[TokenGesture]

Any of you guys able to compare the Musette to the Hugo TT?  I've found the TT a big step up from the Hugo in terms of authority and composure. But I'm really intrigued to hear the Musette/Aurix combo (I can't demo the Musette)  

 

[Gibalok]

IMO, its fair to copmare TT vs Pavane, whereas Hugo vs Musette 

 

[TokenGesture]

  IMO, its fair to copmare TT vs Pavane, whereas Hugo vs Musette 

Price wise, for sure.  I guess I'm just wondering how the differences in design philosophy translate into a sound comparison - don't forget the TT is an dac/amp, and the Musette a DAC only.  
 
But yes, a comparison with Hugo is probably fairer.  You know what it's like when you can't hear the thing for yourself, you are desperate for data 

 

[dasher]

I have been living with the Metrum Musette for a little longer than a week now, and I'm quite happy with it. It does have a softer treble than the Rega DAC which is the only comparable DAC I've owned; but it also has fewer of what I perceive as digital crispies. 
 
I listen to mostly small ensemble not-so-aggressive music, but right now I'm listening to some djent and the DAC is keeping up fine.
 
I can't really comment about things like soundstaging, air, and other audiophile stuff. I _can_ say that this DAC makes listening to music more enjoyable for me, and I find myself listening for longer periods.
 
The English version of the manual says "The Musette will reach it's maximum performance after three to four weeks of extensive use".  I'm really curious what they mean by "maximum performance"; sonically it's really great already.

 

[Rockcoon]

I'm live with Musette only 3 days, but impresset quite a lot. It's way much much... MUCH better than my previous NAD D1050 (yep, i keep in mind the price difference)

Some early impressions (usb input only)

Gear used:

Source: notebook Acer Aspire V series. OS: win 10. Player foobar2000 (Asio)
USB cable: Tellurium Q blue
DAC: Metrum Acoustics Musette
RCA interconnects: 2 bucks "spagetti" from VHS player (room for improovment)
AMP: Violectric V200
Power: from computer ups. Power cords: all stock (again- room for imroovment)

So how it goes for now:

-Musette has great instrument separation, that helps to fix distortion and mess on poor records. Make them sound more like a music, than a noise. Harshness, digitous and sibilance also decrease in multiply times. (Nad couldn't handle this job)

- With midle to high quality records (no matter CD or hi-res) DAC sounds very "analog like", accurate and refined. In some cases there's apears so caled "audiophile air" on treble.

- Musette loves complex multilayer music with many ambient effects, samples and back-vocal. DAC seeks them and show to you, but without distracting fron main performance. The artists like Moby can realy "lift you up" higher now up now

- Have a great sense of timing and rythm. Nether slow, nor fast, just perfect. Notes apears and vanish when music call for it. Yep, it work fine with metal genres.

- Treble on mid to high quality records is smooth, a bit pushed back (helo Violectric v200), yet well presented. Just not the star of the show. Low quality records can still feels a bit harsh or glairy. But they do not annoying anymore, volume level can be hold pretty loud without fatigue, and it's way better, than with NAD (also don't forget about 4 weeks burn in period. I passed only 3 days)

-Midrange and vocal is one of the strongest sides. You can hear all nuances in singer voice, how it vibrates. Guitars rumble with authority. This is so great. Feels like the core of music opens infront of you.

-The bass. Well, definitely it exists here in quantity. But most important- in quality. Hits precisely and punchy, but not overblow, or pushes on midrange, where such behavior can destroy all magic.

-Can't coment about soundstage because Violectric could hold it. But personaly, i don't feel like something is missing.

(pre)Conclusion:

In general Musette has lineral, neutral presentation with a hint of darkness. Very comfortable, refined, clean. Notice- not booring at all.
As was said, in cases with some poor records, there's still harsh on treble. Hey, it's poor records afterall. And don't forget about 4 weeks of burn in.

I also understand now, what does it means "raw" sound. Device do not intrudes in tonal balance of the record. You hear exactly what musicians performed and recordet. So Musette can be not very exiting with tonaly poor, simple music like black or death metal. But with other "hard" genres, from classic rock to emo core, which has own emotional... core, it's mind blowing -trash, grunge, alternative, progressive, nu metal, folk, industrial, emo core, other cores (almost all of them), and e.t.c. Everything goes great.

Especially glorious Musette performs with my favorite bands such as Tool, A Perfect Circle and Deftones. I realy can pay 1k€ only to listen APC's "Passive" over and over again

P.S

While DAC is on 4 week burn in period, i'm rediscover more and more music from my collection, and thinking of review, cuz Musette deserves to take it's place in Head-fi chronicles

 

[dasher]

That's a great review, Rockcoon, and it brought up a point I didn't cover.
 
There _is_ great instrument separation, but it doesn't keep the music from being coherent. You can hear that the bass is not next to the drummer, but they're still playing together -- instead of a record being bass, drums, piano and saxophone, you're listening to a _band_ that has bass, drums, piano saxophone.
 
Also a good point about sibilance -- I listen to a lot of choral music, and with some other DACs, the sibilance in some choral recordings can be annoying. I don't hear that so much anymore.
 
This is also the first NOS DAC I've heard that handles complex music well. Also, I have heard some harshness on high notes, but either I've gotten used to it, or this thing actually is burning in and the harshness has disappeared to some extent. (Not sure I believe in burn-in, but who knows?)
 
For you metal fans, here's one of my favorites (though I'm not even sure that some would call it metal) that the Musette handles well:
 

 

[Rockcoon]

That's a great review, Rockcoon, and it brought up a point I didn't cover.

Thanks. I just tried to discribe my listening experience

There _is_ great instrument separation, but it doesn't keep the music from being coherent. You can hear that the bass is not next to the drummer, but they're still playing together -- instead of a record being bass, drums, piano and saxophone, you're listening to a _band_ that has bass, drums, piano saxophone.

Good point. IMO, that's why + amazing vocal reproduction = Musette feels like fish in a water with jazz, classical, instrumental movie scores and classic rock.

About burn in hype. Read many times, this is not a hype at all with Metrum products, and brings noticeable improovment, that in most part feels like harsh smoothing. Well, we have now opportunity to check this out relatively soon :rolleyes:

 

[TokenGesture]

Nice impressions guys keep em coming mine is now on order ( upgrade from Octave Mk1)

 

[FredrikT92]

Now somebody just need to compare it to Schiit Gungnir MB! Battle of the 1000$ DAC's! 

 

[dasher]

Thanks. I just tried to discribe my listening experience

Good point. IMO, that's why + amazing vocal reproduction = Musette feels like fish in a water with jazz, classical, instrumental movie scores and classic rock.

About burn in hype. Read many times, this is not a hype at all with Metrum products, and brings noticeable improovment, that in most part feels like harsh smoothing. Well, we have now opportunity to check this out relatively soon

 
About burn in -- I think it's entirely possible; I'm just unsure. As I said, some harshness does seem to have disappeared from the mix.
 
And I may be imagining this but...one of the things I like about this DAC is that when I listen to a decent recording from the 50s or 60s, it almost feels that I'm hearing that recording as I would have if I'd heard it brand new. Too bad that can't happen with CDs mastered from old 78s 

 
 
FredrikT92: I did a great deal of reading before on the Gugnir MB before buying the Musette, and it just led me to believe that the Gugnir MB would not be appropriate for me. However, if you'd like to buy one and send it my way, I'll be happy to give you my impressions.

 
I spent several hours listening yesterday, and while the Musette can make some recordings sound almost _too_ clean (and here I'm talking about isolated tunes on compilations), I was mostly very happy with how recordings were handled. In fact, I mostly didn't think about it; I just listened and relaxed. This is the first DAC I've had that makes listening to music as relaxing as I think it should be. I wish I could describe the sound better. It's mostly that it's missing a lot of what I find objectionable about many digital components.

 

[1andro1]

Hi dasher,
 
could you please give us little bit more information what exactly "push you away" from Gungnir, as I want to build a system and I am also between these two DACs? Also I would like to ask all of you, if you could share, what made you chose Mussete? I try to find some reviews regarding Mussete but for the moment there is nothing .

 

[Rockcoon]

1andro1

I start this thread, cuz Metrum Octave mk I and II are two DACs, which well known and appreciated among hi -fi comunity around the globe. So Musette could be a potential hit (Actualy now i think it is)

But final factor, that helped me to made decission, was those two impressions:

Musette can stand against Eximus dp1 (3000$):
http://www.head-fi.org/t/777406/metrum-acoustics-musette-nos-r-2r-dac-2015-discussion-thread/15#post_11991940

Musette can be on pair with AudioNote 2.1 (which i read, beat Octave mk II. But Metrum took revange):
http://www.head-fi.org/t/777406/metrum-acoustics-musette-nos-r-2r-dac-2015-discussion-thread/30#post_12012383

 

[dasher]

  Hi dasher,
 
could you please give us little bit more information what exactly "push you away" from Gungnir, as I want to build a system and I am also between these two DACs? Also I would like to ask all of you, if you could share, what made you chose Mussete? I try to find some reviews regarding Mussete but for the moment there is nothing .

 
The reason I decided not to go for the Gugnir was that by several reports, it could be a "little bit bright." Those words bring up a big red flag for me. I once bought a speaker where several reviewers said that the speakers were "slightly tipped up in the treble." Those speakers turned out to be painfully shrill sounding in my system. So..."little bit bright"...I thought I'd pass. It might be that I'm being overly cautious, but then again, it worked out for me this time.
 
And, to be perfectly honest, I'd read a lot about other Metrum DACs with the Transient chips, and I was really curious -- curious enough to buy this DAC. And I'm glad I did. The Gugnir may well be better, but...I'm happy with what I have, and I really don't feel like looking any further.

 

[Rockcoon]

Forget to mentoin. We don't have any professional reviews of musette till now. But here is early comments from upcoming review by Audiostream.com

Last night, late last night, I was dancing all over the barn. Like a mad man.

Why?

I had also hooked up the Metrum Acoustics Musette DAC and it sounded like music.

Infectious, lovely, mad, music

Actualy, this words reflects my own experience with Musette. Accept one thing - to dance all over the barn, at first i have to build it

 

[TokenGesture]

Quite a pull quote there!