Grimm Audio MU1 and MU2 Music Players

[Low325]

Yah they didn’t go into too much detail. So I expected it to just be minuscule lol! Thanks for confirming!

[Low325]

2 minutes ago, FredM said:

Most likely that won’t be possible. The MU1 player has digital outputs. To carry the all important clock signal to an external DAC, the rate has to be limited to 4fs: which is the max supported by the regular digital cables/interface. A benefit of the MU2 is that streamer and DAC are in one device, opening up possibilities to internally use higher rates (my 2 cents, happy to be corrected).

X2. I think the shorter circuitry (lack of a better word) optimizes the ability to over sample for higher computations. 

[Low325]

Just now, PYP said:

Are you considering a demo of the MU2?

Sigh. I asked my dealer to put me on the list. But I may have to forgo some of those plans. I’ve been playing with some other stuff in the chain. So I may just be happy as a clam with my MU1. :)
 

Now my (unlikely) plans for mu2 could be transpired to a second system. And within that system, it would be optimized with the MU2 quarter backing everything.  But it would require a top to bottom molt unfortunately. 

[Low325]

9 minutes ago, Terrycwk said:

Wow, your second system sounds like a big project if it’s happening!

Oh no. Not at all. I may have misspoke. 
I will be happy as a clam with my MU1. And no MU2 in my future unfortunately…..(never say never)

[Low325]

I’m showing an update for my MU1? Is this it?

[Low325]

I have not done mine yet since my eyeballs are still plastered to a computer screen and Teams meetings back to back till the end of time. 
 

perhaps the update was to address the little bug that was mentioned a page or two behind?

[Low325]

Okay I was able to sneak out. And did the update. There is something new here…?

 

 

[Low325]

If a dac can accept 24bit signals does that automatically mean the higher the better? Sounds trivial, but….??

[Low325]

Got my sets of AUVA today. Got a set underneath my MU1. I like it. New toys bring big placebos 🙃  off the bat I like aesthetic over the isoacoustics.  Oreas now went under the Tambaqu which is a better match with the chrome ring in the front.   What it’s doing at the moment is making me smile cause when I play music I see less of distracting footers and thus makes my listening experience better. 😁

[Low325]

28 minutes ago, Ronnie112 said:

Thanks for sharing. Funny, I came from the same DAC (Sonnet Pasithea) as them and can fully agree with their findings. MU2 is extremely transparant and at the same time completely natural sounding. I also noticed it makes my speakers go lower than they should be able to do. I forget to skip to next songs and listen complete albums. Just like them, can't stop listening.

 

And (what they didn't say) it images like crazy. Not just in front of the speakers. Last week I had my head  behind my speaker to pick something up, and the full ambiance was still there. It shouldn't be, but still there. It is so natural that it is like live music. My youngest sweared he heard someone singing in the living room the other day. He was on the 1st floor in his room. It is unreal realistic. 

 

By the way, had all the intentions of buying my set of Auva feeters. Came home with a 'wonderplank' instead (picture) and think I will not part from it anymore.

Nice spec!  Going to audition one of I ever make my way out to my nearest dealer out in the dessert. 

[Low325]

Hans is a Grimm Fanboy!! 
 

*takes one to know one!* 😝

 

been in discussion with another Grimm buddy and maybe just maybe there will be other ways to show more fanatical love for Grimm Audio in some overly odd unorthodox implementation. 🤫

[Low325]

Just a shot out to the support team at Grimm. They are always responsive. 
 

thanks,

Lowell

[Low325]

@PYP

you just took the words outta my head. 

 

I need to find a way to demo the L1s or higher.  I love my horns but the synergy in the Grimm ecosystem has me curious. 
 

I’m hoping it doesn’t please me should I finally demo, because that’ll leave me with some tough choices in my digital chain. Yikes. 😬 

[Low325]

I had my MU1 upgraded to 8TB internal drive. Drop grimm support an email and they’ll get in touch with the country rep to assist you. 
 

for me, the N.A. Grimm rep worked with me with a partnered shop to do the work.  The rep kept both of us in the loop and coordinated the schedules so when I got back in town, my MU1 was delivered the same day. 
 

but to this day I think I only have less than 200MB of saved music on the drive 😂 

prior to the internal SSD, I ran minimserver on my NAS. And in terms of SQ, I couldn’t tell you which sounded better. 

[Low325]

Did the update to 1.5.5 to 1.5.8 (before zoom meetings start) and everything went smooth.  Roon picked up exactly where it left off and the update only took about 5 min, maybe less…. I normally unplug for about 2 min, and re-plug before installing a new update.  Thanks Grimm!

[Low325]

On 2/12/2024 at 6:33 PM, ls13 said:

Hi All;

Early adopter of the Mu1 here. I've been putting it through a MMT and running directly into a Gryphon Essence Stereo Amp which powers Rockport Atria ii's. Frankly, I've been struggling a couple of years with getting the sound I want out of this setup, and relented to get a preamp. I had in my home at once, to mix and try, an Mu2, Soulnote P-3, Aesthetix Metis, and an Accuphase C3900. What I found:

The Mu2 running directly into the amp (tara lab 0.8) sounded very good. Quite a bit less treble energy than the Mu1/MMT combo, but great bass, nice tonality, pretty good dynamics, and good depth. However, the image size did shrink a bit to be mainly between my speakers. With my setup, I was not satisfied with the Mu2 alone.  I tried running the Mu2 through different pre's. Depending on the pre, the Mu2 could sound a bit rolled off, lacking some air and some higher frequency spatial cues. With one of the preamps though, that had more high end extension, it sounded amazing. In the end, the combination that suited my taste the best was the Mu1-->MMT-->Accuphase C3900--Gryphon Essence. The C3900 will arrive later this week.

At the end of the day, I think the Mu2 is fantastic, but it's sound characteristics will need to fit into the rest of the system, and match the purchaser's tastes. 

 

Thanks for sharing your real experiment and usage!

…and we all shouldn’t forget, even the latest and greatest is not immune to being perfect.  It’s all about personal preferences and system matching for sure.  The biggest takeaway here is that we should always try to make it a point to demo in our home with our equipment, in our rooms and decide on an outcome.  Though, I get that not many of us are always in the position.    In this case, a very very sound decision was made.

 

for now, i am going to be happy as a clam with my MU1 and MMT.  Though @ls13 re-peaked my interest on a preamp, again. :(

[Low325]

What about using connecting a cable to both digital outputs at the same time?  I have the SPDIF Coax and AES/EBU connected to two different devices.  Does this also have performance implications? 

[Low325]

This click. Is it clicking in the hardware (MU1 and/or DAC?)

or is it audible in the music when a song starts in Roon?

 

I can hear a click in mine, I don’t know if it’s the MMT or MU1, but it’s totally fine by me, and yes it’s around when the sample rates change. But it’s only audible for me when my amp is off or in mute as I keep the Mu1/dac (with my dsp) on all the time so music is always passing through those two devices.   
 

what drives me nuts is when the music starts and it has more than just a click, like static or or even the first few seconds of the song don’t play is where I have a problem.   But for the moment, I can isolate that to my dsp and its handshaking between the MMT and MU1. (I deal with it cause there is so much upside with the dsp, but that’s another story)

[Low325]

4 minutes ago, stevebythebay said:

Unless you have a suitable master clock in your system (e.g. Rossini) you're Bartok should not be setup to expect one and should have the Sync Mode set for Audio for the  MU1 input.  As I understand it, each input on the Bartok should be assigned its own Sync Mode.  
 

I do hear a slight audible clicking from the MU1, though a far greater one from the dCS, when bitrate changes occur.  And I use a 3000ms Resync Delay in the Roon audio device setup, as switching bitrates will always cut off the start of an album/song, at least in my system.  
 

The ticking I was hearing prior to restarting my dCS master clock was audible through the speakers, unlike the mechanical clicking from the dCS and Grimm hardware. 

I don’t get any audible interruption when the music starts no matter the bit rate changes with the MMT and MU1.

 

Volume controls are all set to Fixed in Roon.
Direct in the MMT and the same for MU1. Luckily gain control is set at my amp. 

[Low325]

1 hour ago, stevebythebay said:

Maybe the BACCH-SSP “adio” is affecting what you’re “not” hearing. 

When i meant i don’t hear audible interruptions is when the adio is completely out of the picture. For example from the MU1 > AES/EBU > MMT. This was also pre dsp. 

 

With the dsp in it, have it hooked up as:

MU1 > SPDIF > adio > SPDIF > MMT. 
this handshake is not as smooth and when the bit rates change, the music is interrupted at the beginning. No harm no foul.  Love the music. 

[Low325]

46 minutes ago, Eelco Grimm said:

@aangen wrote: "I have an MU2 coming. When it arrives I’ll use the MU1 as a server, adio as an endpoint, and the MU2 as a DAC."

 

You can just as well use the MU2 as your server. That also makes it simple to switch between listening via the Adio and direct from the MU2 Roon server.

 

Best regards,
Eelco Grimm

Hi Eelco,

Can a user (yours truly) use an M2 > SPDIF out  > adio  or other DSP > SPDIF out  to SPDIF in to the MU2 and still get all the benefits of a MU2 DAC working optimally?

[Low325]

I totally had a brain fart on the part about the SPDIF out on the MU2. 
 

thanks for the recommendation Eelco.  Still look forward to listening to one. 

[Low325]

18 hours ago, aangen said:

And why are so many “audiophile” guys who do videos on YouTube such big lugs? 
Oh wait, I am a big lug as well. Never mind.

But you’re lovable @aangen!! 😂 

[Low325]

No0o0o0o0 don’t convince me to acquire one!  Timing is not good! 😂 

[Low325]

18 minutes ago, ls13 said:

I can tell you, with certainty, the MU2 is better than running the MMT directly into an amp. (I guess at least my amp).

On the other hand, the MMT sounds pretty great with a preamp in the chain. 

Thx. I may have to try a preamp to see if I can sense enhancement. I have one of those gain control amps (not really an integrated but kinda like an integrated)