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Innuos Zenith mk3 complete disappointment

I have the following setup: Accuphase e480 with dac50 module, Magico A3, Chord SarumT speaker cables, Node2i a streamer only as I use Accuphase's day module. Chord Anthem bnc cable between Node and dac. (ethernet connection to streamer). I also have PSU mod for my Node2i.
I had opportunity to test Innuos Zenith mk3 during this week in my system. The same ethernet connection was used. From Innuos to dac I used entry level USB cable. 

I used Qobuz through Roon in Zenith and through BluOS in Node when testing. From the start Zenith sounded flat compared to Node2 and more I went through different music it became apparent that dynamic range was not on same level as with Node2. Especially the lower bass took a big hit compared to Node.  I also tested some highres music files with Roon and it was shocking to hear DSD with Zenith. PCM was "normal", but DSD was completely muffled, it was like hearing the music from the other room. One of the DSD records I tested was Temporary Circumstances - Clandestine Amigo (PS Audio - DSD64).

With Zenith all the testing I did was with the Roon, as iPeng client which I also tried was utter rubbish. I tried to level the sound volumes with iPhone app, but don't know how good job it did. For me Zenith was a complete disappointment from the sound quality point of view. Roon is Roon and I like it, but I think iPeng client is not on suitable level for the high end device like this. 
The problems with Zenith could be caused of course by my system: dac module on Accuphase or for example USB cable. Still I'm shocked how uninteresting sonically Zenith was compared to Node2i, as from price point of view it should be other way round.
jksec
cal3713's avatar
cal3713
1,421 posts
 
Very surprising given everything I've read. Too bad you couldn't test both into the same input and with the same cable. 

Another demonstration of how you just have to try everything in your system to truly know how it will sound.
jmphotography's avatar
jmphotography
161 posts
 
Wow, very surprising too. I was using a Bluesound Node 2i when I upgraded to a Innuos Zen MkIII running into my Chord Qutest at the end of November, so thats a step down from the Zenith you have. I was blown away by the changes, the zen was head and shoulders above the Bluesound, of course at 3x the price, but I heard significant improvements, as did my wife who is not even an audiophile. The Zen was so much more open, detailed but just overall robust and full sounding, so natural. I am running Roon in the experimental squeezelite mode. I tried iPeng and didn't like the interface, plus the experimental squeezelite sounded so much better. The experimental SL sounded better than just running roon core on the Zen.
jayrossi13's avatar
jayrossi13
188 posts
 
I have a Zenith Mk.3, the sound is stunning and represents a very noticeable upgrade over the solution it replaced (SGC i5 + LPS for Roon Core, Synology NAS, opticalRendu + LPS).

I am running Roon Core and Roon player from the Zenith. I’m also using a Stealth T-Select USB cable as my primary interface to my Lampizator DAC. After reading your post, I tired my printer cable in place of the Stealth and the sound definitely took a hit. So your USB cable could be a limiting factor.

I don’t know much about the Accuphase DAC.


antigrunge2
1,439 posts
 
Another case of USB being a dodgy standard. I run my Zenith Mk3 into an Antelope Zodiac Platinum with Rubidium clock. To get it to sound as spectacular as it can it took the following:
-Intona USB 2.0 Isolator with Intona reference cable
-Acoustic Revive REM-8 EMI/RFI suppressor
-Acoustic Revive RGC-24 ground conditioner
-Acoustic Revive RUT-1 Usb filter
-Low latency setting on InnuosOS
-short Meicord ethernet cable from router/switch
-black ravioli/FinalDaruma feet
That said, it now performs at reference level using Ipeng, roon being a distant second for sound quality.
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