Again in 2016 we suggested you to make room in your shelf for the “terrific” Metronome Le Participant – the French high-end audio maker’s entry-level CD participant (it nonetheless wasn’t low-cost). Now, the corporate has formally launched the third technology Le Participant 3 – however will it’s a case of déjà vu?
The Le Participant 3 (£4,698) actually has a sure je ne sais quoi. It extracts most element from each recording by upsampling 44.1kHz CD information to DSD128, whereas frequencies above 192kHz are despatched to the Le Participant’s built-in I2S HDMI output.
It is because there is not any built-in DAC. Metronome says it is much less limiting, because it means music lovers can use their most well-liked DAC to take advantage of the high-quality sound copy supplied by CDs.
The design is traditional – Metronome payments the Le Participant 3 as ‘reasonably priced perfection’ – and nowhere close to as extravagant as a number of the firm’s pricier gear. A slot-loading mechanism replaces the top-loader that graced the primary technology, however the modern aluminium-clad end stays intact.
Around the again, there are digital connections galore: PCM 44.1 to 384 kHz and DSD64, an S/PDIF RCA connector, an AES/EBU XLR connector, optical Toslink, plus that HDMI 12S. You additionally get a hefty energy provide that includes three toroidal transformers.
Provided that lots of Metronome’s flagship merchandise price ten instances as a lot as a Le Participant 3, this ‘entry-level’ CD transport might show to be one other high-performance discount. Tempted? Le Participant 3 is on the market within the UK by way of high-end distributor Absolute Sounds, priced at £4,698 (Australian pricing and availability is but to be introduced). Every thing is relative…
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