High End 2017 • Hot Product

A sure sign that the market for serious CD players is on the wane was French transport specialist Métronome Technologie (represented by Jean Marie Clauzel) introducing its first streaming product -- or "digital sharing" D/A converter.

The DSC1 (€18,000) represents the start of a new line for Métronome, its styling being distinctly different to the slabs of acrylic that mark its CD transports. The DSC1’s sleek, modern lines conceal a DLNA-compliant network streamer with Tidal and Qobuz capabilities, an Airplay receiver and a pair of AK4497 D-to-A chips for processing. The power supply has no fewer than four transformers, and the streamer side is at the mercy of the M-Command control system. Availability is pegged as September.

Even more surprising is that Métronome introduced a loudspeaker, and a big one at that. The Kalista EA (€120,000/pair) stands two meters tall and uses a pair of 380mm (15") woven carbon-fiber bass drivers, a graphite-and-paper midrange and an Audax tweeter.