Metrum Pavane NOS DAC

According to Analog Devices the 5791 has no IV converter....voltage comes straight off the resistor string.

Now back to your scheduled programming.

only one person has this dac in the world?

I looked at my AD account and AD has an AD5791 Evaluation Board complete up and ready to go, available for around $150usd all you need is power and a chassis and be an account holder and you have your own dac.

http://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CCkQFjAAahUKEwjQ6M_VwrPHAhXlrKYKHR8XAX4&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.analog.com%2Fmedia%2Fen%2Ftechnical-documentation%2Fuser-guides%2FUG-185.pdf&ei=PJzTVdDaBeXZmgWfroTwBw&usg=AFQjCNENr4SFOC4ZcTxbgqOUNF9bb7CIXw

Cheers George

I built an AD1955 dac based on AD Evaluation Board, and they are made very nice. here is a pic of the one I made up years ago. So the AD5791 should be just as well made.

http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/digital-source/227677-using-ad844-i-v-34.html#post3672888

Cheers George

only one person has this dac in the world?

Yep, just me.

The rest are listening to music and not hanging around on this forum.

Unfortunately, I have not listened to dozens of high end DACs. The last disc player I owned was a very high end player from Muse, but I have owned the Ayre C5xeMP player. For DACs, I have had the Lampi L4G4 here, and also the Aqua LaScala II. My previous DAC (that I will be selling soon) was the Hex. All I can say is that IMO, this Pavane is better than all of those, at least in my system and for my preferences.

If you read the reviews, they get it pretty close. However you cannot discount what source you use to feed it. Going to the Antipodes DX was a significant last step toward full-bodied, musical enjoyment in my system. I still own my tricked out Mac mini, that has an outboard linear power supply, inboard filters, an inboard SSD, outboard AV drive connected by firewire and also powered by the linear supply, Atomic platform, and more, playing Pure Music in memory mode. As good as that was, the Antipodes DX is more natural sounding, analog-like some would say, and more enjoyable, at least with my system. I believe Srajan's take on the Pavane may have been different (even more specifically positive) had he been using something better than his computer as a source.

The EAR review by René van Es is very strong and, while the level of impact the Pavane has on your system may vary from what Rene' states, or from how it impacts my system, I found the comments about sonics to be on track. The review by Jaap Venstra is also quite strong, if you choose to translate it on Google Translate.

I am sure there are differences between the Pavane and other top, or near top, DACs. The Pavane takes the best of the R2R presentation of the Hex, and makes it better. Not surprising with a S/N of -140dB. Bass is very good, in my system. Clarity is outstanding as is soundstage. It goes deeper than the Hex, and wider. High frequencies are natural-sounding, not rolled off and not overdone but very clear with good impact (when called for) and realistic decay. Super black background, etc., etc. I run a fully balanced system so have not evaluated the single-ended outputs. Also, I am able to run the unpowered leg of a dual USB cable into the Pavane (as I did with the Hex) since it has internal power for the USB input.

Compared to the LaScala, the Pavane was certainly not as warm but that doesn't mean it isn't as musical or as full-bodied. I found the LaScala comparatively a little forced sounding, maybe due to the highish output voltage. The LaScala had great body and was certainly fun to listen to but the Pavane can transport you to the event better, again, in my system/room/opinion.

I agree, it is unfortunate they do not currently do demos. I believe there may be a return policy, and you should look into that. After having it in my system, I did not even think about returning it. YMMV