Innuos Statement Review


I first heard the Innuos Statement music server at AXPONA 2019. I listened to a demonstration directly comparing the Statement to the Innuos' Zen MkII. After the demonstration, it was clear to me that the Statement was a large step forward in the Innuos product line. I recently purchased the Innuos Statement and took delivery (after a six week wait). I immediately plugged it in, set it up, (super easy) and downloaded .5 TB of WAV files overnight. After burning in the Statement for approximately 100 hours, I compared the Statement's performance to the Antipodes DX3 music server. In order to have as close a comparison as possible (in relative real time) I connected both servers to my Jeff Rowland (JR)  Aeris DAC+PSU using the same brand of cables (Stealth). However, because the Aeris DAC has only one USB input and both the Statement and the Antipodes DX 3 only have USB output, I first ran the Statement through a Berkeley USB Alpha converter and connected the Alpha converter to the Aeris DAC using Stealth's Vardig Sextet V16-T BNC/BNC cable. The Stealth USB Select-T cable connected the Statement to the Aeris DAC. The rest of the system consisted of a JR Corus Preamp (connected to the aforementioned PSU), JR M925 mono amplifiers, Joseph Audio Pearl 3 speakers and a three REL subwoofer "swarm" configuration. Cardas Clear Beyond power cords, balanced ICs, and speaker cables were used throughout the system. Both servers were used as Roon Cores for the comparison/review. I own all the equipment; I don't work for any audio company. (I also don't pump my stuff to dump it later.)
I focused on music selections I know well across the genres of rock/pop, jazz, classical, soul/R&B, and classical. I used a "non-blind" method playing a 1 minute 30 second to 2 minute section of a recording before switching from one server to the other and then repeating the same recording for an immediate comparison. I did the comparison over a two hour period, taking periodic listening breaks. Before providing my overall impressions of the Antipodes Statement, I note that I immediately compared the Statement to the Antipodes DX3 without burning the Statement in. The Antipodes DX3 had been thoroughly burned in before the comparison (more than 500 hours of use). Without burn in, the Statement and the Antipodes DX 3 sounded very similar to one another. I'm confident that I would have been guessing which was which if I was blindfolded and had to name the server I was hearing on any given recording. I repeated this exercise after the Statement had burned in for one hour. At this point it seemed the Statement's soundstage had gotten a little wider and only slightly deeper. It also seemed the vocals on the Statement had become slightly clearer than on the Antipodes DX3. I did no further comparisons until now. The following are my subjective impressions of the Statement after four days of burn in compared to the Antipodes DX 3 server in my system.
The Statement threw a slightly wider soundstage than the Antipodes DX3.
The Statement had a significantly deeper soundstage than the Antipodes DX3. 
The Statement and the Antipodes DX3 had the same soundstage height.
The Statement resolved moderately more than the Antipodes DX3. By this I mean it provided more recording details than the Antipodes DX 3. It was not a night and day difference. It was apparent on most, but not all, recordings I considered.
Vocals presented clearer/crisper (better "enunciation" if you will) via the Statement than the Antipodes DX3.
The Statement provided superior bass differentiation in the lowest and mid bass regions. With the Statement, the bass drum performance did not cloud either a stand up bass or electric bass performance--provided the recording/mastering engineers sufficiently separated the performances on the recording. The Antipodes DX3 is a very good bass performer. But it slightly trailed the Statement.
The Statement placed more air between the instruments and performers than the Antipodes DX3.
The Statement excelled at acoustical instrument presentation. A reeded instrument sounded convincingly "real." The Antipodes DX3 does this well too...just not as well. Percussion instruments also benefit from this attribute. The Statement allowed me to hear more definition in the wood block, the guiro, shakers, all cymbals I heard, chimes, a gong. Again, the Antipodes DX3 was very good at percussive instrument representation. The Statement was simply better.
Both the Statement and the Antipodes DX3 provided high quality believable piano reproduction in all genres. The only significant difference I heard between the two servers on piano performance was found in Alfredo Rodriguez's rendition of "Chan Chan." There, the Statement seemed to handle the quick staccato notes and the unique decay issues of this piece more believably than the Antipodes DX3. But the difference was not night and day.
My overall impression of the Statement is that it provided superior high quality, believable digital music reproduction regardless of genre. I consider it an across the board upgrade in musical reproduction in my system over the Antipodes DX3. My impression of the Antipodes DX3 is that it is a high value product that held up very well in comparison to the Statement. The Statement retails for twice as much as the DX3's retail price when it was in production. If the Statement's performance after four days of burn in was rated as a 100 I would rate the Antipodes DX3 completely burned in as a 75. I will be keeping both these music servers. Hopefully this review helps those in the market for a music server.     
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Showing 21 responses by david_ten

@astewart8944  Thank you for your informative and helpful review. Congratulations on taking your music enjoyment to another level!!!
Great thread and valid, pertinent and important points made by all. 

I'd like to recognize @astewart8944  for being the first to post user based impressions of the Innuos Statement within this forum. OP, thanks for sharing your findings. 

It's also wonderful hearing you have found a component you are so happy and satisfied with. We don't get those opportunities often.
I (personally) am willing to accept the singular focus that comes with a top level server. Hence the 'flagship' label...because of the need to dedicate full and focused optimization and implementation around one (or very few) output(s). 

The DAC 'node' of the chain, with their generally wide assortment of digital inputs (including those marching towards legacy status) should keep most happy (in the interim).
Al, Helpful and appreciated!

If doable, and you have the time and interest, could you report back on using the Statement for both Core and Endpoint functions (for Roon) and how this might sound in comparison to your current preferred path as Core only? Thank you. - David.
@astewart8944   

Al,

Have you tried the Statement as both Roon Core and Roon Endpoint? From your review, it was tested as Roon Endpoint only, Correct?

How would you summarize the Stealth cables sound signature? Same question for your Cardas Clear Beyond cables? Generally speaking...both irrespective of the gear connected to. My interest here is mainly to feel out synergies.

Also, I'd like to confirm that you were using a 'standard LAN' cable to the Statement (vs. the Purist you have)?

I demoed the Zenith Mk3, in my system, last week. I'm asking because your answers may help me tease out and provide more information to chew on, as I process the demo. I plan on bringing the unit in again, for a more thorough evaluation.

Thanks.

- David.
Hi Al. Tremendously helpful. Thank you so very much for taking the time and energy to do this and report back. I'm grateful. Your findings will inform my approach when I have the Zenith Mk3 back in system. - David.
Since pathways were discussed in this thread, here is a USB solution that may be of interest to those looking to optimize that path...

http://www.hifiplus.com/articles/exclusive-stack-audio-link-usb-streaming-bridge/


@astewart8944 You are welcome. I realize it doesn’t apply to your unit, the Statement, but the USB optimization may be of use to those like @coach59 who will be pairing it with the Zen Mini, etc..
I am currently using a Transparent Ethernet to the Innous and a standard blue CAT6 from the Innous to the MP 3100. Possibly upgrading this Ethernet cable will help...

So far, I am finding using USB from the Statement to the MP 31000HV to be more dynamic and detailed than using Ethernet from the Statement to the MP 3100.

@musicfx Thanks for your post. Being a PA 3100 HV owner, your findings and comments are really helpful to me.

Copied the above (from your post) to highlight how critical it is to use an ’equivalent’ LAN cable in your comparisons with USB cable (Output from Innuos > Input into MP 3100 HV).

I’m sure a high quality LAN cable from the Innuos to the MP 3100 will surprise you vs. the standard CAT6 cable you used.

Looking forward to future updates. All the best.
@jonaiken Rather than "best," I’m looking forward to your impressions and feedback on the differences. Both are great combinations and should do very well in your system.

@hehaw77 Agreed on the value of a great LAN cable for the comparison. I use SOtM’s dCBL-CAT7 > iso-CAT6 Filter > dCBL CAT7 for my Router to Server leg.
@jonaiken A few things to know about the SOtM dCBL-CAT7 cable. They are unwieldy and stiff. Using the Filter between makes for a very long and even more unwieldy and stiff run. The connector clips are ’cheap’ and prone to snapping off...BE CAREFUL when you connect and disconnect and you will be fine. In other words, don’t pull or twist.

Audio Bacon has a good write-up on these SOtM cables (including filter) as well as other LAN cables. Likely one of the best comparisons across a wide range of LAN cable options.

For your comparison purposes, initially, there isn’t a need (in my opinion) to go all out with an LAN cable. There are many very good options. Once you choose the Innuos or the Antipodes combo I recommend choosing your cables based on budget, need, goals and system synergy.

Having said the above, I am very happy with the dCBL-CAT 7 > iso-CAT6 Filter > dCBL-CAT 7 combination for my first LAN run. My priority was and is neutrality from the Router to my Server.

However, I chose SR’s Galileo LAN cable for the second run (between the Server and Player).
Using cheapo cables will give you cheapo results... period.

The combination of two dCBL-CAT7 cables plus the filter in between comes to USD $1350 (assuming 1.5M for each cable).

There are other options within and below this price point that are very good and don't require the additional filter.

Certainly something approaching 1K or above is not "cheapo."

Advising that SOtM is the only route forward is not helpful.

Remember, this is coming from someone who has embraced SOtM and loves the SOtM combination he is using.
hmm they have different sizes... .75 to 4-5 meters or more .. I don't find them that stiff and I'm winding them all over the place.

Then you don't have the dCBL-CAT7.  In the U.S. market the shortest length is 1.5M  and NO, the 1.5M length can't be "[wound] all over the place."

I'm well aware of the CX and EX. As well as Innuos.
@anwar That’s a worthwhile comparison to make, though I believe you would use the CX for storage purposes.

In the case of the CX and EX combo, going with separate units for Roon Core and Roon Endpoint function is superior and is recommended by Antipodes. The CX has the Renderer functionality disabled and the EX has the ’Server/Core’ functionality turned off.
@zprr  I believe @mikelavigne has the Taiko Extreme. I suggest reaching out to him.


@astewart8944   Checking with you as you are the OP and because this thread is Innuos and Statement specific...Are you open to discussion of other 'upper tier' servers within your thread or would it be better to start a 'generic' server specific thread? Thanks.
@astewart8944  Al, I have read the review. But I had not read the comments. Thank you for pointing me to them. They are informative as well.

In many ways those conversations align with @audiotroy 's here in terms of his position that each server (he discusses/carries) has a "particular sound" and needs to be chosen in context of one's system and priorities.

Are you open to offering your 'take-away(s)' on the Pink Faun units / Christiaan Punter's response to you and others? Thanks.

As an aside, Sound Galleries and Baetis were mentioned earlier in this thread, which is why I did not list them.
@astewart8944   Thank you so much for your thorough and detailed response and the reasoning that led to your final choice in the Innuos Statement. Your post was very helpful. And thanks also for taking the time to do so.
@zprr You are welcome.

Regarding your question...

Roughly speaking, if I could ask your advice, which of these ’higher-end’ servers would you recommend that could add ’warmth’ or ’richness’ to a neutral/slightly cool pretty highly resolved system?

This is something I have also been processing and thinking through and struggling with myself. Hopefully others will offer their perspectives on the matter.

My current system has a ’sound’ that is a net synergy of it’s parts. I am becoming more and more cautious with change, given it’s current configuration and sound. As a result, I’m struggling with which ’sound signature’ to choose when it comes to my future server/player choice.

Counter to this is my position (belief) that a source needs to be as pure / accurate as possible (since it stands at the front of the system) with fine tuning applied downstream, if and when necessary.

For example, I was able to ’evaluate’ the dCS Rossini for a second time yesterday and I’m starting to get a feel for it’s contribution to system sound. I’ll be evaluating it once more, but I now have a growing feeling that it may not be an ideal fit within my current system, despite it being an exceptional DAC.