Mutec MC-3+ USB

[Confused]

The Mutec is certainly an interesting device. I think something like a Mac Mini + Mutec set-up would actually suit myself very well. Without going into too many details, I am actually a big fan of iTunes, plus having been an iTunes early adopter, I have much time invested in playlists, track ratings and so on. I think it is hard to beat a computer based system for streaming, you can use any media player you want, Qobuz, Spotify, internet radio, or whart ever else you want managing files is easy, and if something new like "Roon" comes along, no problem, a Mac or PC will run it. If you are locked into a specific device, such as a Melco or Aurender, you then end up wondering when intergration of the next thing will be implemented and then starts a frustrating waiting game.

There is a big question here though, just how good is something like a Mac Mini + Mutec for pure sound quality? I think this forum has established a basic hierarchy for sound quality, which runs something like this:

1, Standard Mac or PC Via USB.
2, Lower cost dedicated streamers
3, Standard Mac or PC via Devialet AIR. 4 (Listed with respect to sound quality, stability issues excepted)
4, Well specified "audio optimised" PC's & decent dedicated streaming devices Melco, Aurender, Total DAC etc.

So where would a Mac / PC fed Mutec fit into this list?

As far as I know, there are only two people who have tried a Mutec with a Devialet. One is Jan ('Gentleman'), who reports excellent results with the Mutec, although Jan is using a Mutec with a very trick multi-box computer server. I would imagine that this would sound pretty good with or without a Mutec, but it does say something very positive that even Jan's beast of a server can be improved with a Mutec in the chain.

The other user is of course our very own 'Our', the author of this thread. 'Our' reports that the Mutec improves the sound of Mac Mini via USB, this is probably what you would expect based on Jan's experiences.

So what we need is someone to put a Mutec head to head with a Melco, Aurender X100, or similar.

'Our' does of course have the ability to try a back to back test of Mutec vs Devialet AIR, this on it's own would be fascinating. If the Mutec could be demonstrated to edge ahead of AIR, then this puts it in contention with the better dedicated streamers.

Whether or not 'Our' would want the hassle of setting up such a comparison is of course entirely up to him!