Hopefully the price will come in at a level that makes it a real possibility as a reasonable step up from Pi/mini pc based solutions. EDIT : Just seen the price … £316+VAT. If you want to eliminate USB from the chain, this is pretty a good option in my view and not a lot more than an allo digione as an endpoint.
I have heard great things about the current (larger) Ambre product whivh is about £1000 - in fact it’s on my shortlist as the endpoint for my main listening room.
Metrum Acoustics is pleased to announce the introduction of the BABY AMBRE, the sibling of our wave making AMBRE ROON certified streamer. A great addition to the affordable FLINT Baby DAC. The first low entry, yet very powerful ROON certified streamer from Metrum Acoustics comes to you with the renowned Metrum Acoustics quality. The Baby Ambre makes its launch in January 2019 and builds upon our years of experience in digital to analog converters and streaming solutions. The BABY AMBRE combines high quality components known by thousands of Metrum Acoustics clients worldwide.
At Metrum Acoustics we are fanatic about building the best Digital to Analogue converters because of our love for making digital music sound sublime!
The BABY AMBRE is the ultimate companion for every distributed audio setup, like SONOS, but also because of its small size fits into any bedroom or other room where you require the most sublime digital sound. Sublime Digital sound for game consoles, distributed audio, or any other audio setup.
The ultimate companion to your BABY AMBRE, is the FLINT, a high value-for-money ratio Digital-to-Digital Converter to turn your computer into the main audio source for every hi-fi system provided with a digital input.
I think there is a shortage of endpoints that look great in a rack - at a reasonable price. Metrum seem to be stepping up.
All in they eye of the beholder, I guess
I think it looks good - simple and clean.
Yes, I think it’s a pi inside, just like the more expensive Ambre - and the even more expensive Bryston BDP-π
For the main listening room, I am prepared to pay more for something that does not look as ugly as a pi, digione, hifiberry, etc… but again, all in the eye of the beholder.
I’ll take a look - also considering the Moon Neo Mind 2.
I do like the idea of the Baby Ambre, though, for a few end points (not the main listening room).
I ordered the bigger Metrum Ambre for my main set up, but am considering the ‘baby’ for a headamp ‘listening station’ and perhaps one for the bedroom.
I believe they are on pre-order at the moment.
it would be interesting in knowing what separates the Ambre from the Baby Ambre…Only thing that I know for sure is that only the Ambre has the I2S connection, but aside from that…not sure. it’s a 500 difference
That’s the million dollar question (well the £500 question) that we won’t be able to answer until the baby ships… I am going to wait for Rene’s impressions given he’s ordered…
There is a review of the baby Ambre on alpha-audio.nl , for those that can read dutch.
Conclusion of the review: almost as good as the big Ambre for a fraction of the price.
The most interesting takeaway from the Alpha Audio review is that the Baby not longer has a free Pi inside, but is built around the Raspberry Compute Module (CM3) instead:
Makes sense: this little board is built for industrial application and its integration shows some technical prowess.
