Does the moon shine brighter in the north? You could think it does in light of the new Moon North Collection that aims to impress ears of distinction with high-end sonic clarity. Mighty in more than just one way, the Moon 891 network player confidently steps up to provide the proof.
Based in mostly French-speaking Quebec, Simaudio has been producing top-quality devices for perfect listening pleasure for over 40 years now – high-end at its very best: a team of 40 experts develops and manufactures all the components themselves. OEM production is out of the question for Simaudio. With their own Moon brand, the Canadians have managed to convince everyone and win an army of dedicated fans of their products. Launched in 2023, the Moon North Collection is a poster child of Simaudio’s philosophy of concentrating on a few multi-talented products as opposed to a fleet of separates.
The collection presents itself as three series, each comprising two devices: consisting of the 681 streaming DAC and the integrated amplifier, Series 6 marks the most affordable entry into the series – if you can call 13,000 plus 12,000 euros for an audiophile trip to the moon affordable, that is. Series 7 comprises the 791 network player/DAC/preamplifier and the 761 power amplifier. The 791 asks you to invest a good 18,000 euros, while the stereo power amplifier is available for 16,000 euros. Series 8 marks the absolute top of the range: the 891 offers the same functionality as the 791, but key differences to the 7-model result in a price tag of over 28,000 euros. According to the manufacturer, its ideal partner is the 861 power amplifier coming in at a monetary weight is 25,000 euros, while its fighting weight of 70 kilograms is enough to make many a high-end listener break a serious sweat. Fortunately, the 891 network player can do great things for you even without the power amplifier, which is why we are focusing our review on the network player star of the Moon North Collection. And quite rightly so, because the Moon 891 has a lot to offer – as you will soon find out.
Got some more
“Fabriqué au Canada”, it says proudly on the back of the housing, clearly to be taken very seriously. Like all Moon devices, the 891 is built in the Simaudio factory, from the base to the housing cover. The Nordlicht weighs in at 25 kilograms, definitely in no small part due to the solid aluminum housing boasting a unique and quite appealing design. The surface treatment of the domed lid alone makes my product photographer’s heart rejoice: it’s largely resistant to fingerprints and makes it easy to remove dust and micro-dirt super quickly. The equally solid logo plate embedded in the lid also looks – and feels – classy and expensive. On the underside you can find the “Moon Damping Base”, which, once freed from its transport locks, decouples the 891 from the ground, thus minimizing negative effects from vibrations. It goes without saying that the connection sockets and pushbuttons are top-tier quality. The front rotary encoder/controller is undoubtedly a masterpiece of precision engineering par excellence. The knob is so slick-turning that simply going through various settings is pure joy. That’s unless the 891 user prefers the BRM-1 remote control supplied instead. It looks more like a modern controller, has its own display and is as stylish and nice to the touch as it is functional. With the BRM-1, the Simaudio developers have left behind the infrared system, which they consider to be outdated. The BRM-1 communicates with the North Collection devices via Bluetooth. Incidentally, it can be purchased separately for the 681 for a not exactly cheap 1000 euros.
Does a lot, takes a lot
Speaking of Bluetooth: high-end aspirations are all well and good, the 891 is definitely open to the latest wireless connections. In particular, the Nordic blue tooth and WLAN can make contact. Once again, it goes without saying that the device also enables an Ethernet connection for streaming. Once the plugging has been accomplished, the LAN connection always has priority over WLAN. A second LAN port can be used to connect another network device or communicate with the 861 power amplifier via Moon Link.
There are plenty of digital inputs: AES/EBU, S/PDIF – two coaxial and two optical – as well as HDMI ARC Plus complete the half dozen. USB audio is also included, meaning that the 891 can also be used as a USB DAC with a computer. In this case, sampling rates of up to 384 kilohertz at 32-bit word size can be converted. It also accepts DSD64, 128 and 256 without complaint. Even an MQA decoder is included. Which is welcome, because Tidal and HighResAudio still offer albums packaged in MQA, although MQA will probably get to live on despite the takeover of MQA Ltd. by the Canadian company Lenbrook. Be that as it may, the 891 unpacks MQA music just as willingly as it converts DSD files natively.
As a streamer, the flagship of the North Collection is just as up to date as its two cheaper siblings: Apple AirPlay (but not MS ChromeCast) and DLNA/UPnP (of course) are supported. Like all current streamers, those in the Moon North Collection are Roon-ready. The most important streaming services, namely Qobuz, Tidal, Spotify, Deezer and HighResAudio, are already included ex works, supplemented by Internet radio and podcasts. As is usually the case, Apple Music is left out, which as we know is more down to Apple. “No big deal!” says the Apple user and uses the 891 as a USB DAC in conjunction with the Mac.
Thanks to the MiND (Moon intelligent Network Device) 2 module integrated in all current Moon devices, the 891 is capable of streaming music with an impressive maximum resolution of 32 bit/384 kilohertz. In view of so many current 32-bit DACs, this is as welcome as it is en vogue.
Network integration of the 891 is quick and easy. In fact, this is child’s play – which is why the monosyllabic quick start guide and PDF manual are perfectly fine. Since accessing all the 891’s functionality is no problem even without the app, the proprietary MiND app shall only be acknowledged in passing: the functionality is impressive, but other manufacturers have shown that things can be made even easier and more convenient. Those who are less fond of handling mobile devices will be pleased with the conventional operation on the device with the competent support of the first-class display or the casually stylish BRM-1 remote control.
There are also analog inputs: two balanced XLR and two unbalanced RCA inputs, plus a pair of RCA sockets for connecting a turntable. That’s right, the 891 – and the 791 – has a phono preamplifier that supports MM and MC systems and can be configured quite extensively. Even RIAA and IEC characteristics are available. All settings can be made easily on the device.
Audiophile essentials
The hardware is crucial for the sound quality of an audio device, and Simaudio, as high-end enthusiasts, rely on certain technologies for the best possible sound experience. Let’s take a closer look at the essential technical solutions and special features of Moon devices in general and the 891 in particular: The “Moon Digital Engine”, or MDE for short, is always responsible for perfect digital-to-analog conversion. In the 891 it is called MDE-3 and follows the principle of FPGA-based reclocking of the input signal. The FPGA has been programmed by the Simaudio engineers and it’s only in the case of the 891 that it reclocks with femtosecond precision. The use of an FPGA instead of a crystal-based oscillator is unusual and quite complex. As a result, the input signals are practically wiped clean of jitter. What the two DACs working in dual-mono mode prepare is perfected by the FPGA. By the way: The converters are ES9038Pro, which can also be found in comparatively inexpensive DACs. However, comparing the sophisticated build and circuitry of the converter section in any Moon DACs to those cheap and cheerful DACs is grossly inappropriate.
Simaudio also goes to great lengths when it comes to volume control: the “M-Ray-2 Volume Control” in the 891 is based on a discrete R2R resistor network that makes extremely fine level adjustments in 640 steps. In contrast to an equally good solution with relays, there is absolutely nothing to be heard through loudspeakers or headphones. The complexity lies in the detail: it takes a lot of parts, and the resistance values must match perfectly. According to the technical specifications of the 891, the implementation appears to have been very successful.
Finally, the 891’s power supply unit is also designed to ensure unadulterated listening pleasure. It is called MHP, which stands for “Moon Hybrid Power”, has been developed entirely in-house and is characterized by its low noise level. The 891 is already set up for even better sounding music of the future: The rear connections labeled “EXT. SUPPLY” are ready for a soon to be available external power supply unit, which will probably go one better still in terms of linear and low-noise operation.
Lunar hues aplenty
The Moon 891 offers a fixed output level for connection to a headphone amplifier. To explore its sound, I use this option and connect its XLR outputs to my Violectric HPA V281. With the new Fostex TH1100RP, a top-tier planar magnetic, I also have the right can to hand – or rather to my head – for the first listening impression. The wonderful Oscar Peterson album Another Day, which I digitally mastered myself for my listening tests, serves as the listening material. We start with the spirited “Martha’s Blues”, and the 891 proves from the very first bars that it is a grand master when it comes to dynamics, spatiality and resolution. As much as I appreciate my reference combo consisting of Mutec MC3+USB and Mytek Digital Stereo192-DSD DAC: The European duo pales in comparison to the Canadian. Don’t take me wrong: The 891 does not dig deep into the sonic color pot. It’s its reproduction accuracy that brings out everything available from the original and does not color it. Sure, a certain full-bodiedness, possibly the Moon sound signature, is indeed audible. But it’s not distracting at all, it acts more like a support for singers and gives the sounds substance. I connect the 891 directly to my Geithain RL 906 for a spatiality test and experience a three-dimensional sound experience with “The Ballad of Bill Hubbard” from the Roger Waters album Amused To Death, which my devices cannot deliver in this way. Finally, I connect my Sony PS-9X to the 891’s phono input and play the wonderful album Guitar Solo in honor of the recently deceased guitarist David Qualey – and am amazed, because the Canadian’s phono stage proves even a threat to my Violectric PPA V600. This is exactly how we imagine high end, and one thing is certain: in Canada, the moon shines particularly brightly.
Accompanying Equipment
USB interface and D/A converter: Mutec MC-3+USB, Mytek Digital Stereo192-DSD DAC, Violectric V800 | Headphone amplifier and headphones: Violectric V280, Fostex TH1100RP | Music server: Audiodata MusikServer II | Computer: MacBook Pro 16 and MacBook Pro 13 with M1, each with Audirvana software player | Turntable and phono pre: Sony PS-X9 and Violectric PPA V600 | Active speakers: Geithain RL 906 | Cables: Vovox, AudioQuest, Klotz
Network player/DAC/preamplifier Moon 891
Concept: Network player with integrated DAC and preamplifier | Analog inputs: 2 x stereo RCA, 2 x stereo XLR, 2 x phono, 2 x coaxial SPDIF, 2 x optical | Digital inputs: 2 x SPDIF, 2 x optical, 1 x AES/EBU, 1 x HDMI ARC, 1 x USB Audio, 1 x USB Storage, 2 x LAN | Outputs analog: 2 x analog balanced XLR, 2 x analog unbalanced RCA | Outputs digital: 1 x AES/EBU, 1 x SPDIF, 1 x Toslink, 1 x HDMI I2S Out, 1 x USB 2. 0 audio for external USB DAC | Maximum resolution: 32 bit/384 kHz (PCM), DSD256 | Network: Ethernet, WLAN, Bluetooth | Formats: all common formats, including DSD256, MQA decoder | Streaming: AirPlay, Bluetooth, Internet radio, Roon, Spotify, Tidal, Qobuz, HighResAudio, DLNA/UPnP, USB media | Special features: developed and manufactured in Canada, phono pre for MM and MC systems | Finish: aluminum silver/black | Scope of delivery: Bluetooth remote control BRM-1, power cable, manual | Dimensions (W/H/D): 481/140/449 mm | Weight: 25 kg | Warranty period: 10 years | Price: around €28,500
Dynaudio Germany
Ohepark 2
21224 Nenndorf
Phone +49 450 4492212