A new star in 2019 : Innuos Statement Server

[asiufy]

Well, since I seem to prefer the D'Agostino to CH Precision amps (on the YGs, no less), would that make me prefer the Innuos to the SGM?
The reason I ask is because I believe I've reached a pretty good performance level out of the Ethernet output of the Statement, with the SoTM switch + clock on the MSB DACs. It is precisely as you describe, "smooth", "analog sounding", yet not excessively so. USB has always been trickier, with always a little remnant of noise and harshness, even with the new MSB ProUSB.

 

[moby2004]

Moby, how did the Chord sound compared to the others, and can you describe the effect of the MScaler? I ask because we're not exactly blessed w great streamer/dac combos at UK dealers, but the Innuos/Chord pairing can be heard in a few places close to me.

Well with the Innuos as a source I only compared vs the Totaldac. With other sources vs dCS Vivaldi DAC +upsampler+clock , Lampizator Pacific,CH P C1+X1 and Esoteric K01xs. Chord Dave by itself is good ( very transparent, airy, gd instrument separation ) but not on the same league than the TOTL DACs( lacking density, a bit thin sounding and light-but fast-bass). Adding the Mscaler is improving both the weak and the strong points (and the USB input is of a much better quality) But still not in the league of the other top DACs. I also had the TT2 and I would say that the combo TT2+Mscaler is probably overall a better deal than the combo Dave+Mscaler.
So long story short :
- you have already the TT2 or the Dave adding the MScaler is a no brainer vs the extra investment.
- you have nothing: look at the TT2/Mscaler combo and put the money you saved vs Dave in the Innuos or any other top servers. You will have a great system. ( Innuos+Chord is a matching combo)
- of course if you can afford to spend (much) more money : go for the “big guns” like Pacific, Totaldac,MSB or CH P + SGM and you won’t look around any longer.

 

[moby2004]

Well, since I seem to prefer the D'Agostino to CH Precision amps (on the YGs, no less), would that make me prefer the Innuos to the SGM?
The reason I ask is because I believe I've reached a pretty good performance level out of the Ethernet output of the Statement, with the SoTM switch + clock on the MSB DACs. It is precisely as you describe, "smooth", "analog sounding", yet not excessively so. USB has always been trickier, with always a little remnant of noise and harshness, even with the new MSB ProUSB.

I have no doubt you have a top digital system and again the Statement is excellent ( we have now reached an excellent level on the servers side with many innovative brands) . If you have the opportunity, give a try to the SGM. You should not be disappointed whatever your sound preference !

 

[asiufy]

I have no doubt you have a top digital system and again the Statement is excellent ( we have now reached an excellent level on the servers side with many innovative brands) . If you have the opportunity, give a try to the SGM. You should not be disappointed whatever your sound preference !

Having had experience with the original SGM, I know their approach, where it stands for and what it's supposed to offer.
The beauty of this hobby is that there are multiple ways to attack a problem and arrive at a solution, and thus deliver a product. And one approach doesn't necessarily invalidate the other.
I particularly like the Innuos approach, and a host of other people on this thread seem to like it too That doesn't make the other approaches any less valid. I just happen to like their combination of price + performance + ease of use + reliability.

 

[matthias]

From a Source First point of view the server is most important and defines the maximum sound quality level of a system.
So it makes sense to listen to a set-up with the best server and to try to make some compromises with more downstream components within a limited budget.

Matt

 

[Brucemck2]

Does the Statement sound materially better with files stored on the local SSD drive, or, is a NAS-based file essentially equivalen?

 

[Al Stewart]

I did compare using the Innuos Statement as both the Roon Core and endpoint versus using it as the endpoint alone and using the Antipodes DX3 as the Core. I first posted my results on A-gon a while back and I have copied those results below. Hopefully, they are helpful:

I have now done further listening tests with the Innuos Statement, using it as the Roon Core/endpoint (which is the method used on all previous listening tests reported above) and using the Statement as the Roon endpoint only with the Antipodes DX3 being the Roon Core. Both the Statement and the DX3 were connected to an Orbi satellite router using Samzhe CAT 7 ethernet cables (these are basically $5 USD LAN cables). My impressions are as follows:
1. In the listening tests I performed the Statement used as the Core/ endpoint provided a higher degree of SQ compared to the DX3 as Core and Statement as endpoint only. Depending on the recording, the differences could be substantial.
2. On Steely Dan's "Babylon Sisters" it does not take an audiophile to be able to discern that the Statement Core/endpoint provided an enveloping presentation that sounded "concert-like" in an excellent acoustical space. The DX3 Core/Statement endpoint was a flatter presentation, it sounded good--but it wasn't as "holographic". The Statement Core/endpoint on this recording is reference level IMO.
3. On John Barry's "Old Woman" the Statement Core/endpoint pathway provided a more convincing detailed presentation of the solo violin that also captured a fuller scope of the other strings when they joined the soloist. There is a greater dynamic experience of this piece when played through the Statement Core/endpoint pathway.
4. John Hiatt's "Feels Like Rain" showed a smaller degree of difference between the Statement Core/endpoint pathway and the DX3 Core/Statement endpoint pathway. Nevertheless, the Statement Core/endpoint seemed to provide more realistic cymbal shimmer and decay. I will note that on this recording I could imagine a group of audiophiles splitting fairly evenly on which pathway they preferred.
These are the three tracks I listened to over a one hour period, listening to segments from as little as 20 seconds long to no more than 1 minute 30 seconds long.

 

[Blackmorec]

Hi all,
Has anyone tried Chord’s new umbilical cables with their Statement? Essentially what they do is to take all the Statement’s marvellous qualities and extend them significantly. With the standard umbilicals in my system the Statement does nothing I don’t like....it has massive PRaT, is extended yet linear at the frequency extremes, conveys the music‘s inner timing, so you get to enjoy the rhythmic interplay between musicians almost as much as the musicians did. Add the Chord umbilicals and you reveal yet more detail, bass timbre will be even richer, treble yet more shimmering and pure, you’ll hear a more realistically and focussed 3D rendition of the soundstage, with even greater coherence while music doesn’t sound ‘like instruments and voices’....it sounds like ‘its coming from instruments and people‘. The sound is completely immersive and even more convincing.
However there is a price to pay.... almost £1000 for the cables (worth every penny in terms of SQ) and a 300 hour run-in period.
One of my favorite things to do is to listen to Radio Swiss Classic, which is 128kbps internet radio. Through the Statement is sounds incredibly good, with beautiful timbral information, really good spacial separation and all the other usual hi-fi attributes. Highly convincing, beautiful music that only the most picky of audiophiles could find anything to criticise (depth, height, absolute ‘saturation’ and ‘musical power’) . After some time i then switch to local or remote streaming. Mind blowing. Its takes what is essentially SOTA stereo replay and shifts it into a totally different, fully immersive 3 dimensional reality.

 

[BaconBrain]

Have been a Statement owner for approx. 3 months now, also testing different constellations of Roon Core / Player setups and must admit that the one which I prefer from an overall SQ perspective is as follows:

Utilizing my Zenith Mk II SE as a Roon Core running Innuos OS together with a DIY HqPlayer PC and the Innuos Statement as an NAA enabled endpoint. Both the DIY PC and the Innuos Statement are running on HqPlayerd images booting from USB media.

Absolutely love it!

 

[BruceD]

Have been a Statement owner for approx. 3 months now, also testing different constellations of Roon Core / Player setups and must admit that the one which I prefer from an overall SQ perspective is as follows:

Utilizing my Zenith Mk II SE as a Roon Core running Innuos OS together with a DIY HqPlayer PC and the Innuos Statement as an NAA enabled endpoint. Both the DIY PC and the Innuos Statement are running on HqPlayerd images booting from USB media.

Absolutely love it!

Welcome Bacon Brain--sorry but my keyboard made me do it

Does that mean your Pig Headed? !

BD

 

[Brucemck2]

Does the Statement sound materially better with files stored on the local SSD drive, or, is a NAS-based file essentially equivalent?

??

 

[spiritofmusic]

Welcome Bacon Brain--sorry but my keyboard made me do it

Does that mean your Pig Headed? !

BD

Or did the Statement save his bacon? Y'know, from a drab life of uninvolving digital and torture of trying to get good analog.

 

[BaconBrain]

Does the Statement sound materially better with files stored on the local SSD drive, or, is a NAS-based file essentially equivalen?

I am sure others will have opinions on this but with my setup I am not noticing a significant difference between the two sources.

 

[BruceD]

Or did the Statement save his bacon? Y'know, from a drab life of uninvolving digital and torture of trying to get good analog.

Ha!--well can't let Bob post all the laughs!--sheesh I see there's a BruceMck2-- like Dolly the sheep ?

sorry my bad


BD

 

[Blackmorec]

??

The difference between SSD and NAS stored files is much more a function of the network quality and its noise and of the differences in recordings than it is a Statement difference.
if the Statement is connected to a highly optimised low noise network, then files sound very similar ....indistinguishable i would say. But if the network is far below optimum then SSD files will sound superior. Also recording quality differences are typically far greater than differences between the 2 drive sources when using an optimised network

 

[Brucemck2]

Thank! Big SSD for most commonly accessed files it is then.

 

[naim]

BTW pls transfer/copy your music files from your NAS to the internal storage disk of the Statement.
Playing the music files this way is significantly better sonically than playing them inside the NAS.

This thing is not very welcome: assuming that my NAS contains 16TB of music, even choosing the Statement with more memory, I should choose which 4TB to make it sound better, and which 12TB listen less well ... I thought that any differences were small nuances.

I take this opportunity to ask this: if my listening is exclusively through a NAS, I do not intend to use streamig services, I do not need to rip cd, but I am interested in getting a very good and better sound than my current Bryston BDP-2 digital player, a Statement remains anyway a great choice?

 

[Blackmorec]

This thing is not very welcome: assuming that my NAS contains 16TB of music, even choosing the Statement with more memory, I should choose which 4TB to make it sound better, and which 12TB listen less well ... I thought that any differences were small nuances.

I take this opportunity to ask this: if my listening is exclusively through a NAS, I do not intend to use streamig services, I do not need to rip cd, but I am interested in getting a very good and better sound than my current Bryston BDP-2 digital player, a Statement remains anyway a great choice?

Relax. All is well! I have a Statement on which I listen to 3 sources

1. 128Kbps Radio Swiss Classics (I joke not)
2. Remotely streamed Qobus via a Virgin 500mbps broadband connection
3. Locally streamed Innuos-ripped CDs off the internal SSD

Radio Swiss Classic play some of the most beautiful and to me largely unknown pieces by highly accomplished musicians, all beautifully recorded. State of the art? Of course not but incredibly beautiful, highly involving and emotional with the ability to transport you to a better place, where the orchestra is laid out in front of you, the musicians are virtuosos and the instrument timbres and tones gorgeous. Tick all the hi-if boxes...imaging, depth, PRaT, involvement etc....all there. Nothing, NOTHING not to like, so why wouldn’t you?

Then after an hour or so switch to Qobuz remote streaming with some of your favorites. Start for example with Mike Oldfield’s Tubular Bells 2003...a remake (not remaster or re-issue) of the original classic. Light outs, stab the first track on the iPad and close your eyes.....Holee SMOKE....what just happened? The whole room is suddenly chock full and lit up with the most intense and most beautiful vibrant tones. As the piece progresses you marvel at the musicianship and primal rhythms that gasp your soul and don’t let go, making you dance in your seat. The piece moves on.....sonic marvels around every corner. Not all perfect, you can hear that....like old Rolexes and Omegas, there are parts that aren’t quite as polished, but on the whole? Oh my goodness....where has this music been all my life? Waiting for a Statement and a super optimised network, that’s where.
You see that little phrase ‘super optimised network’? Therein lies quite some magic. Partner that with a Statement and you have the basis for possibly the finest digital system in the world, along with one or two others that would vie for the same honour.
So, how‘s the quality of the Statement with remote streamed music? Exceptional. Can it be better? Yes, or worse depending on how well you’ve optimised your network to remove vibration, noise and jitter. The Statement is an absolutely wonderful piece of kit....IMO worth every penny of what it costs simply in terms of sound quality. But even the Statement isn’t immune to the effects of the stream its fed. Give it an average, don’t much care piece of cable from your ISP’s router and it’ll sound wonderful. But you’re leaving a whole lot of salt on the table. Take the time to optimise your network and you’ll get to levels you really don’t hear very often and many audiophiles don’t hear at all. The Statement is great, but like every other piece of hi-fi and maybe more than most given its digital heritage, it responds to very careful set-up.

OK, that was remote streaming. So now I switch to local streaming. Can it get any better? Well that depends entirely on the recording. For the most part, the recordings are so different from one another that you wouldn’t know if local was better than remote, unless you happened to play the same recording on both to compare, which I’ve actually never felt inclined to do.

Architecturally I don’t know how Innuos handle remote vs. local files in terms of playing them from cache memory, but frankly in my system I have never once concluded that remote streaming is in any ‘significant’ way inferior to local files...they are both absolutely reference class IMO.

 

[naim]

Thank You for the quick and long answer, Blackmorec.
English is not my language, but I can still perceive your enthusiasm for this machine, unfortunately I do not have the command of the language to respond adequately to what it deserves. In any case, to read that the difference between local and nas is not dramatic, makes me happy and directs me towards this product.

Roberto

 

[Blackmorec]

Thank You for the quick and long answer, Blackmorec.
English is not my language, but I can still perceive your enthusiasm for this machine, unfortunately I do not have the command of the language to respond adequately to what it deserves. In any case, to read that the difference between local and nas is not dramatic, makes me happy and directs me towards this product.

Roberto

Good! Its a great product.
There’s a very easy way to think about what I was saying about networks

Imagine you have a house on the edge of town that has 2 streams....one flowing from the mountain behind and the other from the town....which one do you think has the better tasting water and fish?
My experience is that networking is no different.