difference (if any) it makes in my system.  Maybe I will look into whether a 30-day trial is an option.