Innuos Zenith SE MkII

[One and a half]

1 hour ago, Patatorz said:

Hello, just to let you know incompatibility between Zentih MK2 and USB/SPDIF interface Mutec MC3+ USB. Both company are aware but seems difficult to find some solutions.

Incompatibility depends also on the USB cable used. Some solutions could come from 5V USB power supply from AQvox for example. Innuos mentioned the ifi Purifier 2 but did not test.

The MC-3+USB takes a 'lot' from the 5V rail to power the internal USB interface and may pull down the Innuous rail enough to stop data delivery. Perhaps an iDefender that just supplies 5V 1A might be the shot or the AQVOX you already mentioned. The problem with the Defender is the 5V micro USB connector to power the device, is on the side of the Defender case and takes up an adjacent USB port, so that port becomes unusable. This maybe critical for your situation.

 

On one computer, I had to use the USB 3.0 port to power the MC3-USB, the USB 2.0 port just messed about with detection, let alone working. Luckily the (Windows) driver worked plus the higher power delivery of the USB 3.0 port.

[Patatorz]

Sorry for the late feedback and thanks for your comments. I'm surprised that you say that the MC3+ USB is taking a lot of the 5V rail as it is not a self powered interface. Are you sure ?

[BigAlMc]

Not going to attempt a detailed review and not exactly blazing new trails as simply confirming what some wiser souls have already opined. 

 

The TX-USBultra does indeed improve the USB output of the SE. Put simply it's a keeper! 

 

My PS Audio Directstream dac accepts ethernet and USB and my preference was for ethernet because the Bridge II network card in the Directstream supports the full MQA unfold via Roon. It also supports displaying the cover art which is a nice if irrelevant feature. But alas the TX-USBultra is better. 

 

Using Roon I can flip between USB and Ethernet during a track by switching zones. 

 

Ethernet and the Bridge II sounds very smooth and natural. Previously I'd felt this was a strength. The USB from the TX-USBultra by contrast has a little more texture and timbre. I'm not the greatest at describing these things but I guess a little more detail. The SQ on the ethernet path now seems a little sterile by comparison. 

 

I guess I should add that I was powering the TX-USBultra using an LPS-1 and its been well documented that it requires a really good PSU to shine. Well I then upgraded to the new LPS-1.2 after reading some of the stellar reviews and I need to agree. The LPS-1.2 immediately further improved the TX-USBultra. 

 

So in conclusion (and apologies to your wallets!) but for SE owners the TX-USBultra and an LPS-1.2 (or LPS-1 if you already have one lying around) is a winning combo and worth checking out. 

 

Cheers, 

Alan 

[Confused]

27 minutes ago, Patatorz said:

Sorry for the late feedback and thanks for your comments. I'm surprised that you say that the MC3+ USB is taking a lot of the 5V rail as it is not a self powered interface. Are you sure ?

I can confirm this is correct, the USB input to the MC3+USB takes power from the USB feed.  To give you an example, if I feed my microRendu direct to my DAC, the mR and the LPS-1 feeding it run pretty cool, connecting the mR to the MC3+USB, it runs hot, the LPS-1 feeding the mR runs very hot, the MC3+USB is taking plenty of juice via the USB input.

[Patatorz]

ok thanks, i thought that such "high end" interface would have a clear 5V supply. Best regards

[Confused]

1 minute ago, Patatorz said:

ok thanks, i thought that such "high end" interface would have a clear 5V supply. Best regards

It is quite a deliberate design feature I believe, the idea is to completely isolate the USB input from the MC3+USB itself.

[jenjoh]

Hello.

 

i have setup my New zenit music server. It is setup AS a roon server, and all is Ok exept for a couple things...

 

On the “backup” USB port I have a usb stick with roon backup on. In roon, I am not able to see this he.. what can I do to see this in roon and get my backup?

 

on the “dac” USB port, I have my dac, a Audionet DNP. Neither in the innous os or in roon, I am able too see my dac at all.. Anybody that have any idea why this is and whatI can do to get my dac viable by the server? 

 

 

[Patatorz]

Hello, I’m sorry but not able to answer for the backup. 

Concerning the DAC : the usb interface of the audionet should be compatible with the innuos. It depends sometime on the usb cable and/or the ability to use the 5V of the usb. 

I had a couple of issues with my mutec mc3+ usb and it has been solved through usb câble change and use of solutions like ifi purifier 2 (recommended by innuos), an Aqvox usb 5V Power or ifi purifier for a good 5V. 

Usb is still tricky

 

[jenjoh]

I

36 minutes ago, Patatorz said:

Hello, I’m sorry but not able to answer for the backup. 

Concerning the DAC : the usb interface of the audionet should be compatible with the innuos. It depends sometime on the usb cable and/or the ability to use the 5V of the usb. 

I had a couple of issues with my mutec mc3+ usb and it has been solved through usb câble change and use of solutions like ifi purifier 2 (recommended by innuos), an Aqvox usb 5V Power or ifi purifier for a good 5V. 

Usb is still tricky

 

I cant remember reading on innous webpage that you need t invest in 3.party hardware to have this product function. This should have been clearly stated if this is the case. I dont want a bunch of spagetti setup on my rack.

 

does not all usb cables transfett the 5V power?, some does it in a separate wire, but they end up in the same usb plug towards the dac. Usb is a standard, so If this was build to standard, this should not be a problem right?

Where on innous website does it sum up the usb cables they support? If this only support certain usb cables or dac´s, that should be quite easy to seminar the spesification..

 

With Regards to Sound quality, , a 6moon review of this server states that the Sound is better directly, than via a ifi Iphurifier2 (see my picture of the test from the review) I dont want to do anything to the signal path that worsten Sound quality.

 

Is this really the only route to have this server connect to a dac? I have no problem connecting my Windows server 2012 or my Mac mini to this dac, it is working flawless.

 

http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews2/innuos/3.html

 

Is this the only way to solve this?

[austinpop]

44 minutes ago, jenjoh said:

On the “backup” USB port I have a usb stick with roon backup on. In roon, I am not able to see this he.. what can I do to see this in roon and get my backup?

 

By default, Innuos have locked out all filesystems but the Music folder from the Roon server. They can easily unlock it, if you can convince them you know what you're doing. Open a support ticket with them, and request it. They will send you a link for someone to remote connect to your system and "unlock" the filesystem. That should enable you to select your USB drive as a backup location.

 

I just use a network share as a backup target. Network shares are not locked.

[jenjoh]

3 minutes ago, austinpop said:

 

By default, Innuos have locked out all filesystems but the Music folder from the Roon server. They can easily unlock it, if you can convince them you know what you're doing. Open a support ticket with them, and request it. They will send you a link for someone to remote connect to your system and "unlock" the filesystem. That should enable you to select your USB drive as a backup location.

 

I just use a network share as a backup target. Network shares are not locked.

So by default, you Are not able to use a usb harddrive:) now... that is stu.......

 

ok, I will contact support and Ask them to open this up... Thanks for tip:)

[austinpop]

1 minute ago, jenjoh said:

So by default, you Are not able to use a usb harddrive:) now... that is stu.......

 

ok, I will contact support and Ask them to open this up... Thanks for tip:)

 

Don't shoot the messenger! 

[austinpop]

4 minutes ago, jenjoh said:

So by default, you Are not able to use a usb harddrive:) now... that is stu.......

 

ok, I will contact support and Ask them to open this up... Thanks for tip:)

 

See my earlier post: https://www.computeraudiophile.com/forums/topic/38110-innuos-zenith-se-mkii/?do=findComment&comment=774686

 

[jenjoh]

2 minutes ago, austinpop said:

 

Don't shoot the messenger! 

I did not:) Just my thougts on the matter

[jenjoh]

1 minute ago, austinpop said:

 

See my earlier post: https://www.computeraudiophile.com/forums/topic/38110-innuos-zenith-se-mkii/?do=findComment&comment=774686

 

Yep. Used that post when setting up. Great stuff

[Patatorz]

1 hour ago, jenjoh said:

I

I cant remember reading on innous webpage that you need t invest in 3.party hardware to have this product function. This should have been clearly stated if this is the case. I dont want a bunch of spagetti setup on my rack.

 

does not all usb cables transfett the 5V power?, some does it in a separate wire, but they end up in the same usb plug towards the dac. Usb is a standard, so If this was build to standard, this should not be a problem right?

Where on innous website does it sum up the usb cables they support? If this only support certain usb cables or dac´s, that should be quite easy to seminar the spesification..

 

With Regards to Sound quality, , a 6moon review of this server states that the Sound is better directly, than via a ifi Iphurifier2 (see my picture of the test from the review) I dont want to do anything to the signal path that worsten Sound quality.

 

Is this really the only route to have this server connect to a dac? I have no problem connecting my Windows server 2012 or my Mac mini to this dac, it is working flawless.

 

http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews2/innuos/3.html

 

Is this the only way to solve this?

 

In my case no chance to make the innuos work with the mutec depending on the câble and interface.. Innuos and mutec are fully aware. I provided to mutec all the tests dones with couples of cables and interface.

You can do as you want and as austinpop states “don’t shoot the messenger”.

welcome In usb world

[rickca]

6 hours ago, Patatorz said:

In my case no chance to make the innuos work with the mutec

What's the nature of the incompatibility?

[Patatorz]

No synchronization : dac not recognized 

[austinpop]

Sounds like the same USB handshake issue as with my Codex. 

 

Innuos like to point the finger at the DAC/DDC, and keep pushing the iPurifier2 as the panacea, but I don't really care for this attitude. These same DACs and DDCs work fine with other Linux endpoints like Sonore and SOtM.

 

I sympathize that they are stuck with their choice of USB controller, and have not found a way to fix it using the existing device driver. But I prefer honesty to finger-pointing. It takes two to handshake!

[Patatorz]

Austinpop, it is always the same. I also had issue in the past with a TotalDac and an Auralic Aries : each one saying that they are following the normes and the issue is coming  from the other. It is a reason why I leave usb world for years. I though it was better now. Seems not. 

Concerning mutec , they told me that they are under discussion with innuos and they need to find a solution. 

[Ben2300]

If the 5v is the issue this lead me to think that might be the motherboard not feeding enough power to their usb. If other Linux endpoint seem to be working.

[Patatorz]

I don’t think it is the 5V as stated before as with a ifi purifier 2 that is not doing anything on the 5V it could solve the issue. So not a question of power.

[rickca]

29 minutes ago, Patatorz said:

I don’t think it is the 5V as stated before as with a ifi purifier 2 that is not doing anything on the 5V it could solve the issue. So not a question of power.

A good question is what does the iPurifier 2 do that resolves the problem?  It's likely that an ISO REGEN or tx-USBultra would also resolve the problem.  So what's wrong with the Zenith SE USB?

[Patatorz]

Right !!! Good question

 

[jenjoh]

10 hours ago, rickca said:

A good question is what does the iPurifier 2 do that resolves the problem?  It's likely that an ISO REGEN or tx-USBultra would also resolve the problem.  So what's wrong with the Zenith SE USB?

 

Either of those two would be a much better option SQ wise than the ifi purifier. The question as you say, will any of these function. Emailed with uptone and they say there is no garantere this will function and if there is a driver issue between the music server and dac, this need to be revolver first. So as you said it would be very interesting to know why the ifi function.

 

also, in my mind when you invest €3000 to a product you expect this to function without having to invest another 1000. It is something that should have been informed about on their website. Especially if this is a chance this will not work with a large number of DACs. 

 

i know people have used both the uptone and sotm products with the innous server, but dont know if they had a dac issue before.

anybody that have solved a innous-dac problem with either of these?