ЦАПы — Métronome DSC mini

The DSC mini is the standalone digital-to-analogue converter of the Digital Sharing range from Métronome, a company set up in France in 1987 that concentrates on digital sources. Four compact units make up the range - a CD transport called DST, this converter, the DSS 2 streaming player and the DSAS server with internal storage - and the DSC mini was designed to take the native I2S feed from the DSS 2, although it works just as well as a separate converter for any other digital source. Each unit is made entirely in France, and the DSC mini is priced at USD 5,799.

Key specs that matter

An ESS ES9026PRO chip does the conversion, the same converter Métronome fits in its larger Le DAC 2. Métronome quotes THD+N of -110 dB and a dynamic range of 124 dB. Five digital inputs are fitted. Coaxial S/PDIF and AES/EBU accept PCM from 44.1 to 384 kHz at 32 bits and DSD64 to DSD128 as DoP, Toslink stops at 192 kHz PCM and DSD64, I2S carries native DSD up to DSD256, and USB is the only input that takes native DSD512. On the analogue side the RCA pair has 100 ohm source impedance and the XLR pair 150 ohm, both reaching 3 V at full scale. The case measures 250 x 70 x 250 mm and weighs 4.8 kg, and the unit draws 15 W.

Engineering and use context

The housing combines a steel chassis with a solid aluminium fascia, finished in silver or black, and its 25 cm width matches the other Digital Sharing boxes so the units stack into a single column. A non-touch 3.5 inch screen with 320 x 240 resolution shows the selected input and the incoming sampling frequency. The DSC mini is a pure converter - it has no volume control or preamplifier stage, no selectable digital filters or DSP, and no remote handset, so the input is chosen with the controls on the unit. The only processing in the signal path is the conversion chip itself and the analogue output stage that follows it. Métronome specifies operation between 5 and 35 degrees C and from 5 to 90 percent humidity.

Pairing

The fixed-level output has to go into a line-level preamp or an integrated amp, and the balanced XLR pair suits amplifiers with balanced inputs. The I2S link is the intended connection to the DSS 2 network player, while a computer or the DSAS server can feed the USB input for DSD512 files, and a CD transport such as the DST can use the coaxial or AES/EBU input.

Alternatives

The Métronome Le DAC 2 is a larger stand-alone converter from the same maker built on the same ES9026PRO chip.