Innuos PheonixNET Revisited
REFERENCE AUDIO – WITHAM ESSEX
BOB’s Review Series - No 32 – Innuos PheonixNet (Revisited)
Introduction – Back in Review No 20 I listened to the Innuos PheonixNet and asked “What is there to write about a product that has only one input, three identical outputs, has no display not even a front or rear LED to tell you it’s turned on, doesn’t get warm in use and the only control is a rear mounted on/off switch. I decided at the time that there was quite a bit to say about it. So much in fact that it has led to this revisit review.
This was also prompted by my upgrade from the Innuos Zenith Mk3 streamer I was using at the time of the original review to the Innuos Statement, and I wanted to see and hear if there was more performance to be had from the PheonixNet when feeding data to a more costly and accomplished streamer. At the time of my earlier review, I decided not to purchase the PheonixNet and instead stayed with my English Electric 8 Switch, a fine network switch at its price of around £500. The PheonixNet costs £2,599 (at the time of writing) and seemed a lot to spend on not a significant gain in perceived sound quality. Would using it with a better streamer offer greater sound quality?
Technology – the following information is a reprint from my original review of the PheonixNet - A network switch is a device in a computer network that connects other devices together. Multiple data cables are plugged into a switch to enable communication between different networked devices. An audiophile grade switch is one that connects to your BT Home Hub or other manufacturers network device and attempts to deliver a cleaner, less noisy, more stable and precise signal to your music streamer or server and to link all your network connected devices together with the same high-resolution data transfer.
Innuos describe the PhoenixNET as a Network Reclocker and as ‘The realisation of Innuos’ philosophy of simplicity and signal purity applied to the network switch’ and when designing the PhoenixNET Innuos identified 4 key areas to concentrate their design efforts on:
- Minimise Network Switch Noise – no internal switching regulators and 3 independent voltages supplied by Statement grade linear power supply. Individual network isolation transformers, high quality ethernet ports (1 in and 3 out), managed EMI absorption.
- Increase Clocking Precision and Stability – Using the same OCXO clocks as used in the Statement, individually powered.
- Provide Pristine Power to the Components – two independent Statement grade linear power supplies with Mundorf Caps.
- Minimise Vibration on Components – three levels of vibration control via the anti-vibration feet, top cover treatment and silicon mounted ports.
The PhoenixNET is a mains powered device with onboard transformers so no basic wall wart plug here. Network speed is only 100Mbps because music simply doesn’t need the mega high speed data transfers that movie streaming requires. It has three special anti-vibration feet fitted as standard and is built into a half width case, similar to that used by their USB Reclocker and comes with a silver or black facia. It is 215mm x 342 x 87 (W x D x H) and weighs in at 5Kg.
System Components used in this Review:
Preamp: PS Audio Directstream DAC in Preamp mode – Gryphon Essence Preamp
Power Amplifier: The Gryphon Essence Stereo
Digital Sources: Innuos Statement Streamer – PS Audio Direct Stream DAC in USB Mode - Sony CDP X3000ES CD.
Analogue Sources: None
Streaming Sources: Tidal and Qobuz – Roon Management
Speakers: Marten Mingus Quintet
Performance – Since my earlier review I have continued to use the Chord Company 8 Switch and not really feeling the need to spend more on a network switch. However, using the PheonixNet to feed the Innuos Statement has made me rethink the order of all things HI-Fi because it simply provides a much higher level of streaming performance by allowing the Statement to achieve its full potential, a potential that wasn’t so evident to me when feeding the Zenith Mk3.
To fully assess what impact the PhoenixNET had on sound quality I listened to the same tracks that featured in my earlier review for consistency and ease of reference. System differences since Review No 20 being the Innuos Statement replacing the Innuos Zenith, the Gryphon Essence pre and power amp replacing the Michi P5 and M8’s and the PS Audio Directstream DAC replacing the Matrix Audio DAC.
- ‘Into My Arms’ – Roger Daltrey – As Long as I Have You (Tidal MQA 96kHz 24bit)
- ‘James Bond’ – Iggy Pop – Free (Tidal MQA 44.1kHz 24bit)
- ‘In Hell I’ll Be in Good Company’ – The Dead South – Good Company (Tidal FLAC 44.1kHz 16bit)
- ‘The Place I Want to Be’ – SaintSavior / Badly Drawn Boy – The Place I Want To Be (Tidal FLAC 44.1kHz 16bit)
- ‘Who Do You Think You Are’ – Angus & Julia – Snow (Qobuz 44.1kHz 24bit)
- ‘Living on A Rainbow’ - Angus & Julia Stone – Big Yet Plane (Qobuz 44.1kHz 24bit)
- ‘Come Together (2019 mix)’ – The Beatles – Abbey Road (Tidal MQA 96kHz 24bit)
I found in all cases that the PheonixNet gave a much quieter background to music replay bordering on silence and this allowed a more insightful look (listen) deep into every track I played. Guitars and stringed instruments were more detailed with fingers on fretwork and bows on strings given more realism and that essential feeling that the artist is in the room with you. Allen Taylor’s album Behind the Mask includes a version of ‘Save The Last Dance for Me’ and the guitar work and vocals on this track (Tidal 44.1kHz/16bit) was simply rendered more convincingly with the PheonixNet in circuit. Another track on this album is Banjo Man which seems to be dedicated to Derroll Adams and the banjo really takes pride of place sounding for all the world like a fast guitar in the hands of Taylor. Simply engrossing.
The PheonixNet allowed a cleaner bass performance with seemingly less hash by allowing more detail through and it did this right across the audible spectrum. Part of this ability is to help create an even larger soundstage into which the performers sit and bring you closer to the music. And surely this is what we are all striving to achieve.
Conclusion – My earlier review left me impressed by the PheonixNet but not sufficiently so to make me splash the cash. The PheonixNet being around 5 times the price of the 8 Switch it just didn’t seem like good value. However, it’s not easy to say what is and what isn’t good value in audio because we all strive for different things and the law of diminishing returns certainly plays a part but having herd the PheonixNet in a higher resolution system I can see the value of owning one. Time to start saving I think.
Before returning the PheonixNET to the showroom I had the chance of listening to it in my system where the PS Audio DAC was temporarily replaced by the remarkable MSB Reference DAC (10 times the price of the PA Audio) and this reinforced my view that the PheonixNet just gets better and better as the rest of your system improves.
Is it worth the money? Yes, but it understandably gives better results when used in higher resolution systems.
Bob – Team Reference Audio