Innuos, Gryphon, Nagra, Kroma, and Stromtank elicit wows

Less than per week after visiting the Innuos manufacturing facility in Portugal—report and video forthcoming—I had the chance to audition their merchandise once more in Munich. This time, the audio system had been extra full-range and superior in high quality, and the related electronics all top-level.

To get one of the best it might out of its servers and streamers, Innuos’s Nuno Vitorino and Amelia Santos powered all front-end parts with two Stromtank S-2500 Quantum MK-II energy regenerators that equipped pure, computer-regulated battery energy. Nor would I low cost the consequences of an Artesania Exoteryc Pro Rack and Transparent XL & Reference line cabling on the system’s sound.

Their decisions paid off. Thanks in no small half to a Nagra HD DAC X (€64,500), Gryphon Commander preamplifier (€66,400), huge Gryphon Apex stereo energy amplifier (€102,300), and Kroma Irya audio system (€178,5000/pair), the Innous system was among the best I encountered in Munich. To give however one among many examples, it depicted horns in Mahler with sensible dimension and weight in addition to timbre. The lowest bass wasn’t utterly in management, however all the pieces above it sounded clear, clear, and fantastically musical. You ought to have heard the system post-show hours, when Nuno and staff had been capable of crank up the already important quantity to rock live performance ranges.

In a second go to to this room, I joined different guests in evaluating the sound of the brand new ZENith NG music server/streamer (from €15,000) with PHOENIXnet audiophile community change (€3599) to the Statement NG music server streamer (from €20,000), once more with the PHOENIXnet audiophile community change enhancing the sound. (Innuos recommends utilizing the 2 collectively.) All cabling was similar.

The ZENith NG has a totally redesigned motherboard and represents a significant advance over the ZENith MK3 music server/streamer (from €5099). Listening to Mario Bondi and the High Five Quintet’s tiresome “This is What You Are”—Bondi both appears like a second-rate Frank Sinatra or a Sinatra clone singing second-rate materials that deserves to dwell and die in Vegas—the Statement NG had a hotter, fuller, smoother, much less splashy sound with extra colour distinction and midrange refinement. On the opposite hand, the ZENith NG appeared to have higher focus. Depending upon the system and room it’s in, I can see how some would possibly favor the ZENith NG’s high to the Statement NG’s.

A bit on the audio system. After growing merchandise for 40 years, Javier Millan teamed up along with his son to discovered Kroma [Kromaatelier.com] in Spain in 2019. The firm presently distributes its line in 17 nations and hopes to quickly add the USA to its distribution listing.

As large as Kroma Irya audio system are, the corporate has a bigger mannequin presently in manufacturing and one other in growth. The Irya claims a frequency response of 19Hz–27kHz –2dB, 91dB sensitivity, and 4 ohm nominalimpedance. Most of the corporate’s different audio system are named for operatic characters. Its drivers and tweeter are manufactured to their specs by Mundorf and Purifi. “Silence and management are the 2 defining options of our designs,” I used to be instructed.

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May 21, 2024 at 08:32PM