In Barn for Review: Grimm Audio MU2 Music Player

The main, big, difference between the recently reviewed and revered Grimm MU1 and the MU2 is the latter also has a DAC built in.

So feature wise, with the Grimm MU2 Music Player we have a Roon Labs Core server (by adding the 2TB or 8TB of optional internal SSD storage), a music streamer that can also run as a Roon Ready endpoint, and an FPGA-based discrete Major DAC. In other words, all of your digital needs in one handsome package.

As you’d expect, the MU2 adds both RCA and XLR outputs and perhaps less expected RCA and XLR inputs which means you can connect your turntable to the MU2 and use its relay based analog volume control turning the Music Player into an analog preamp to boot! There are also 3 digital inputs (AES, Coax S/PDIF, Optical), an Ethernet input (no WiFi here), a USB Type-A slot for adding USB (music) storage, and a headphone jack. Full fun(ction).

the same round control disc as found on the MU1 is found atop the MU2 only this time it’s a moon glow silver as opposed the MU1’s sun glow gold

Grimm offers a very nicely written explanation of their Major DAC on the website. Here’s a taste:

…The implemented solution in the Major DAC results in a zero error operation of the noise shaper. Moreover, the 1.5 bit DAC choice offers such a stable noise shaping operation that it allows for a highly optimized, unique 11th (!) order noise shaper.

To filter the resulting strong high frequency noise before it enters the analog signal path a so-called FIR DAC topology is employed, using 16 DAC cells per channel. And while we are on the topic of filtering: worth noting is that the input of the noise shaper is fed from our extreme precision “Pure Nyquist” digital FPGA filter, running at 128 times the base rate. All these measures enable the Major DAC to reproduce micro-details in the audio that have never been heard before.

I love micro-details and look forward to hearing more. Stay tuned!

Grimm Audio MU2 Music Player
Price: $17,500 | 2TB SSD Storage + $235 | 8TB SSD Storage + $630
Company Website: Grimm Audio

Features