Roon Endpoint Streamers - Direct Comparisons between Current Offerings?

@fastfreight @mitch2 

The MU1 sounds amazing with my MM Tambaqui.  But it is not as yet functional as a Roon endpoint ONLY.  Per my conversations with Grimm, it soon will be.  This is really only an issue if you have two systems, where one runs Core and the other needs to be endpoint only.

Nice posts. To be very clear regarding the above quote, the Grimm will feed Roon endpoints on your network just as any other Roon core server and the device/dac connected directly to the Grimm receives the proprietary optimized feed. In other words, I have the Grimm in my main system feeding my main dac and the other deivces/systems around the house serve as Roon endpoints from the Grimm. 

Im not sure why anyone would want to use the MU1 as an endpoint only however I suppose a $12k upsamplers/optimizer Roon endpoint isn't out of the question in our hobby.

Hello @ghasley ,  Yes, 100%.  I use my Grimm MU1 as Core / streamer in my main system and my second system uses my onboard Tambaqui in my Makua as Roon endpoint.  But the internal Bridge / Streamer in the Makua (Tambaqui) is not as good as the Grimm MU1.  So I could conceivably have one MU1 as Core / streamer in one system and a second MU1 in my second system as endpoint only.

I will likely keep waiting until Aurender gets Roon certification for their N series regardless, as I can then pick which endpoint is better suited for each system.

Having two good systems can be problematic, as every time one gets better the other seems left behind!!  Quite a first world issue, but makes comparisons much easier and noticeable.

@fastfreight haha...about every two years I sell off my second system, upgrade my main system further and then...begin building a second system all over again. Self loathing is commonplace in my house while doing so. Hope you are well!

I am also in the market for a server/streamer to run ethernet into my Bricasti M1SE. Have been thinking about the Melco, but have been utterly indecisive for over a year now.

@fastfreight 

This is really only an issue if you have two systems, where one runs Core and the other needs to be endpoint only.

I am running three systems with my server/Roon core in my network room and a separate endpoint connected to my network for each of the three systems.  Based on my listening, the streamer/endpoint has more influence on SQ than the server to the point where it seems the server only needs to be competent and reliable.  The endpoint in my main system is a Signature Rendu SE optical that feeds a Singxer SU-6 DDC.  The SU-6 provides a variety of outputs that I have connected to two different DACs that I alternate in that system.  I have been interested to read the positive reviews of the Grimm MU1, but I don't really want to go back to another one-box solution (previously had Antipodes DX and Mojo DejaVu) so I have been looking at the different high'ish end steamer options for my main system.

You will continually hear that other software sounds better than Roon.  I believe this but love Roon, so I want to have both available. 

I went with the lifetime Roon option early on and I like the metadata too much to give it up, so I have been looking at streamers that work well with Roon.  I sort of keep coming back to the Innuos Pulsar and would also be interested to try their Sense app player, but only if I could easily/quickly switch between it and Roon.