A friend of mine has the opportunity to buy INNUOS ZEN MK3 XXL for lack of knowledge about the company,I need answers …so my question is what is the level comparing to Melco servers…anybody here maybe can give me an answer?
If you do a search you’ll find multiple pre-existing threads which will give you plenty of detail.
I don’t understand Meni . You have the top Melco, the N10. What the Innuos zenith 3 for?
You just eventually need a ripper, a Melco ripper.
Or I miss something my friend?
where to search?
Read my post…I said for my friend not for myself
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Is it on the level of Melco n1h/2 less,more …need an answer like that
I would say yes. I was searching at that time and choosed finally the Melco n1h2 vs the Innuos zenith 3.
But some prefer innuos…
So I went around the whole Innuos Zen MK3 thing a while back. Shortly after I realised I did not need a Naim Core.
I’m sure they are nice and easy to use. But in the end I roomy CDs to a Synology NAS. I used my old HDDs so total cost was £300.
What I get is my cd collection available to my nd5 xs2. They are ripped as ALACs because I used iTunes for free. Took a bit of time to sort out the correct album art. But not essential.
Innuos’s pricing model is a bit odd for me. And, they do not have their own software app to drive the box.
Depends what your friend wants.
For me, the Nas route ticked a lot of boxes. And not least one less box on my rack.
It’s around that level and, unless Melco have made some substantial software improvements, a much easier ownership/user proposition.
Yes, the Innuos is more friendly and you can do much more things with the app, like changing metadata, cover album…
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Even as a server?
The Innuous Zen/Zenith range have a wider range of capabilities than the Melco, e.g. inbuilt ripper, roon endpoint/core.
There is an inbuilt DAC in the Zen Mini, not the higher models.
Some reckon the Zen III is the value model, but the dealers will upsell to a Zenith III - which is a genuinely good streamer as well as music library. Paired with a good DAC it is a strong option.
A common configuration in certain dealers’ demo rooms is Zenith III, plus Chord Dave or TT2, into active speakers. Nice and simple.
I have heard the Zen III in a demo setup with a DCS Bartok streamer/DAC and in the server role it delivered good sounding files to the Bartok over Ethernet.
Important to trust your ears, even if it means waiting post-Covid.
John Darko has done a few online reviews of the Innuous range in recent years.
Note it is based on a PC motherboard with a customised operating system and improved power supplies as you work up the range.
I`m against in too many options into one device…it’s a compromise
hi Meni, I have an Innuos model Zen MK3 and a Melco EX H60. So the very short answer: Melco win hands down in both connections: with USB direct to DAC and as an upnp server!
As a DAC I use Ayer QB (very soon twenty upgrade) and as a streamer I use ND555.
The very good point (!) about Zen is that you can run roon server /player in it - that saves boxes and it’s very cool to start fast without any stress for setup!
But…an external roon server sounds better- and than you’ll buy a Melco again.
Hope that helps!
Ralf
I must say with Melco not having the cd ripper built into it is a big advantage and I’ve been told that the HD can be replaced easily
The Innuos would have to be sent in if either failed
Plus the Melco can be a server and a player at the same time and the Innuos has to be switched ( which isn’t a big deal unless you have someone wanting to hear a file to a muso while your in player mode.
More investigation to be done on this shortly
However the Zen is not the Zenith…
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Completely disagree with you. You’re not using the CD as a player so it’s hardly going to be a weak link. For me it’s yet another reason why the Innuos is a superior device.
You don’t have to agree, isn’t that the point of a forum ?
And it’s not being used as a CD player I fully understand and some will only rip a few CDs but how long will the drive last ? Let’s say you have 3000 CDs.
Again I’m not saying it will fail but it can and if it does then sending the whole unit in for repair could be a pain.
My self I have 3 servers at home and a couple NAS drives as well but most don’t.
Again the forum is a great place to share views and we all don’t have to agree and I do respect your views 100 %
I do own a Zenith Mk 3 with a 4 TB ssd, and I do like it as well
No, it is not.