Tweek Geek Speek: The Innuos Pulsar: The Best Sonic Value In The Innuos Lineup

Spoiler Alert: The Innuos Pulsar is the best value in the entire lineup of Innuos products. If you've been lusting after the Statement, and either don't need a local library of music, or you have it stored on your network, this may be the best alternative. Add a PhoenixNET switch later on as funds permit, and you get really, really close to the performance of the Statement for just over $10,500.

Power Supply. One of the first things you will notice about the Pulsar is the weight. It's darn heavy. This is in a large part due to the massive power supply they've implemented. The Pulsar incorporates a custom ARC6 power module with Active Rectification, over 130000 uF of Mundorf Capacitors followed by a Mundorf Silver Gold Oil output cap, a large inductor and a massive 300VA audio-grade toroidal transformer.

Optimized USB port. the Pulsar offers an optimized USB output with a PhoenixUSB Lite Reclocker built right in. This is powered by a custom DC4 CX power regulator module with Audionote KAISEI capacitors.

The MSRP is $6899, and it comes in black or silver. Order turnaround times are super fast, considering they are built to order and ship from Portugal. It takes less than seven days.

Buying a streamer is unlike buying most any other audio component. Because you aren't just buying a component, you are buying a user/listener experience that involves software, a user interface and networking. There is a lot that can go wrong, on the networking side, that's obvious. Everyone's home network is different, and usually not optimal for audio (don't worry, we can help). Then there is the streaming component, and it's app. Most streamers these days have the hardware down, the setup is usually smooth, but it's the music playback where things can be a little dodgy. User interface design is a key component in a high quality streamer This is something that many audio manufacturers did not have to dedicate much intellectual capital to until very recently. But they are finding out just how important it is to the overall impression a streamer can give to a listener. A crappy user interface, clunky setup process, or instability in the operating system of the streamer can immediately bias the listener to not like the product. I've seen it firsthand, as well as experienced it myself. Having to struggle to get a streamer to make sound can put one in such a mood that by the time the component is working as it should be, one is no longer in the mental space where they can enjoy music.

I am happy to report that this is very much not the case with Innuos. They have not only conquered setup and configuration interfaces, but the music playback interface as well.

Setup

Setup couldn't be easier. Plug in the Pulsar, connect an ethernet cable that is plugged in to your network, turn the unit on, then open up a browser on any networked tablet, phone, or PC and type in the URL "my.innuos.com" That should launch the sense app and connect to the Pulsar. You don't even need to download an app if you don't want to. They do have one for Android and iOS devices, and I do recommend downloading it, but this is a testimony to the well thought out setup process.

From within the app, you connect to your streaming services, and to your music library. Boom. You are ready to play music.

I like to enable the "keep screen always on" feature in Settings so the app stays continuously connected to your control device.

The Sense App

The Sense app works on Apple, Android, Mac and Windows devices. Any PC that connects to your network and can run a web browser can be used to set up and play music through the Pulsar. I think this is super cool. Many manufacturer apps only work fully on Apple or Android tablets. You might be able to do some configuration via a browser, but no control of the music playback. With the Sense app, if my phone rings while I'm listening to music, I just use my PC to pause the music while I take the call. I appreciate being able to use the larger screen of my PC as well.

Innuos has done a nice job with the interface as well. It's visually appealing, logical and makes for a short learning curve. Roon is my favorite streaming app in terms of features and interface. Their Roon Radio feature and DSP functions make it tough to beat. But, that being said, the Innuos app sounds better, and is catching up in terms of features that I enjoy.

Sound & Experience

Break in is somewhat long and painful. When we first hooked up the Pulsar the sound was hard, and pretty flat. It took a good two weeks before things started settling down. By week four, we didn't miss the Statement in our reference system. The Pulsar does the same unveiling of midrange detail and richness that the Statement does (at least to my very unreliable audio memory). The midrange is very transparent, rich and focused. On the Stein Bobby S speakers I felt locked in to this all encompassing soundfield. It lacked nothing, and was just so relaxing and enjoyable. This is not an analytical sound. You can tell Innuos made a priority of nailing the midrange as this is where the streamer really shines. Not that they sacrified much of anything else in terms of bass weight or high frequency extension, they didn't. It's just that I have heard more precise image placement and detail in the high frequencies from more analytical, or more expensive streamers. I don't miss it at all when listening to the Pulsar. I feel they made the right decision in terms of sonic attributes.

In terms of dynamics, again the Pulsar excels. The investment in the power supply really pays off in terms of punch, slam, jump factor, whatever you want to call it. There was no compression imposed upon the music by the Pulsar whatsoever. If it was in the recording, it was reproduced faithfully by the Pulsar.

Conclusion

I have every Innuos streamer at the store, and have heard them all. They are a great brand with one of the best house sounds I have heard. The Pulsar is no exception. What sets the Pulsar apart and makes it such a great value is when you compare it to their Statement streamer. The Statement is better, and offers more in terms of capability, but it's more than double the price. I feel that what the Pulsar offers sonically should cost $10,000 or more. I highly recommend the Pulsar.