I’m curious if any Antipodes Audio owners either have or are familiar with Grimm Audio MU2 ?
Just interested to see if the MU2 , with say a K22/K41 combo, and used just as a DAC/preamp would go ?
I’m keen to demo the MU2, however not having a USB input is putting me off a bit.
Moved from DX gen3 Oladra - S20 - PS Audio Directstream to Grimm MU2 and I am very happy. From sound quality to Roon performance everything is just better. I was looking for all in one streaming + pre solution and this is exactly what I was dreaming of.
A major concern for me is the Roon only route with the Grimm MU1 and MU2 bearing in mind the proven compromises in sound quality with Roon. I had an MU1 in my system for several weeks and sent it back to the dealer because I felt that Roon was disadvantaging the sound quality to an unacceptable level.
Indeed Nick, I’m of the same opinion, ROON only is simply too compromised sound quality wise.
So I’d be using the MU2 as a DAC/Pre. only and that then it becomes a very expensive DAC with a volume control.
There’s plenty of competition in that price point, LINN Selekt HUB Edition with dual organik DAC, dCS Bartók Apex, Meitner MA3i, CHORD DAVE/mSCALER, WEISS 502 etc, etc,
Peter, I agree there is plenty of DAC choice. I have not heard the dCS Bartok Apex but I have heard the very fine Rossini Apex and I concluded that was about the same standard as Dave + Mscaler although I could have happily lived with the Rossini Apex I personally preferred the Dave/Mscaler combination (of course with my own WAVE Storm dual bnc cables because they do make a difference).
Hi Nick. I also currently use a Chord Dave/M Scaler combo with your dual BNC cables, with a single cable from my K50 to the M scaler. But I’m also considering the Grimm Mu2 as an option to reduce the number of boxes and cables in my system.
I’ve read that you also use ATC powered speakers, so that is another option to reduce the cable connections by getting rid of my Pas Labs XA 25 amp. I’m looking at the ATC SMC ASL50 for my room size. But it’s a big change from my Harbeth HL5 Super XLD /Pass labs combo at present.
Hi Alex, My system used to have Pass Labs XA30.8 to Spendor S200 speakers and then I changed to Pass Labs XA60.8 amps with the Spendors. All the time the Pass Labs were connected direct to my Dave/Mscaler but then I got the chance to buy the ATC 150 actives at a very special price. In some respects they are not as good as the Pass Labs plus Spendors but overall they are very musical and I love them but that is taking nothing away from the Pass Labs option (which I still have waiting to go into an office system.
I have not heard the MU2 but for me when I tried the MU1 I felt that Roon was severely holding it back and I much preferred the K50 or indeed Oladra with Squeeze + Squeeze.
As an aside you might have read that I have had a dCS Rossini Apex in my system on trial but I preferred the Dave + Mscaler (albeit with my Wave Storm dual BNC cables).
I can only say beware chasing the box reduction route without a home trial because you will be stuck with the Roon sound and I was not happy with that option.
I’m sure that you can use the MU2 only as a DAC / Pre.
But then it’s a very expensive DAC/Pre. and as I said, there is a lot of choices at that price point.
Thanks Nick that’s very helpfull.
Hi,
outing myself as well 
Owning MU2 now for over 1y and my K22 (USB to IDEON Audio ION DAC) for 4 months. I can say with confident, having owned heavy competitors (Lampi Pacific, AN DAC5, Rockna Wavedream, Holo May KTE, Merason DAC1, Weiss 501 mkII, dCS and Meitner).
Grimm MU2: is for extremely longterm-listening and works very well with all kind of source material, without coloring too much (not using the PreAmp, it is connected to my Soulution Pre). Quite engaging and goes into direction of R2R Ladder DAC’s and tube output-stages, but not those over-smooth-coloring many prefer.
K22 G4/Ion Audio: as someone never owned an Antipodes device before and owened several other well-known streamers, I’m pretty impressed. Using it as Roon bridge only (MU2 is my Roon core), it is damn quick and brutal detailed (at least in the combi with the Ideon Audio ION DAC). It is very revealing and for anyone who loves that kind of signature. Therefore it is picky with source material, meaning: bad titel mastering, not sounding good.
Also using my beloved Abbas Audio Hermes Signature pure-tube-DAC through RCA to K22. This is very different and a match in heaven for emotional listening to Jazz and Classic.
So both devices will not left my house anymore 
Rgds,
Gerald
Hi Gerald,
How did the Grimm MU2 compare to the Holo Audio May KTE?
especially the tone, is the May much warmer than the MU2?
Did you ever compare to the Chord Dave? I tried the DAVE and hated it, too detailed and analytical for me.
Hi Adrian,
KTE is the typical warmer-side presentation(in my opinion: way too much, once you compare it with others side-by-side!), thats why many have used the Holo May with USB + HQplayer.
MU2 is in in the perfect sweetspot, it has no warmer-presentation, but also not the typcial over-analytic Sigma-Delta DAC signature. Thats the beauty with FPGA DACs as many have shown, like Mola Mola or Chord, it is all about the perfect digital filter design. For me as digital nerd, FPGA will be the future of DAC Designs, no doubt about it. On the other hand, I own and owend extremly good Tube DACs and for me they are unbeatable presenting 44khz (CD Redbook) material, but HiRes no chance. To beat the MU2 ((+PRE-Amp features), you will need to go beyond €30k - personal, unpaid opinion 
On the other hand, my Ideon Audio DAC is the perfect-high-resolution DAC and with the Antipodes K22 as perfect streaming bridge a brutal perfect comby, which many of Tube- and and R2R-DAC owners would say “analytic”.
Rgds
Gerald
Hello Nick, why is the Roon compromised in terms of sound quality?
Well that is the $64,000 dollar question! All I can say s that I hear the same ‘Roon effect’ no matter which device. I head the same effect on the MU1 and that is why I returned the demo unit to the dealer.
I am very pleased with my Linn Selekt Edition (Line Out to power amp) in which I am just home demoing the Stereo Organik DAC module (as an upgrade from Linn Katalyst) - with CX (G3-Oladra) as server (roon and / or minim server).
I’ve got rid of multiple boxes in the living room, with the CX, custom switch, router and power supply boxes in a comms cupboard elsewhere in the house.
I previously had a K50 (G2) into Aqua La Scala then a Bricasti M3 - and this new combination of CX(G3) and Linn Selekt Edition is a genuine step forward (9 months in for the main components) is a step forward for me, especially with the Organik DAC module, which was always on the planned upgrade path from when I bought the Selekt Edition in January '25
With a Norma IPA40 integrated (on AV passthrough, with an external Balanced Power Supply) to a choice of Kudos Super10A or Serhan&Swift Mu2 speakers for my smallish listening area.
Linn is no longer such a closed architecture and many people are running the Selekt or Klimax DSM/3 into good non-Linn amplification or direct into active speakers such as ATC, or using Linn’s Exakt technology with Kudos for example.