Highly regarded by us at The Ear, Metrum has a new entry level DAC called Musette. In order to improve upon the Octave MkII Metrum has stopped using a “secret industrial chip”, and implemented the Transient technology that has proved so effective in the flagship Pavane DAC. The Musette is designed for the same basic casework as used for the Octave but to get more flexibility, both front and back panel have been changed as one more coaxial input is added. Like its predecessor, the Musette is available in both silver and black.
The Musette uses two Transient R2R ladder DAC modules from the Pavane, making it the least expensive ladder DAC on the market if our research is correct. These modules can handle extremely high sampling rates but are limited to the current industry standard of 384kHz for the USB input. The result of this technology is “extremely fast and accurate behavior that brings the listening experience to a higher level”. Despite the fact that both DAC modules are built on the same board an “extremely high channel separation of 100 dB is realized. This contributes to flawless positioning of instruments” and a DAC that Metrum is “rightly proud of”. The Musette will have the same £845 price tag as its predecessor and will be available at the end of September.
