ЦАПы — Métronome LE DAC 2

The LE DAC 2 is the entry converter of Métronome, a French company building digital sources, and sits in its Classica line. The company aims it at purists who want a high-end converter at a modest price for this class of product. This digital to analogue converter comes without a disc drive or streaming section, intended to accept the signal of a computer, a transport or another digital source and deliver it at line level to an amplifier.

Key specs that matter

An ESS ES9026PRO chip does the conversion, a chip Métronome places in its high-end range of processors. Quoted THD+N is minus 110 dB and dynamic range is 124 dB. On the RCA outputs impedance is 100 ohms, on the XLR outputs 150 ohms, and both give a maximum of 3 V at 0 dB. The case is 450 by 120 by 420 mm, weighs 12 kg and comes in black or silver, in the classic styling of the brand.

Engineering and use context

Besides USB, four digital inputs are provided, using RCA, XLR, Toslink and HDMI sockets. The asynchronous USB input handles PCM from 44.1 to 384 kHz and native DSD from DSD64 to DSD512. An I2S input covers PCM to 384 kHz and native DSD64 to DSD256. The S/PDIF coaxial and AES/EBU inputs take PCM to 384 kHz and DSD64 to DSD128 over DoP, while optical Toslink accepts up to 192 kHz PCM and DSD64 over DoP. Métronome notes that the electronics have been improved with each generation of its devices. The LE DAC 2 is certified as Plays with Audirvana for playback from that software over USB or the network. Linux and Apple computers recognise the USB input automatically, and only Windows needs a driver. Status is shown on a 3.9-inch display with a resolution of 480 by 128 pixels. The unit draws 24 W in operation and 18 W in standby, and it is specified for ambient temperatures from 5 to 35 degrees C and relative humidity from 5 to 90 percent.

Pairing

Line level balanced and single-ended outputs feed a preamplifier or an integrated model, and the XLR pair serves amplifiers equipped with differential inputs. A computer or USB music server feeds the USB input for the highest sample rates and DSD512 files. A CD transport can use the I2S link for native DSD, and a television, streamer or games console takes the remaining RCA, XLR or Toslink digital sockets.

Alternatives

The Métronome DSC, the first three-in-one device of the brand, combines a converter based on an ES9038PRO chip with a network streamer and a digital preamplifier in a chassis machined from aluminium billets.