Metrum Pavane DAC3 Sonnet Pasithea
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- Опубликовано: 15 сен 2024
- Sonnet launched its new converter: the Pasithea. In Greek mythology, the personification of relaxation, meditation and consciousness. That's quite a statement Cees Ruijtenberg makes here. Let's see if we immediately get into higher spheres with the Sonnet Pasithea! We compared it to the well known Metrum Acoustics Pavane with DAC3 modules...
![If you can't hear this then you're not an audiophile [See description for link to followup video]](/img/1.gif)
One of the most beautiful songs ever
Really interesting comparison! I felt like they traded blows depending on the song. First was a tossup, second went to Pavane for that extra mids weight, third went to the Pavane for that extra air and upper mids. Wish there was also a Morpheus to compare here
We will be comparing Morpheus to Pasithea soon.
@@TheAlphaAudio Awesome! The videos for comparison are the best I have seen on youtube, this is so appreciated. A tip jar would be a good idea!
@@stayin91degrees thanks!
I bought a Pasithea and it simply sounds stunning. Took a while to run in, but once it did, comfortably excelled above the Pavane. I'm good now for at least 5-10 years. I use Neumann studio monitors and a sub to fill in the very low end below 40Hz.
Nice setup!
The Pasithea blows the living ______ out of the Pavane. I'm sorry but it just does. Truth hurts. I am a near lifelong musician and visual artist. I have heard many great systems over the years and tons of gear and I am telling you that the Pasithea is one of the very best pieces of sonic kit I have EVER heard bar none. This is God Tier endgame DAC, literally jaw-dropping sonic perfection. The ease of the sound, the organic sensuous liquidness of the soundscape tapestry, the mids do not suffer ANY mid-bass bloom or bloat whilst the treble range is so clear without ANY harshness or brittleness, transitions are quick but fluid, bass has good authority maybe could have a tiny bit more gravitas but I am not familiar with your particular system (I see the small but respectable Focals but wonder if you are driving a sub?) so I can not necessarily blame this very slight niggle on the Pasithea. At any rate the quality of the sound, the effortlessness, the sheer harmonic beauty this box can reproduce would put many $50,000 DACs either to shame or at least give them every bit of a difficult challenge. Even then changes would be subtle. Absolutely floored!
Thank you for your comment. We didn't use a sub with the Sopra 1. We use a pair of TAD Evolution 2 now. The bass is amazing with the Sonnet Pasithea.
The Pasithea does impress even more with further listening. it does draw the listener in so nicely.
Metrum is on a totally another level. Much more real, bigger and most important it doesn´t add harmonics like the Pasithea
(which can be interpretated as "details" if very low, but they are in fact "distortion")
It´s not that tha Pasithea is bad. Almost all the converters have this addings harmonics problem.
The easiest way to hear this is on the "ss-es" from a singer. This is also calles "sibilance". They´re in the upper midrange where the ear is the most sensitive.
Yes Metrum on the first "hear" doesn´t sound as spectacular but you can listen much longer to it and recordings will sound much more differentiate than on other converters.
Simply because it doesn´t add this annoying harmonics.
Good insight. I dislike sibilant Dacs and can easily live without the so called extra "air" this generates. So many manufacturers of all component types like to artificially tilt up the upper mids and label it "hifi". This actually puts me too much in my analytical left brain and reduces engagement for me.
have to fully agree with this. you can hear it quite well around the switch between both DACs at 6:03 to 6:20
I actually experienced a similar difference comparing my Metrum Adagio with DAC2 vs DAC3 modules. The DAC3 modules already have more pronounced sibilance compared to the DAC2 modules. The DAC3 modules provide more details and slightly better separation which in some songs is beneficial while in others it is not. This is also very system depending, if you have a system that is already leaning towards being very detailed (some might say analytical) you can definetly solve this using a Metrum DAC with DAC2 modules while the DAC3 modules had a tedency to becoming over-analytical.
Thank you so much for the videos that you post. I own a Pavane (level 1). Yesterday I placed an order on a Pasithea as my 2nd DAC. Listening to your video on my Pavane, I prefer the sound of the Pasithea. From initial forum posts it seems like the Pasithea is on par with the Holo Audio May (level 3). I picked the Pasithea because it includes a lossless volume control (and I love my Pavane).
Neither of these DACs are any good, to be honest. I've had them both. try Audio Analogue, Metronome, or Denefrips
The Pasithea does share some striking similarities with the Molo Molo Tamaquai. Both look at the light end of the spectrum : agile , energetic, clear transparent sound, never cumbersome tonal density , liquid round edges and fast well paced transients.The Pasithea displays less saturation or harmonic distortion as with the Matrum ( see when they switch on track 2 and the Metrum takes over with more low freq percussion. Not really any significant sibilance with the Sonnet or the Metrum in that regard. All just a matter of how you like your music served up. More sauce , pick the Metrum, otherwise the Sonnet will do me nicely.
Would be interesting to measure both DAC's because the difference is too big could be due to volume difference? or one or both are EQing or one of the two is/could measuring quite different than the other. Esspecialy in minute 1.22 (Vincent when changing to the Pavane) the mid an low of the guitar an voice is changed a lot Warmer subjectively more pleasant. I listen to Vandersteen (phase coherent/time alignt speakers) speakers an DSP off.
Pavane clearer in the midrange. More fleshed out. More real. Pasithea sounds a little boxy by comparison
i love you channel.. one of the last elements of completing my system is finding the right Dac to hep achieve the sound signature i’m looking for. the denafrips venus 2 or Pasithea? I know there is a price differnce .. looking for organic, natural, soulful, musically engaging, analog sound detailed but not over sibilance and can listen for hours. love to hear you choice. thank you
Metrum Pavane DAC 3 is superb. Waiting for a used unit to appear on eBay.
Very nice sound 👍
Will be very interested if you can do a comparation with Onyx vs Pavane or Onyx vs some Chinese R2R DAC (Holo, denafrips, Gustard, etc..)
Pasithea sounds harsh. Yes revealing a lot but in a harsh way (very digital sound)
I could not disagree more with your statement. I am a lifelong musician and audiophile. I respectfully say you have it backwards. Pasithea is so much more organic, lush, less compressed with deeper, wider and more three dimensional sound stage. Mids and highs are just breathtaking and bass is very realistic. Cheers
They're both very good but the Pasithea seems to present a more nuanced midband esp in terms of ambient detail. I heard that particularly on Don McLean's voice. The Pavane is a little bit harder charging but overall the Sonnet is more natural.
Well said. That’s what I heard. Pavane is more in your face, less sense of space or ambience. Pasithea give you that more natural ambience between sounds.
I own both (albeit my Pavane is L1) and your assessment is spot on.
The Sonnet Pasithea is a hardcore reviewers delight. Alas, comes the question. Does this dac appeal more to the head than to the heart ?
These 2 DACs definitely sound different. I want to like the Pasithea but in this comparison I slightly prefer the Metrum. Of course I would never purchase either one before hearing them in my own system.
Very good... You should always try!
The metrum sings for you. Yes please!
Is there any updates from Metrum? They seem to be very quiet / dead since announcing the DAC3 module.
Nope....but still very much alive!
Leuk weer .De pasithea klinkt net iets liefelijker dan de pavane , maar de verschillen tussen beide grootheden zijn op de iPad niet heel erg groot . Op de zaak horen jullie waarschijnlijk meer .
Zeker...
Sonet is "barbed" comparing to Pavane, that sounds more naturally and pleasant. Besides a female voice appears more prominent with Pavane.
More natural or more pleasant... That can be two different things... :-).
@@TheAlphaAudio I see what you mean. Sometimes - dam... YES -)
@@sc0or :-)
The difference between pavane and pasithea is not unlike the difference in another one of your excellent videos between pavane and morpheus - hard to say through earbuds :-) how would you rate the patithea compared to morpheus?
In terms of sound signature they are alike. But in terms of control and 'silence'; the Pasithea is definately one big step ahead.
@@TheAlphaAudio Thats why a measurment is interesting to do between those 2 DAC's ;)
@@Ssection31 We measured both. You can check the measurements of the Pasithea in our article on www.alpha-audio.nl or alpha-audio.net. The measurements of the Pavane is in our database. If you login you can check them.
@@TheAlphaAudio I logged in but can’t find the measurements. Does Pavane DAC3 measure as well as Pasithea?
@@ZZ-yv5ux I will check asap. You should see the measurements. Dac3 isnt as clean as Pasithea.
More refinement and space in the higher notes with the Passithea. Hard to judge the depth of the soundstage, but I imagine that the soundstage of the Passithea is taking a step backwards from the listener compared to the Metrum, is wider and deeper and in total starting a few decimeters higher in the air. But it could be that I am imagining things and the effect is created by a different treble in the mids and the spacious highs that tricks my brain in thinking this when listening on the headphones. The Passithea sounds less 'hollow' in the treble, and I personally prefer that. But if you wouldn't know which is which and you walk into a room where either of these is playing, it is up there with the better DACs.
I mostly notice the more refined, detailed mids and treble. Stereo image is slightly different, but indeed Pavane seems a bit bigger.
What!
You wouldnt know it even if I switched it to a 100 dollar DAC
@@AbsoluteFidelity What do you mean?
@@TheAlphaAudio meaning in a double blind abx test when volume matched properly, most dacs that measure above a certain threshold would have very minute differences, if any, that human ears can pick out. 100 dollar DACs have matched and even surpassed those thresholds. Moreover, if you think about it, a DAC is not meant to be heard, its job is to convert the signal and spit it out. Any colouration is unwanted, either thru noise or distortion. R2Rs achieve a different and 'more pleasant' sound thru those 2 things. Try a double blind abx test volume matched and make a vid, it should be really fun.
There's practically no difference between these DACs (other than cost). Some of you have posted absolute nonsense. Either are excellent choices. I prefer my Adagio :)
Your adagio sound no different than an apple dongle if thats the case.
@@AbsoluteFidelity And some people might think that 😉
Ha! I have no energy for more discussion! Be happy Bro 😊
1,3 track - no diff
This is not a good DAC.. it sounds weak and boring without dynamics
Ok... Don't buy it than...
@@TheAlphaAudio I've had it in real life. not going by your demo. music should be music.
Toxic misinformation spreader. Consider having the mothballs removed from your ears or upgrading your hifi.
@@jonjones9323 whatever that means lol
sounds awful