Grimm MU1 Streamer - Really "The Best"?

Well @nyev, if you’ve already got the Gryphon Diablo 300 amplifier, which is an absolute beautiful beast of a thing, plus the Gryphon DAC module, then I wouldn’t sweat looking for another DAC. Try to keep things simple I always say, but don’t always do. I think that your in a good place to seek out a reputable Grimm dealer and get that home demo setup. 
 

  I too am all in on Roon as my preferred internet music streaming operating system because my smart devices are all Apple and Roon works seamlessly with them. So after experimenting with a lot of uber high-end streamers, some of which were really super cool, I took my audio gear dealers advice and bought a Roon Nucleus server because I can play any music anywhere in my house in up to six locations all at the same time, of which I’m presently using in four different rooms. The Nucleus is located on a rack with my hp system, it doesn’t do anything besides help me pick tunes from Qobuz. It has its own Sbooster LPSU with a Network Acoustics Eno RFI/EMI filter and their boutique Ethernet cable feeding it, and an AudioQuest Diamond USB cable going to SRC.DX USB to XLR converter. 
 

  I built my system around my Chord Hugo TT2 DAC and Chord M Scaler because they have the sound signature that I enjoy. If you can find a streamer that enhances your music listening enjoyment with the gear that you have already, then I say go for it. 

Reading about hifi is like watching a travel show. Occasionally entertaining but nothing like the real experience. Barely an experience at all really. And thinking you know Italy when you’ve been to a couple cities in Italy, when each and every place in Italy has its own unique history and sense of place, is pretty off the mark. 

OP, believe you have the contacts you need to home demo now. Have fun

Interesting philosophical discussion on merits of upsampling…. Despite the title of my thread I have enough experience in this hobby to know that any “conclusion” I think I’ve reached may later be proven totally wrong! It’s so easy to reach incorrect assumptions in HiFi. That’s why “the best” was in quotations!

@lalitk I am not married to Roon, and if I can test an Aurender at home I would. Love the Roon interface and radio but I will use whatever sounds best. I currently use Innuos Sense which does sound better than Roon with Squeeze - something that only recently became evident in my system.

A dream would be to test a MU1 against an Innuos Statement (not the Next-gen; too pricey), an Aurender N20, and an Antipodes K50 - but not likely.

Of that list the two that seem to me to be maybe a bit more unique and special vs the others are the MU1 (with its optional 4X upsampling setting and “window into the recording studio” effect that users describe - or “I listen with tears in my eyes” I know, over the top comment, commence eye rolling/gagging) and the K50 (in general people speak about it’s richness, musical “flow”, character vs other options, and even greater depth of soundstage vs the MU1 when using AES).

Nothing at all against Innuos (I really, really like their company and products) and I’m certain Aurender is great as well based on what many say about their products. But to me, they seem like my Audioquest Dragon power cords - they are absolutely fantastic and perform at an extremely high level, but they are devoid of any character or personality that makes them special or unique, beyond their high performance that checks all the boxes - and for many that’s what is desired from a streamer / server. From how people talk about their respective sound characteristics, the MU1 and K50 don’t seem like they are simply another top-tier streamer that checks all the boxes. Dunno, may just be my incorrect perception. My Diablo set the standard for how I want to feel about components in my system, beyond just sounding great (which always comes first).

As a new wrinkle, my system has now become revealing enough (with upgrades) that the advantage of music files over streaming is for the first time obviously apparent (as opposed to before when the difference was subtly apparent). So while I said previously that the new Innuos Pulsar (streamer only) was of interest, now I’m not so sure…. Sigh, my digital music approach will become a bit more complicated.  This is even with the benefit of the Innuos PhoenixNET which is superb (I describe it to friends as a device that cleans the filthy internet).

@nyev 

I sincerely hope that you are able to arrange in home auditions for your short list of music servers. I believe with some effort and perseverance you can make this happen. Anything less is simply speculation.

Charles

@charles1dad 

Where is the “absolute position “?

Here

Upsampling or Downsampling is a non-starter for me.