2022 was in many respects a particularly bitter year, for the reasons we all know. However, in purely hi-fi terms, it has proven to be quite interesting with numerous new equipment emerging and new thinking proliferating. For my system, I could even say it had a transformative effect, since my three main upgrades this year -all in the digital realm- brought about, both collectively and on their own, a serious boost in overall musicality and “being there” qualities.
My last purchase for the year -just in the nick of time, in fact- was the Innuos Pulse streamer, which I only have for a few days now and is already showing the qualities of a remarkable piece of equipment. I’ve had Innuos servers (Zen and Zenith) for a few years now but since I do all of my listening through Tidal these days and consequently, I don’t have any real need for storage space and with it a dedicated server, I was looking at a streamer only device for front end duties. Being a big believer in the effects of of a good power supply and having had very good experience with the Innuos servers and their “Sense” app, the Pulse series were on my radar ever since they were announced. There was also another thing: out of all the servers/streamers I have auditioned, Innuos gear always managed to sound more musical, with detail and nuance embodied in the fiber of music, avoiding a certain sense of detachment and lack of gestalt. The Pulse is no different, only it acts as a multiplier of these qualities. Dynamics, natural timbre, and unrestricted flow create an openness that just grabs you and pulls you into the music. It also sounds bigger and more extended at the frequency ends and has incredible presence and energy. I use the “Sense” app, which has proven stable and caters for intuitive browsing. In my opinion, the one thing that would benefit this intuitive nature of the software evolve even further would be the ability to add tags to Tidal albums (e.g., genres), something that sadly isn’t as of yet available.
Since the Pulse is largely dependent on the quality of the stream it receives from the net, a good clean signal is a must. That’s where my second purchase comes in: the SOtM iSO-CAT7 LAN isolator. Although I’ve had the SOtM iSO-CAT6 before (plus a whole bevy of other SOtM gear), I have always thought its effect was subtle at best. Most certainly not the case with the iSO-CAT7! In my system it had a huge effect, especially evident in the highs which now sound smooth and natural, reminiscent of really good analog sources. Also, the SOtM filter does not impede on the system’s dynamics at all, and it actually seems to improve the overall ebb and flow of the music.
To top everything off, the Lampizator Amber 4, my earliest purchase this year, receives this signal and produces great unforced music. I’ve had Lampi DACs for several years now, only I have been doing small upgrades within a given level, going from Level 4 to the Amber 3 and now the Amber 4, instead of going up the ladder. What is evident from the get-go with Amber 4 is that it’s a completely different animal. I had always thought that was particularly true for the Amber 3 when I first got it, but the Amber 4 surprised me with its completely fresh approach. It handles bass with punch and speed, transcending all stereotypes, and introduces you to a sort of music de-compression effect, both literally and metaphorically, as it unearths tons of low-level information but also sounds very natural at doing so.
My last purchase for the year -just in the nick of time, in fact- was the Innuos Pulse streamer, which I only have for a few days now and is already showing the qualities of a remarkable piece of equipment. I’ve had Innuos servers (Zen and Zenith) for a few years now but since I do all of my listening through Tidal these days and consequently, I don’t have any real need for storage space and with it a dedicated server, I was looking at a streamer only device for front end duties. Being a big believer in the effects of of a good power supply and having had very good experience with the Innuos servers and their “Sense” app, the Pulse series were on my radar ever since they were announced. There was also another thing: out of all the servers/streamers I have auditioned, Innuos gear always managed to sound more musical, with detail and nuance embodied in the fiber of music, avoiding a certain sense of detachment and lack of gestalt. The Pulse is no different, only it acts as a multiplier of these qualities. Dynamics, natural timbre, and unrestricted flow create an openness that just grabs you and pulls you into the music. It also sounds bigger and more extended at the frequency ends and has incredible presence and energy. I use the “Sense” app, which has proven stable and caters for intuitive browsing. In my opinion, the one thing that would benefit this intuitive nature of the software evolve even further would be the ability to add tags to Tidal albums (e.g., genres), something that sadly isn’t as of yet available.
Since the Pulse is largely dependent on the quality of the stream it receives from the net, a good clean signal is a must. That’s where my second purchase comes in: the SOtM iSO-CAT7 LAN isolator. Although I’ve had the SOtM iSO-CAT6 before (plus a whole bevy of other SOtM gear), I have always thought its effect was subtle at best. Most certainly not the case with the iSO-CAT7! In my system it had a huge effect, especially evident in the highs which now sound smooth and natural, reminiscent of really good analog sources. Also, the SOtM filter does not impede on the system’s dynamics at all, and it actually seems to improve the overall ebb and flow of the music.
To top everything off, the Lampizator Amber 4, my earliest purchase this year, receives this signal and produces great unforced music. I’ve had Lampi DACs for several years now, only I have been doing small upgrades within a given level, going from Level 4 to the Amber 3 and now the Amber 4, instead of going up the ladder. What is evident from the get-go with Amber 4 is that it’s a completely different animal. I had always thought that was particularly true for the Amber 3 when I first got it, but the Amber 4 surprised me with its completely fresh approach. It handles bass with punch and speed, transcending all stereotypes, and introduces you to a sort of music de-compression effect, both literally and metaphorically, as it unearths tons of low-level information but also sounds very natural at doing so.