I have been digital only for many years and ever since I bought my original Logitech Squeezebox Touch streaming from a hard rive has been first choice . I have graduated a little since then but not as far as I thought I would . Today I still use Logitech Media Server software loaded on to a Raspberry Pi 4 8GB using Max2play distro and used as a media server only with a Crucial 2TB SSD HD attached for my music Library . I then have players attached to every system which stream their music from the LMS . In my main music system downstairs I use a Raspberry Pi 4 4GB with a fitted Allo Digione Signature powered by the dual LPSU Ashanti power supply again use Max2play as distro . This was fed in to a dCS Purcell / Delius pairing and this was connected directly to my NVA P150 power amplifier controlling my Quad ESL 57 speakers . This sounded really great and I was pretty happy to just buy more music and leave things as they were .

Then I went to a DAC off and to listen to a number of DAC,s including the Denafrips 8Pro Mk 1 I had at the time . In the main system all the DAC,s were used with a Mutec 3+ USB reclocker unit in the stream because this was part of the main system . Now all of the DAC,s sounded good to excellent and it was a really interesting experience . At the end I asked if I could hear my Denafrips without the Mutec in stream which as it had XLR output was not very difficult . The shock for me was the change in sound quality the DAC still sounded what it was a well made and really strong sounding DAC but the air and naturalness of the music in particular vocals was diminished and the only thing I could put this down to was the Mutec .

Then for came the issue when I found out how much the Mutec cost around £1100 new and best part of £800 used sadly much too much for me to spend at that time . So after a little chatting on a few forums a friend told me he had a used GD Audio DDC which would do the same thing as a Mutec but in his view not as well so he had bought a Mutec . Sent me the GD Audio unit and fitted this using BNC in and RCA out to the dCS units . Well I was shocked and surprised that this improved things really well not the same as the Mutec the GD Audio is a more coloured than the Mutec adding a bit or warmth in a similar way an old valve amp can it sounds really lovely and is easy to listen to but may not be fully accurate . In the end I had to just admit I loved the sound and so it had stayed in my system .

Then a Mutec came up on e-bay for £450 buy it now and with Paypal three months free credit it was just too tempting and I bought it there and then . Delivered the unit was in as new condition and when I plumbed it in I had some tense moments when I could not get it to work but a little help and it sparked in to life . Well much as I remember the change was instant everything including tone , timbre and placement in soundstage just seemed to settle down and sound more real and natural . Bass gained texture and vocals sounded as if they had more time to sing the notes and as if the vocalist was relaxed .

It should have ended their but the friend I bought the GD Audio unit from said what I needed to do was have the internal SMPS power supply in the Mutec removed and use an external LPSU . Having LPSU supplies dotted around all of my system including my router I have been very convinced of the rightness of using this type of supply for music . So Mutec sent away and SMPS removed and replaced with a nice little barrel socket to plug in to . I then borrowed an Sbooster with Ultra mk2 and away we went. As the unit was away for about a week or so getting changed no real chance to do any A/B listening but i am very sure that the uplift in using an LPSU was nearly as much as the insertion of the Muted in the first place . Final result is the best musical sound I have heard in my system and room since i started listening to HiFi everything is just better and the Quads now shine through as the wonderful speakers they have always been .

What can I say if you have never heard one get a listen to a Mutec it raises the quality of any digital stream you plug in it , avoid the USB connection if you can and stick to the SPDIF on BNC or AER on XLR leads . I will be visiting another Mutec owner soon which has a stock unit in place and I will be taking my altered Mutec plus the SBooster power supply to do a little back to back listening which will be interesting to say the least .