Grimm MU1 Streamer - Really "The Best"?

Thanks @ghasley. I know the Merason isn’t end game, especially considering how comparatively inexpensive it is. Regardless of how it sounds now, I’m learning things about my Gryphon DAC module. People have said it’s got a little warmth but I now think that is a big understatement. The entire bottom end and mid bass has quite a lot of warmth, and it’s very detailed at the same time. I think that boosted lower frequencies is the reason I’ve felt the mids and vocals are recessed and overly delicate and small. I think it’s causing the midrange tension I spoke of. This is what happens when you boost lower frequency tone controls, the mids can become a bit pinched off. So what I am hearing with the Merason is I think mostly my ears adjusting to a more neutral presentation, where the midrange is more prominent and open. Have to say I like the coloration of then Gryphon DAC though - it is a pleasing tonal balance. But I think there are trade offs with the more constrained mids. It will be interesting to see if I can adjust and be comfortable with the more neutral presentation in the end. I hope so, and I think it’s possible.

Your reaction to Merason sounds similar to when you got the Aurender. 
Just sayin’ … 😃

@arafiq , that fact has not been lost on me either, lol!

Definitely in the honeymoon phase for sure….

The sound now is not limited in the high frequencies like I found with the Aurender however. I think the “more confident” and open midrange is nothing to do with performance of the Merason, beyond the fact that it is more neutral than my Gryphon DAC.

I am NOT going to say I love the Merason until I’ve lived with it for some time and go back later to the Gryphon DAC. I suspect that whether I end up liking it or not is going to be dependent on two things: whether I am too attached to the coloration of the Gryphon DAC, and whether the Merason has enough detail for me.

Just did a quick check in. Nothing much changed from last night. Maybe a bit more punchlines and rhythm in the bass but not sure.

The sound with the DAC1 on my basic RCA cables (big caveat) is not similar to the sound when the N20 was in my system, even if it sounds that way. Not at all. The N20 had an incredible density and flashiness that is not at all how the DAC 1 sounds (yes I realize it’s weird to be comparing a DAC and a server!). The N20 had an incredible blackness to the sound, and the effect reminded me of when I demoed an Audioquest Niagara 5000. Again, the Merason has none of this. And as above, there is no clamping of the upper frequencies.

I am starting to see in the Merason what reviewers have been referring to “rightness” of the sound, even if performance isn’t all out through the roof.

I can see how people say that this DAC encourages you to listen to music and says, “stop worrying about all that HiFi stuff”. It feels like that old pair of jeans that is maybe a bit worn but just fits right and is comfortable. Which may not be the most exciting thing in the world, but it’s just friendly and inviting. First time I fired up the N20 in comparison, to continue the analogy, it was like a brand new pair of designer jeans that needed assessments still for proper fit. Totally different sound with the N20!

I’ll also say this.  You know those odd tracks that never never quite sound right on your system?  Maybe it’s a me thing.  But u2’s One has always sounded weird on my system.  For the first time ever it sounds totally at ease with the DAC 1.

Still waiting for my MU1 and fancy cables.

Today I learned from Merason that the DAC 1 can only do 176K on USB. 192 is supported on AES and SPDIF however. Which is exactly what the specifications state. I suppose I wasn’t sure what that meant, as I thought that would seem odd. This will not make the MU1 happy in 4X oversampling mode when playing 44k source material.

I’ve asked Grimm if there is any way to force the 4X output to always be 192k (which would be fine for the DAC1) and never 176k. But I doubt there is a way, at least, I doubt there is without compromising SQ (maybe Roon could “pre-upsample” to ensure the 192k cap is hit with 4X oversampling but that wouldn’t be good for sound). Anyone know if there is a solution? Guessing not.

It’s a shame because I really like the DAC1. I even love the way it looks. I like how you can see the circuit boards through the top and how the orange leds illuminate the inside when the lights are low.

My Gryphon DAC is more resolving but that’s probably due to the limitation of my $500 RCA interconnects I’m currently is using while waiting for my new cables. But the DAC1 sounds more natural, open, and musically involving. Vocals are more expressive on the DAC1 not due to performance but due to it being more neutral than my Gryphon DAC which I now understand to be quite coloured. I have mixed feelings on this coloration. The Gryphon’s tone sounds great overall but it makes vocals much smaller. The Gryphon DAC’s bass is bigger and rounder (and more detailed) but the DAC1 has far punchier and rhythmic, “carved” bass. This along with the expressive vocals is what makes this more musically involving than my Gryphon DAC.

All of this would improve with the new cables and the DAC 1 could be upgraded to the MK2 version for presumably better resolution. But very sadly, that won’t ever happen if I end up keeping the MU1, due to the limitation of the DAC1’s AES output not doing 176k. Zero issues with Innuos though, using USB!

I feel like the DAC 1 has some heart and soul to it. Too bad…. But it’s taught me a lot about my Gryphon DAC even without the balanced cables.