Metrum Dac owners

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.

I was looking for a new DAC recently and auditioned Onyx and Aqua La Voce in the same system.  Very, very close. I could live with either. In the end La Voce won by a small margin sound wise and due to a clearly better USB input and its modular upgradable design. Both are R2R, both have highly acclaimed designers. La Voce is the best DAC I have ever owned. The old Reimyo 777 comes distant second. DACs have progressed in recent years, I was surprised to be honest.