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New DAC.
Quite a fuss made of these back in the day - especially by Martin Colloms in Hifi Critic who called it a game changer and gave it a ludicrously high score for sq!
Metrum Acoustics Mini with Octave PSU - a NOS (non over sampling) DAC from 2011.
Cutely small (but not tiny).
Easy on the ear as it has an extended but slightly relaxed treble. Loads of detail and the 3D focussed soundstage impresses. Free flowing and expansive dynamics, aided and abetted by the aforementioned slight treble smoothness to avoid any splashiness.
Bass is very powerful, controlled and impactful - a few "Whoa!!" moments there!
It is a very good sounding DAC. I can't really fault it tbh, it just sounds very enjoyable - forget the gear, what shall I play next?
Bit of a pain that it doesn't have a headphone socket.
No valves, so Justin wouldn't like it.
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That looks interesting Jerry . Not cheap though , it seems .
Regards
Brian
Sell your cleverness and buy bewilderment . (Rumi )
Korus Computer Audio music server
JustBoom DAC . HRT Musicstreamer 2
Amplifier : Sony TA FB740R
Speakers : Tannoy 637
Interconnects : MS Audio / Klotz MC5000 .
Speaker cables : Western Electric 16AG
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£360 delivered - very good value imo.
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Ah..that's a good deal
Regards
Brian
Sell your cleverness and buy bewilderment . (Rumi )
Korus Computer Audio music server
JustBoom DAC . HRT Musicstreamer 2
Amplifier : Sony TA FB740R
Speakers : Tannoy 637
Interconnects : MS Audio / Klotz MC5000 .
Speaker cables : Western Electric 16AG
There is something that Metrum do that is 'just right'. I have a different model but like you find the sound very natural and as you say free flowing. Timing, attack and decay are impeccable. The amount of detail the Metrum is able to convey is astonishing.
Current: [P20] Roon/Tidal > Custom PC> Chevron Paradox NDF16 > Phast Pre > Neuro. 686 > Tannoy Berkley (RFC tweaks)
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I’m really surprised you are enjoying your DNM speaker cable Jerry as, in the past, I have found it to be blooming awful stuff with heavily curtailed bass and dynamic.
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... I have gone back to the Epiphany Atratus 3, though.
Sometimes I change things and kind of lose sight of where I've already been - revisited, the At3 is as remarkable as when I first heard it!
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I've always preferred a good NOS DAC and had a Metrum Octave some years back when they first came out. I really liked the soundstage and mids but found the LF and HF too rolled off to be a long term keeper. Really impressive when you first hear it though as it has none of that typical digital hardness.
Have you heard a DDDAC because they do all the things that the Metrum can do and more. The latest mods and tricked out PSUs for the DDDAC mean that to my ears it competes and sounds better than the very best DACs out there at the moment.