There were two $39,000 Vinnie Rossi Brama integrated amplifiers at AXPONA 2023. One was in the Vinnie Rossi room, obviously, with an Innuos digital source. The other was in the Innuos room, with the Vinnie Rossi amplification. Innuos and Vinnie Rossi have teamed up many times before at high-end audio shows, usually in Mark Sossa’s Well Pleased Audio Vida rooms and with Qln speakers and a Merason DAC. I’ve never heard an exhibit room with these partners that sounds less than wonderful.
Words and Photos by Marc Phillips
Let’s face it–these brands know how to come together and play music. But what this highlights the most, I think, is that Innuos isn’t one of those digital audio companies that are just content to fill a static room with gear, and perhaps a bank of headphones if you’re lucky. Innuos, who focuses on music servers, ethernet switches and, now, integrated streamers through the Pulse line, always assembles a great system with quality components from brands such as Magico, Wilson Audio, KEF Blades, Rockport Technologies and more.
I’m not talking about the Innuos digital in other rooms–so many rooms at AXPONA were using these highly respected products, I should have tallied it up. I’m sure the actual number would be surprising. No, I’m talking about the Innuos room, the main one where the team from Portugal (including Amelia Santos and Nuno Vitorino, pictured below) conducts their awesome A/B comparisons concerning their latest features. And the Innuos and Vinnie Rossi room, in many ways, sounded just as good as the Vinnie Rossi and Innuos room.
Last year, Innuos was conducting comparisons of their Statement server with and without the new NextGen power supply. I heard a clear improvement over and over. In the Innuos and Vinnie Rossi room, it was all about the new Pulsar, the new flagship network streamer ($6,899 USD) which allows the user to switch the USB re-clocking by merely swapping out a single cable. When I’ve experimented with digital re-clocking technology in the past, there’s always a feeling that the music makes more sense afterward, especially when it comes to macro-dynamics. Once again I heard that improvement clearly, thanks to an incredible and revealing system that also included Magico speakers, and an MSB DAC.
The Innuos Pulsar has really caught my attention–the entire Pulse line is designed for people like me who want to stream more than dive into a music server. Hopefully, I’ll get a chance to hear it again at home, perhaps with a Brama on the side. Innuos and Vinnie Rossi, together again.
If you would like to hear even more coverage from AXPONA 2023, check out our recap report and highlights from our audiophile-oriented show The Occasional Podcast. You can stream the episode direct from the embed below, or from your favorite podcast platform including iTunes, Android, Google, Deezer, Spotify, iHeartRadio and more.
Also don’t forget to check out our collaboration to commemorate the event with our solid bronze record weight available only for a limited run. This 800 grams of solid bronze features the PTA roundel on the top with also acts as a 45 adapter. You can purchase direct from the PTA Approved Store here on the site.
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