Grimm MU1 Streamer - Really "The Best"?

I’ve briefly considered upgrading to a standalone DAC but quickly dismissed it.  I know there are better performing DAC’s out there for higher cost.  But my Diablo 300 amp and DAC module have become like an old pair of jeans that just fits perfectly, despite the couple of sonic quibbles that are inconsequential to me. It’s the only component in my system other than my Innuos PhoenixNET network isolation switch that I can’t see myself wanting to replace.  My dealer called offering a trade in program, and I said that I’m good.  He grumbled that he likes McIntosh customers better as they tend to want to upgrade every year but Gryphon owners are set for life! His words not mine, and he immediately said he shouldn’t have said that right after he said it.  I know the Gryphon Essence would easily beat my Diablo but despite the value it’s still a massive upgrade cost, and I just don’t want all that added cabling.  I’m struggling with “clean” routing of all my cables as and I can easily hear issues when I move my AC cords around the wrong way or coil them too much.  As I said it’s one of the triggers into looking into the MU1, so I don’t need a separate reclocker box with cables.  And, I’m hoping to acquire another component that is “special” to me, hitting all the right performance traits like the Diablo does for me.  There’s nothing wrong with my other components but they simply don't have that “perfect fitting old pair of jeans” set of qualities.

@arafiq,

Once you hear a native file on a well executed NOS DAC, you won’t care for upsampled file. You can’t magically add meaningful ‘information’ that’s not there! Trickery or not, I will leave it your own imagination :-) 
 

@charles1dad 

You can certainly turn off upsampling in MU1. But Downsampling of DSD64, DSD128, DSD256 and DXD files and streams to 4FS or 2FS 😳. For many, it’s not a big deal cause there is plenty of content available to stream upto 4FS resolution. IME, once you hear a native DXD or DSD file, you gain a whole new perspective on what’s possible. And having a DAC that allows you to appreciate these incremental differences is a bonus :-) 

No upsampling for me please. 

@nyev 

Unless you’re married to ROON, consider auditioning Aurender N20 and call it a day! I can hardly wait to get N30SA later this year and complete my quest on what I consider my ultimate digital front end under $100K. 

@lalitk 

I've read your comments and, like you, I was firmly in the camp where you currently reside. If someone does NOT want to operate with the Roon user interface, the Grimm is not for them. I respectfully submit though that the blanket statements about upsampling and its demerits vs merits fails to recognize that different designers do things differently. While a file might be upsampled in two different implementations, how something is upsampled is where the rubber meets the road. In short, if someone hasn't heard it for themselves they just don't know what they are talking about. Full stop.

I will post later when I have the time about an experiment I conducted where I became convinced that I was wrong about the universal NOS/native "doctrine". You have to trust your ears and while I want everyone to choose the path that best suits them, the right path isn't achieved by reading and adopting absolute positions.