Grimm MU-1 server review - A new force in digital source?

Nevillekapadia

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Aug 30, 2010
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When hearing the AES output from the MU-1, I would disconnect the USB output to the DAC, just in case there is some clock signal from the USB overriding/interfering with the AES signal.
Do give it a couple of weeks without any disconnecting of the AES cable.
 
Sep 10, 2022
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Has anyone compared the grimm to any of the other top servers from antipodes , taiko , etc care to comment on the sonic differences?
 

matthias

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Mar 14, 2019
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Has anyone compared the grimm to any of the other top servers from antipodes , taiko , etc care to comment on the sonic differences?
Some comparisons you find here:


In a post here on WBF the reviewer admitted that the Taiko is superior to K50 and MU1.
I am not aware of any comparison Oladra vs. Taiko.

Matt
 
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PYP

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Jan 13, 2022
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Has anyone compared the grimm to any of the other top servers from antipodes , taiko , etc care to comment on the sonic differences?
If budget is a factor: Grimm MU1 with 2 TB storage = $12,000. Taiko and Oladra are twice the price.
 

kimurastanley

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Mar 16, 2019
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Looking for aes cable for Grimm. Thinking of jorma. Any other recommendations from fellow Grimm owners?
 
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PYP

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Looking for aes cable for Grimm. Thinking of jorma. Any other recommendations from fellow Grimm owners?
Kubala-Sosna AES works well for me. As we know, one's setup and preferences very much influence cable selection.
 
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Apollo

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Sep 4, 2022
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Looking for aes cable for Grimm. Thinking of jorma. Any other recommendations from fellow Grimm owners?
I recently purchased the Mogami 3080 AES/EBU (per HFA's recommendation), and found it (in my room, on my system, to my ears...) spectacular relative to the DH Labs Silver Sonic D-110 AES/EBU I was using before : greater dynamic range, tighter bass, airier. Simply amazing and engaging. Cable cost was €35... Bought direct from enoaudio in Berlin, Germany. Highly recommended.
 
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PYP

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I recently purchased the Mogami 3080 AES/EBU (per HFA's recommendation), and found it (in my room, on my system, to my ears...) spectacular relative to the DH Labs Silver Sonic D-110 AES/EBU I was using before : greater dynamic range, tighter bass, airier. Simply amazing and engaging. Cable cost was €35... Bought direct from enoaudio in Berlin, Germany. Highly recommended.
A good reason for a cable demo. I started with the Mogami and it is a very good cable (great flexibility too). Amazing for the price. But the Kubala-Sosna in my setup (and joining the rest of the KS family already implemented) was more to my liking. The price difference, however, was very considerable. All in all, I don't think the MU1 is fussy about cables, including the power cable.
 

Nevillekapadia

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I just used the Grimm TPR cable which is what they use in the studio's and found that to be tonally right.
 

PYP

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Jan 13, 2022
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An interesting review here: https://www.stevehuffphoto.com/2022/07/24/the-grimm-mu1-review-the-magic-audiophile-streamer/

From the review: "The way the Grimm does what it does is rather amazing as the result is a sound so refined, so beautiful, so complete…it’s indescribable. I mean, I can not really describe what I hear as it is well above the usual intimate and emotional sound I am used to in this room. I will try to describe what I hear though as it is extremely rich, grand, alive, exciting and the scale is massive with the Fleetwood Deville SQ Speakers. It has that human touch and there is absolutely zero indications that I am listening to digital music when the Grimm is serving up the sounds."

That is how I hear it too. The music "breathes."
 

aangen

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Dec 10, 2020
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www.weirdenergy.com
I use a Stealth Audio Helios, it would be hard to find better.
 
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kimurastanley

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Mar 16, 2019
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Thanks all for the suggestion. I intended to get an AES cable which is as neutral and transparent as possible. And more importantly won’t break my account. Eventually decided on Jorma digital cable


7152A16C-F4CC-4E0E-AD24-1EB6F0B85385.jpeg
 

Low325

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May 2, 2021
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Hi,
Acquired a MU1…does this unit ever go to sleep? Is there a setting to allow it to automatically go into standby mode? The browser settings look simple enough but I dont think I see one?
 

PYP

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Jan 13, 2022
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Hi,
Acquired a MU1…does this unit ever go to sleep? Is there a setting to allow it to automatically go into standby mode? The browser settings look simple enough but I dont think I see one?
I never use the standby option, but I believe that the only way to put it into standby is via the main knob control as explained in the software manual.

From what I've been told, the only energy savings is small since only the screen is turned off in standby. I don't use the screen, so have set the "display auto dim" in the browser and have the brightness at the minimum setting.
 
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PYP

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Jan 13, 2022
556
491
75
Southwest, USA
Also, Eelco Grimm wrote the following in the MU1 thread on Audiophile Style: "The next firmware update will indeed add a 'go into standby' function from within the GRUI [web interface]. It is not possible to wake the MU1 from standby however, you will still need to turn or click the big knob."
 

Low325

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May 2, 2021
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@PYP thanks for confirming. It’s a nice elegant unit. Enjoying the tactile adjustments with the wheel.
I’ve a Tambaqui coming in for demo. I see you have the same duo? Looking forward to this….
 
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PYP

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Jan 13, 2022
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@PYP thanks for confirming. It’s a nice elegant unit. Enjoying the tactile adjustments with the wheel.
I’ve a Tambaqui coming in for demo. I see you have the same duo? Looking forward to this….
Very nice combo indeed. For my demo, I followed the suggestion to leave the DAC on all the time. It takes a while to warm up.

I tried both the SPDIF and AES outputs on the MU1 to connect to the Tambaqui. Using the Tambaqui's convenient cell app makes switching simple (can also control volume if going straight to an amp). I suspect that any difference in presentation will be the result of the cable used. Have fun!
 

PaulB

Well-Known Member
Jan 22, 2020
40
36
105
Minneapolis, Minnesota
analog.audio
Hi,
Acquired a MU1…does this unit ever go to sleep? Is there a setting to allow it to automatically go into standby mode? The browser settings look simple enough but I dont think I see one?
the MU1 draws very little power and I recommend leaving it on to all my customers. As PYP says, it takes a while for the MU1 to warm to operating temperature so just leave it on. You can turn the display off from the Web app.
 

Gjo

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Aug 22, 2021
268
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Four weeks ago, or so, I had a brand new MU1 in house for audition. I broke the seal on the box. That's how new it was.

Roon would play about 8 seconds (never hearing it through the system), and then skip ahead to the next track, where the process repeated infinitum. After several power downs and resets, the situation would not correct. The MU1 had the most recent Roon software, as did the Roon app I was using.

Taking a feed from the MU1's USB port worked fine. The digital outputs from the MU1 processor was where the problem occurred.

My other Roon enabled streamer and DACs worked perfectly using the same LAN feed.

It was quite disappointing. I returned the MU1 to the retailer the next day, with a request that when they solved the problem to please contact me because I'd still be interested in the audition.

I never heard anything back from the retailer.
 
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