The Chech Republic magazine Hi-fi Voice published a great review of the MU1 with a lot of attention to the sonic qualities of the MU1 in combination with a Mola Mola Tambaqui DAC. The MU1 impressed them so much that they offered it their “Reference Award”. Editor Daniel Březina writes about his experience with various tracks:
“We had the impression that after inserting the MU1 into the signal path, Duke Ellington’s track “The Mooche” took a deep breath of fresh air. It not only gained in terms of pleasure, but it also sounded fuller, stronger. The natural and precise character of the Mola Mola Tambaqui DAC did not disappear, on the contrary: it seemed to flourish. The character of the MU1 itself seems non-existent, it only illuminates the ‘spirit’ of the set. After disconnecting the MU1, the excellent sound of the Mola Mola suddenly paled, it was not so captivating and intense anymore.
(…) The MU1 brought a sense of calmness to the reproduction, without compromising the dynamic explosiveness of the system. It is a more confident, richer reproduction, we would also swear that it has a greater dynamic range. It’s not a breathtaking effect – until you disconnect the MU1 from the set and those assets are gone. With the MU1 you can better hear small details, just as there is a more sovereignly reproduced macrodynamic tension. And everything is better controlled.
(…) In particular, human voices sound more intelligible, and in intense moments with a full-playing orchestra and polyphonic singing, you can focus more easily on individual vocalists. You can orientate yourself well in the recording at very low playback volume, and you can also play loud without feeling intimidated.
(…) In any case, it must be said that the Grimm MU1 is a big and very pleasant surprise for us. This elegant device can uplift even tuned top sets a little further, and offer you more fun.”
“It’s not a breathtaking effect – until you disconnect the MU1 from the set and those assets are gone.“
Daniel Březina, Hi-fi Voice
