CD Player of the Year
If CD players are on the way out (given that vinyl has now taken its final revenge by outselling the silver discs), this may therefore be the very time to invest in a high-quality CD player which will give a lifetime of performance for the collection of discs you’ve accrued. Metronome’s AQWO (which we’re told means ‘I listen, I hear’ in ancient Greek) is certainly that, but also significantly more. It offers top-loading silver-disc playback — of both CDs and SACDs — with a magnetic polyoxymethylene puck provided (and required) to clamp down the disc. But it also has inputs to work as a DAC, so it will convert digital signals from another transport, your DVD player, your streamer, your computer… indeed from any device that has a digital output. There are seven digital inputs — one USB-B for computer connection, two AES/ EBU via XLR sockets, two coaxial SPDIF and two optical. The only obvious omission is a USB-A slot or a network connection to allow streaming — though you could, of course, handle all that from a connected computer, from which the USB input will accept formats up to 768kHz/32-bit PCM or DSD512 (or 8×DSD, as it’s sometimes known).
So the Metronome’s utility goes far beyond just CD replay, while its quality is evidenced first by the level of its build, which takes place at Metronome’s factory near Montans in the
South of France. The front panel is absolutely massive, being machined from a 20mm-thick block of aluminium alloy, although the front panel is self-evidently dominated by the large 40 × 70mm colour touch-screen display. And that’s why there are no physical transport controls — they’re on that large touch-screen rather than on the fascia itself.
As standard the AQWO has a solid-state output stage, but there’s an option for a second output stage using transformercoupled triode valves; you can then switch between the two output topologies. This adds $3395 to the usual recommended selling price of $27,995. The valve stage added richness, but also seemed to ease off on the bass agility, we thought, so that the solid-state output was our preference, whether delivering the crisp plucked strings of a harpsichord, the depth and resonance of a Steinway D piano, or a full and banging band in all its detail and layers.
It’s an investment, sure, but this ‘forever’ CD/SACD player doubles down as a thrilling DAC for other sources, and consistently performs to its price.
More info: www.advanceaudio.com.au