Mk3 & Next Gen – what’s the difference?
With the release of the new Next-Gen ZEN and ZENith, we understand there has been some confusion for what these mean in relation to the Mk3 range and overall ‘ZEN’ structure.
The ZEN and ZENith Next-Gen are an entirely new range of products that are positioned between the current Mk3 models and the STATEMENT Next-Gen. However, there has understandably been an assumption that the new ZEN and ZENith Next-Gens are direct replacements to the Mk3 series, which is not the case.
In this post I will aim to explain the differences between the Mk3 and Next-Gen models, and what this means for past, present, and future Innuos products.
ZEN Series Summary
Mk3
The Mk3 series launched at the start of 2019 and is still an active product line. We still fully support it, manufacture it, and develop software for it as demonstrated through the Sense 3 update, which will remain a software platform for several more years to come.
Between the ZENmini (and LPSU), the ZEN, and the ZENith, these models have broadly covered the 1000 to 5000 price point (£/€). Upgrade paths include the LPSU for the ZENmini, converting a ZEN into a ZENith, or adding a PhoenixUSB reclocker and/or PhoenixNET switch. For a time, we also had MkII to Mk3 PSU upgrades.
Next-Gen
The ZEN and ZENith Next-Gen released this year cover a higher price point nearer to STATEMENT level performance but with much greater configurability. It’s a completely new approach for us in terms of design and is an entirely new platform generation.
For this reason, the Next-Gens do not replace Mk3, and are not a direct successor to the Mk3 series.
They share the existing ZEN and ZENith naming convention because there remain some key similarities with the Mk3 range; they are all servers, streamers, NAS storage and library managers. They also share CD ripping (now via external drive for Next-Gen), Sense app control, Roon Core options and so on.
They are not flagship devices of the STATEMENT naming, but they are significantly more comprehensive than their Mk3 juniors in several ways.
Key Differences
Every hardware aspect of the ZEN & ZENith Next-Gen is different from Mk3. This includes:
PSU
Our emphasis on power supplies is perhaps one of our most defining elements when it comes to our products and are one of the greatest sound quality contributors as you move up the range.
The Mk3 series used a model of increasing independent linear power rails with steadily improving capacitors, moving from the premium Nichicon capacitors in the ZEN Mk3 and LPSU, up to Mundorf capacitors in the ZENith Mk3.
The mainboard is the skeleton of the overall system platform and determines much of the system behaviour. Consequently, it is very difficult to alter or change without disrupting the entire product design. The ZEN Mk3 and ZENith Mk3 use the same platform as developed back in 2018 and is still working well which is testament to its longevity and endurance.
However, just as a new generation of power unit in a Formula 1 car requires a new chassis around it, so does server/streamer when needing a new mainboard platform to pursue technological advancements.
Until now, we have used a single storage drive to house both operating system and music library capacity. The ZEN Next-Gen devices take a very different approach since we can now apply multiple drives without compromises on power and noise that may previously have been the case, whilst also addressing requests for user-serviceable storage resulting in a much more versatile design.
We’ve often had request to expand our output connectivity, since we have operated largely on a USB-only basis, especially on Mk3 with the ZENmini being the only exception to this.
When you reach a high-end level of performance, the best results are achieved when focussing your designs on a single output stage that has been very well implemented. The new option to have modules fitted addresses this, meaning you have now extremely high-performance output choices with PhoenixUSB, PhoenixI2S, or a SPDIF card which means you can more easily tailor to the best needs of your DAC/system.
Chassis
The quality of the chassis is also a big step forward, with construction that is more akin to the STATEMENT due to the 10mm think CNC machined, bead-blasted and anodized aluminium enclosure. A new vibration-dampened platform helps to isolate the toroidal transformer, whilst the 4mm chassis-ground port of the PULSAR carries over to these new chassis also.
What does that all mean?
It means these Next-Gen devices are completely new systems with features culminating into a high-end unit that is in no way meant to compete against or replace the current Mk3 offerings.
So, who is Next-Gen for?
It is a high-end product, but nonetheless within our lineup there was a large price gap from Mk3 up to STATEMENT Next-Gen devices. The Phoenix devices as add-on upgrades partially helped to bridge that gap, but the Next-Gen products create a more straightforward pathway for this. If you had a ZENith Mk3, a STATEMENT Next-Gen was almost four times the price. Now, a ZEN Next-Gen would be a very strong upgrade at twice the price of a ZENith Mk3, not four times.
But ZEN has always been lower than ZENith?!
Yes, but Next-Gen is higher than Mk3!
What does this mean for the future of Mk3?
Mk3 is still going strong after nearly 6 years and will still be further improved upon for years to come thanks to the new Sense 3 generation of software.
Will Mk3 be replaced? At some point yes, most likely, but the Next-Gen devices are not that replacement.
And what about PULSE series?
These remain streaming transports for those who have no ripping or storage facility requirements. In that regard, the new Next-Gen devices are in fact also an upgrade path for PULSE/PULSAR owners since there is no integrated ripper, and it can be ordered no built-in storage at all whilst the overall platform is still a strong step forward up the range in terms of sound quality.
Is the STATEMENT outdated then?
No – whilst the new ZEN & ZENith Next-Gen is clearly a versatile design with some clever tricks up its sleeve, the sheer quantity of high-quality components within the STATEMENT Next-Gen still make it a top-end product. And like the rest of the Mk3 and PULSE series, will still receive Sense 3 updates.
Still not sure?
If there is anything you still feel is unclear, please feel free to ask any questions in the comments here or post elsewhere in this forum and I’ll do my best to answer. You can also visit the product pages on www.innuos.com or can email sales@innuos.com
Thank you!
With the release of the new Next-Gen ZEN and ZENith, we understand there has been some confusion for what these mean in relation to the Mk3 range and overall ‘ZEN’ structure.
The ZEN and ZENith Next-Gen are an entirely new range of products that are positioned between the current Mk3 models and the STATEMENT Next-Gen. However, there has understandably been an assumption that the new ZEN and ZENith Next-Gens are direct replacements to the Mk3 series, which is not the case.
In this post I will aim to explain the differences between the Mk3 and Next-Gen models, and what this means for past, present, and future Innuos products.
ZEN Series Summary
Mk3
The Mk3 series launched at the start of 2019 and is still an active product line. We still fully support it, manufacture it, and develop software for it as demonstrated through the Sense 3 update, which will remain a software platform for several more years to come.
Between the ZENmini (and LPSU), the ZEN, and the ZENith, these models have broadly covered the 1000 to 5000 price point (£/€). Upgrade paths include the LPSU for the ZENmini, converting a ZEN into a ZENith, or adding a PhoenixUSB reclocker and/or PhoenixNET switch. For a time, we also had MkII to Mk3 PSU upgrades.
Next-Gen
The ZEN and ZENith Next-Gen released this year cover a higher price point nearer to STATEMENT level performance but with much greater configurability. It’s a completely new approach for us in terms of design and is an entirely new platform generation.
For this reason, the Next-Gens do not replace Mk3, and are not a direct successor to the Mk3 series.
They share the existing ZEN and ZENith naming convention because there remain some key similarities with the Mk3 range; they are all servers, streamers, NAS storage and library managers. They also share CD ripping (now via external drive for Next-Gen), Sense app control, Roon Core options and so on.
They are not flagship devices of the STATEMENT naming, but they are significantly more comprehensive than their Mk3 juniors in several ways.
Key Differences
Every hardware aspect of the ZEN & ZENith Next-Gen is different from Mk3. This includes:
- New PSU architecture
- New mainboard & platform architecture
- New storage architecture
- New chassis
PSU
Our emphasis on power supplies is perhaps one of our most defining elements when it comes to our products and are one of the greatest sound quality contributors as you move up the range.
The Mk3 series used a model of increasing independent linear power rails with steadily improving capacitors, moving from the premium Nichicon capacitors in the ZEN Mk3 and LPSU, up to Mundorf capacitors in the ZENith Mk3.
- The ZEN Next-Gen features the RECAP2 rectification module, whilst the ZENith Next-Gen features the ARC6 active-rectification module as found in PULSAR and STATEMENT Next-Gen. However, these are both coupled with a new Gallium-Nitride ‘NGaN’ regulation stage that is tuned to a specific frequency, isolated in a dedicated EMI-shielded enclosure to prevent both noise transmission and absorption. NGaN is extremely efficient in speed whilst also running very cool with no heatsink requirement.
- Paired with a 150VA Toroidal transformer for ZEN Next-Gen and a 300VA Toroidal transformer for the ZENith Next-Gen, this greatly reduces electrical impedance, resulting in more rapid power distribution which helps to give a more precise sound.
The mainboard is the skeleton of the overall system platform and determines much of the system behaviour. Consequently, it is very difficult to alter or change without disrupting the entire product design. The ZEN Mk3 and ZENith Mk3 use the same platform as developed back in 2018 and is still working well which is testament to its longevity and endurance.
However, just as a new generation of power unit in a Formula 1 car requires a new chassis around it, so does server/streamer when needing a new mainboard platform to pursue technological advancements.
- Both Next-Gens benefit from a new PreciseAudio board, featuring Tuned Spread Spectrum Clocking that greatly reduced negative impacts on audio by tuning every frequency available. This improves energy efficiency thereby reducing power noise as well as even further reducing CPU latency which has also been a crucial element of improving sound quality, which can be done on both a hardware and software level.
- This degree of power customization allows a lower thermal output, but crucially lets us use even more precise power supplies with faster CPUs that would normally require a noisier power source. In other words, we can use even better power supplies with even faster CPUs than we could previously, resulting in even faster performance with an even lower noise floor.
- The PreciseAudio board is also an enterprise server-grade board meaning it has excellent stability and durability thanks to solid capacitors and custom internal regulators, whilst further customization means the board has no unnecessary components on it that would only otherwise create power noise.
- Due to these substantial gains with board and power architecture outlined above, this means we can now apply i3 and i7 CPUs with a high number of cores, offering faster speeds without an increase in system noise or heat output.
- On a similar basis, this also permits the improvement up to 16GB of Industrial-Grade APACER DDR4 RAM, specifically tested out of dozens of modules for the best sound whilst also allowing more speed for database operations.
- The increased number of CPU cores also allows us to apply AudioCore, whereby specific cores are independently assigned exclusively to audio purposes and are not shared in the same cores that also perform other system tasks. AudioCore receives a sonic benefit in conjunction with the new Real-Time Kernel, which is now viable on the new board thanks to the stability ensured by the heavily tuned PreciseAudio board. These two elements dramatically reduce system latency; the analogy we use is that it’s like driving through a city and every single set of traffic lights you meet are already green!
- The increased processing power is of course good news for Roon Core users looking to leverage its more intensive DSP features.
Until now, we have used a single storage drive to house both operating system and music library capacity. The ZEN Next-Gen devices take a very different approach since we can now apply multiple drives without compromises on power and noise that may previously have been the case, whilst also addressing requests for user-serviceable storage resulting in a much more versatile design.
- The OS SSD is directly connected to the board, removing EMI and latency usually required with interconnecting cables, and is also independently powered using a tiny 325mW of power, again resulting in extremely low power noise or thermal output. The ZEN Next-Gen uses a 3D Triple-Level Cell drive, whilst ZENith Next-Gen has pseudo-Single-Level Cell with a simpler controller for even lower latency and longer durability. Both come with power-loss protection circuits to ensure system integrity and are industrial-grade modules using top selected flash wafers.
- There is now the option for no storage at all if you are looking to use the device as a very high-performing streamer, with no local storage for files. In this scenario, you can think of it as an even more advanced and better-sounding PULSAR, that can run Roon Core independently without the need for a separate Nucleus or other Core device.
- Nonetheless, there are two storage bays; one inside the unit that uses a directly connected NVMe SSD via PCIe that can be fitted at the factory or by a dealer, with 2TB, 4TB, or 8TB options. Then there is also user-accessible bay found on the underside of the Next-Gen, which can also take an NVMe SSD via M.2 connection that fits directly on to the board and can be any capacity size that you wish. For this, we had to develop XSM (Expandable Storage Management) in Sense app, so that these storage partitions could be easily managed. This includes a robust platform whereby if one of these NVMe drives fail, the system is still fully operable but simply disables the music that was present on that drive, and when you fit a replacement drive then restoring an Innuos backup will intelligently re-populate that drive with the missing music.
We’ve often had request to expand our output connectivity, since we have operated largely on a USB-only basis, especially on Mk3 with the ZENmini being the only exception to this.
When you reach a high-end level of performance, the best results are achieved when focussing your designs on a single output stage that has been very well implemented. The new option to have modules fitted addresses this, meaning you have now extremely high-performance output choices with PhoenixUSB, PhoenixI2S, or a SPDIF card which means you can more easily tailor to the best needs of your DAC/system.
Chassis
The quality of the chassis is also a big step forward, with construction that is more akin to the STATEMENT due to the 10mm think CNC machined, bead-blasted and anodized aluminium enclosure. A new vibration-dampened platform helps to isolate the toroidal transformer, whilst the 4mm chassis-ground port of the PULSAR carries over to these new chassis also.
What does that all mean?
It means these Next-Gen devices are completely new systems with features culminating into a high-end unit that is in no way meant to compete against or replace the current Mk3 offerings.
So, who is Next-Gen for?
It is a high-end product, but nonetheless within our lineup there was a large price gap from Mk3 up to STATEMENT Next-Gen devices. The Phoenix devices as add-on upgrades partially helped to bridge that gap, but the Next-Gen products create a more straightforward pathway for this. If you had a ZENith Mk3, a STATEMENT Next-Gen was almost four times the price. Now, a ZEN Next-Gen would be a very strong upgrade at twice the price of a ZENith Mk3, not four times.
But ZEN has always been lower than ZENith?!
Yes, but Next-Gen is higher than Mk3!
What does this mean for the future of Mk3?
Mk3 is still going strong after nearly 6 years and will still be further improved upon for years to come thanks to the new Sense 3 generation of software.
Will Mk3 be replaced? At some point yes, most likely, but the Next-Gen devices are not that replacement.
And what about PULSE series?
These remain streaming transports for those who have no ripping or storage facility requirements. In that regard, the new Next-Gen devices are in fact also an upgrade path for PULSE/PULSAR owners since there is no integrated ripper, and it can be ordered no built-in storage at all whilst the overall platform is still a strong step forward up the range in terms of sound quality.
Is the STATEMENT outdated then?
No – whilst the new ZEN & ZENith Next-Gen is clearly a versatile design with some clever tricks up its sleeve, the sheer quantity of high-quality components within the STATEMENT Next-Gen still make it a top-end product. And like the rest of the Mk3 and PULSE series, will still receive Sense 3 updates.
Still not sure?
If there is anything you still feel is unclear, please feel free to ask any questions in the comments here or post elsewhere in this forum and I’ll do my best to answer. You can also visit the product pages on www.innuos.com or can email sales@innuos.com
Thank you!
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