Ramblings: 2022, my year in hi-fi with the Innuos Pulse, SOtM iSO CAT7 and Lampizator Amber 4

[lordcloud]

Thank you for your listening assessment. I’m unaware of the Wavedream Net. Based upon your comments I’ll have to explore further.
Charles

You're very welcome.

I recommend it to jump into streaming at an amazing price. But you do get more when you spend a lot more.

Wavedream NET | Rockna Audio

www.rockna-audio.com

Rockna Wavedream NET Review and Measurements - GoldenSound

The Rockna Wavedream NET is an immensely high performing streamer, music server and CD transport. But the performance and features don't come cheap.

goldensound.audio

One day I'll step up to something like a Taiko. But the Net (as well as the Innuous servers) is no slouch.

 

[tedwoods]

The market today is very competitive and widely diversified with numerous vastly different use case scenarios. It's always nice to gather user experience. Since the Pulse also has spdif and AES/EBU digital outputs, I've decided to also give these a try. So far, I have tried spdif (RCA) via a Tellurium Q wavelength hf digital cable and although I cannot by any means offer any viable direct comparisons with USB, I can say with all certainty that I had really enjoyed the listening sessions through that combo. This can be for a million reasons, not even related to the streamer, but in any case it all sounds sublime. So good in fact I'll be sticking with that combo for a while to further explore its potential.

 

[PerfectCircles]

The market today is very competitive and widely diversified with numerous vastly different use case scenarios. It's always nice to gather user experience. Since the Pulse also has spdif and AES/EBU digital outputs, I've decided to also give these a try. So far, I have tried spdif (RCA) via a Tellurium Q wavelength hf digital cable and although I cannot by any means offer any viable direct comparisons with USB, I can say with all certainty that I had really enjoyed the listening sessions through that combo. This can be for a million reasons, not even related to the streamer, but in any case it all sounds sublime. So good in fact I'll be sticking with that combo for a while to further explore its potential.

That's great you are going to experiment and try the different set ups. I always find that the most fun part of the hobby.

 

[charles1dad]

The market today is very competitive and widely diversified with numerous vastly different use case scenarios. It's always nice to gather user experience. Since the Pulse also has spdif and AES/EBU digital outputs, I've decided to also give these a try. So far, I have tried spdif (RCA) via a Tellurium Q wavelength hf digital cable and although I cannot by any means offer any viable direct comparisons with USB, I can say with all certainty that I had really enjoyed the listening sessions through that combo. This can be for a million reasons, not even related to the streamer, but in any case it all sounds sublime. So good in fact I'll be sticking with that combo for a while to further explore its potential.

Ted,
Good to learn that the Pulse is sounding really good via SPDIF RCA connection. You describe it as “sublime “ is quite the compliment.

You and CK Keung listening impressions are so different from Gjo and lord cloud. I understand that there are perhaps a multitude of factors to explain this. However, Quite the contrast of opinions.
Charles

 

[tedwoods]

Ted,
Good to learn that the Pulse is sounding really good via SPDIF RCA connection. You describe it as “sublime “ is quite the compliment.

You and CK Keung listening impressions are so different from Gjo and lord cloud. I understand that there are perhaps a multitude of factors to explain this. However, Quite the contrast of opinions.
Charles

Hi Charles,

In my system the Pulse sounds dynamic, transparent and "analog-like" and it's a meaningful upgrade, mainly as far the more elusive musical and transportive qualities are concerned.
In purely "hi-fi terms" it again seems "better", as it affords me access into "more" of everything: more detail, more engagement and ultimately more music.
Last year, I did my best to audition a few streamers, either through audiophile friends or dealers.
I did so, not so much because I needed a "better" source, as my previous Innuos server was just fine, but mainly because I wanted a streamer only device and not a server/streamer.
Although I usually refrain from talking about products I do not own and I am going to stick with that policy here also, I'd like to clarify that I only looked at streamers that had their own proprietary control apps.
I realize of course that this fact alone must have left a lot of streamers off my audition list.
Maybe, I just like the Innuos "house sound" (although I honestly do not believe such a sound exists...), but when I got to audition the Pulse, it just grabbed my attention from the get-go, That's not entirely unexpected, given I owned an Innuos server its sound I already loved.
However, what becomes crucial in choosing one piece of gear over the other and at the same time maybe the key to understanding why, boils down to one's musical background and audiophile perspective.
As a musician, timbral accuracy, note weight, music flow and naturalness are things of paramount importance and influence my choosing one piece of gear over another. Pyrotechnics, less so.
I also come from a long audiophile line of "less is more" mentality. If you look at my system, it also tells a story (tubes, single driver speakers, etc.), so, as the author of that story, I get to make choices that better serve this plot.
As such, my thread is just an attempt to convey my audiophile journey this year and maybe sing the praises of system synergy and of the idea that the whole of the streaming chain matters (ethernet filtering and isolation, source and DAC).
More competent reviewers may elaborate on the Pulse as a streamer on its own.

Cheers,

Ted

P.S. I also want to give the Muon filter a try...
​

 

[charles1dad]

Hi Charles,

In my system the Pulse sounds dynamic, transparent and "analog-like" and it's a meaningful upgrade, mainly as far the more elusive musical and transportive qualities are concerned.
In purely "hi-fi terms" it again seems "better", as it affords me access into "more" of everything: more detail, more engagement and ultimately more music.
Last year, I did my best to audition a few streamers, either through audiophile friends or dealers.
I did so, not so much because I needed a "better" source, as my previous Innuos server was just fine, but mainly because I wanted a streamer only device and not a server/streamer.
Although I usually refrain from talking about products I do not own and I am going to stick with that policy here also, I'd like to clarify that I only looked at streamers that had their own proprietary control apps.
I realize of course that this fact alone must have left a lot of streamers off my audition list.
Maybe, I just like the Innuos "house sound" (although I honestly do not believe such a sound exists...), but when I got to audition the Pulse, it just grabbed my attention from the get-go, That's not entirely unexpected, given I owned an Innuos server its sound I already loved.
However, what becomes crucial in choosing one piece of gear over the other and at the same time maybe the key to understanding why, boils down to one's musical background and audiophile perspective.
As a musician, timbral accuracy, note weight, music flow and naturalness are things of paramount importance and influence my choosing one piece of gear over another. Pyrotechnics, less so.
I also come from a long audiophile line of "less is more" mentality. If you look at my system, it also tells a story (tubes, single driver speakers, etc.), so, as the author of that story, I get to make choices that better serve this plot.
As such, my thread is just an attempt to convey my audiophile journey this year and maybe sing the praises of system synergy and of the idea that the whole of the streaming chain matters (ethernet filtering and isolation, source and DAC).
More competent reviewers may elaborate on the Pulse as a streamer on its own.

Cheers,

Ted

P.S. I also want to give the Muon filter a try...
​

Ted,
I really appreciate your feedback and further insight/perspective. I’m not a musician but I did study and play trumpet for a number of years during my youth.

It has fostered a lifelong love and admiration for music. I’ve maintained a piano in our home for many years (My wife played at one time). I continue to attend live jazz venues and smaller scale classical music performances very regularly.

You are correct, one’s music experience background does inevitably inform selection and priorities regarding audio system choices.

Your list of important parameters are a mirror image of mine it seems. I’ve had numerous audio equipment steps along the way. Simpler circuit tube components well executed has been my landing ground.

101D preamplifier, 300b SET amplifier . Realistic tone, nuance and musical flow are crucial necessities. I just had a DAC built for me utilizing the 6080 tubes in the analog output stage and various tube rectifiers.

I am determined to pair it with an excellent streaming audio component. I already have a splendid CD transport. I’ll have to try and hear some streamers and do an assessment.
Charles

 

[tedwoods]

Ted,
I really appreciate your feedback and further insight/perspective. I’m not a musician but I did study and play trumpet for a number of years during my youth.

It has fostered a lifelong love and admiration for music. I’ve maintained a piano in our home for many years (My wife played at one time). I continue to attend live jazz venues and smaller scale classical music performances very regularly.

You are correct, one’s music experience background does inevitably inform selection and priorities regarding audio system choices.

Your list of important parameters are a mirror image of mine it seems. I’ve had numerous audio equipment steps along the way. Simpler circuit tube components well executed has been my landing ground.

101D preamplifier, 300b SET amplifier . Realistic tone, nuance and musical flow are crucial necessities. I just had a DAC built for me utilizing the 6080 tubes in the analog output stage and various tube rectifiers.

I am determined to pair it with an excellent streaming audio component. I already have a splendid CD transport. I’ll have to try and hear some streamers and do an assessment.
Charles

Charles,
Thanks for the kind words!
Your DAC has a very interesting design concept.
I have always wondered about tube clocks and what they bring to the party...
Ted

P.S. I used to own the Yamamoto YDA-01B DAC (with a 47 laboratory Shigaraki transport) and the Yamamoto A-08S amplifier with 45 tubes

 

[lordcloud]

Charles,
Thanks for the kind words!
Your DAC has a very interesting design concept.
I have always wondered about tube clocks and what they bring to the party...
Ted

P.S. I used to own the Yamamoto YDA-01B DAC (with a 47 laboratory Shigaraki transport) and the Yamamoto A-08S amplifier with 45 tubes

The 47 Labs transport and DAC were pieces I wanted so badly. I would probably still pick them up if I could.

I'm also of the minimalist mindset when it comes to audio (and life and interior design). Though not all of my components speak to it.

 

[tedwoods]

The 47 Labs transport and DAC were pieces I wanted so badly. I would probably still pick them up if I could.

I'm also of the minimalist mindset when it comes to audio (and life and interior design). Though not all of my components speak to it.

The closest you can come today to the Shigaraki of yore (minus the actual Shigaraki platform) is this device:
Sparkler Audio | Products | model S515 "ballade" (sparkler-audio.com)

 

[matthias]

The closest you can come today to the Shigaraki of yore (minus the actual Shigaraki platform) is this device:
Sparkler Audio | Products | model S515 "ballade" (sparkler-audio.com)

Did you listen to it?
Thx

Matt

 

[tedwoods]

No, just passing the info along...

 

[Blake]

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.

I just got my iSO-CAT7 LAN isolator two days ago. Mine is installed between 2 daisy-chained SOTM sNH-10G switches. I am liking it so far.

 

[tedwoods]

I just got my iSO-CAT7 LAN isolator two days ago. Mine is installed between 2 daisy-chained SOTM sNH-10G switches. I am liking it so far.

I am using it just after the router, before the switch. Its impact seemed to be greater at that position, but of course I only have one switch to play with...

 

[tedwoods]

For those interested, this is what the Pulse looks on the inside. You can clearly see the attention to detail. The recap2 power board with the Mundorf caps is on the front left with the transformer mounted on a sub-chassis and the small SSD in the middle of the motherboard is also floating. Most interestingly there is a separate board for the digital outputs (XMOS based) on the back left side (the USB outputs are not on that board), which might explain the stellar results I'm getting through spdif.

 

[charles1dad]

For those interested, this is what the Pulse looks on the inside. You can clearly see the attention to detail. The recap2 power board with the Mundorf caps is on the front left with the transformer mounted on a sub-chassis and the small SSD in the middle of the motherboard is also floating. Most interestingly there is a separate board for the digital outputs (XMOS based) on the back left side (the USB outputs are not on that board), which might explain the stellar results I'm getting through spdif.
View attachment 103475

Thanks Ted for the internal photograph. Here’s the internal view of another streaming unit I’m interested in. Granted, it’s a “music server “ as opposed to a “network player “(Innuos Pulse).

https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/1564/1247/products/N100_open_1024x1024_62441933-1fe2-41d9-84a4-3f8e0566b64d.jpg?v=1646272100&width=1946

 

[Blackmorec]

I had a very different experience with the Innuous Pulse than most.

We listened to it against a $400 SMSL SD9, and it was immediately obvious that the SD9 was better. More open, spacious, and alive. Which was very shocking to everyone.

Both units were broken in.

As usual, ymmv, and every system/pair of ears/brain in-between are different.

Hi there lordcloud,
As you say, that is an unusual result.

I don’t have any experience with the SMSL SD9 but I‘ve heard a Pulse and it was very impressive. Highly involving with excellent spatial attributes.Two of the main qualities of a Sean Jacobs power supply is naturalness combined with a real ‘jump factor” meaning excellent pace, rhythm, timing and dynamic response. That’s the ‘house ‘ sound. The rest of the Innuos electronics very much complement the supply’s attributes to provide a very clean physical layer at the output. The physical layer (pl) is where digital‘s sonic signature lives. Great pl , great sound. Poor pl, poor sound.
When all the Innuos‘s spatial information isnt properly resolved, for any reason, that spatial information doesn’t go away, it combines with the direct music, as a confusion-causing distortion so the music doesn’t sound quite right….heard as too much energy at some frequencies and no spatial component obviously. If the Pulse in’t producing wonderful pace, rhythm and timing and excellent spatial resolution with tremendous listener involvement, something is holding back its performance and of course it will sound bad. The key question is; what is holding it back that’s not holding back the SMSL SD9?

Would you like to share how both units were connected to the system and compared?

 

[charles1dad]

Hi there lordcloud,
As you say, that is an unusual result.

I don’t have any experience with the SMSL SD9 but I‘ve heard a Pulse and it was very impressive. Highly involving with excellent spatial attributes.Two of the main qualities of a Sean Jacobs power supply is naturalness combined with a real ‘jump factor” meaning excellent pace, rhythm, timing and dynamic response. That’s the ‘house ‘ sound. The rest of the Innuos electronics very much complement the supply’s attributes to provide a very clean physical layer at the output. The physical layer (pl) is where digital‘s sonic signature lives. Great pl , great sound. Poor pl, poor sound.
When all the Innuos‘s spatial information isnt properly resolved, for any reason, that spatial information doesn’t go away, it combines with the direct music, as a confusion-causing distortion so the music doesn’t sound quite right….heard as too much energy at some frequencies and no spatial component obviously. If the Pulse in’t producing wonderful pace, rhythm and timing and excellent spatial resolution with tremendous listener involvement, something is holding back its performance and of course it will sound bad. The key question is; what is holding it back that’s not holding back the SMSL SD9?

Would you like to share how both units were connected to the system and compared?

Most listening impressions I’ve seen so far regarding the Innuos Pulse are very similar to what you describe. I certainly do not discount @lordcloud impressions but they seem an outlier.
I know that it’s audio and subjective by default. I just find it interesting as to what may account for such a significantly different listening experience.
Charles

 

[Blackmorec]

Most listening impressions I’ve seen so far regarding the Innuos Pulse are very similar to what you describe. I certainly do not discount @lordcloud impressions but they seem an outlier.
I know that it’s audio and subjective by default. I just find it interesting as to what may account for such a significantly different listening experience.
Charles

Hi Charles,
As I started to build and refine my streaming system, I purchased an Innuos Zenith MkII SE to handle both local and remote streaming. With almost zero running in the system started producing extremely enjoyable music, to the point I remember thinking that there was nothing I didn’t like; which was a first time for me with digital.
Ears I trust who were also using the Zenith and reporting achieving best digital sound added a footnote that SQ could be even further enhanced by adding an SoTM USB retimer at the Zenith’s output. I ordered the Tx-USBUltra with a sPS-500 power supply. While I heard some minor bass improvement, the entire magic of the sound vanished. I put it down to running in but after 400 hours it was just the same. The dealer sent me another unit, this time with its regular wall wart power supply, but that sounded very similar. I could not understand what was going on as everyone else was reporting exceptional results with the Tx-USBUltra. So I tried a new set of cables, but while they wrought a few positive changes, the magic was still absent.
Discouraged, I unplugged the retimer to send it back and the magic instantly returned. I didn’t matter if the tx-USBUltra was in or out of circuit, simply having its switched mode power supply plugged into the same dedicated mains was enough to rob the system of almost everything it did well.
This then made me look at another SMPS I was using to power an AQVOX SE switch. Substituting a Sean Jacobs DC3 had a massive, jaw dropping effect on the sound. I have posted this info on several occasions. When I went back and re-read the 2 or 3 positive posts about the Tx-USBUltra I realised that they were all being powered by Linear Power Supplies.
The SMSL SD9 is also powered by a cheap SMPS, so the same effect could well be happening. Pure speculation of course

 

[tedwoods]

Hi Charles,
As I started to build and refine my streaming system, I purchased an Innuos Zenith MkII SE to handle both local and remote streaming. With almost zero running in the system started producing extremely enjoyable music, to the point I remember thinking that there was nothing I didn’t like; which was a first time for me with digital.
Ears I trust who were also using the Zenith and reporting achieving best digital sound added a footnote that SQ could be even further enhanced by adding an SoTM USB retimer at the Zenith’s output. I ordered the Tx-USBUltra with a sPS-500 power supply. While I heard some minor bass improvement, the entire magic of the sound vanished. I put it down to running in but after 400 hours it was just the same. The dealer sent me another unit, this time with its regular wall wart power supply, but that sounded very similar. I could not understand what was going on as everyone else was reporting exceptional results with the Tx-USBUltra. So I tried a new set of cables, but while they wrought a few positive changes, the magic was still absent.
Discouraged, I unplugged the retimer to send it back and the magic instantly returned. I didn’t matter if the tx-USBUltra was in or out of circuit, simply having its switched mode power supply plugged into the same dedicated mains was enough to rob the system of almost everything it did well.
This then made me look at another SMPS I was using to power an AQVOX SE switch. Substituting a Sean Jacobs DC3 had a massive, jaw dropping effect on the sound. I have posted this info on several occasions. When I went back and re-read the 2 or 3 positive posts about the Tx-USBUltra I realised that they were all being powered by Linear Power Supplies.
The SMSL SD9 is also powered by a cheap SMPS, so the same effect could well be happening. Pure speculation of course

My experience has been very similar. I too am a big believer in the effect power supplies have, but I am an even bigger believer in a digital source being designed as a complete whole, including both the hardware and the software, something that Innuos also seem to pursue as a design philosophy. Then, there's synergy... For example the dCBL-CAT7 sounds great before the Phoenix but "not so great" after it...

 

[Blackmorec]

Hi Tedwoods,
On the subject of synergy….I believe the effects we notice have to do with the physical layer of digital data. If you thinhk about it, a network is a series of modules that reformat and resynthesise a data stream. If each time there is an improvement in the physical layer (less noise, less jitter, less vibration, less EMI etc.) then the overall sound will improve. In order to improve the physical layer, it must get better at each stage. Like all hi-fi, the network works on a better in = better out basis, so if each step is better ‘physically’ than the previous, the network stream will keep getting better and improvements made early in the stream will keep compounding. That’s why, in an optimum system, improvements to the modem or router can have such a profound effect on the final sound quality.