Innuos Zen MK3 vs Aurender N100

I bought a Zen Mk3 last May, 2021. It replaced a Windows 10 laptop feeding my MHDT Orchid. I’m from the IT world and quite honestly didn’t expect much of an improvement in sound quality. It was more of a convenience factor for me and I knew they had the sense app coming out; I was on the fence about another year with Roon and was looking for a way out.

I’ve read about various "issues" with the Sense app. I’ve had none. I just used an ethernet cable to hard wire the Zen to my router and otherwise no changes from the Windows 10 laptop.

To this jaded, long time audiophile, I was pleasantly surprised by the difference in sound quality between my optimized laptop and the Innuos device. I certainly noticed a better listening experience with the Innuos. The Innuos is also fast as hell. Zippity zoom between albums, playlists, etc. That’s another thing that really surprised me. I thought it would run slow with such a minimal processor. I was happily proven wrong. It’s really fast. It’s a pleasure to use.

I have the TB filled with flac files but most of the time I listen to qobuz with the Zen.

Only one more comment on this thread; I personally find it unprofessional that Audiotroy jumps in with whatever he is shilling now.  I’ve seen him do this on numerous threads on audiogon.  

@jkontuly The N100 has been replaced by the N200. I own an Aurender N20 and it's the sweet spot in current streamers/servers. Maybe consider a used N10 at a similar budget.

Let your ears guide you.

Thanks everyone. Leaning towards innuos but was wondering if anyone had every started with the mini  plus power supply and the upgraded to the zen and if so was there a big improvement. I don’t plan on using ROON which was one of the benefits I heard of using the zen as it apparently maybe a little slow on the mini. Obviously, on the used market the mini plus power supply is much cheaper which is why I ask.
thanks.  

When I bought my Innuos Zen Mk3, I considered the possibility of getting the Zen Mini instead. My dealer told me that he thought the sound quality of the Zen was a significant upgrade over the Mini and that the cost increase wasn't very large once the added cost of the external power supply for the Mini was figured in. He also mentioned that paying for the DAC built into the Mini was a wasted expense if you were planning to use a better external DAC anyway. 

@jkontuly

Innuos website does a good job comparing them side by side with easy to understand features: https://innuos.com/zen-mk3-series/ (scroll down a bit on that page).

Basically ZEN adds to the Mini built in Dual-Linear PSU with mains filter, and
Isolated Ethernet Ports. Also a bigger and better chassis 

ZENith is another considerable step above the ZEN due to the Triple-Linear PSU with Mundorf Capacitors, but also SSD instead of HDD in the lower two models.

IMHO the sweet spot in the lineup price/value wise is ZEN. I currently own and use in daily basis the ZENITH. I have owned in various times the ZEN and the Statement