Metrum Dac owners

So I just got a schiit eitr and all I can say is wow. I was previously using usb out from my laptop into the amethyst, which initially I thought sounded really nice. After throwing the eitr into the chain, the sound is so much more natural. Its hard to explain but isolating the laptop power supply really has helped. I would say that it has reduced some glare I was getting from my system on digital playback. I’m just using a cheap blue jeans SPDIF cable. It took about half a song to realize that this was probably the best 150 (I bought a b-stock unit) bucks I’ve spent on my system. Of course your system has to be revealing enough to notice, I haven’t tried it on my desktop system.

Just a thought - rather than more resolving perhaps it might simply be that your DAC isn’t as well isolated on the USB as it could be.

I have a Metrum Adagio which is by far the best DAC I have ever had. I find the Metrum to be extremely responsive to the set up.

The biggest difference to the DAC ($12,000 AUD) has been the addition of Empirical Audio Syncromesh. Steve Nugent from EA has just updated what was a stellar performer to a 7 psec specification. The effect of the Syncromesh isn't subtle and adds improvement is soundstage width, height, detail, dynamics and most importantly renders a very natural and "in the room" sense.

I have compared almost every combination possible and I can say that the onboard Xmos USB in Metrum is not great. What is great is the BNC input. That is a different beast altogether. BNC is the sweet spot and the Synromesh is true 75 ohm.   If you can use a good PS - such as an Sbooster, you will never look back. Steve also makes a Dynamo PS which is a modded Paul Hynes - optimised for digital that I haven't tried yet.
 
I also found that the XLR (as have a few reviewers) sounds better than the RCA. 

I have been using an Uptone Regen with an iFi iPower adapter.  I'm not hearing anything significant....I guess? I'm not a believer of this or cables. It was a peace of mind thing I suppose. Sounded great before, sounds great now. I mean I could try to A/B experiment but it all sounds very good regardless. I think if you train your mind to expect "digital glare" (whatever that is), you may start hearing it and get yourselves fatigued for no good reason. I recommend some decent weed for all of you, specially with the advent of vape oils...try a hybrid and just enjoy.

Very interesting thread for a DAC newbie. I did own a Hegel 360 amp for a couple of yrs but never really took advantage of its Dac section, I might have plugged in my laptop a couple of times but no real motivation to divert from Vinyl/CD. I've had a valve amp for a year now and just opening my eyes to the possibilities for digital. I listen to DAB radio a fair bit and wondered whether putting the signal through a decent dac would enhance it. The other side is to explore music selections more via digital/spotify/tidal/laptap etc and so I have been looking around online to read what people are saying about dacs and what might be important when selecting.

To focus a bit in regard to the OP, has anyone compared Metrum Onyx with an Antelope Zodiac Gold Dac w/ Voltikus PSU?

I realise there's a major difference in cost when buying either of these new but i'm looking in the used market predominantly and there are so many options of various dacs in the 1k - 3k ($ or GBP) range which appear to be bargains when considering their new cost.

Is the Onyx a giant killer in that context? Are there others I should consider? Lastly where might a Jolida Glass FX Tube DAC, latest version, maybe with mods, come into the frame here and how would it compare (at much lower cost used) with the Onyx and/or Antelope Zodiac.

Any insights, experience, observations would be most welcome.