Zen Mini Mk2 fail

Streaming Audio
1

My Zen MK2 broke yesterday. It won’t start up and it was apparently a hardware fault. I have decided not to have it repaired as it is approx. 8 years old and it will be too expensive to repair.

So the question is what should I go for. Innuos is supposed to come out with new products in 2025, so I don’t think a Zenith/Zen 3 is the best buy when they are almost 8 years old.

At the moment I don’t have any streaming services as I listen to my own files and generally go for the best versions, which are often not available on the streaming services. I would like to have Innuos again, but what else is out there?

It should also be said that I am thinking of upgrading to Supernait 5 or Naim Nap 250/Naim NSC 222.

2

If you have locally stored files then try a pulse mini? I have one with lpsu and it’s better sq than my zen mini and if course you can stream from the internet services…

3

I’ve just brought a FIIO M23 DAP/DAC
Digital Audio Player
It’s also portable,
Hopefully it be here tomorrow

4

I suppose it would depend on the cost to repair, including shipping to/from Portugal. Innuos new pricing structure is pretty scary, even the Zen Mini Mk III is chasing £3k inc the external PSU, the NG stuff even more so. The latter also requires an external CD drive if you want to rip, making it almost as inconvenient as the much vaunted, and great value, PC + NAS drive solutions……

Unless you want to chase one of the rollout Naim Cores……?

Good luck with whatever you decide.

ATB, J

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5

Then the strange thing happened that it is up and running again. I unplugged the power and cables today about three times. Suddenly the LED changed from white to blue and it was up and running.

Yes, Innuo’s new prices are high and I fear what their new products will cost.

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6

Probably an iffy boot sector, might not happen again for ages, or perhaps tomorrow……

Make sure your backup is up to date before restarting the Zen again though. If the backup is the same as my Zenith’s, it’s simply a copy of all your music files in a folder on your backup device, so in theory can be accessed by anything else; eg my backup files are on a NAS and can be accessed using MinimServer running on the NAS or, for that ma, using Synology’s free Media Server package :grinning:.

ATB, J

7

I also thought that a NAS might be a solution, but I think they take up a lot of space. Which Synology do you have?

8

DS620 Slim, 6 disks, tiny!

6Tb, configured as 4Tb storage, 2Tb high speed ssd cache. Goes like a train. Uses 2.5” disks, hdd or ssd.

ATB, J

9

So the big question is. What about SQ? Can a NAS compete with Innuos or other streamer/server?

10

Why not? 1’s and 0’s and all that stuff……

ATB, J

11

Unfortunately not imo, I used to run a Melco and Nas side by side and music via the Melco was always more enjoyable.