Just dropped my review of the Innuous ZENith MK 3

[sailor]

MyAudiophrenia

[Chris]

It looks like it uses a motherboard very similar or identical to this one. 6Moons review says it uses a SuperMicro Mini-ITX board with Intel 4200 CPU.

SuperMicro

[Chris]

I am a little surprised you didn't mention it is running the Logitech Media Server for library management and music service streaming.

[sailor]

Thanks Chris
I know LMS is a very good piece of software but I think the public only sees Logitech as a keyboard and mouse manufacturer not knowing the background. LMS is buried in the background and never seen.
I will think about this and may adjust

[jtsnead]

Nov 17, 2020 23:06:10 GMT -5 Chris said:

I am a little surprised you didn't mention it is running the Logitech Media Server for library management and music service streaming.

Loved my squeezebox touch

[sailor]

Not saying anything negative about Squeezebox. I have had a few Touches myself, but I moved on.
Squeezebox media server is a fine product. I am sure at $4500, Innuos would not have chosen it to use here if it did not do its job well.
I just did not think it was relative since it is in the background and not seen.
I felt the uninformed just would not equate "SqueezeBox" with quality anymore

[Chris]

As an alternative approach, I wonder if a better value proposition could be had by setting up a Roon based system:

1. Buy Intel Nuc with memory and storage $200-$500
2. Install free Roon Rock OS on NUC. One-time easy install.
3. Buy Lifetime Roon license currently $699
4. Get a virtual component upgrade with built-in DSP (up sampling, EQ, Convolution filters) and more with Roon DSP features.
5. Enjoy seamless unmatched music information Metadata between your personal music files, Qobuz, and Tidal.

For not much more than $1000, depending on features, you could have a SOTA digital playback with lifetime support and upgrades.

I think people should look at Roon not as just a piece of software that manages your music but as an actual audio component like a CD player. There is so much going on with Roon that most people have not explored. It literarily can improve the audio quality of your system. When looked at in this context, it has a remarkably high value proposition equal to or greater than any traditional hardware upgrade.

I'll probably create a video at some point to illustrate these points.

You can try Roon for free for 30 days using this link. Just install on any computer you have to get started.

Roon is a software component for your digital audio system designed by Roon Labs. We buy amps, DACs, and speakers to put together our rig. Roon should be looked at as one more part of that system. Roon puts a digital front-end on your entire music collection no matter where in your system it may be stored, and allows you to source your listening from your computer or via a tablet to one or multiple output devices located throughout your home. Its peerless music curation function allows you to have your own favourite and personalised radio station made up of Roon selected tracks based on as little as one song selected by you to begin your listening session. Hi-Fi+

[sailor]

I have seen numerous reports that Roon degrades musicality because of its constant pinging the web and your network for info and management duties, robbing the cpu of doing the important work of serving files. I have a friend that used to use Roon but found sound quality lacking.
I know Roon gives you tons of info, management and suggestions to what to listen to but I want best quality sound.

I am not claiming that the Zenith is the best or the only way to serve music files just that it dose this very well. Yes it is expensive, and there are lesser models that get you 80% there.

Raspberry Pi with a decent PS and a USB drive and free software works very well at very little cost

[Chris]

Nov 22, 2020 15:10:39 GMT -5 sailor said:

I have seen numerous reports that Roon degrades musicality because of its constant pinging the web and your network for info and management duties, robbing the cpu of doing the important work of serving files. I have a friend that used to use Roon but found sound quality lacking.
I know Roon gives you tons of info, management and suggestions to what to listen to but I want best quality sound.

I am not claiming that the Zenith is the best or the only way to serve music files just that it dose this very well. Yes it is expensive, and there are lesser models that get you 80% there.

Raspberry Pi with a decent PS and a USB drive and free software works very well at very little cost

Why don't you use my free 30 day trial to test it out? Might make a good follow-up to your review.

[Chris]

Roon has Black Friday deals on their servers. Buy a server and get a year of Roon subscription plus year of Tidal. Starts at $1459.

You could add a portable usb drive for $99 for your local music. Try it for a year. If you aren't hooked you could probably sell the server for $1k plus and still be ahead of the game.

Roon Black Friday