I'm only 2 weeks in on my CX/EX/P2 combo, and after having taken several weeks to burn in the standalone CX demo unit, I know I still have a couple weeks to go minimally to hear it closer to it's best...from post above, perhaps longer.
I can say that dropping a brand new EX as a renderer onto a burned in CX as the server only was an immediate improvement. The P2 can help on top of that, although it wasn't as big of an improvement (yet)--using it to convert USB to i2s for my PS Audio Directstream DAC.
I can also say that replacing a burned-in CX with a brand new one was an immediate step backwards as well. The burn in is very, very real.
I have the 3 units stacked P2 then EX then CX, and I'm thinking I will get the P1 at some point and stack them side by side, although that is more for the like Hot Wheels effect--"Gotta collect 'em all!" I don't expect a noticeable impact, but could explore re-burning some CDs that are favorites.
I have the CX/EX/P1/P2 stacked in a 2 x 2 array - so visually in looks like a single unit.
See https://www.whatsbestforum.com/threads/ians-audio-set-up.30009/#post-631639
Whilst I have the P1 and P2 I have no experience of either yet as I can never pull myself away from just listening using CX and EX.
Mark Jenkins who is Antipodes owner (as far as I know)/designer is a big advocate of reripping your CDs using the P1 and Samsung 860 EVO SSD units for storage - though comparative listening is difficult as you need to extract one SSD unit and insert another so an instant switch over is not possible - and moreover the thought of reripping hundreds of CDs at maybe 6 - 10 minutes per disc is not compelling. I understand that the P1 ripping process is thorough but lengthy.
I also understand that whilst the P2 has a variety of outputs, Mark's preferred one is I2S which very much limits the DAC or DAC/amplifier you can use.
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