Innuos Zenith Mk3 vs. Roon NUC + Roon endpoint

[kennyb123]

 

9 hours ago, Martin Herløv Andersen said:

So is it better to split the roon server and roon endpoint or have one product for them?

That’s a difficult question to answer because there are so many variables.  I own a Zenith Mk3 and yet I’m inclined to believe that there are better ways to spend the amount one would pay for a new Zenith.  I prefer a single box to reduce clutter and also didn’t want to build my own.  I purchased a demo Mk3 at a great price and couldn’t be happier.
 

[kennyb123]

On 12/27/2020 at 7:18 AM, ChrisG said:

I agree, if you're going to connect a server to send files over network, in my experience, I've never heard a difference so I demoed a Statement over Thanksgiving and then had an Antipodes K50 in the house a few weeks later. I wanted to try both since they both have a direct ethernet connection to use with a streamer/endpoint, in my case a Linn KDSM (I currently use a SGC i7 running Win10, AO & Fidelizer as my server and use Roon exclusively).

 

To be honest, in my system, I didn't hear much, if any, difference using either of these units directly connected to my KDSM so I sent both of them back.
 

You didn’t try to bypass the KDSM with either?  The K50 is functionally two boxes in one with two different boards internally: one for player/renderer and the other for server.  The optimum use of that box would have been to run the player in place of your KDSM.  I would expect the K50 to sound different than the Statement.  The KDSM is a heck of nice piece of gear though so I can see why you would keep this as part of the equation.