Digital Server and/or Streamer have become the common source in most audio systems. Digital Streamer has been picking up its popularity due to the inconvenience of physical media, the easy accessibility of the net and the increasing number of platforms to stream music (at an affordable price).
After my recent review of INNUOS STATEMENT Server and Streamer, the nice folks at AV DESIGNS (MALAYSIA) SDN BHD suggested to me to review the newer and (slightly) cheaper INNUOS ZENITH NEXT GENERATION Server and Streamer,
with Customisable Options due to its Modular Architecture…
(eg: as a Server or Streamer only, with only particular digital ouput, capacity of internal memory bank, etc), that would affect its total price. The unit sent to me was both a Server and a Streamer, with the standard (non Phoenix) USB digital output and with the specialised SPDIF Digital Output Board (retail at Malaysia Ringgit RM95,700 for base unit, SSD and digital output board not included).
As standard, the INNUOS ZENITH NG already packed with an impressive array of components and features to ensure ‘High Performance and Sound Quality‘;-
[1] the ‘Ultra Low Noise Power Supply‘,
the ARC6 NGaN Power Supply with 300VA Audio Grade Transformer, High Performance Choke and 130,000uF of Mundorf Capacitors (a ‘trickle-down version‘ of that used in the INNUOS STATEMENT),
[2] utilised the all-new ‘Custom Mainboard‘,
server-grade INNUOS PreciseAudio,
[3] with the Intel Core i7,
that came with 8 physical, dedicated and separate cores and supported by 16GB of industrial-grade low-noise DDR4 RAM,
[4] employed industrial-grade pseudo Single-Level Cell pSLC SSD,
for its OS, for much lower ‘EMI thus Noise‘,
[5] included the INNUOS XSM,
a High Performance EXpandable Storage Management System for a single pool of storage from multiple drives,
[6] in a Premium, Vibration Dampened and Grounded 10mm thick Aluiminum Chassis, and
[7] to control them all through the latest SENSE 3 Apps.
Without further ado, I connected the INNUOS ZENITH NG through the similar configuration and audio system as per the INNUOS STATEMENT; via the indispensable AA AUDIO SIG XT USB 2.0 cable to the VITUS MASTERPIECE MP-D201 DAC which was connected to the FM ACOUSTICS 268C preamplifier via VERMOUTH REFERENCE BALANCE XLR cable. From the VITUS MASTERPIECE MP-M201AF amplifiers to the MAGICO M2 loudspeakers used the SKOGRAND CABLES’ Ultra High End Flagship SILVERLINE SC and STRAVINSKY II ACs.
Upfront, I would testify that the INNUOS ZENITH NG sent to me did not install the advantageous Phoenix USB digital output (for better sound quality) compared to the STATEMENT that has it as standard.
Therefore, I could not confirm that some found their (ZENITH NG and STATEMENT) Sound Quality to be ‘Pretty Close‘,…depending on the connected audio system(?).
Therefore, the following findings of the INNUOS ZENITH NG were of the specific unit/ specification sent, and (of course) connected to my audio system in my audio den.
“BUT PLAYING SOUND IS ONE THING AND PLAYING MUSIC IS ANOTHER”.
The above statement was found at the INNUOS website,…that I very much agreed. The question here, was whether the ZENITH NG, being a digital transport, delivered the ‘Sound’ or ‘Music’ to the Ear, Soul, Being and Body.
The initial impression from the very first music track played has me convinced that
the INNUOS ZENITH NG did deliver the Music,
…however, the next question that popped up was,
How much of that Music?
…allow me…
Mr.Jon Batiste was the bandleader of ‘Stay Human‘ and musical director on ‘The Late Show with Stephen Colbert‘ (2015 – 2022). He was also an accomplished classical pianist, which was evident in the above album. Here, the INNUOS ZENITH NG was not only transparent to the Artistry of the said Pianist but also…
the Sheer Size, Scale, Dimensions, Weight and the Inner Working and Air of the piano/ instrument,
…and the Tone and its Totality, of each key played.
Here, at ‘The Showman Sessions‘ (from the movie,’The Greatest Showman‘), where the actual songstress, Ms.Loren Allred of the song, ‘Never Enough‘ (not Ms.Rebecca Ferguson) performed some of the other songs in the said movie, in a much simpler set up.
As the INNUOS ZENITH NG was transparent to the inner working of an instrument,…same could be said of the Voiceation of the said songtress,…
the Movement and Shape of her Mouth in uttering the Words of the Lyric, and the Weight of her Breath spent.
Here, the transparency to the recording by the INNUOS ZENITH NG was evident with the presentation of ‘Vintage-ness‘ of the Atmosphere and the Equipments used at HAVANA’s EGREM STUDIO, formerly owned by RCA Records, that remained unchanged since the 1950s.
In addition, the Soundstage was Deep and Dimensional and,..The Soundscape was filled with Air that summed up the Atmosphere,…and the Images of the Vocalists and Instrument(alists) were Clearly Outlined and at their respective ‘Spaced-Out-Positions‘.
The Recording Stage was presented with Presence, Tangibility and Weight,…thus Believability.
Here, Kenji Kawai‘s main ‘instrumental’ track (no.17), ‘Ip Man‘ (from the Hong Kong movie, ‘Ip Man 4, The Finale‘ by Director Wilson Yip and starring Donnie Yen) was an orchestral presentation with Power, Grip, Authority and yet with Emotion and Sensitivity,…coupled with Choral.
However difficult, the INNUOS ZENITH NG was able to Balance the Tonality and Flow throughout the presentation,
…even at the Shift between Extreme ‘Power, Grip and Authority‘ to Extreme ‘Emotion and Sensitivity‘.
There was never an instance, that the presentation lost its Dynamism and Big Bang (Bass),…and never an instance that the Minute Detail was swallowed up by the Difficult Passage.
MUSIC INDEED.
Eventhough without the advantageous Phoenix USB digital output that put a ‘distance in sound quality‘ compared to the INNUOS STATEMENT,…still the INNUOS ZENITH NG managed to convince me that it was…
indeed a Formidable Digital Transport that delivered the Music, and its Core that was Meant to Be.
SPECIFICATIONS.
Hardware:
- Processor: Intel Core i7 with 8 physical cores.
- Memory: 16GB DDR4 industrial-grade RAM.
- Storage:
- 1 x pSLC SSD for OS.
- 1 x PCIe NVMe SSD (2TB/4TB/8TB) (factory fitted, optional).
- 1 x m.2 NVMe SSD (user or factory fitted, optional).
- Power Supply: ARC6 NGaN Power Supply with Active Rectification, 300VA Audio Grade Transformer, high-performance choke, and Mundorf capacitors.
- Dimensions: 215mm x 245mm x 75mm (W x D x H).
- Weight: 4.5 kg.
Digital Output:
- USB: Up to 32bit/768kHz, Up to DSD256 via DoP, Up to DSD512 via Native DSD.
- Bit Depths: 16bit, 24bit, 32bit.
Features:
- AudioCore Technology: Designed for optimized audio processing.
- Innuos Sense 3: A next-generation operating system based on a custom Real-time OS Kernel.
- MQA Core Software Decoding: Supports MQA audio files.
- Ultra-Low Latency: Optimized for precise timing.
- TIDAL Connect: Seamless streaming integration.
- Expandable Storage: Supports multiple storage pools.
Ripping and Playback:
- Ripping: Requires an external USB-connected CD ripper.
- CD Formats: Red Book CD, CD-R, CD-RW.
- Ripper Formats: FLAC (compression level 0), WAV.
- Playback Audio Formats: WAC, AIFF, FLAC, ALAC, AAC, MP3, MQA.