Grimm MU1 Streamer - Really "The Best"?

@ghasley , and others, good advice - thanks. I have no intention to move on to another server anytime soon, even if I end up acquiring another right now. My thought is I can hook the K50 up to a cheap DAC I have and just run it for months. I’ve heard the K50 cand sound rough for a while.  I definitely have not heard the N20 at its best yet, without the AES cable.  I fully expect it will clearly pull ahead of my Innuos setup once I try multiple AES cables.  The fact that in can almost tie my Innuos’ heavily optimized USB with its non optimized USB is very telling.  I still wonder if the N20 will actually be just right in the end, for me, once I try the AES cable.  It has a touch of warmth and that solidity I’m after.  Just need a bit more transparency.

@lalitk , i didn’t mean to imply the imaging was not good with the N20.  What’s happening is purely related to the lack of upper end transparency and resolution compared with the Innuos gear.  The imaging is all intact with the N20.  But without that last touch of air and resolve, you don’t get that effect of suspended in space vocals and instruments as much as with the Innuos.  It’s there, just not as much.  Switching to the Innuos it’s more 3D - not to say the N20 is not 3D, it is for sure.

Lastly, it’s not a deciding factor at all, but if the N20 wins out, I must say that I like the screen.  Even if I’ve had it off in critical listening mode for the most part.  And it’s the only device I’m looking at that has one!

I was waiting until this morning to confirm, but the N20’s bass has become fuller rather suddenly. It’s not as big overall compared with the Innuos boxes at this point, but now it’s got so much more drive and solidity in the bass than the Innuos, despite not being as big and well defined. At this point I’d choose the Aurender’s bass over the Innuos bass (which is still more precise, refined, and accurate, but with less drive, focus, and solidity). The N20’s mid and top end still sounds the same as before. But wow, that bass drive is impressive.  There is a grip there that didn’t exist 1 day prior.

It’s for reasons like this that when I get the AES cable, I plan to use it at least for a solid month prior to comparing to a third server like the K50, should I acquire one now. As I said above I’ve heard accounts that the AES circuits do not automatically break in along with the rest of the unit if AES is not used during initial breakin. If I’m not mistaken I think the original owner used USB so the AES may never have been used. Same goes for my DAC’s AES interface.

With the K50, if the seller agrees to my offer (haven’t heard back so maybe they didn’t accept), it’s simply to acquire a used K50 at a decent price while one is available used. My focus won’t shift for some time yet!

And to re-setup your speakers. Its a thing. Seriously.

@ghasley , I probably wouldn’t have believed you on having to reset up my speakers had I not already found the need to do that between the N20 and the Innuos products!  At least I knew from what I was hearing that the speakers needed an initial adjustment with the N20, rather than just assuming the N20’s imaging was messed up, which is not the case at all.  So yes I am expecting further tweaks will be needed once the AES cable goes in.  And the cable will need burning in itself.  My dealer is closed Mondays but I’ll call tomorrow asking for an update on the AES cable.  There is a tendency for an item I’m waiting for to magically arrive at my dealer the very same day I call to ask for an update / remind them. 
 

Still waiting to hear back from Sablon (although I first emailed on Friday), and I am poking Jorma again too.  Seems hard to get their attention; business must be good.