Innuos Pulsar ????

skids929 · Jul 10, 2024

Vangelis said:
Mike, in his review, mentioned “hours of break-in”. As we have all experienced, it requires a full 6 weeks of 24/7 music for the Pulsar to wake up. He may not have been comparing a broken in Pulsar.

it really doesn't matter what Mike came up with in his review since it's all so subjective, and his reviews are anything but scientific. I hope no one reading this thread buys one or the other based on his advice,. Not that his review is bad, it's that they're nothing more than opinion, have to listen in your own space, it's the only way to know on an expensive piece like that. I'd say any difference between these two units is minuscule and also system dependant. But there is NO DOUBT the Pulsar has at least 400 hours needed before you judge it. It's incredible how different it sounds now than it did when I first got it.

Synaxis · Jul 10, 2024

skids929 said:
it really doesn't matter what Mike came up with in his review since it's all so subjective, and his reviews are anything but scientific. I hope no one reading this buys thread one or the other based on his advice,. Not that his review is bad, it's that they're nothing more than opinion, have to listen in your own space, it's the only way to know on an expensive piece like that. I'd say any difference between these two units is minuscule and also system dependant. But there is NO DOUBT the Pulsar has at least 400 hours needed before you judge it. It's incredible how different it sounds now than it did when I first got it.

Thank you for repeating exactly what I state repeatedly in my videos - I'm glad to see that by repeating it often in my videos works.

As I state none of my videos are scientific, I don't care about specs and don't pretend to, it's all 100% my opinion and nothing more, and that you should never take what I or anyone else says and try for yourself. In fact I go so far as to point out in most videos they are NOT "reviews" but sharing of my audio adventures.

I am not like those "YouTube reviewer dealers" who make money off selling their services or gear. I don't sell anything and don't make money on the channel. And I don't race to the bottom covering $699 DAC's just to get clicks. I just love sharing what I hear.

Thanks for watching and I'm glad we are both on the same page in regards to my videos.

skids929 · Jul 10, 2024

Synaxis said:
Thank you for repeating exactly what I state repeatedly in my videos - I'm glad to see that by repeating it often in my videos works.

As I state none of my videos are scientific, I don't care about specs and don't pretend to, it's all 100% my opinion and nothing more, and that you should never take what I or anyone else says and try for yourself. In fact I go so far as to point out in most videos they are NOT "reviews" but sharing of my audio adventures.

I am not like those "YouTube reviewer dealers" who make money off selling their services or gear. I don't sell anything and don't make money on the channel. And I don't race to the bottom covering $699 DAC's just to get clicks. I just love sharing what I hear.

Thanks for watching and I'm glad we are both on the same page in regards to my videos.

Glad it made you so happy wasn't my intention...Let me know if I can do anything else for you.

I do watch, and I think you do a good job. But I also reached out to you with ZERO response. So maybe work on your follow up.

Synaxis · Jul 10, 2024

skids929 said:
Glad it made you so happy wasn't my intention...Let me know if I can do anything else for you.

I do watch, and I think you do a good job. But I also reached out to you with ZERO response. So maybe work on your follow up.

I literally get hundreds of emails, message and posts between my YT and FB page (my FB page gets almost 800,000 views on some months). I do my best to respond to each and everyone on a daily basis.

Some get caught in the stupid FB and YT technology traps so I never actually receive them, and some I just miss as I'm only human.

I'm sorry if I missed your message and that it bothered you so much. I'm not going to get dragged into an asinine back-and-forth on a forum with someone who is traumatized I missed his message. I'm actually comparing a 1963 Siemens tube to a 1964 Mazda tube in my Aqua DAC right now and just enjoying beautiful music. I'm going to focus on wonderful music and positivity. Thank you and have a good night.

skids929 · Jul 10, 2024

Synaxis said:
I literally get hundreds of emails, message and posts between my YT and FB page (my FB page gets almost 800,000 views on some months). I do my best to respond to each and everyone on a daily basis.

Some get caught in the stupid FB and YT technology traps so I never actually receive them, and some I just miss as I'm only human.

I'm sorry if I missed your message and that it bothered you so much. I'm not going to get dragged into an asinine back-and-forth on a forum with someone who is traumatized I missed his message. I'm actually comparing a 1963 Siemens tube to a 1964 Mazda tube in my Aqua DAC right now and just enjoying beautiful music. I'm going to focus on wonderful music and positivity. Thank you and have a good night.

lol...I didn't reach out on YT ...But you clearly sound full of yourself..Best of luck with that.

tedwoods · Jul 12, 2024

Synaxis said:
Hi Vangelis,

It certainly is possible the Innuos didn't have all the time it needed. I received a demo unit so it already had time on it, though I don't know how much. Then I also added burn in time as well.

Regardless, the Innuos is an excellent unit for sure.

I am a huge proponent of burn in so I try and give gear plenty of time and track the hours closely prior to any serious listening. Again, on this one though I am not sure due to its previous use.

Hi Michael,
I dig your genuine enthusiasm as well as the very interesting spin you've put on celebrating and honoring your heritage and I commend you on both!
It is however quite true that the Innuos takes an extended amount of time to settle in.
If I compare the sound my Pulsar produces now with the one it was producing when I first got it, it wouldn't be far off to say it would resemble looking at a picture from two different distances, the first one would be just hovering right in front of me, while the second one would be still the same picture, albeit looked from a mile away...
Similarly, the aural picture painted by the streamer would the "same", but the detail, sheer physical presence and total encapsulation of the recorded event would eventually prove to be quite different, indeed!
And that is of course due to to the Innuos elaborate power supply design.
Another "problem" usually encountered in direct comparisons, especially when digital products are under review, is that of "sympathetic synergy".
While that does not refer to synergy per se, as we know it in the analog world, it would be prudent to take it under consideration in the digital realm, especially in the ever so vulnerable "server output - DAC input" relationship, as not all digital outputs and inputs are created the same.
What I mean to say is that the digital input technology/-ies of one's DAC could prove to be a determining factor in the overall sound quality and a sympathetic synergy between them should exist, so much so that these (digital output/-s from server - digital input/-s in the DAC) should be viewed, not as distinct and perhaps irrelevant, but as a whole instead.
This has nothing to do with Antipodes or Aqua, both companies I respect and have considered their products at more than one instances (...and possibly will consider them again...), but with the obvious lack of standardization in digital and hence the conundrum one is left with every time an input/output dilemma is present .
I guess it can be a matter of perspective, but I do find the more minimalist -not to mention cost-effective- solutions of offering one optimized output, better and more honest than a slew of options where one is bound to sound better than the rest (and you either don't know or have to do your homework beforehand to determine which one...).
Innuos will be releasing an I²S output interface soon (hdmi based I think...), which I feel would be a better candidate for your Aqua DAC, so here's some food for thought right there...
Cheers,
Ted

Synaxis · Jul 12, 2024

tedwoods said:
Hi Michael,
I dig your genuine enthusiasm as well as the very interesting spin you've put on celebrating and honoring your heritage and I commend you on both!
It is however quite true that the Innuos takes an extended amount of time to settle in.
If I compare the sound my Pulsar produces now with the one it was producing when I first got it, it wouldn't be far off to say it would resemble looking at a picture from two different distances, the first one would be just hovering right in front of me, while the second one would be still the same picture, albeit looked from a mile away...
Similarly, the aural picture painted by the streamer would the "same", but the detail, sheer physical presence and total encapsulation of the recorded event would eventually prove to be quite different, indeed!
And that is of course due to to the Innuos elaborate power supply design.
Another "problem" usually encountered in direct comparisons, especially when digital products are under review, is that of "sympathetic synergy".
While that does not refer to synergy per se, as we know it in the analog world, it would be prudent to take it under consideration in the digital realm, especially in the ever so vulnerable "server output - DAC input" relationship, as not all digital outputs and inputs are created the same.
What I mean to say is that the digital input technology/-ies of one's DAC could prove to be a determining factor in the overall sound quality and a sympathetic synergy between them should exist, so much so that these (digital output/-s from server - digital input/-s in the DAC) should be viewed, not as distinct and perhaps irrelevant, but as a whole instead.
This has nothing to do with Antipodes or Aqua, both companies I respect and have considered their products at more than one instances (...and possibly will consider them again...), but with the obvious lack of standardization in digital and hence the conundrum one is left with every time an input/output dilemma is present .
I guess it can be a matter of perspective, but I do find the more minimalist -not to mention cost-effective- solutions of offering one optimized output, better and more honest than a slew of options where one is bound to sound better than the rest (and you either don't know or have to do your homework beforehand to determine which one...).
Innuos will be releasing an I²S output interface soon (hdmi based I think...), which I feel would be a better candidate for your Aqua DAC, so here's some food for thought right there...
Cheers,
Ted

Hi Ted - thanks for sharing and thanks for the kind words.

You made many great points which I agree wtih.

I especially agree burn-in and synergy is EVERYTHING and where the unit I received was a demo, I am unsure of the amount of time on it other than the burn-in I did when I received it. Usually I put a minimum of 400 hours on any gear I receive as there have been too many times in the past where gear doesn't open up until near that mark. In fact the STEALTH Audio speaker cable I just received is currently receiving 450 hours burn in before any listening.

In the same line, my AQUA DAC didn't open up until 600 hours, so I try to be very sensitive to burn-in. But it's totally possible the Innuos in this instance still needed more time.

The Innuos was EXCELLENT sounding. And I meant it when I said in the video that if I took my system and put it in a different room in my house, the Innuos may well have come out on top as they were that close. It was also so close that the slightest change in other gear or tweaks could easily have shifted the final preference.

What I tried to convey (and I hope I was successful) is that both are top tier units with outstanding sound and I can't imagine going wrong with either unit. I could easily live with the Innuos, and in no way was I trying to declare one unit "better" or a "winner" over the other. It will 100% come down to personal preference and system synergy.

Rather simply that on that day in that set up under those conditions which one did I prefer for the slightest of reasons.

I could easily live with and be happy with the Innuos as it is an excellent top-tier unit for sure.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts on it - I love talking about the differences we hear and love in this hobby as much as the similarities. It's all these differences that allow such a wide variety of gear and manufacturers for us to choose from.

Edited to add:

I really try and convey my personal philosophy in the videos - there is no "better" gear in most instances and instead is simply personal preference. Even when I hear gear I don't like it doesn't mean it's bad gear - it just means it doesn't work for me or there is a lack of system synergy. I never try to tell people what to buy - instead I simply share what I hear.

Even when I did vibration footers (RevOpods, SoundKoas, Stack Audio, IsoAcoustics) I never say one is better and instead talk about the sound differences each gave and how they interacted with my gear on my wood shelves. The IsoAcoustics sounded horrible in my system but I state that I know they work great for many and people would still try them for themselves.

All this is a long winded way of saying I 1000% agree with you that it always comes down to system synergy and personal preference.

Tuckers · Jul 14, 2024

Synaxis said:
Hi Ted - thanks for sharing and thanks for the kind words.

You made many great points which I agree wtih.

I especially agree burn-in and synergy is EVERYTHING and where the unit I received was a demo, I am unsure of the amount of time on it other than the burn-in I did when I received it. Usually I put a minimum of 400 hours on any gear I receive as there have been too many times in the past where gear doesn't open up until near that mark. In fact the STEALTH Audio speaker cable I just received is currently receiving 450 hours burn in before any listening.

In the same line, my AQUA DAC didn't open up until 600 hours, so I try to be very sensitive to burn-in. But it's totally possible the Innuos in this instance still needed more time.

The Innuos was EXCELLENT sounding. And I meant it when I said in the video that if I took my system and put it in a different room in my house, the Innuos may well have come out on top as they were that close. It was also so close that the slightest change in other gear or tweaks could easily have shifted the final preference.

What I tried to convey (and I hope I was successful) is that both are top tier units with outstanding sound and I can't imagine going wrong with either unit. I could easily live with the Innuos, and in no way was I trying to declare one unit "better" or a "winner" over the other. It will 100% come down to personal preference and system synergy.

Rather simply that on that day in that set up under those conditions which one did I prefer for the slightest of reasons.

I could easily live with and be happy with the Innuos as it is an excellent top-tier unit for sure.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts on it - I love talking about the differences we hear and love in this hobby as much as the similarities. It's all these differences that allow such a wide variety of gear and manufacturers for us to choose from.

Edited to add:

I really try and convey my personal philosophy in the videos - there is no "better" gear in most instances and instead is simply personal preference. Even when I hear gear I don't like it doesn't mean it's bad gear - it just means it doesn't work for me or there is a lack of system synergy. I never try to tell people what to buy - instead I simply share what I hear.

Even when I did vibration footers (RevOpods, SoundKoas, Stack Audio, IsoAcoustics) I never say one is better and instead talk about the sound differences each gave and how they interacted with my gear on my wood shelves. The IsoAcoustics sounded horrible in my system but I state that I know they work great for many and people would still try them for themselves.

All this is a long winded way of saying I 1000% agree with you that it always comes down to system synergy and personal preference.

For me the Pulsar sounded excellent after about 400 hours. More time, up to about 1,000 hours, racked up more minor improvements in ease, liquidity, warmth and a bit more natural detail. A small difference, but the kind of improvements that you pay the bigger bucks for

Synaxis · Jul 14, 2024

Tuckers said:
For me the Pulsar sounded excellent after about 400 hours. More time, up to about 1,000 hours, racked up more minor improvements in ease, liquidity, warmth and a bit more natural detail. A small difference, but the kind of improvements that you pay the bigger bucks for

I totally believe it.

I know my Aqua DAC for instance needed 600 hours burn in.

Vangelis · Jul 15, 2024

I didn’t mean any disrespect regarding your Pulsar potentially not fully run in. I have nothing but admiration for anyone that can assemble video review as you do. Put me in front of camera and microphone and I become unintelligible. I was simply wondering, if what you were hearing, truly represented the full potential of the Pulsar.

A friend and I both upgraded to a Pulsar about the same time. I replaced my Zenith MKII se and my friend a replaced his high end Melco. Both of us were initially luke warm about the our Pulsar purchase, experiencing kind of a lateral move after the sound plateaued for a few weeks. Mine woke up at nearly seven weeks, and it was transformational. It went from sounds, just good, to wow. One day I sat down the band I was listening to night before just lit up with shot of sonic testosterone. Now they went from sounding lazy, boring, unrehearsed, to a new totally level of sound with a huge swagger, drive and musical communication. I mentioned to my friend to be patient and wait a few more weeks. He called me about eight days later and related the same exact experience. He could not believe the transformation. Both of us worked in the audio industry for years and never found a piece of audio equipment that required this long to wake up, and with such a profound change.

Synaxis · Jul 15, 2024

Vangelis said:
I didn’t mean any disrespect regarding your Pulsar potentially not fully run in. I have nothing but admiration for anyone that can assemble video review as you do. Put me in front of camera and microphone and I become unintelligible. I was simply wondering, if what you were hearing, truly represented the full potential of the Pulsar.

A friend and I both upgraded to a Pulsar about the same time. I replaced my Zenith MKII se and my friend a replaced his high end Melco. Both of us were initially luke warm about the our Pulsar purchase, experiencing kind of a lateral move after the sound plateaued for a few weeks. Mine woke up at nearly seven weeks, and it was transformational. It went from sounds, just good, to wow. One day I sat down the band I was listening to night before just lit up with shot of sonic testosterone. Now they went from sounding lazy, boring, unrehearsed, to a new totally level of sound with a huge swagger, drive and musical communication. I mentioned to my friend to be patient and wait a few more weeks. He called me about eight days later and related the same exact experience. He could not believe the transformation. Both of us worked in the audio industry for years and never found a piece of audio equipment that required this long to wake up, and with such a profound change.

Hi Vangelis - not sure if this was aimed at me. If so I did not take anything as disrespectful that you nor anyone else on this thread has posted.

I always welcome heartfelt audio discussions and enjoy talking about how we all like similar - and different things and learning things as I go along. It's what makes this hobby so great in my opinion.

That's the purpose of my channel - to share what I hear and learn as I explore audio gear and specifically audio tweaks. I don't pretend to be an expert or a know it all nor am I trying to influence anyone nor get people to buy anything. Instead just some guy who loves high end audio and sharing what I hear.

And if the one I had was not fully burned in and it still sounded that good, then the Innuos is indeed one special unit.

ssfas · Jul 16, 2024

Synaxis said:
Hi Vangelis - not sure if this was aimed at me. If so I did not take anything as disrespectful that you nor anyone else on this thread has posted.

I always welcome heartfelt audio discussions and enjoy talking about how we all like similar - and different things and learning things as I go along. It's what makes this hobby so great in my opinion.

That's the purpose of my channel - to share what I hear and learn as I explore audio gear and specifically audio tweaks. I don't pretend to be an expert or a know it all nor am I trying to influence anyone nor get people to buy anything. Instead just some guy who loves high end audio and sharing what I hear.

And if the one I had was not fully burned in and it still sounded that good, then the Innuos is indeed one special unit.

I have an Innuos Pulsar. It works for me. I can't say I saw much point in the review because I'm not sure you understand the product and it does connect to Spotify (which seemed to be your biggest issue with this product).

Innuos have a philosophy of less is more. They always have. Low power. Low noise. Low processing noise. Low glam. Nothing unnecessary. Hence the single USB output, which enables high rate native DSD. In fact their cheaper Mini units have more connectivity because they are intended for more general, less optimal use. Their philosophy is, if you want other features, buy another streamer. Their success is a reflection of their design choices.

There is no capability to attach a USB drive because they introduce noise. It is a specific feature of the machine to exclude it.

The Innuos has 4 operating modes. The whole point of endpoint modes is to off-load processing to another device and keep noise levels low. They are:
(1) Standalone / Sense
(2) Endpoint / Sense
(3) Endpoint / Roon
(4) Endpoint / HQ Player

I've tried them all.

(1) is optimal using a single machine
(2) is optimal using two machines. I used a Zen III as the processor and file handler. I couldn't tell the difference from (1), so after trying (2) I used (1) and sold the Zen III.
(3) is made available because lots of Innuos customers use Roon
(4) is mostly for people like me who have DACs that work best with native or upsampled DSD, usually R2R DACs, in my case Holo May.

So the strength of the Pulsar is as much to do with how you use it and what DAC you pair it with.

The feet are perfectly fine for any decent, stable surface. They are carefully designed, three asymmetric feet with soft insulating pads.

You are wrong about Spotify. Innuos has a lot of plug-ins. You have to go into the back-end to log in. This approach is taken to keep the operating system as small as possible. There is a help page to tell you how to do this.

Configure the Spotify Streaming Service - Innuos - High-Fidelity Digital Music Servers and Streamers

This article will show you how to configure your Innuos Server with innuOS 2.0 as a Spotify Connect device.

innuos.com

All you have to do is type in the LAN page address given on the help page and after one more click you get to the Spotify login page:

ssfas · Jul 16, 2024

Synaxis said:
I totally believe it.

I know my Aqua DAC for instance needed 600 hours burn in.

p.s. The need for a run in period is likely entirely due to the Sean Jacobs designed power supply, which is a chunk of the cost and most of the weight of the unit.

If you want to ask him about this, you can email or call him. He's always happy to explain things. I also use his cables.

Custom HiFi Cables Ltd. - Contact Us

Custom HiFi Cables Ltd. is based in Bingley, West Yorkshire. Whilst we regularly ship our products to locations all over the world (around one-third of our products are sold outside the UK, and half of these are sold outside of Europe), we also welcome collection in person by our local customers

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Synaxis · Jul 16, 2024

ssfas said:
I have an Innuos Pulsar. It works for me. I can't say I saw much point in the review because I'm not sure you understand the product and it does connect to Spotify (which seemed to be your biggest issue with this product).

Innuos have a philosophy of less is more. They always have. Low power. Low noise. Low processing noise. Low glam. Nothing unnecessary. Hence the single USB output, which enables high rate native DSD. In fact their cheaper Mini units have more connectivity because they are intended for more general, less optimal use. Their philosophy is, if you want other features, buy another streamer. Their success is a reflection of their design choices.

There is no capability to attach a USB drive because they introduce noise. It is a specific feature of the machine to exclude it.

The Innuos has 4 operating modes. The whole point of endpoint modes is to off-load processing to another device and keep noise levels low. They are:
(1) Standalone / Sense
(2) Endpoint / Sense
(3) Endpoint / Roon
(4) Endpoint / HQ Player

I've tried them all.

(1) is optimal using a single machine
(2) is optimal using two machines. I used a Zen III as the processor and file handler. I couldn't tell the difference from (1), so after trying (2) I used (1) and sold the Zen III.
(3) is made available because lots of Innuos customers use Roon
(4) is mostly for people like me who have DACs that work best with native or upsampled DSD, usually R2R DACs, in my case Holo May.

So the strength of the Pulsar is as much to do with how you use it and what DAC you pair it with.

The feet are perfectly fine for any decent, stable surface. They are carefully designed, three asymmetric feet with soft insulating pads.

You are wrong about Spotify. Innuos has a lot of plug-ins. You have to go into the back-end to log in. This approach is taken to keep the operating system as small as possible. There is a help page to tell you how to do this.

Configure the Spotify Streaming Service - Innuos - High-Fidelity Digital Music Servers and Streamers

This article will show you how to configure your Innuos Server with innuOS 2.0 as a Spotify Connect device.

innuos.com

All you have to do is type in the LAN page address given on the help page and after one more click you get to the Spotify login page:

View attachment 133785

Thank you for watching and your feedback. I would all respect suggest if you have the question of "I don't what the point of the review is" you didn't listen to what I say when I answer that question repeatedly.

Not sure how many more times I can say it, but it wasn't a traditional review. I make that clear in all my videos repeatedly but it seems some people just ignore that. I am not a reviewer nor a dreaded influencer. Just a guy sharing his love for audio experimenting.

In my personal opinion to spend that kind of money on a unit and then have to go into the back end to start enabling features that many people use is not ideal. To then say it's a "feature" is kinda disingenuous. The purpose of my original AA video was to talk about how easy it is for someone to buy, power up and get going. Having to go into the back end to start enabling common features I personally feel takes away from that. Just my personal opinion. I'm not saying I am right and I'm sure my having a differing opinion will trigger some people. It shouldn't - I fully respect their differing opinion than mine and have always stated differing opinions are what make this such a great hobby.

At the end of the day regardless of sound it did not have the features and options of the AA. For me that is a negative, for others it isn't.

I would suggest though that you try vibration feet / platforms before talking about how great the feet are. There is no doubt they can make a significant improvement on just about any gear - Innuos is no exception.

It does seem interesting how some people seem to get so defensive when they don't get group-think-approval of a purchase they've made. For any honest person watching the video they will see how close it was and how I state at the end that it could easily have been a different outcome with slightly different gear or even the same gear in a different room.

Thanks again for the comments and I do appreciate the open discussion on different opinions.

ssfas · Jul 16, 2024

Synaxis said:
Thank you for watching and your feedback. I would all respect suggest if you have the question of "I don't what the point of the review is" you didn't listen to what I say when I answer that question repeatedly.

Not sure how many more times I can say it, but it wasn't a traditional review. I make that clear in all my videos repeatedly but it seems some people just ignore that. I am not a reviewer nor a dreaded influencer. Just a guy sharing his love for audio experimenting.

In my personal opinion to spend that kind of money on a unit and then have to go into the back end to start enabling features that many people use is not ideal. To then say it's a "feature" is kinda disingenuous. The purpose of my original AA video was to talk about how easy it is for someone to buy, power up and get going. Having to go into the back end to start enabling common features I personally feel takes away from that. Just my personal opinion. I'm not saying I am right and I'm sure my having a differing opinion will trigger some people. It shouldn't - I fully respect their differing opinion than mine and have always stated differing opinions are what make this such a great hobby.

At the end of the day regardless of sound it did not have the features and options of the AA. For me that is a negative, for others it isn't.

I would suggest though that you try vibration feet / platforms before talking about how great the feet are. There is no doubt they can make a significant improvement on just about any gear - Innuos is no exception.

It does seem interesting how some people seem to get so defensive when they don't get group-think-approval of a purchase they've made. For any honest person watching the video they will see how close it was and how I state at the end that it could easily have been a different outcome with slightly different gear or even the same gear in a different room.

Thanks again for the comments and I do appreciate the open discussion on different opinions.

You say at 3:45, and I quote “… but it does get a bit demerit, in that it is not ready to use with Spotify”. That is not true. That seems to be the main reason you sent it back.

The irony is that you say in your previous sentence how simple the operating system is and how incredibly easy it is to set up. I agree, having used multiple streaming systems over the last 15 years, including Linn Kinsky, Linn Kazoo, Auralic Lightning, BluOs, Naim N-serve, Lumin whatever and Roon. Innuos Sense is just a breeze, way simpler than anything else, and for most people there is never any need to go into the back-end.

Innuos told me they put HQ Player into the front end because there was user demand. If more people wanted Spotify in the front end it would probably be there. I think you must be mistaken to think that Spotify is a commonly used function in high-end streamers. I’m not even aware that it yet provides lossless audio.

It’s not exactly complicated. It’s not programming. It’s just going into the Logitech Media Server options, which is the primary level of the operating system. They tell you exactly how do to it, which is type an address in the browser and a couple of clicks to enter your user name and password.

I have a Leica Q2 camera. It’s probably the most popular high-end camera in the world.The operating system is designed exactly the same way, with virtually all the features you would ever need in the front end and a much more complicated secondary level of features (the back end) which I hardly ever use.

“It does seem interesting how some people seem to get so defensive when they don't get group-think-approval of a purchase they've made.“

I wasn’t being in the least defensive. I took the trouble to explain its four operating modes because I’m probably one of the few people who has actually tried them all and it’s pretty fundamental stuff. I have also tried the uPnP mode and streamed from the Pulsar to other uPnP non-Innuos devices.

I fully appreciate people buy different products for different reasons. I didn’t recommend the product or suggest anyone should buy it. I only mentioned I owned it to make the point that I actually know how it works. Do you honestly think I care what anyone in North Dakota thinks about whether I bought Product A or Product B?

If you don’t like the way the operating system is structured and Spotify is relegated to the background functions, then perhaps you should have said that.

I would suggest though that you try vibration feet / platforms before talking about how great the feet are. There is no doubt they can make a significant improvement on just about any gear - Innuos is no exception.

I did try some Isoacoustics pucks. They made no difference. They are sitting on the shelf unused. Innuos told me that they spent some time and cost on the feet and the asymmetric placement is designed to get even weight distribution, which is uneven in the box because of the power supply.

I have a fully bespoke hifi rack, the steel frame fabricated by Kevin, the shelves made by Paul and they sit on sorbothane. In the past I’ve used Max Townshend’s platforms for my turntable and his bars for components, this rack beats them for isolation and damping. Whether the pucks would help on a lesser rack, I have no idea.

Incidentally, if like me you use HQ Player, and Innuos Sense has HQ Player embedded, you could use Spotify via HQ Player. I wonder what Spotify sounds like upscaled to DSD512.

ssfas · Jul 16, 2024

Synaxis said:
Thank you for watching and your feedback. I would all respect suggest if you have the question of "I don't what the point of the review is" you didn't listen to what I say when I answer that question repeatedly.

Not sure how many more times I can say it, but it wasn't a traditional review. I make that clear in all my videos repeatedly but it seems some people just ignore that. I am not a reviewer nor a dreaded influencer. Just a guy sharing his love for audio experimenting.

In my personal opinion to spend that kind of money on a unit and then have to go into the back end to start enabling features that many people use is not ideal. To then say it's a "feature" is kinda disingenuous. The purpose of my original AA video was to talk about how easy it is for someone to buy, power up and get going. Having to go into the back end to start enabling common features I personally feel takes away from that. Just my personal opinion. I'm not saying I am right and I'm sure my having a differing opinion will trigger some people. It shouldn't - I fully respect their differing opinion than mine and have always stated differing opinions are what make this such a great hobby.

At the end of the day regardless of sound it did not have the features and options of the AA. For me that is a negative, for others it isn't.

I would suggest though that you try vibration feet / platforms before talking about how great the feet are. There is no doubt they can make a significant improvement on just about any gear - Innuos is no exception.

It does seem interesting how some people seem to get so defensive when they don't get group-think-approval of a purchase they've made. For any honest person watching the video they will see how close it was and how I state at the end that it could easily have been a different outcome with slightly different gear or even the same gear in a different room.

Thanks again for the comments and I do appreciate the open discussion on different opinions.

Hi, I had another listen to your video. I noted that at the end you actually mentioned that you were aware that the operating system is basically just a “skin” on top of LMS and the Spotify setting simply requires you to go into LMS from a browser.

I do like comparative reviews, they give you something to think about and Darko does a lot of it. The only problem is that we don’t seem to have a distributor for Antipodes products in the UK anymore. It appears they were distributed by Elite Audio, but sadly no more. Maybe we just have too many streamers for one little island floating in the North Atlantic. Elite Audio are the distributors of Innuos and cover a large number of other streamer brands ranging from Eversolo to MSB and others on the way. Maybe it was just one brand too many that didn’t sell and they dropped it. Maybe it’s gone somewhere else. Either way, they don’t seem to be available over here at the moment.

I do take issue with this idea that this sort of product should have a wide range of connectivity options. The reality is that quite a few high-end manufacturers have a preferred way of doing things and that’s all they offer. It’s a case of “do one thing and do it well“ rather than “Jack of all trades, master of none”. Innuos go for USB because it has no practical limitations on data size and they’ve really got it to a high level of refinement with their Statement and PhoenixUSB products.

It’s no different from buying a car. If we want a car to take the kids to school and do the shopping, don’t expect it to have a 6L engine and go at 150 mph.

Before the Pulsar I had a Lumin streamer. My Innuos Zen Mk3 was used as a remote host for Roon Server and music library because the SATA disc was noisy. It sat a cupboard in my dining room and sent data over about 40 m of fibre optic. I bought a Holo May DAC and the Innuos Pulsar was a perfect fit, both optimised for USB, with a great control app. No need to pay for other options I will never use which probably consume power and generate noise.

Using the Pulsar with HP Player DSD output into a good R2R DAC seems very popular. I’m wondering what mode you used?

Synaxis · Jul 16, 2024

ssfas said:
You say at 3:45, and I quote “… but it does get a bit demerit, in that it is not ready to use with Spotify”. That is not true. That seems to be the main reason you sent it back.

The irony is that you say in your previous sentence how simple the operating system is and how incredibly easy it is to set up. I agree, having used multiple streaming systems over the last 15 years, including Linn Kinsky, Linn Kazoo, Auralic Lightning, BluOs, Naim N-serve, Lumin whatever and Roon. Innuos Sense is just a breeze, way simpler than anything else, and for most people there is never any need to go into the back-end.

Innuos told me they put HQ Player into the front end because there was user demand. If more people wanted Spotify in the front end it would probably be there. I think you must be mistaken to think that Spotify is a commonly used function in high-end streamers. I’m not even aware that it yet provides lossless audio.

It’s not exactly complicated. It’s not programming. It’s just going into the Logitech Media Server options, which is the primary level of the operating system. They tell you exactly how do to it, which is type an address in the browser and a couple of clicks to enter your user name and password.

I have a Leica Q2 camera. It’s probably the most popular high-end camera in the world.The operating system is designed exactly the same way, with virtually all the features you would ever need in the front end and a much more complicated secondary level of features (the back end) which I hardly ever use.

“It does seem interesting how some people seem to get so defensive when they don't get group-think-approval of a purchase they've made.“

I wasn’t being in the least defensive. I took the trouble to explain its four operating modes because I’m probably one of the few people who has actually tried them all and it’s pretty fundamental stuff. I have also tried the uPnP mode and streamed from the Pulsar to other uPnP non-Innuos devices.

I fully appreciate people buy different products for different reasons. I didn’t recommend the product or suggest anyone should buy it. I only mentioned I owned it to make the point that I actually know how it works. Do you honestly think I care what anyone in North Dakota thinks about whether I bought Product A or Product B?

If you don’t like the way the operating system is structured and Spotify is relegated to the background functions, then perhaps you should have said that.

I would suggest though that you try vibration feet / platforms before talking about how great the feet are. There is no doubt they can make a significant improvement on just about any gear - Innuos is no exception.

I did try some Isoacoustics pucks. They made no difference. They are sitting on the shelf unused. Innuos told me that they spent some time and cost on the feet and the asymmetric placement is designed to get even weight distribution, which is uneven in the box because of the power supply.

I have a fully bespoke hifi rack, the steel frame fabricated by Kevin, the shelves made by Paul and they sit on sorbothane. In the past I’ve used Max Townshend’s platforms for my turntable and his bars for components, this rack beats them for isolation and damping. Whether the pucks would help on a lesser rack, I have no idea.

Incidentally, if like me you use HQ Player, and Innuos Sense has HQ Player embedded, you could use Spotify via HQ Player. I wonder what Spotify sounds like upscaled to DSD512.

View attachment 133788

Hi - I did not send it back because of Spotify. Not sure how anyone would deduct that.

Thanks again for sharing your thoughts. I'm sorry my personal preference going with the AA over the Innuos has bothered you so much.

You don't need to justify your purchase. It's a great unit as I stated repeatedly.

ssfas said:
Hi, I had another listen to your video. I noted that at the end you actually mentioned that you were aware that the operating system is basically just a “skin” on top of LMS and the Spotify setting simply requires you to go into LMS from a browser.

I do like comparative reviews, they give you something to think about and Darko does a lot of it. The only problem is that we don’t seem to have a distributor for Antipodes products in the UK anymore. It appears they were distributed by Elite Audio, but sadly no more. Maybe we just have too many streamers for one little island floating in the North Atlantic. Elite Audio are the distributors of Innuos and cover a large number of other streamer brands ranging from Eversolo to MSB and others on the way. Maybe it was just one brand too many that didn’t sell and they dropped it. Maybe it’s gone somewhere else. Either way, they don’t seem to be available over here at the moment.

I do take issue with this idea that this sort of product should have a wide range of connectivity options. The reality is that quite a few high-end manufacturers have a preferred way of doing things and that’s all they offer. It’s a case of “do one thing and do it well“ rather than “Jack of all trades, master of none”. Innuos go for USB because it has no practical limitations on data size and they’ve really got it to a high level of refinement with their Statement and PhoenixUSB products.

It’s no different from buying a car. If we want a car to take the kids to school and do the shopping, don’t expect it to have a 6L engine and go at 150 mph.

Before the Pulsar I had a Lumin streamer. My Innuos Zen Mk3 was used as a remote host for Roon Server and music library because the SATA disc was noisy. It sat a cupboard in my dining room and sent data over about 40 m of fibre optic. I bought a Holo May DAC and the Innuos Pulsar was a perfect fit, both optimised for USB, with a great control app. No need to pay for other options I will never use which probably consume power and generate noise.

Using the Pulsar with HP Player DSD output into a good R2R DAC seems very popular. I’m wondering what mode you used?

Hi - the Innuos is an excellent unit for sure.

I LOVE that we have so many different pieces of gear and flavors for us to choose from. It is what makes this hobby so great.

I will say it again as I say in my videos - regardless of what I hear or my preference there is NO right or wrong choice when it comes to hifi. If you like it, then it is the best unit for you and that is all that matters.

I'm simply doing fun videos to be a bit creative with while sharing my personal audio journey.

Thanks again for watching.

ssfas · Jul 16, 2024

Synaxis said:
Hi - I did not send it back because of Spotify. Not sure how anyone would deduct that.

Thanks again for sharing your thoughts. I'm sorry my personal preference going with the AA over the Innuos has bothered you so much.

You don't need to justify your purchase. It's a great unit as I stated repeatedly.

Hi - the Innuos is an excellent unit for sure.

I LOVE that we have so many different pieces of gear and flavors for us to choose from. It is what makes this hobby so great.

I will say it again as I say in my videos - regardless of what I hear or my preference there is NO right or wrong choice when it comes to hifi. If you like it, then it is the best unit for you and that is all that matters.

I'm simply doing fun videos to be a bit creative with while sharing my personal audio journey.

Thanks again for watching.

No worries. I'm totally indifferent to your choice as I am to anyone's view of mine.

I did think it worthwhile to point out your error about Spotify - and you did call it a "big demerit". Having used the Pulsar in every (lossless) mode available, I thought I'd add some explanation about how it works and the Innuos brand philosophy, which answers some of your issues about connectivity. My preference for USB and HQ Player mode is predicated on my DAC, not the streamer.

FWIW, if possible, I prefer to speak to the manufacturer when considering a product. Innuos had a brilliant Sales Manager for the UK called Richard Coleman, who now does the same job at Naim. The new chap, can't remember his name, is also very good, not as good technically. I also spoke to Sean Jacobs, who designs Innuos's power supplies, and that was a big factor in my decision. The power supply would be more than half the cost of the unit on its own, which is why it's so much more expensive than Zen III or Zenith III.

Likewise with the Puritan PM156, buying that was based purely on a chat with Mike Lester, who designed and makes it.

The video was the first I'd seen of yours. What with the brand name and the logo, and 5,000 followers, I thought it was a more serious enterprise than a bit of misinformed fun. My YouTube channel is far less exciting, three videos, one of my home sound/light system (with Spotify onboard), taking off from a rather scary airport in Bhutan and me conducting four Chinese diplomats singing happy birthday to my son from a beach in northern Iceland in winter. Even the sea lions were shivering. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UConiF_07paNmWzbfGmaClzA Thankfully no followers, but YouTube does have it uses sometimes.

Ron Resnick · Jul 16, 2024

Is the Pulsar the PULSEmini + Innuos linear power supply + PhoenixUSB but just all in one box?

Synaxis · Jul 16, 2024

ssfas said:
No worries. I'm totally indifferent to your choice as I am to anyone's view of mine.

I did think it worthwhile to point out your error about Spotify - and you did call it a "big demerit". Having used the Pulsar in every (lossless) mode available, I thought I'd add some explanation about how it works and the Innuos brand philosophy, which answers some of your issues about connectivity. My preference for USB and HQ Player mode is predicated on my DAC, not the streamer.

FWIW, if possible, I prefer to speak to the manufacturer when considering a product. Innuos had a brilliant Sales Manager for the UK called Richard Coleman, who now does the same job at Naim. The new chap, can't remember his name, is also very good, not as good technically. I also spoke to Sean Jacobs, who designs Innuos's power supplies, and that was a big factor in my decision. The power supply would be more than half the cost of the unit on its own, which is why it's so much more expensive than Zen III or Zenith III.

Likewise with the Puritan PM156, buying that was based purely on a chat with Mike Lester, who designed and makes it.

The video was the first I'd seen of yours. What with the brand name and the logo, and 5,000 followers, I thought it was a more serious enterprise than a bit of misinformed fun. My YouTube channel is far less exciting, three videos, one of my home sound/light system (with Spotify onboard), taking off from a rather scary airport in Bhutan and me conducting four Chinese diplomats singing happy birthday to my son from a beach in northern Iceland in winter. Even the sea lions were shivering. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UConiF_07paNmWzbfGmaClzA Thankfully no followers, but YouTube does have it uses sometimes.

We have two completely different approaches and that's what makes this hobby so much fun. There is no wrong or right.

I don't speak to company people most times before a review as I prefer to know nothing about their marketing and spin and I don't want to be influenced (I may speak to them to get gear in and how to hook it up but that is about it). I personally could not care less about a power supply if at the end of the day the unit doesn't have the features I want nor the sound. I just don't care about anything but the sound. And at the end of the day in my system I chose the one I liked. Regardless of trying to focus on the Spotify issue which it did not come with it set up ready to go (as I feel it should), I preferred the AA.

There are too many other "dealer youtubers" who keep stating and snowing their viewers that they are looking out for them and poo-poo high priced gear while selling equally high priced gear themselves. And they of course dislike anything they don't sell.

There are equally as many who pretend they aren't making money with the gear they choose to review but those on the inside all know differently about how they "pump and dump". No way they are impartial like they claim as they have a serious financial interest in their videos and what they do content on.

And there are those who are trying to convince you to hire their hifi services while pretending to be completely unbiased.

Thankfully I am none of those. They are welcome to do what ever they want - that's just not how I choose to be.

As I state repeatedly in the videos are just pure personal journey and many seem to appreciate that approach - and some don't (which is totally fine). I don't try to be all things to all people nor do I want to. I have my base of very loyal followers between YT and FB whom I interact with on a regular basis and I do this all for FUN. Nothing more, nothing less.

I do find some people get entirely too emotionally wrapped up in this hobby that is supposed to be fun. That is their right. I choose not to live a life like that.

I repeatedly state in my videos to never take my word on untying, to do your own research and to TRY TRY TRY the gear for yourself. There is nothing more I can do for those who choose to ignore all that.

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