Grimm MU1/Mola Mola Tambaqui combo vs. Grimm MU2

The MU2 also has an analog preamp built in as well as a streamer and DAC. It works very well connected directly to an amplifier.  

@rdoc The MU1 has the ability to take an analog input and switch it through to the analog output.  I assume that is what you are referring to.  but it is just a convenience switch, not a preamp.  That assumes I understand it correctly.  I haven't used it.

@carlsbad2 wrote: " The MU1 has the ability to take an analog input and switch it through to the analog output.  I assume that is what you are referring to.  but it is just a convenience switch, not a preamp.  That assumes I understand it correctly.  I haven't used it."

This understanding would not be correct according to Grimm which state the following:  "The MU2 combines a music streamer with a superb DAC and a reference quality analog preamp."

Numerous reviewers have commented on the quality of the preamp in the MU2 as well as the inbuilt DAC.  It is an MU1 and much more.

I use it as a one box solution from Ethernet to my amp.  It sounds superb as well in my opinion and better than many of the separates which I have used. 

@rdoc the question is, is it an active preamp or is it a passive preamp?  what I've described, just a switch, it often called a passive preamp. I still think that is what we have but will look into it.  I have a contact at Grimm that I will ask.

I use my Lampizator DAC for my "one box solution"  I guess I could run the output from my DAC back into the analog input on my Grimm and make it my one box solution.  

So you use your grimm for volume control?  The remote on the grimm MU1 is a phone "app" which is really just logging into the IP address of the machine. Is that what you have?  I found the volume control to occasionally switch to max and do not use it.

Jerry

@carlsbad2  I will defer to you and others on the technicalities of the MU2. John Lavorgna in his review states: "I let its internal analog preamp take over for the internal preamps in the review Triode Evolution 300 and my beloved Leben CS600 and I didn’t feel as if I, or the music, lost anything. In fact there was an added clarity and transient speed that I preferred with the MU2 in charge."

Grimm calls it a "relay based analog volume control".

I use an apple remote to control the volume.  When I change the volume, I hear the relay clicks just like I used to hear on the Ayre KXR preamp which I owned many years ago.