[TokenGesture]

Can anyone compare the Pavane to the Hugo? Would interest me muchly

 

[windwolf447]

Compare to Pavane, Hugo sounds flat and a bit emotionless to me.

 

[realmassy]

Thanks for your impressions coli. The Pavane is THE dac I'd like to listen to having previously owned a Metrum Hex and being extremely happy with it

 

[jibzilla]

Can anyone help me get my Pavane going? I have one big gripe already and that is the user manual on the CD is crap. Trying to run usb. The dac is powered on, it is on usb, the drivers have been installed, but no icon like my other dacs popped up.

 

[windwolf447]

Can anyone help me get my Pavane going? I have one big gripe already and that is the user manual on the CD is crap. Trying to run usb. The dac is powered on, it is on usb, the drivers have been installed, but no icon like my other dacs popped up.

Try using the driver from the Metrum website. I heard that some of the cd in the package are not containing the latest driver.

 

[jibzilla]

Try using the driver from the Metrum website. I heard that some of the cd in the package are not containing the latest driver.

Yes I got it going and that was the issue. Usb 3 would not work off the cd but usb2 would but usb2 does not do anything. The download for usb3 does work off the metrum site. After that I had to disable my Realtek laptop player so the M2UAC would enable. Sounds stunning so far.
 
I don't think it was quite the jump going from the wheatfield ha-2 to the Teton for hd800's but it is decently close, comparing to the Auralic ark mx+, instruments and vocals sound more clear and concise. Considering I got a used deal rather than a combo deal with the hd800/Teton I really feel like I got an amazing deal. Can't wait to hear this with the 009/M.A. kgsshv that should be here shortly.

 

[preproman]

Cool,
 
Keep those impressions coming.  

 

[PATB]

I am also looking into the Pavane for my KGSSHV/009. Looking forward to your impressions jibzilla.

 

[jibzilla]

Just listened a bit more. The staging is def. a step up from the Auralic. Allot wider and way better placement and definition. No manual frustrations are quickly wearing off. I also felt the Auralic was fairly glare free. Kind of not so much anymore. I will report back in a couple weeks when the pavane isn't so new... It will also be at the Nashville meet September 26th. 

 

[astrostar59]

I am also looking into the Pavane for my KGSSHV/009. Looking forward to your impressions jibzilla.

I have the little Metrum Octave MK2 and it is very nice as well. IMO a lot of what we are hearing hear is the R-2R conversion.
 
I would recommend trying the R-2R Audio Note DAC 4.1 for a different flavour. I use that DAC and the jump from the Metrum is enormous.
 
 
The Audio Note uses a different approach to Metrum, they use tubes in the power supply and in the output board. It also runs without the filter
and having heard it with and without I can confirm without is another step up. I use my DAC 4.1 with a KGSShv off-board and the 009s.
 
The AN DAC 4.1 can be bought as a kit for around 3.5K US, the finished product more than double that. It is truly magical.
IMO having tubes somewhere in the system has big benefits particularly as the 009 are so transparent and can lean towards a technical / cold presentation.
Don't believe the rumour having tubes in a DAC equates to loss of detail, far from it. The ambiance and detail retrieval is incredible, and is very realistic.

 

[coli]

I believe the Audio Note DAC measures like really bad, it's probably the good distortions/harmonics that it adds for the added warmth. It really depends on what you are looking for here. Aqua La Scala also uses tubes here. Would be nice to be able to A/B all of them in the same system.

 

[astrostar59]

  I believe the Audio Note DAC measures like really bad, it's probably the good distortions/harmonics that it adds for the added warmth. It really depends on what you are looking for here. Aqua La Scala also uses tubes here. Would be nice to be able to A/B all of them in the same system.

Can you point where the measurements where that you refer to?
Traditionally tubed based amps can measure oddly due to their particular brand of third harmonics. However as we know, solid stage gear that measures really well can sound absolutely awful. A classic error IMO of many DAC manufacturers is the weak power supply design and the output boards. I have seen rather poor buffer amps on the end of a fancy cased DAC selling for 20K. It is alarming. I respect Metrum for taking both the digital boards and the power supply plus output boards as important. And the price of Metrum products is realistic, even though they are a small company and R&D must cost so much v units sold.
 
I would love to hear the Hex or Pavane v Audio Note DAC 4.1. As I said, I have the Octave MK2 here and it is very sterile and cold, low impact, low energy compared to my Audio Note. The AN DACs just sounds so realistic and less hifi. 
 
Regardless, I would recommend folk try the Audio Note DACs, they tend to be keepers to people who have then.

 

[coli]

For the life of me I can't remember, but it was a site where you have to add review to cart and then download the pdf.. They also got a page with points ratings for equipment.

 

[astrostar59]

  For the life of me I can't remember, but it was a site where you have to add review to cart and then download the pdf.. They also got a page with points ratings for equipment.

So not a magazine reviewer or tech lab. I think the R-2R DACs are having a revival, and high end users using RedBook mainly, or having tried high-resolution files and come back to 44.1 are realising just how damb good it can sound. I spent much too much on multi DAC purchases over the years, Naim, Musical Fidelity, Meridian, Maranz, Pink Triangle, it goes on. I nearly gave up as I hate the digital edge or unnatural treble and vocal presentation of those Delta-Sigma DACs. R-2R hits the right spot for me.
 
And with the advances in USB connectivity it is now possible IMO to get better performance than that offered by 20K+ CDPs and DACs for sale even 5 years ago.

 

[preproman]

I must admit..  The absolutely best DAC I've ever heard was the Audio Note 5 Signature.  
 
I wanted to have a DAC with a tube output stage to bring me as close to the 5 signature as possible.  So I went out looking for those kinds of DACS.  I heard the Lampi L4 G4 the AMR DP-777 and an Audio Note 4.1 kit DAC built by "Digital Pete" To me the AMR bested the others.  I was really close to getting a Audio note kit DAC made from "Digital Pete" but the AMR beat in a few areas that I noticed.  
 
I wish I had the La Scala MKII there at the time as well.  I have since sold the AMR DP-777 and said I was done with tubes in DACs.  However, I might be getting the La Scala MKII for a home demo after all, and the AMR DP-777 SE is getting a few pretty good reviews. I also wondered about a higher end Lampi DAC, but they can get pretty pricey.  
 
I would like to through the Pavane in the mix, as I've had my eyes on this DAC for a while now.  So keep those impressions and comparisons coming..