Twelve months ago we filmed our first review of the Grimm Audio MU2 — streamer, DAC, Roon Core and analogue preamp. Since then it has been Dan’s daily front-end. This is the long-term reflection — what we’ve found about living with it, how it compares to the products buyers most often cross-shop, and the system pairings that have come out on top. The original video review is below; the long-form take is underneath it.
Twelve months ago we filmed our first review of the Grimm Audio MU2 — streamer, DAC, Roon Core and analogue preamp. Since then it has been Dan’s daily front-end. This is the long-term reflection — what we’ve found about living with it, how it compares to the products buyers most often cross-shop, and the questions we get asked most often.
What it is
The Grimm MU2 is a one-box streamer, Roon Core, DAC and analogue preamp — the absolute ultimate in high-end hi-fi, yet still falls loosely into the lifestyle product category. So it has the benefits of a lifestyle product without any compromise whatsoever on the high-end hi-fi side of things.
First impression — recap
Just simply how unbelievably coherent, pleasant, rewarding, engaging, and enjoyable it was to listen to. The kind of first hour that anchors a reference relationship.
Twelve months of living with it
Dan lives with it daily, so we know exactly what it’s like on a daily basis — and it’s kind of like fit and forget. You set it up, it’s visually interesting when you do look at it, but also small enough that it doesn’t draw attention to itself.
The ease of use is, well, you never really have to touch it. You interface it through either Tidal Connect or Roon — which is how Dan uses it mainly. Roon is your interface. It never goes wrong, so you never really need to go back into the web GUI or anything like that. Rock solid.
It’s just so engaging, so inoffensive, never becomes fatiguing. Presents a rock solid soundstage. Incredible.
How it compares — twelve months in
The MU2 saves you a lot of money over the top-end dCS, in a much smaller form factor, and arguably offers just as much from a rendering perspective. We don’t have any experience of the Aurender. The Innuos products are streamers only — the MU2 has a DAC in it, so it offers way more functionality. That said, using an Innuos as a Roon Core does seem to take the burden off the MU2 slightly and improve its output.
Who the MU2 is for
The person looking for a five-figure, not six-figure, ultimate front-end. There’s nothing better that we can think of in the five-figure category when you consider everything it does.
Who it’s not for
Somebody who doesn’t want to spend five figures, that’s for sure. Not for somebody looking for entry-level high-end — this is a holy grail product. And it’s not a holy grail product for somebody looking for high box count and a six-figure solution.
Quirks or gotchas
Honestly, we think it’s basically a perfect product.
What pairs well with it
Any high-end system, really. Its little quirk would be — it could be incredibly compact with a compact power amp. Watch this space from a power amp perspective — we can’t say any more than that. For the time being, something like the Mola Mola Perca stereo power amp, or the Mola Mola Kaluga monoblocks — they’re tiny, compact, and incredibly capable.
If you want to watch this episode on YouTube click here.
To see the Grimm MU2 in our shop click here.
To see the MU2 on the Grimm website click here.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Grimm MU2?
The Grimm MU2 is a single-box hi-fi front-end: a streamer, Roon Core, DAC and analogue preamplifier. It is designed for high-end systems where sound quality and simplicity both matter.
How has the MU2 been to live with over twelve months?
In daily use it has been stable, unobtrusive and easy to operate. Dan mainly uses it through Roon, with Tidal Connect also available, and has found little need to revisit the web interface once set up.
Who is the Grimm MU2 best suited to?
It suits someone looking for a five-figure, high-end front-end with fewer boxes and broad functionality. It is not aimed at entry-level systems or at listeners who specifically want a larger, multi-box six-figure arrangement.
How does the MU2 compare with separate streamer and DAC options?
The MU2 offers more integration than streamer-only products because it includes the DAC, preamp and Roon Core functions. The review notes that an external Innuos used as a Roon Core can take some load away from the MU2, but the MU2 remains a very complete one-box solution.
What power amplifiers pair well with the Grimm MU2?
The MU2 can work into many high-end systems, particularly where a compact, capable power amplifier is preferred. The review highlights Mola Mola Perca stereo and Mola Mola Kaluga monoblocks as natural examples.
