Apart from the silver control disc, the Grimm MU2 looks identical to it’s older sibling – the Grimm MU1, OK apart from the MU2 logo on the front that is! Round the back it is a completely different story though. For those familiar with the Grimm MU1, you will know that you are only met with digital connections, think of it like a digital transport and music server. There have been many things written about the MU1’s Player / Server / Roon Core abilities and if you have investigated the MU1 yourself, you will know all of which has been very positive – in fact the MU1 is one of our favourite digital sources. So the big question is – what will the MU2 bring to the table?
Well, firstly and most obviously, looking at the rear panel you see an array of analogue connections along with Ethernet, AES, coax and optical digital inputs. Unlike it’s MU1 sibling, there’s no need for digital outputs, as the most exciting feature about the MU2 is that it has an integrated FPGA DAC. The addition of the DAC, together with it’s analogue pre-amplifier section, means it becomes a real high end single box front end – just add power amps and speakers! Hey what about going the whole hog and go Grimm MU2 into active speakers for a single box solution?
Both the MU1 and MU2 use Roon for their control interface, but also Grimm are working on their own control app which is expected to be launched later in the year – however Roon is such a popular interface to use for both our customers and ourselves, we’re not overly concerned with when the Grimm control app gets launched. Obviously, it’s difficult to directly compare the MU1 and MU2’s performance, as the MU1’s sound signature will change with different DAC’s and pre-amplifiers that form the rest of the system.
It’s great news that the MU2 provides two analogue inputs, one pair of XLR’s and one pair of RCA’s, which should be enough for most people. The fact that the Grimm MU2 has a true analogue pre-amp section means that you could connect a pair of RCA’s from say your Phono Stage and leave the pair of XLR inputs for another source. A CD transport could connect via one of the digital inputs to take full advantage of the MU2’s internal DAC, and whilst we’re on the subject, what a DAC this is!
So to put the Grimm MU2 through it’s paces, we have setup the following system;
Power Amplifier – Chord Electronics Ultima 5
Loudspeakers – Wilson Benesch Resolution 3Zero
That’s quite a short list, but that’s the beauty of the Grimm MU2 having so much ability under the hood, you can have a very low box count if you so wish. To audition the MU2 in it’s different guises, we also had the Chord Electronics Ultima PRE 3 pre-amplifier on hand, so to use the MU2 in it’s fixed output setup and therefore bypassing it’s integrated volume control. Completing the system were Siltech Classic Legend series audio cables, Shunyata Everest 8000 power distributor, Shunyata Alpha power cables and Melco S10 network switch.
In operation when turning that big silver disc on the top, the relay volume control has a very gentle click with each volume change increment and is reassuringly consistent. Each click is in 1 db increments, which is more than fine enough to get the correct level required for the listening session.
So onto the sound of the Grimm MU2 feeding the Chord Ultima 5 power amplifier directly. Vocals are the first thing I notice, really singled out and floating at stage front. Vocals are presented in such a sublime manner, it really highlights the singer. Width and height of Soundstage, depth and space between instruments is first class and no sign whatsoever of being analytical! The musical engagement is a real stand out aspect of the MU2 – my foot is constantly tapping in time to the music, making me forget to take notes and I’m just enjoying the experience (I sound like a magazine reviewer now, but I can see why they say this!). The bass really punches too, I mean hard and full but without bloat, this is fun. Track after track I am met with an engaging sound that makes me want to get involved with what is playing. Something is making this really enjoyable to listen to, I’m not quite sure how the MU2 is doing it, but it’s working!
The overall sound presentation is very refined, no glare or harshness at all, but I suppose this should not be surprising, as this is an outstanding trait of the Grimm MU1.
The intimacy and connection with what is playing keeps drawing me in and begs for yet another track (see Jack, it’s not my fault I had to ‘work’ on listening to the MU2 for so long!). I try to find something to trip it up, to try and find where it will fall over, but it just doesn’t, it doesn’t matter what I throw at it, it laps it up and gets you involved with the music. Is this it’s biggest positive point? Forget the immersive soundstage, forget the intricate detail, forget inky black instrument separation – I’m involved here, involved with the musicians in the concert, with the ambience of the hall, with the music.
So how does the MU2’s pre-amplifier compare with a dedicated pre-amp, let’s put the Chord Electronics Ultima PRE 3 pre-amplifier in and see how it compares. Well after listening with the Grimm MU2 direct into power amplifier and then with the pre-amplifier in line, I have to say the Pre-amplifier section in the Grimm MU2 definitely holds well against the £6,000 Ultima PRE 3 and we wouldn’t hesitate to recommend giving it a try direct. In time we will have tried many pre-amp combinations with the MU2 and have more of an understanding of what they bring in tandem with the Grimm. If you’ve got to the end of this blog I’m sure it goes without saying the MU2 has lived up to expectations. we have already demonstrated this to a few lucky customers in store who were also suitably impressed. We’d love to show you how capable it is, whether you’d like to try the MU1 with your existing DAC to compare with the MU2 or would like to jump straight into a session with the Grimm MU2 please get in touch and we can make arrangements. We can see a few MU2’s being purchased to replace 2 or 3 box systems, please let us know if you’d like a trade in quotation below.