Innuos Zen Mk3 - Ultra Rendu and MAC mini
For critical listening, I’m primarily and Analog guy (tape and vinyl) and digital was accomplished with an Esoteric DV60. I’ve did fool around with computer audio with a Mac Mini and a Metrum Octave, then changed the DAC to a Ayre Codex. (Have a lot of SACD) I never did emotionally connect with the computer based presentation. As a result I stuck with the other formats until now...
My dealer was just bringing in the Antipodes line and loaned me the newer EX / CX combo with an Aqua Optologic La Scalia DAC. Oh my, that was the first time I’ve heard digital that made me get lost in the music, tapping my toes and letting the musical performance fully & emotionally engage me. Not once did I think about the technology. I was lucky to have this on loan for two weeks of bliss.
One observation I discovered after experimenting with the CX / EX combo was, while the EX by itself with its built in DAC was okay, (I still liked my Esoteric a better) then I tried the EX with the Ayre DAC, while that was better still, the Esoteric was the better music maker. Then I dropped the Aqua DAC in, oh my gawd, now we’ve edged out the Esoteric - this was a step up.
Context - the Esoteric though getting long in the tooth is arguably worth $1500 now, the Aqua DAC and the Antipodes EX would set me back $7000 for used gear. The Esoteric was a better value even if overall it wasn’t as good. But...
This is the part that floored me, put the CX in With the EX and Aqua and the SQ was off the chart good, In near perfect harmony, natural, smooth, palpable, emotionally engaging with great dynamics... it was all there. SACD was sublime, Redbook too. However the challenge is, I don’t want to drop that kind of coin on the technology that was still evolving and depreciating quickly compared to other used audio investments I’ve made.
I’ve also observed a lot of passion for other brands of streamers (server / renderers) by Lumin and Innuos that we’re closer to what I wanted to spend. The other lesson I leaned was the concept of the server / renderer was perhaps part of the magic, but how could I accomplish economically?
Locally a Sonore ultra Rendu with the Signature LPS came available so I added that to the Mac Mini and Ayre DAC, while better, it didn’t get me close enough to the music. After much research I just bought a Innuos Zen Mk3, just it and the Ayre DAC sound very good!
With that, here is my question — would adding either the Mac Mini or ultra Rendu improve the sound In combination with the Zen? Anyone have an Zen tried it with the Mac? Given what the Mac sounded like in the system I suspect it will significantly pollute the overall sound quality. Perhaps the Innuos acting as the Roon Core (bought a lifetime membership) and the ultra Rendu as the Roon endpoint (renderer) might be a better combo. Your thoughts?
