Innuos Zenith mk3 complete disappointment


I have the following setup: Accuphase e480 with dac50 module, Magico A3, Chord SarumT speaker cables, Node2i a streamer only as I use Accuphase's day module. Chord Anthem bnc cable between Node and dac. (ethernet connection to streamer). I also have PSU mod for my Node2i.
I had opportunity to test Innuos Zenith mk3 during this week in my system. The same ethernet connection was used. From Innuos to dac I used entry level USB cable. 

I used Qobuz through Roon in Zenith and through BluOS in Node when testing. From the start Zenith sounded flat compared to Node2 and more I went through different music it became apparent that dynamic range was not on same level as with Node2. Especially the lower bass took a big hit compared to Node.  I also tested some highres music files with Roon and it was shocking to hear DSD with Zenith. PCM was "normal", but DSD was completely muffled, it was like hearing the music from the other room. One of the DSD records I tested was Temporary Circumstances - Clandestine Amigo (PS Audio - DSD64).

With Zenith all the testing I did was with the Roon, as iPeng client which I also tried was utter rubbish. I tried to level the sound volumes with iPhone app, but don't know how good job it did. For me Zenith was a complete disappointment from the sound quality point of view. Roon is Roon and I like it, but I think iPeng client is not on suitable level for the high end device like this. 
The problems with Zenith could be caused of course by my system: dac module on Accuphase or for example USB cable. Still I'm shocked how uninteresting sonically Zenith was compared to Node2i, as from price point of view it should be other way round.
jksec
Another case of USB being a dodgy standard. I run my Zenith Mk3 into an Antelope Zodiac Platinum with Rubidium clock. To get it to sound as spectacular as it can it took the following:
-Intona USB 2.0 Isolator with Intona reference cable
-Acoustic Revive REM-8 EMI/RFI suppressor
-Acoustic Revive RGC-24 ground conditioner
-Acoustic Revive RUT-1 Usb filter
-Low latency setting on InnuosOS
-short Meicord ethernet cable from router/switch
-black ravioli/FinalDaruma feet
That said, it now performs at reference level using Ipeng, roon being a distant second for sound quality.
It was a weird I totally agree. I wanted to make sure that the reason wasn’t Zenith’s firmware version, so I upgraded it to the latest. I need to contact the audioshop to figure out what could have caused the audio problems I experienced. I wondered if I had connected the backup USB connection in the back of Zenith, but no it was the dac USB.
@antigrunge2 Was it straight forward to set up Ipeng?

I’m interested in trying that out.


This discussion does make me feel better about my decision to avoid USB as a streamer > dac interface. Thanks for that...
I actually made the same decision, to be future proof and to be able upgrade dac I need something more reliable.