Interest Survey in a Pi2Design i2s module of Metrum DACs

As some of you know, Metrum Acoustics appears to be dead. They won't even respond to Paypal, so they are out of business in my mind.

Michael Kelly of Pi2Design has offered to look into making an i2s module that would work with his Pi2AES. In order to help him gauge the market and the value of him spending time on this project, I have created a Google spreadsheet to gauge interest. If you have a Metrum Onyx/Jade/Pavane/Adagio and would be interested in an i2s module from Pi2Design, please go to the spreadsheet by following the link and indicate your interest. For those of you who have never used Google Sheets, anyone with the link can edit the spreadsheet. Just put in your information and it is automatically saved.

By the way, this should be significantly more cost efficient than finding an old Metrum module.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Gt4SYvu2chZhJNQmBLq0lWfV1AXpR3S89hlAOnA64gg/edit?usp=sharing

Thanks for helping communication between us and a good supplier.

 

Come on guys and gals! Stop sitting on the sideline thinking about it. If you think you might want one of these, get your name on the spreadsheet!

Things are going forward fast and its getting time to decide whether it is worthwhile for Pi2Design to design and stock a module. If you sit on your hands now, then want one later, it may not be an option.

 

I have filled it for Sonnet Morpheus. Not sure how different they are but going by some info its only form factor

 

Thanks for the vote of support, but I am told they are electrically compatible, but not physically compatible. Besides, Cees is selling a Sonett i2s module, so that would be stepping on toes. I think this effort will be only for the Metrum modules.

Good listening.

 

An Update on i2s boards for Metrum DACs.

With Metrum having gone tits up, Metrum DAC owners who wanted to buy an i2s module, can't. DACs typically use i2s format as input to their conversion to analog. So, in the Onyx thread, we discussed the possibility of a passive board that took i2s from something like a Pi2AES connected by RJ45 cable to the i2s on the mainboard of the DAC. Michael Kelly, MOT of Pi2design, agreed to look into it and MisterRogers and I sent him Pavane and Onyx i2s boards to figure out. And I made this interest survey to see if it made sense to build an i2s board.

The interest survey shows 3 people interested in an Onyx board and 1 (me) interested in a Pavane. Unfortunately, the boards are different from each other. The Pavane board is pretty simple, a passive board that does what we hoped and simply transfers the i2s signals from the RJ45 to the mainboard while going through a few resistors.

Unfortunately, the Onyx board is far from simple. The signal path looks the same as Pavane, but there is some sort of "patch" on the Onyx board that has several active elements and, quite frankly, is hard to figure out its function. And whatever is going on in this patch is enabling the DAC to receive the i2s signal. Without it, that input channel is "off". Since I own the Onyx, I did some experiments directly connecting test leads between the Pi2AES and the Onyx. At Michael's suggestion, I tried a series of connections to try to get the board to transmit i2s signals, but without success. Without more information, its not possible to make an Onyx i2s module.

The passive Pavane module is possible, but with only one person interested in the passive Pavane module, it doesn't make sense for Michael to design a board for just me. Besides, I'm a DIY guy and can fend for myself.

That leaves the Onyx folks without an easy path if they want to try i2s and don't have the Metrum module already. The best bet is to check with former Metrum dealers to see if they have an Onyx module.

There are two other possibilities that are a long shot. MisterRogers communicated with Cees. Cees said that he uses the same manufacturer to build Sonett as had built Metrum. Per Cees, that manufacturer has Metrum i2s modules in stock. You might check with Cees at Sonett to see if he can sell them to you. He may have to wait until the Metrum bankruptcy is sorted if he is willing at all. Cees has gone above and beyond to support Metrum customers, but lets face it, its not his business anymore.

You also might try to contact the Metrum bankruptcy administrator. If Metrum owns the i2s modules, he may be happy to sell you one. As I said, both a long shot. The bankruptcy link is below and has the name of the administrator.

https://www.faillissementsdossier.nl/en/bankruptcy/1559206/all-engineering-b-v.aspx

I would like to thank MisterRogers for giving up his favorite Pavane input for so long for the good of the community. I would also like to thank Michael Kelly the time and effort he put into this project that, ultimately, wasn't productive. Once again, Michael listened to us, jumped in to volunteer to help, and remains a very supportive supplier.

Jac

 

Thanks mate. I was under the impression that @Michael Kelly was going to design and make available a small batch of the simple ones, though I trust you may have more current information.

I will reach back out to Cees. He was a bit handcuff'ed when we last spoke, but hinted that was going to change in a few weeks (this was about a month ago); maybe he's in a better position to help - even if that means just giving some guidance as to how they be be purchased.

 

Michael still partly wants to build the small batch he promised, but I kind of talked him out of it. He has his hands full with supply issues (covid related) and I couldn't see it making much sense for just me.

Thanks for reaching out to Cees. That seems to be the best solution, especially for the Onyx.

 

Here's a single one for sale in MA. The text says it fits all Metrums but the pic shows 'Pavane' written on the board:

https://www.usaudiomart.com/details/649606349-metrum-acoustics-i2s-module/

 

I have a Mod available – suitable for Onyx/Jade if anyone interested. Of course we are in lock-down for another 3 weeks maybe more, so shipt not poss until things – hopefully get back to normal.

 

I am interested if you have an I2S module for an Onyx available. Please message me with details if so.

 

Hi Mike - missed message but we have it sorted. Cheers Ian

 

Want one for my jade. Filled out the google excel thingy. Contacted Cees also. And the Curator of the bankrupt Metrum. Curator says: no public sale of inventory. I always wonder who then will get their hands on Pavanas and Adagios and I2S modules...
Cees hinted in his reply as to a solution in the forseeable future. Sonnet module is incompatible.

 

Would really want to try and use the Pink Faun I2S card to Metrum Jade I2S.

 

Enlighten me plz, Walderstorn.

 

Hi RamonP,

As far as I know, HifiHeaven in the US and Ian, @IB-Down-Under in NZ are former Metrum dealers and had Onyx/Jade i2s modules, but both have sold them. Since Ian is on this forum, maybe he can refer you to former Metrum dealers in Europe. Finding a module at a former Metrum dealer is your best bet for the moment.

The google excel thingy is a dead end, especially for the Onyx/Jade module. So if you can't find one at a former dealer, then Cees is your best hope. I do hope you find one because it really is the best sounding option, at least based on a Pi2AES input.

Regarding the Pink Faun i2s card, I don't have any experience with it, but for less than the cost of the card, the RPi/Pi2AES is an excellent sounding option. In addition to the sound, the nice thing is that you don't have to turn on a computer and the RPi is very low power consumption, so you can have it on and ready to go at any time. Finally, with no other functions happening on the RPi, it is likely a quieter environment than a PC.

Good luck in you search. I wish we would have been able to create something, but we didn't have enough information to make the Onyx/Jade module happen.

 

Hi Lehmanhill, thank you so much for your great response. I live in the same country as Cees. So i hope he will provide something after the dust settles. Love those rpi's: using them as dns servers, retropie gaming consoles and a Dion Loco V2 dac hat with RopieeeXL. I now run a HDplex Intel machine as my music server. That Pi2AES looks very interesting. Also great they have a RJ45 converter. regards, Ramon

 

[QUOTE

Good luck in you search. I wish we would have been able to create something, but we didn't have enough information to make the Onyx/Jade module happen.[/QUOTE]

Got one from a dealer in Sweden. Hope it will arrive soon.

 

Can get my hands on an extra metrum I2S module if someone is interested

 

Note: To reiterate lehmanhill's comments above - I2S input module for Onyx/Jade is different than the I2S input module for Pavane/Adagio. Make sure you procure the correct version for your Metrum. IB Down-Under also confirmed this for me - Thanks Ian !