Latest Thread Images

Metrum Pavane
Aug 8, 2015 at 7:17 AM Post #46 of 682
Any actual discussion of the Pavane forthcoming...? 
popcorn.gif

 
Aug 8, 2015 at 10:01 AM Post #47 of 682
I use pc with Daphile OS as the music source, but at the beginning it is not working as although the Daphile OS detected the M2tech USB interface of Pavane, there is no sound coming out from my system. I emailed to Metrum to ask about this but they told me that they also encounter this problem. Eventually I found the solution and that is quite simple, just tick all the options in the mixer section of the audio device setting will solve the problem.

Anyway, I might bring my Pavane to my fd's house to compare with his WEISS MAN301B next month.
 
Aug 9, 2015 at 1:05 AM Post #48 of 682
astrostar59 said:
  I am certainly not saying all D-S are bad, but I haven't yet heard a D-S that sounds 'right' IMO. Yes, detailed, dynamic, exciting (for a while) but too hi-fi form me. I want a more realistic (warmer?) sound, and one I can play loud and not run for the volume when the drums start.... To me R-2R + tubes = heaven.
Click to expand...

I'm with you on this one.
 
Aug 9, 2015 at 9:18 AM Post #50 of 682
Also a bit interested in the Pavane. And the Kalliope is absolutely the best DAC I've heard period. Not really even close. It's a ******* Sabre implementation.
 
Aug 9, 2015 at 9:46 AM Post #51 of 682
paradoxper said:
  Also a bit interested in the Pavane. And the Kalliope is absolutely the best DAC I've heard period. Not really even close. It's a ******* Sabre implementation.
Click to expand...

Hi Paradoxper
If you prefer solid state and are thinking of R-2R, besides the MSB Analogue and the Pavane, there is the TotalDAC which Arnauld has and is getting good press. I am excited more folk are finding R-2R interesting.
 
I must say many who get one tend to keep it, even if they also have another high-res DAC. It may be relevant how much high-res material people are buying. I was interested for a while but am 100% RedBook 44.1 now. Having said that the MSB and some others can do R-2R to higher resolution and still be bit perfect? Correct me if I am wrong.
 
Aug 9, 2015 at 9:56 AM Post #52 of 682
astrostar59 said:
  Hi Paradoxper
If you prefer solid state and are thinking of R-2R, besides the MSB Analogue and the Pavane, there is the TotalDAC which Arnauld has and is getting good press. I am excited more folk are finding R-2R interesting.
 
I must say many who get one tend to keep it, even if they also have another high-res DAC. It may be relevant how much high-res material people are buying. I was interested for a while but am 100% RedBook 44.1 now. Having said that the MSB and some others can do R-2R to higher resolution and still be bit perfect? Correct me if I am wrong.
Click to expand...

Ultimately I will pursue the Kalliope or perhaps look into a demo of TotalDAC. But at the moment I'm being held hostage by finalized T2 costs. So the Pavane
seems like a logical step for me. If I ever get a Yggdrasil I think it'll be an interesting comparison.
 
Aug 9, 2015 at 10:14 AM Post #53 of 682
paradoxper said:
  Ultimately I will pursue the Kalliope or perhaps look into a demo of TotalDAC. But at the moment I'm being held hostage by finalized T2 costs. So the Pavane
seems like a logical step for me. If I ever get a Yggdrasil I think it'll be an interesting comparison.
Click to expand...

I know what you mean, my spend the last year has gone a bit crazy. I think you can get a TotalDAC at home demo but they require paying for it, with a return if not happy. Not sure if there any dealers? If you are at some point getting the Kalliope, maybe secondhand Hex would work? I have seen them for sale now and then. The Pavane will no doubt be better, but by how much?
 
I would love to hear a TotalDAC against a tube based DAC like the Lampizator or Audio Note. IMO the power supply and output design have as much effect on the final sound as the DAC board itself (applies to Delta-Sigma as well) . Also the USB inbuilt solution (if the relevant DAC has one) it totally crucial. I read the MSB Analogue sounds 'ok' with the standard USB board, but excellent with the USB Quad board. I use an external M2Tech USB to S/PDIF solution instead. others I tried seemed to reduce the level of SQ and stage width.
 
The Pavane is back on the M2tech boards I think? They dropped the M2Tech boards on the Metrum as the driver for Asycronious was not ready for Mevericks.
On a Mac the M2Tech convertor is great, a lot better than the others I tried in 2013. Not sure if things have moved on. The key to USB IMO is pure clean and isolated power supply (not using the USB power feed) and Asycronious operation. The addition of an external clock with the convertor also took it up another level. Personally I hate the extra boxes and spaghetti, but if it sounds better and doesn't cost a packet I am in.
 
Aug 9, 2015 at 10:23 AM Post #54 of 682
I like the "True Dual Mono configuration" the Kallope has, just like the Bricasti M1.  I also like the TotalDAC has a separate power supply.  These two type of configurations make for a cleaner sound IMO..
 
Aug 9, 2015 at 10:37 AM Post #55 of 682
astrostar59 said:
  I know what you mean, my spend the last year has gone a bit crazy. I think you can get a TotalDAC at home demo but they require paying for it, with a return if not happy. Not sure if there any dealers? If you are at some point getting the Kalliope, maybe secondhand Hex would work? I have seen them for sale now and then. The Pavane will no doubt be better, but by how much?
 
I would love to hear a TotalDAC against a tube based DAC like the Lampizator or Audio Note. IMO the power supply and output design have as much effect on the final sound as the DAC board itself (applies to Delta-Sigma as well) . Also the USB inbuilt solution (if the relevant DAC has one) it totally crucial. I read the MSB Analogue sounds 'ok' with the standard USB board, but excellent with the USB Quad board. I use an external M2Tech USB to S/PDIF solution instead. others I tried seemed to reduce the level of SQ and stage width.
 
The Pavane is back on the M2tech boards I think? They dropped the M2Tech boards on the Metrum as the driver for Asycronious was not ready for Mevericks.
On a Mac the M2Tech convertor is great, a lot better than the others I tried in 2013. Not sure if things have moved on. The key to USB IMO is pure clean and isolated power supply (not using the USB power feed) and Asycronious operation. The addition of an external clock with the convertor also took it up another level. Personally I hate the extra boxes and spaghetti, but if it sounds better and doesn't cost a packet I am in.
Click to expand...

Considering I really love Stax I don't think I'll fall back into dynamics or planars so I'll be looking to downsize in gear. I may be interested in keeping another
DAC for a different presentation. But all this stems on finding out how the T2 reacts to tube rolling. I'll be building around that and the 009.
 
Agreed. Isolating power seems to be one of the keys to greater SQ. I think aside from clocking it has the biggest impact on sound. 
 
Aug 9, 2015 at 11:42 AM Post #56 of 682
wahsmoh said:
I think the unnatural treble and glare of most D-S DACs is something you don't notice until you try a good R2R. Then when you try and go back it never sounds the same again. I have listened to a few of the newer D-S like the Auralic Vega, Yulong DAC varieties, Ayre qb-9 and codex, schiits akm4399 and what I have found is generally they sound less engaging and don't have the slam or timbre of the R2R and become fatiguing more quickly at higher volume. There is a sweet spot for the volume on most D-S DACs and once you go up higher in volume the glare becomes more noticeable. I find that when R2R in general you can push them in volume without killing your ears with digitiitus in the treble.
Click to expand...

Some of the high end D-S are actually partially R2R, the highest end Burr Brown DACs for example are 6 bit R2R, the rest being DS, they call it "advanced" segment. They sounded much much much more natural than 1bit DSD DS Dacs.
 
Aug 9, 2015 at 11:54 AM Post #57 of 682
Pavane to me is a great great step up from the Hex! At first I was using the LKS dual 9018 DAC which is from the same dealer of Metrum in Hong Kong (he also sells Totaldac, Rockna, Black Dragon and he has a set of MSB). I've tried all these DAC in his office. Before the Pavane came I tried the Hex as I wanted to buy a better DAC to replace my LKS. I really like the tone of Hex but it is actually not as good as the LKS on the HI-FI aspect for example the soundstage or the positioning of the instruments. LKS is not as melodic and warm as the Hex but it has a slightly clearer sounding, slightly deeper soundstage, better separation and extension etc... 
 
However, Pavane simply beat the **** out of the LKS on any aspect you can think of. The micro dynamics, music details, size of soundstage, the layering and positioning... everything is way better then the LKS. So the Pavane simply sounds HI-FI enough to me while it also sound real and beautiful. I will put it to the level which is very very close to the Rockna Wavedream Signature on the HI-FI aspect, but I love the tone of Pavane even more than the Rockna.
 
Aug 9, 2015 at 1:25 PM Post #59 of 682
The totaldac sound very vivid, mid-range focus and having tight bass to me. Soundstage of totaldac is little deeper than the Pavane while Pavane is having a slightly wider soundstage. Totaldac has a slightly darker background. But Pavane sounds more realistic to me as the mid-bass and bass range of Pavane are richer than the totaldac which gives the sound of musical instrument a better texture, also the imaging of vocals on the totaldac sounds a bit big while Pavane has a more reasonable size.
 
Aug 9, 2015 at 2:12 PM Post #60 of 682
windwolf447 said:
  The totaldac sound very vivid, mid-range focus and having tight bass to me. Soundstage of totaldac is little deeper than the Pavane while Pavane is having a slightly wider soundstage. Totaldac has a slightly darker background. But Pavane sounds more realistic to me as the mid-bass and bass range of Pavane are richer than the totaldac which gives the sound of musical instrument a better texture, also the imaging of vocals on the totaldac sounds a bit big while Pavane has a more reasonable size.
Click to expand...


That's a very interesting comparison - and very good.  
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Users who are viewing this thread

Total: 2 (members: 0, guests: 2)
Back
Top