Munich MU

Reviewer: Srajan Ebaen
Financial interests: click here
Main system: Sources: Retina 5K 27" iMac (i5, 256GB SSD, 40GB RAM, Sonoma 14), 4TB external SSD with Thunderbolt 3, Audirvana Studio, Qobuz Sublime, Singxer SU-6 USB bridge, LHY Audio SW-8 & SW-6 switch, Cen.Grand DSDAC 1.0 Deluxe; Active filter: Lifesaver Audio Gradient Box 2; Power amplifiers: Kinki Studio EX-B7 monos & EX-M7 on subwoofer; Headamp: Cen.Grand Silver Fox; Phones: HifiMan Susvara, Meze 109 Pro; Loudspeakers: Qualio IQ [on loan] Cables: Kinki Studio Earth, Furutech; Power delivery: Vibex Granada/Alhambra on all source components, Vibex One 11R on amps, Furutech DPS-4.1 between wall and conditioners; Equipment rack: Artesanía Audio Exoteryc double-wide 3-tier with optional glass shelves, Exoteryc amp stands; Sundry accessories: Acoustic System resonators, LessLoss Firewall for loudspeakers, Furutech NCF Signal Boosters; Room: 6 x 8m with open door behind listening seat
2nd system: Source: FiiO R7 into Soundaware D300Ref SD transport to Sonnet Pasithea; Preamp/filter: Lifesaver Audio Gradient Box 2; Amplifiers: Gold Note PA-10 Evo monos; Loudspeakers: MonAcoustic SuperMon Mini or Acelec Model One + Dynaudio S18 sub; Power delivery: Furutech GTO 2D NCF, Akiko Audio Corelli; Equipment rack: Hifistay Mythology Transform X-Frame [on extended loan]; Sundry accessories: Audioquest Fog Lifters; Furutech NFC Clear Lines; Room: ~3.5 x 8m
Desktop system: Source: HP Z230 work station Win10/64; USB bridge: Singxer SU-2; DAC: iFi Pro iDSD Signature; Clock: LHY Audio OCK-2;  Head/speaker amp: Enleum AMP-23R; Speakers: EnigmAcoustics Mythology M1;  Headphones: Final D-8000 & Sonorous X, Audeze LCD-XC, Raal-Requisite SR1a
Upstairs headfi system: FiiO R7; Headphones: Meze 109 Pro
2-channel video system: Source: Oppo BDP-105; All-in-One: Gold Note IS-1000 Deluxe; Loudspeakers: Zu Soul VI; Subwoofer: Zu Submission; Power delivery: Furutech eTP-8, Room: ~6x4m
Retail price: €2'599 incl. VAT

MU not Moo. Taiwan's Silent Angel have a thing for Germans; not me but cities and rivers. Their current catalogue sports models named Bonn, Munich and Rhein. Until recently their Munich M1 hogged the 'hifi streamer' spot. Now it's been joined by the Munich MU, the upgraded offering. At least it's not MOC for the annual Munich show's convention centre. In ancient Greek Mu was the alphabet's 12th letter spelled Mµ. It apparently derived from the Egyptian and Phoenician words for water. In and around Munich there's plenty of the non-alcoholic liquid stuff, the biggest in the 58.34km² Lake Starnberg. Living around it makes for posh homes and the MU is "designed for ultimate sound quality". That means a 6-core processor, quality clocks with a 10MHz input to step up to the companion Genesis GX external masterclock. It means a "radar-grade" switching power supply with option to bypass with an external 12VDC linear supply like the companion Forester F2 for a sudden sprinkling of Japanese Subaru country. It means Sabre converter silicon, high-capacity NVMe SSD storage and the mobile VitoOS Orbiter app capable of indexing libraries up to 10TB.

The rear panel is self-explanatory. Add PCM 768 and DSD256 USB support, 4GB RAM and up to 4TB of SSD storage. Today's review will become a companion piece to my upcoming Rhein Z1 Plus & Genesis GX review to eventually end in a full-Monty threesome. A parallel assignment for fellow Taiwanese brand Telos and their noise/ground solutions particularly for streaming sources will also factor to further load up this gig. For now this is just a brief placeholder and proof-of-life notice on the Munich MU.

… to be continued…