Zenith Mk3, which input sounds best when used as endpoint

[NickBacon]

I have a Zenith Mk3 and I have always used it as a stand alone streamer/server using the Sense app but for one reason or another most of my ripped files are stored on a server in another room. So I am getting my head around trying to use that other server (it is already using LMS) and connecting it to the Zenith Mk3 to use as an endpoint.

This is the set up and the point of my question is which Zenith Mk3 input will sound best, ‘Streamer’ or ‘LAN’? Indeed will they sound any different or are they both effectively the same network connection?

Any ideas anyone or indeed even better if someone knows the actual answer!!

 

[Stephen Healy]

I have a Zenith Mk3 and I have always used it as a stand alone streamer/server using the Sense app but for one reason or another most of my ripped files are stored on a server in another room. So I am getting my head around trying to use that other server (it is already using LMS) and connecting it to the Zenith Mk3 to use as an endpoint.

This is the set up and the point of my question is which Zenith Mk3 input will sound best, ‘Streamer’ or ‘LAN’? Indeed will they sound any different or are they both effectively the same network connection?

Any ideas anyone or indeed even better if someone knows the actual answer!!

View attachment 20

Good morning Nick!
I would take the position that the less external streaming the ZENith Mk3 can do, and the more it can just rely on its own internal SSD, the better. So, to dial right back to basics, can you outline why you use an external LMS server as opposed to just having the ZENith running these duties?

 

[NickBacon]

Good morning Nick!
I would take the position that the less external streaming the ZENith Mk3 can do, and the more it can just rely on its own internal SSD, the better. So, to dial right back to basics, can you outline why you use an external LMS server as opposed to just having the ZENith running these duties?

Good morning Stephen, I run two systems and for the moment the ‘main’ system in the sitting room does not have an Innuos streamer server (although I hope to put that right at some point in the future). The streamer/server in that main system is from another manufacturer and I have selected to use LMS + Squeezelite player on it because on that device that is what sounds best compared to the other server/player options available on that machine.

The Zenith Mk3 is in the second system in the kitchen.

For ease of file handing I am currently putting all purchased music files on the main system streamer / server. Of course I could copy all of that over onto the Zenith Mk3 and run duplicate locally stored files on both systems but that is a faff. Because the main system is already running LMS + Squeezelite it means that the kitchen system Zenith can be put into endpoint mode and play the main system locally stored files.

So, whilst accepting what you suggest about how to get the best sound quality from the Zenith Mk3 I am really in the (hopefully temporary) position of wanting to make the best of a less than optimum situation and to listen to the music stored on my main system whilst we are listening to the ‘kitchen’ system.

As to why I do not currently run an Innuos in the main system, it is simply because I have an Mscaler/Dave combination in that system and I find it sounds best when the Mscaler is connected to the streamer/server by BNC which is currently not an output offered by Innuos.

Does that explain why I am asking what I am asking?

 

[NVitorino]

I have a Zenith Mk3 and I have always used it as a stand alone streamer/server using the Sense app but for one reason or another most of my ripped files are stored on a server in another room. So I am getting my head around trying to use that other server (it is already using LMS) and connecting it to the Zenith Mk3 to use as an endpoint.

This is the set up and the point of my question is which Zenith Mk3 input will sound best, ‘Streamer’ or ‘LAN’? Indeed will they sound any different or are they both effectively the same network connection?

Any ideas anyone or indeed even better if someone knows the actual answer!!

View attachment 20

Hi Nick,

The streamer and LAN are bridged ports and there should be no difference with them. We also have a Chord DAVE in our room using the SRC DX to input as Dual BNC. Have you tried running the ZENith MK3 in standalone mode and just mapping the files on the other LMS server as a Shared Folder? Perhaps you can then compare if you hear any difference between that and your current setup? I assume with the architecture you have that you don't use Sense as the app? Sense itself does make a difference in terms of sound as the app does not poll the server frequently like the regular LMS apps do. Perhaps worth trying?

Nuno

 

[Stephen Healy]

Good morning Stephen, I run two systems and for the moment the ‘main’ system in the sitting room does not have an Innuos streamer server (although I hope to put that right at some point in the future). The streamer/server in that main system is from another manufacturer and I have selected to use LMS + Squeezelite player on it because on that device that is what sounds best compared to the other server/player options available on that machine.

The Zenith Mk3 is in the second system in the kitchen.

For ease of file handing I am currently putting all purchased music files on the main system streamer / server. Of course I could copy all of that over onto the Zenith Mk3 and run duplicate locally stored files on both systems but that is a faff. Because the main system is already running LMS + Squeezelite it means that the kitchen system Zenith can be put into endpoint mode and play the main system locally stored files.

So, whilst accepting what you suggest about how to get the best sound quality from the Zenith Mk3 I am really in the (hopefully temporary) position of wanting to make the best of a less than optimum situation and to listen to the music stored on my main system whilst we are listening to the ‘kitchen’ system.

As to why I do not currently run an Innuos in the main system, it is simply because I have an Mscaler/Dave combination in that system and I find it sounds best when the Mscaler is connected to the streamer/server by BNC which is currently not an output offered by Innuos.

Does that explain why I am asking what I am asking?

Thanks Nick, it certainly does and I understand the overall setup that you're in - makes sense to me.
Putting the ZENith in Endpoint mode would certainly make sense in this scenario, and i agree duplicating the library from the main server over to the ZENith is perhaps not worth the time and effort. The PULSE series is very much a good fit in these kinds of configurations.

From an input perspective, there is absolutely no difference between LAN and Streamer; one port is bridged off the other, so just keep the LAN input going from the PhoenixNET.
The only optimisation that comes to mind in the ZENith Mk3 situation is to put its Latency mode into Low which you have likely already done.
Also, i suspect you have already experimented with SRC-DX, which would convert USB to BNC which in turns bypasses the MScaler USB input stage? Feedback on this has been positive for Chord Electronics owners.

*Note* moved thread from Help section to Product Chat section of forum.