HIFI PIG VISITS HIGH END FRENCH HIFI BRAND METRONOME

Metronome Technologie are a high end French HiFi brand producing their beautiful products both under the Metronome name and the sister brand, Kalista. HiFi PiG’s Stu and Lin popped down to Toulouse to find out more about them and to hear the just launched new Kalista Mantax DAC.

Please note, all content and photos are the copyright of HiFi PiG Magazine/Big Pig Media LLP and must not be copied or reproduced in any way without the prior, written consent of HiFi PiG/Big Pig Media.

Anyone who knows their High End HiFi brands will be familiar with Metronome and its sister brand Kalista.

METRONOME TECHNOLOGIE

The distinctive products start with the more affordable Metronome ranges, and work up to the uber High End, and completely stunning-looking Kalista products.

Metronome can be found in Montans, situated between the large and historic city of Toulouse and the medieval town of Albi, in the southwest of France. We could not resist a visit to this lovely area, with an early chance to hear the new Kalista Mantax DAC which launched during the Finest Audio Show Vienna just last month.

CD TO STREAMING

A brand that has moved with the times, Metronome started in 1987 with CD players and transports as their main focus, but even though they make high quality CD players and transports now, they have also completely embraced streaming too. The Kalista brand launched in 2003, catering to the even more luxurious market.

TEAM METRONOME KALISTA

With a ten strong team, some of whom are from the ‘original’ company and have over twenty years with the business, Metronome has been headed up by Jean Marie Clauzel and his partner Christian Bat for the last decade.

Metronome and Kalista creations are born in a workshop that very much reflects the products. There is a relaxed but productive atmosphere, and everyone seems very happy to be there. There is a good proportion of young people on the team and the calm atmosphere, with clean and carefully laid out workspaces has an air of quiet productivity. The mix of ages of the staff means that there is both longstanding technical expertise and youthful enthusiasm and the brand has embraced social media and marketing as much as it has the newest technologies. You very much get the feeling that Metronome welcomes the future with open arms and will be around for many years to come.

KALISTA MANTAX DAC

Jean Marie revealed that the Mantax name came about as the product’s resemblance to a Manta Ray was unavoidable, the DAC development project became known as ‘Manta’ and the X was added as the DAC is designed as the perfect partner to the Kalista DreamPlayX SACD transport…so the name MantaX was chosen.

The Mantax is indeed stunning looking. The signature shape and clear acrylic body perches atop a delicate looking but actually very sturdy stand, with its partner the DreamPlayX. This is very much HiFi as art, with a real conversation piece in your living room even when not in use. The aluminium, acrylic and stainless steel are used as much for their physical properties as they are for their looks.

But audiophiles need not worry, the attention to detail extends under the hood of the Mantax too; with the manufacture of the boards and choice of components, and there is flexibility, with user-selectable DAC chips and output stages to suit personal taste.

This is nice to see, especially at this level (the Mantax costs a cool 60,000€ for the base model, without the stand, and of course, you will want to match it with the DreamPlayX transport at around the same price). Sometimes, you get the feeling that Ultra-High-End brands are very prescriptive with how their product should sound, and they dictate how the listener should listen …I like the fact that with the Kalista Mantax it is up to you whether you, and your musical choices, are better suited to the ESS DAC or the AKM, and whether you prefer a solid state or tube output. You very much get the feeling that the Mantax is designed to be used as you the listener wants to use it and for whatever music you love.

After an hour or so of touring the workshop and offices, we enjoyed a listening session in the Metronome auditorium. A good sized room that accommodated the visually arresting Kalista EA loudspeakers, but also very much a ‘living room’ size. We have heard Metronome and Kalista products many, many times at shows, and have also reviewed some in our own system at home. Of course, no one can honestly give a review of a component in a system that they don’t know personally, but we spent a very enjoyable pre-lunch session hearing what the Kalista Mantax can do…and we left impressed.

If you get the chance to hear Metronome and Kalista, then do, you will not be disappointed, with them actively engaging with a fan base around the world you will be able to catch up with them at some of the world’s best HiFi Shows in 2024.

For more info about the Kalista Mantax DAC you can read the release news story here.

We would like to extend a huge thank you to Jean Marie and his team, especially Enzo and Étaine for chauffeuring us to and from the city and giving us some tourist tips for our weekend, and Cyril for explaining the technical side of things and demonstrating the Kalista Mantax DAC.

Please note, all content and photos are the copyright of HiFi PiG Magazine/Big Pig Media LLP and must not be copied or reproduced in any way without the prior, written consent of HiFi PiG/Big Pig Media.

Linette Smith