Metrum Onyx/Jade

[George Hincapie]

Thanks for the clarification Fred! Absolutely no offence intended to my Dutch brethren 

[FredM]

+1

I also bought the Onyx :-)

 

Now looking for a decent front end, to benefit the full potential, like George :-)

[Spinning]

Just saw that the last part of the review by 6moons was up......Very promising talking about JADE or ONYX

 

 https://metrumacoustics.com/reviews-2/

 

[George Hincapie]

My Onyx arrived today. Will post initial thoughts as soon as I can.

[Spinning]

Lucky you! More than curious about the Onyx experience! I checked and the second batch is about ready, so i am sure ill have one soon!

Heard they go like crazy and that the second batch is pretty large. PS they also run a nice sweepstake on the website, chance to win a headphone amplifier :-)

[George Hincapie]

The Onyx in it's new home, with VortexBox server in background:

 

 

And my previous Metrum Acoustics Musette now makes it's home in my headphone station:

 

[Spinning]

Very Nice! How does it sound??

 

[George Hincapie]

I haven't had enough time with it yet to form a substantive opinion, but I am happy to post initial impressions. Point of comparison in my main system is the Metrum Acoustics Musette (with upgraded DAC Two Transient modules).

 

The sound stage has now assumed a palpable realism; wider than the Musette but my immediate reaction is that I could reach out and touch what I am listening to. I realise that reads like nonsense, but it's how I feel. It's amazing to experience. It is incredibly vibrant; instruments are articulate, well placed and the vocals are simply sublime.

 

The noise floor must be stupidly low, because I can now hear background detail I simply couldn't hear before. For example, on the Dido album 'Life for Rent', there is a track titled 'Something about Mary'. At the start of the second verse there is a noise in the background that I had always thought before was someone clapping, but can now hear is someone tap dancing. Super!

 

The Musette is a genuinely excellent DAC, but the Onyx is just far better. Same beautiful Metrum Acoustics presentation, but just 'more' of all that makes it good. I know we all crave percentages and other means of comparison, but all I can say is that I am super happy with my investment and I am really looking forward to the reviews from other owners. I really am itching to try the dCS NB with this now.

 

I am not an audio reviewer, so apologies if some of my descriptive narrative isn't brilliant.

[Spinning]

Regardless of not being a audio reviewer, i think this review it marvelous! Ive heard about the noise floor and the rich (wider) detail, so can only look forward to experience it myself!

[George Hincapie]

I don't think you'll be disappointed in all honesty. As happy as I am, I don't think I am doing the Onyx justice with my current Roon end point; I need to consider upgrading that. I'm really keen to try the AES input as well, perhaps with the Tellurium Q Black AES cable.

[Spinning]

Ok, thats serious stuff being added to the setup. I was thinking AES too, but will wait for my onyx first before upgrading the cables

[George Hincapie]

It is, but I think that will probably be a suitable place to pause investment for a while. The dCS Network Bridge must absolutely justify itself though, I won't buy it on name alone. I have been offered a trial, but I wanted to hold off until I had a DAC worthy of it.

 

What does your system look like? What are you using for your source?

[Ben2300]

I do suggest your next upgrade will be LPS for your vortexbox.

[George Hincapie]

3 hours ago, Ben2300 said:

I do suggest your next upgrade will be LPS for your vortexbox.

 

I have one; made by Paul Baldwin.

[Ben2300]

On 11/11/2017 at 1:30 AM, George Hincapie said:

 

I have one; made by Paul Baldwin.

Good for you. by looking at your setup. you don't seem to do online streaming or NAS. Otherwise i will suggest a audio grade switch or router for your setup. it is a huge benefit.

[George Hincapie]

On 11/12/2017 at 7:28 PM, Ben2300 said:

Good for you. by looking at your setup. you don't seem to do online streaming or NAS. Otherwise i will suggest a audio grade switch or router for your setup. it is a huge benefit.

 

I do stream Tidal. I have no need for an 'audio grade' switch. I use power line adapters to stream Tidal and it works brilliantly.

[George Hincapie]

I have just learned that Metrum Acoustics will be shortly releasing a new device. Price and detail TBC. OMG - my wife will kill me 

 

 

[FredM]

Also noticed their facebook I2S measurements, what a teaser.

Interesting weeks ahead 

[granosalis]

Don't know if you are already aware of this. Metrum announced a partnership with MQA. There will be a add-in module that implements MQA decoding for current Amethyst, Onyx, Jade, Pavane and Adagio.  

I think this is really a good news.

 

Regards,

Giuseppe

[simple_guy]

7 hours ago, granosalis said:

Don't know if you are already aware of this. Metrum announced a partnership with MQA. There will be a add-in module that implements MQA decoding for current Amethyst, Onyx, Jade, Pavane and Adagio.  

I think this is really a good news.

 

Regards,

Giuseppe

I think it's terrible news......  

[Spinning]

6 minutes ago, simple_guy said:

I think it's terrible news......  

The great thing is that nobody has to use it because Metrum implements a BYPASS. MQA signal will be passed through MQA, and any other signal straight through the Metrum own dacs. THANK X for that! I for one do not like mqa, as i love the NONE down, up , oversampling way of doing things Metrum does. But i can understand that there are people who think they need MQA

[FredM]

Cold out of the box: gobsmacked, from the first song and on: Wider and deeper stage, better separation, highs are clear (without being annoying), bass tighter, new details, dynamic (fast with grip), voices natural. To sum it up: Flow of individually instruments/voices making music, much more live/being there experience. 

 

Now I really can't wait to get the NAA sorted (I'm still playing with a PC/USB out). Primaluna Dialogue HP, Harbeth Compact7, acoustic treatments.

 

[Madra]

On 11/13/2017 at 3:24 PM, George Hincapie said:

I have just learned that Metrum Acoustics will be shortly releasing a new device. Price and detail TBC. OMG - my wife will kill me 

 

 

Are you refering to this?

https://metrumacoustics.com/roon/

[Mark1987]

I own a Metrum Amethyst and a Jade (since yesterday). Initial impressions are very good. Much wider and deeper soundstage. Bass notes are much easier to follow. Detail retrieval is supurb. Not to mention the volume control, it is such a relief that i can use the Jade to control the volume instead of my Croft 25R with dual volume pots

[mordante]

I would like to see a Metrum DAC/Pre-amp. A pre-amp with a metrum DAC and one or two analog inputs.

 

So many DACs have analog volume control but no analog inputs. I'm hoping a company like Schiit or Metrum will make a DAC/pre-amp combo.