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Metrum Acoustics Musette NOS R-2R DAC (2015) Discussion thread
Dec 17, 2015 at 7:14 AM Post #137 of 239
Holographic sound stage with genuine depth and layering
Clean, smooth and detailed sound
Fleshed out, rounded vocals
Deep, extended low frequencies with excellent definition
Foot tapping involvement
A step up in realism
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I use Tellurium q blue USB cord. With 300 $ cord the diference in sound will be noticeable. But not night and day. Just a taste of honey to overall sweetness- if you allready like how you system sounds with stock cables.
If not, you just adding that small amout of honey into a barrel of sh...t.
 
Dec 19, 2015 at 11:20 AM Post #139 of 239
I've had the Musette in my system for about four weeks now. Though I haven't played it constantly, it's broken in (or I've broken in) nicely.
 
Yesterday I listened to music for almost eight hours without a break and without fatigue. I really do like this DAC. I don't really have the vocabulary to review it, but I would say it's relaxed but doesn't lose the beat. Like many NOS DACs, it could do a little better with very complex music (such as Bach organ works), but for most music (that I listen to), it's very nice.  I really like to relax while I'm listening, and this DAC allows me to do that. But it's not that it loses the forward motion of the music; it handles that very well.
 
What's missing? Well, as I said, very complex pieces are not handled all that well; that's not a problem for me, but could be for some. The major missing piece is the crispy edge that many other DACs place on some notes; the sharp attack that seems to me to be artificial. I don't miss that at all.
 
Dec 19, 2015 at 12:53 PM Post #140 of 239
Unexpected but was supposed to be here Monday but UPS brought it today! Even on first listen it's quite something! Looking forward to burning it in.

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Dec 20, 2015 at 2:51 PM Post #147 of 239
rockcoon said:
If you don't mind. Can you tell quick comparison irDAC/Musette? Just a few words.

I was interested in irDAC, and had a good offer for used one- 250 bukcs. But deal was broke down, cuz seller refused to send it in my town.
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Sure. A little early for me to give a good comparison for the Musette since it seems it truly does open up with time. Some initial impression was irDAC was quite good for the price, I mean real good. I'd say it competes at the DS Gungnir level. Truly a sonic bargin imo. It was a little noisy tbh towards the top of my volume listening range with some cans (Audezes) I'd hear a bit of noise. I don't hear this noise with the Musette at all and all being fair the only thing different about my chain is the dac. Frankly I can crank the volume knob to the max and I hear the faintest bit of noise on the Musette. I mean my usual listening level on the WA6SE even on my HE560s is about a touch over a 30-40% of the available volume knob travel. Musette's background is inky black.
 
Soundstage I don't think i'd say Musette's is wider but goes deeper with more realism,  irDAC not lacking in width/dynamics but doesn't feel as deep/real. This is my first NOS dac and I can say i'm a big fan of the way it presents music, very analog sounding. irDAC seems to be like a lot of oversampling dac's i've listened to, it was kind of a warm dac that pushed details to the front and I feel muddled the soundstage a bit, a touch bright and sometimes too overly detailed which keeps you from kicking back to enjoy the music. I think for short bursts was maybe more engaging. I think it deals with quicker paced music maybe a bit better like speed metal and EDM music. We'll see as my Musette breaks in.
 
Details - Well I mean the Musette just feels and hears to my ears very true to the original recording. In combo with that inky black background I feel it has much better detail retrieval and places everything more accurately in the soundstage space. Much better layering and I feel the vocals are just so silky smooth with Musette. irDAC is no slouch but it was clear to me Musette was a step up after it warmed up a few hours in. I find myself just putting the music on and kicking back with Musette versus sometimes I felt I was being analytical with my other dacs.
 
Back on topic I think for 250 bucks its a shame you didnt get it, its a HELL of a dac for that money. I'm also sad I got rid of it but the trade-in value they gave me was so good I let it go. I bought Musette to see how I feel about the NOS dacs and I'm a fan. I'll let this break-in and start saving for a Pavane.
 
Dec 21, 2015 at 8:10 AM Post #148 of 239
Had a 6hrs of blissful listening over the weekend (home set-up). So far yet to do USB and will probably try out on my portable next weekend. And this is what i did on Sunday since this DAC is going to stay- swapped out the stock fuse. I have been using this fuse (picture) for months on the older DACs and I feel it does clean up the top frequencies a little, which to me is worthwhile.

As for the rest which are replaceable (the coil, the AC input cables and those Rubycon caps) will have to wait as IMO Musette is sounding really good as of now.
 
Dec 24, 2015 at 11:42 AM Post #150 of 239
Another Musette review - this one's in German I believe:  http://www.metrum-acoustics.com/Musette%20Einsnull2015%20.pdf
 
Also:  http://www.audiostream.com/content/annual-bits-2015

 
Metrum Acoustics Musette, $1399.99 The Musette is a non-oversamplng DAC (NOS) with a pair of Metrum-designed DACs inside that embue digits with music's spark of life. Impressive. "I also know some listeners simply like, love?, the NOS approach, in theory. Simple, direct, no nonsense. The Metrum Musette delivers this theory in music. Bravo!
 
 
 
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