Grimm Audio MU1 Music Streamer

In the world of digital audio, there are two philosophies: one that simply transports data, and another that perfects it. The Grimm Audio MU1 is the definitive expression of the latter. This is not a streamer in the conventional sense; it is a complete digital music source, a master conductor that reimagines the relationship between your music library and your DAC. By utilizing a revolutionary, in-house designed FPGA processor to perform flawless upsampling and downsampling with a proprietary "Pure Nyquist" filter, the MU1 delivers a perfected data stream that allows any connected DAC to perform at a level it could never achieve on its own. With an integrated Roon Core for the ultimate user experience, the MU1 is the intelligent, elegant heart of a truly state-of-the-art digital audio system.

Key Features

• Proprietary FPGA Processor: The heart of the MU1 is a powerful, in-house designed FPGA that performs exceptionally high-precision upsampling and downsampling, preparing a perfect data stream that dramatically improves the performance of any connected DAC.
• Ultra-Low Jitter Clock: Features Grimm Audio's trademark, industry-leading clocking system with less than 0.6 ps RMS of jitter, ensuring breathtaking timing, focus, and realism.
• Integrated Roon Core + Endpoint: A complete, seamless Roon solution in a single box. The MU1 runs the Roon Core server, eliminating the need for a separate computer or NUC.
• Digital Hub Functionality: A versatile digital preamplifier with three digital inputs (AES, S/PDIF, Optical) to route all your digital sources through the MU1's advanced processing.
• Future-Proof, Updatable Software: The Linux-based system and FPGA processor are entirely software-based, allowing for future performance and feature updates to be delivered online.
• Comprehensive Connectivity: Features multiple digital outputs, including AES and S/PDIF, for optimal connection to high-end DACs.
• Surround Playback Option: Can be configured with 6 digital output channels for high-end surround sound applications.
• Optional Internal SSD Storage: Can be configured with optional internal solid-state drives for local music storage, in addition to supporting external USB and NAS drives.
• Elegant Minimalist Design: Housed in a stunning, minimalist chassis with a unique top-mounted bronze control dial for volume and input selection.
• Handmade in the Netherlands: Meticulously assembled by hand, ensuring the highest standards of quality and reliability.

The Brain of the Operation: The FPGA Processor

The magic of the MU1 lies in its radical approach to digital processing. While most music players simply pass data to a DAC, the MU1 takes an active role in perfecting that data first. At its core is a powerful, custom-programmed FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array) that performs the most critical and demanding stage of sample rate conversion with its "Pure Nyquist" decimation filter—a level of precision most DACs simply cannot match. By offloading this heavy lifting from your DAC, the MU1 allows it to operate with far less processing strain and timing error. It’s the equivalent of a master chef having every ingredient perfectly prepped before cooking—the final result is simply on another level.

The Heartbeat of the Music: The Clock

Grimm Audio built its legendary reputation on the foundation of ultra-precise clocking, and the MU1 is a testament to this legacy. Jitter—tiny timing errors in the digital stream—is the enemy of realistic digital playback, causing a smearing of detail and a flattening of the soundstage. The MU1’s proprietary, ultra-low jitter clock is a fanatically engineered circuit that ensures the timing of the digital signal is as close to perfect as possible, measuring at less than 0.6 picoseconds of RMS jitter. This absolute temporal accuracy is the key to the MU1's breathtakingly stable, holographic imaging, its pinpoint accuracy, and its unwavering rhythmic integrity.

The Ultimate Roon Experience, Simplified

The Grimm Audio MU1 is designed to be the most elegant and powerful way to experience Roon. It functions as both the Roon Core (the "brain" of the system) and a Roon Endpoint (the "player") in a single, silent, and beautiful chassis. This eliminates the need for extra computers, complex network configuration, or noisy IT hardware in your listening room. You get the rich, engaging Roon interface on your tablet or phone, with a direct, bit-perfect connection to the MU1's groundbreaking processing engine. It is the ultimate fusion of user-friendly software and state-of-the-art hardware.

A Statement in Minimalist Design

The MU1 is an instrument that engages the senses even before a note is played. Its chassis is a study in minimalist elegance, with clean lines and a unique, curved top panel featuring a single, intuitive bronze control dial. This is not just a box of electronics; it is a piece of industrial design, handcrafted in the Netherlands to be the beautiful, unobtrusive centerpiece of a modern listening room. The external design perfectly reflects the internal philosophy: a focus on purity, precision, and an unwavering commitment to the music.

The Listening Room Difference

When you shop with The Listening Room, you get more than just gear. As a third-generation, family-run business with a passion for music and decades of experience, we offer personalized service that goes far beyond the sale. Call, text, or email, and you’ll get a real human who knows this equipment inside and out. From in-store demos to curated home system design and wide-radius delivery, we’re here to help you get the absolute best out of your purchase.

Specifications