Metrum Acoustics Onyx (balanced Dac) and Jade (balanced Dac + Pre)

Discussion in 'Digital: DACs, USB converters, decrapifiers' started by sacredgates, Oct 3, 2017.

  1. e.schell

    e.schell Friend

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    What were you using as a source for Gungnir Multibit / are you using with Onyx?
     
  2. MyPetSasquatch

    MyPetSasquatch Friend

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    Gungnir Multibit I was using the Wyrd. Pavane and Onyx I'm just doing straight USB.
     
  3. cskippy

    cskippy Creamy warmpoo

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    Is there any place I can get a Onyx loaner from? I've been trying with Zach from ZMF but he is so busy with Auteur release plus I'm not sure if he even has any in stock to loan out.
     
  4. jexby

    jexby Posole Prince

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    many of us are trying for the same. Cees needs to allow a single unit to go through the USA to a few folks for DAC impressions.
     
  5. Elnrik

    Elnrik Super Friendly

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    I spoke to Zach about this today, actually. He has none to loan out. :(
     
  6. MyPetSasquatch

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  7. FredM

    FredM New

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    Better buy it at computer audiophile for 1800, this is the same seller (he seems to move things around quite quickly, previously had a pavane, Yggdrasil,..)
     
  8. MyPetSasquatch

    MyPetSasquatch Friend

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    Ooooh didn't realize he had it doesn't sale over there as well. Someone make this guy an offer!
     
  9. Erikdayo

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    I almost did, but I'm trying hard to resist since I just got the Amethyst.

    Out of curiosity has anyone compared the single ended and balanced performance on the Onyx? In a different thread it was mentioned that the single ended performance on the Menuet was noticeably worse. I'm wondering if the gap was closed a bit on the Onyx. This is important to me since most amps I've been interested in are single ended.
     
  10. MyPetSasquatch

    MyPetSasquatch Friend

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    I believe all of the Metrum DACs that have a balanced output are fully differential, so it wouldn't surprise me if the XLR sound better, particularly if the rest of your setup is fully balanced. I am using both outputs, but for different purposes (XLRs are used in my 2-channel setup, RCAs going to my little Schiit Vali 2 headphone amp) so I honestly can't directly compare the two with any sort of honesty.
     
  11. zach915m

    zach915m MOT: ZMF Headphones

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    Yeah I only have one Onyx unit right now for Demo's and it's just not good timing with all the CanJam's coming up to send it out anywhere as I will need it. The best I could offer you guys right now is a group buy as if we can get 5+ units I can get you guys a decent price that won't make you feel like you're losing money if you end up wanting to sell it. Otherwise we will have stock in about a month or so for purchase at regular price. Anyone interested in participating in a group buy could email me at [email protected] and I'll report back here in a week or so if we get enough people.

    The only other thing I could offer would be if someone wanted to "take one for the team" and buy a unit at a discount for the sole purpose of running a loaner around SBAF. If you want to do this email me as well at [email protected].

    Unfortunately for stuff that we don't manufacture like our headphones, it's really hard to open up new units and do demo's, aside from our one show unit as that money we invested is still within our inventory and the unit will end up getting depreciated so much from the tour/loaner that we just end up losing money. If we sold a ton of Metrum stuff it may not be an issue but people just don't buy a ton of Metrum stuff at this point, it's not super super popular in the USA yet.

    The Onyx is a great DAC, I was speaking with a few people recently and it really does get quite close to Pavane level performance, to the point that I would rather use it over the Pavane or Adagio in my headphone set-ups just for the sole purpose of saving space.
     
  12. sheldaze

    sheldaze Friend

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    Having recently migrated from Amethyst to Onyx, I have been waiting to add comments - without contributing too much noise. A proper listening evaluation of the RCA vs XLR has been high on my list. But I do not have an Aficionado as Marv has tested with. Instead I plugged in my RNHP, which has both inputs. I could not hear a difference (yet will need to evaluate RNHP using other XLR and RCA sources, such as my PSAudio, which has known poor RCA output quality).
     
  13. MyPetSasquatch

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    Looking forward to seeing your thoughts of both DACs if you're able to compare outputs on either!
     
  14. sheldaze

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    Sorry - not a lot of listening time midweek. A little time today - the delta between RCA and XLR on the PSAudio was pretty clear through the RNHP > Utopia. Thus I will continue to use it for listening evaluation. However my listening comparison between it and the Onyx will be brief.

    Shouty - it takes a lot of brain cells for me to associate what I am hearing through the PSAudio as music. The Onyx is quite clear - more subtle, but clearer on the nuances of those subtleties. When a member of the orchestra changes, strikes a note with a little more (or less) authority, as the music begins to crescendo, I hear each subtle variation from each member, joining together, adding to the wonderful swirling symphonic sound. It moves and sways and ebbs and flows - it does not jolt like pop music. It is subtle and nuanced, and more real.
     
  15. MyPetSasquatch

    MyPetSasquatch Friend

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    Thanks much for the impressions. Remind me, are you listening to one of the PS Audio DirectStream units or the older PerfectWave DACs?
     
  16. sheldaze

    sheldaze Friend

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    It is an older model listed in my profile. I preferred it to the Yggdrasil for what is majority TV/Cinema through a speaker pair.

    Let me try to dive in - a little noise. Yggdrasil is my music king. PSAudio is "King" of the North - very fun to watch GoT, which we did excitedly after switching to the PSAudio. However, Yggdrasil did not stop my interest in other music options. (Prior to announcement of Yggdrasil v2) I did not hear the Yggdrasil v1 as "gray". However I did hear it as slightly grating. I shied away from the Liquid Gold and HeadAmp GS-X mkii (I heard these identical amplifiers connected to Holo level 3, and liked what I heard). Instead I am using BW and ZDS sourced from Yggdrasil.

    Skipping a few DACs, which I tried, I recently compared my Amethyst directly against a "borrowed" Gungnir Multibit - I preferred the Gungnir Multibit. I traded Amethyst in for Onyx, which is where I am today. My plans were to compare Onyx against Yggdrasil v1 (then Schiit announced version 2) and Yggdrasil v2 after the upgrade. I am still undecided on NOS or OS. Though I wanted to be certain all my ducks were in a row for the comparison (i.e. is the RCA suitable to compare, and now to hear version 2 of the Yggdrasil).

    I'll post more when I listen more. But the past week, I've been glued to the Onyx :D
     
  17. 9suns

    9suns [insert unearned title here]

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    Dutch review of Metrum Jade:
    https://www.alpha-audio.nl/2018/02/review-metrum-acoustics-jade-dac-voorversterker/

    Compares it with Pavane and tests Jade's preamp function vs Pass Labs XP-10 (6k separate preamp, very stiff competition).
    Using Google Translator, he said that Jade as a preamp is on the same level as the Pass Labs, just a tad lighter sounding (less colored? he says). As a DAC, very close to Pavane according to him and wonky Google Translator.
     
  18. MyPetSasquatch

    MyPetSasquatch Friend

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    So I actually had a Pass XP-10 in my setup for a couple months before I sold it. Soundstage and linearity were great, but it got very confused and muddy when faced with more complex tracks.

    In context of that, the description of the Jade being "lighter" sounding when compared to having the Pass preamp in the chain, that's very promising.
     
  19. 9suns

    9suns [insert unearned title here]

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    Yep, seems like a godsend.
    Just picture this:
    Metrum Jade, a wonderful headphone amp with a bypass switch for the volume control, remote controlled by Jade's remote. A nice couch, a well made and long headphone cable, a good glass of scotch, wonderful music <3
    Having to turn up/down the volume manually while having a good scotch and a nice couch is a no no :D
     
  20. Erikdayo

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    Ended up returning the Amethyst and ordering an Onyx. ZMF is out of stock so it could be a few weeks til I get it, but it should be well worth it.

    Zach said he couldn't tell the difference between the single ended and balanced output on the Onyx. So while there may be some difference I'll trust that it's pretty minimal. Looking forward to it. Since I won't have the Decware amp for a while I also ordered a Vali 2 as a temporary amp. I was using the Amethyst built in amp which is neither great or terrible. Better than I had expected, honestly.
     

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