I recently wrote a review of the Metronome Le Dac 2, here. After getting a couple of hundred hours on it, my brilliant Tiverton-based dealer took possession of the just-launched, partnering Le Streamer - which I couldn't help but borrow for a few days for evaluation.
I'm normally given to flowery, detailed prose, but it's too damn hot and humid in southern UK right now (reminds me of Jacksonville in summer) so I'm going to keep this short and to the point - much like the few days I had to play with it.
I bought a used Matrix X-SPDIF with Sbooster just so I could try it out on the dac's i2s port. It shaved a degree of heat from leading edges (not that it was unusually bad to begin with, but usb at this level is, nonetheless, usb) without taking anything from detail and expansiveness which, once I'd heard it, made me an i2s convert. Le Streamer has i2s out and I was more keen to hear what difference it might make over the X-SPDIF in its file processing/delivery than its streaming service abilities. It was fed with my Melco files via a very basic ethernet cable.
The answer was immediately clear despite the unit having very few hours on it - very obviously superior imaging, bigger soundstage, smoother, more sophisticated mids and highs; more involvement. I've forgotten what happened in the bass department; which at least suggests nothing bad. Generally, I could say the effect was to make relaxed passages more relaxed without stealing anything from those tracks occupying a more raucous space. 'Refined' comes to mind. If I had more energy right now I'd effervesce; but I'm seriously overheating, so the best I can manage is a short, but deeply meaningful fizz. I didn't test it with files streamed from any of the online services as that's not, currently, my thing. So I regret I can't comment on its capability in this regard.
Be assured, Le Streamer takes Le Dac 2 to another level. Sound is more expansive, enveloping and reinforces the Metronome's analogueishness; imaging becomes spectacularly good; everything becomes even more natural, immersive and organic. My take-away is that I now think of Le Dac 2 as, ultimately, a 2-box solution served up in a way that enables you to get three quarters of the way down the track until budget allows you to finish the race - unless, of course, you can stump up the £6700 + £4800 right off the bat. The three quarters is still a heck of a strong performance level, especially if you can utilise the i2s input; it's just that Le Streamer takes you that much further. Save to say, it's next on my must-have list. Anyone want to buy a Canon CN7 cine lens?
I'm normally given to flowery, detailed prose, but it's too damn hot and humid in southern UK right now (reminds me of Jacksonville in summer) so I'm going to keep this short and to the point - much like the few days I had to play with it.
I bought a used Matrix X-SPDIF with Sbooster just so I could try it out on the dac's i2s port. It shaved a degree of heat from leading edges (not that it was unusually bad to begin with, but usb at this level is, nonetheless, usb) without taking anything from detail and expansiveness which, once I'd heard it, made me an i2s convert. Le Streamer has i2s out and I was more keen to hear what difference it might make over the X-SPDIF in its file processing/delivery than its streaming service abilities. It was fed with my Melco files via a very basic ethernet cable.
The answer was immediately clear despite the unit having very few hours on it - very obviously superior imaging, bigger soundstage, smoother, more sophisticated mids and highs; more involvement. I've forgotten what happened in the bass department; which at least suggests nothing bad. Generally, I could say the effect was to make relaxed passages more relaxed without stealing anything from those tracks occupying a more raucous space. 'Refined' comes to mind. If I had more energy right now I'd effervesce; but I'm seriously overheating, so the best I can manage is a short, but deeply meaningful fizz. I didn't test it with files streamed from any of the online services as that's not, currently, my thing. So I regret I can't comment on its capability in this regard.
Be assured, Le Streamer takes Le Dac 2 to another level. Sound is more expansive, enveloping and reinforces the Metronome's analogueishness; imaging becomes spectacularly good; everything becomes even more natural, immersive and organic. My take-away is that I now think of Le Dac 2 as, ultimately, a 2-box solution served up in a way that enables you to get three quarters of the way down the track until budget allows you to finish the race - unless, of course, you can stump up the £6700 + £4800 right off the bat. The three quarters is still a heck of a strong performance level, especially if you can utilise the i2s input; it's just that Le Streamer takes you that much further. Save to say, it's next on my must-have list. Anyone want to buy a Canon CN7 cine lens?
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