All
Kalista
Website:https://kalista-audio.com/
Est. year: 2000
Kalista is the top-tier digital-source brand of Métronome Technologie, a French maker of CD and SACD players, transports and DACs based in Montans near Albi in southern France. Métronome dates from 1987, and Kalista was started at the beginning of the 2000s, with its first product launched in 2003. The brand is recognised by its thick clear acrylic structures and top-loading disc mechanisms.
Range & what it's known for
The original DreamPlay transport uses the Philips CDM12 Pro top-loading mechanism, and Métronome bought a stock of these drives before Philips ended production so it could keep building and servicing the machine. The transport and its matching DAC each come with a separate Elektra power supply, and their acrylic three-point frames double as suspension and isolation. The current DreamPlay collection adds the DreamPlay ONE CD player, the DreamPlay STREAM network client and the DreamPlay Twenty-Twenty turntable. The DreamPlay X, released in January 2022, combines an SACD player with a D&M pickup, a streamer and a digital preamplifier, while the DreamPlay XC version also integrates a DSD converter with Leedh Processing volume control.
Who owns it and where it's made
Métronome split its range into two brands so that the conventional-looking Métronome players and DACs would not be confused with the costlier line. Jean-Marie Clauzel and Christian Bat took over the company in 2014. Development and manufacturing for both brands take place at the Montans facility, where a small team does final assembly, housings come from regional partners and every unit goes through final testing before shipment.
The lineup in this catalog
CD transports and DACs. At launch the DreamPlay X was priced at EUR 59,900 and the DreamPlay XC at EUR 68,700.
Who it's for
Kalista suits listeners who still build their system around physical discs and want a top-tier French source with an unusual visual identity. The path runs from the DreamPlay ONE player or the separate transport and DAC to the all-in-one DreamPlay X, while buyers who prefer a more conventional chassis can stay within the Métronome range of the same company.
Range & what it's known for
The original DreamPlay transport uses the Philips CDM12 Pro top-loading mechanism, and Métronome bought a stock of these drives before Philips ended production so it could keep building and servicing the machine. The transport and its matching DAC each come with a separate Elektra power supply, and their acrylic three-point frames double as suspension and isolation. The current DreamPlay collection adds the DreamPlay ONE CD player, the DreamPlay STREAM network client and the DreamPlay Twenty-Twenty turntable. The DreamPlay X, released in January 2022, combines an SACD player with a D&M pickup, a streamer and a digital preamplifier, while the DreamPlay XC version also integrates a DSD converter with Leedh Processing volume control.
Who owns it and where it's made
Métronome split its range into two brands so that the conventional-looking Métronome players and DACs would not be confused with the costlier line. Jean-Marie Clauzel and Christian Bat took over the company in 2014. Development and manufacturing for both brands take place at the Montans facility, where a small team does final assembly, housings come from regional partners and every unit goes through final testing before shipment.
The lineup in this catalog
CD transports and DACs. At launch the DreamPlay X was priced at EUR 59,900 and the DreamPlay XC at EUR 68,700.
Who it's for
Kalista suits listeners who still build their system around physical discs and want a top-tier French source with an unusual visual identity. The path runs from the DreamPlay ONE player or the separate transport and DAC to the all-in-one DreamPlay X, while buyers who prefer a more conventional chassis can stay within the Métronome range of the same company.
