Experience with Metrum Octave DAC

Elberoth, thanks for posting your impressions of the Octave. Like Lewinski I'm interested in your source and any software such as Pure Music.

Your component selection over the years has been spectacular but I've really enjoyed your photo journal of your rooms evolution. In my opinion this is the craft of good audio. Looks terrific, keep it coming.

Vic

Vicdamone, Lewinskih01 - I have been using my PC server, running Win 7 64-bit with JRMC 17 and Jplay, exclusively.

It is true, Metrum needs a low jitter source to show it's true potential. Out of a few dozens of USB/SPDIF converters I have tested, JK SPDIF mk 3 works particularly well with Metrum, and offers by far the best bang for the buck.

I have a few 176kHz files, and they do sound outstanding on Metrum, but those are Reference Recordings HRx albums, so I'm not sure if the quality is due to them beeing 176kHz or superior mastering.

99% of my collection are regular 16/44 files. I play them back with no upsampling (Jplay does not offer this option), and they also sound great, so I wouldn't worry about that too much.

The key is a great USB/SPDIF converter (be it JK mk 3, Off Ramp Turbo 4/5, BADA Alpa USB, HiFace Evo stack).

I just received mine from Hifi Heaven in Green Bay Wi. I ordered it yesterday, got it today! They just got them in. Burning in now, but already sounding very nice...
I had been holding off ordering from Metrum due to the wait, so this worked out very well for me. Call them quick. I imagine this post will sell them out!
$1095 with free shipping, and seem to be great to deal with.

DBarger, are you using computer via USB adapter or straight as a dac via SPDIF? I want to pull the trigger but every review I read says USB adapter via computer is the way to go with this unit.

Send me an email with your impressions:
p a d 8 9 4 7 @ sbcglobal.net

extra spaces above for anti-spamming

Bugredmachine - Martin Colloms from hifi critic tested Metrum with his vintage Meridian transport, and it still sounded very good.

It is not that it will sound 'bad' or any worse than other DACs in this price range when using with ordinary transport. But the sound quality you get from this DAC is so high, it is so transparent, that it imidiately shows improvements in transport quality.