As readers who’ve followed my digital audio journey know, I have a bad infestation of spaghetti in my chain (see Review Topology section). However, as their product literature makes clear, the Phoenix will work with, and deliver value to, any USB source. The Statement already contains both the USB regeneration capability delivered in the Phoenix, as well as Ethernet regeneration.
Innuos’ primary motivation for offering the Phoenix is as a standalone upgrade option to their existing ZENith SE Mk.II Std (from $7000 abbreviated SE going forward) customers, to provide an upgrade path to approach the sound quality of their flagship Statement server (from $13,750). Priced at $3195 (all prices shown in this article are US MSRP, unless otherwise indicated), the Phoenix is clearly aimed at high-end systems. High-precision Oven Controlled Crystal (Xtal) Oscillator (OCXO) clock? Check.
Bespoke high-quality linear power supply? Check. According to Innuos, maker of the highly-regarded ZEN, ZENith, and Statement music servers, their PhoenixUSB Reclocker (abbreviated Phoenix going forward) “ takes the USB signal from any source and completely regenerates it to an extremely high-precision signal to feed into your DAC, allowing it to perform at its best.” All the ingredients you might need for high-quality USB playback are covered. A meatball, if you will, to replace the spaghetti. When it comes to the USB part of the chain, Innuos is offering us a different alternative. In other words, what we - affectionately, and our detractors deridingly - call “spaghetti.” Those of us who slave over improving our digital streaming audio chains invariably end up with a plethora of boxes, cables, power supplies, accessories, more boxes, and more cables. Innuos PhoenixUSB Reclocker Review: A Meatball to replace the Spaghetti?
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