Sonnet Audio Morpheus

Which of the two  sonnet audio Hermes (the roon bridge) or  Denafrips Hermes (a DDC)

Srajan, writer of the review on 6moons, eventually bought the Sonnet Pasithea. So good it was, he replaced the termi + in his downstairs system with the Pasithea. Obviously, he is a fan. 

@txp1 sounds good. can't go wrong with the AMT IV

@kray thanks for the cable offer but I’m now leaning toward the Audio mirror Troubadour SE IV for several reasons, excellent USB input and lower output to my integrated amp are among those.

@txp1 sent you a PM

Yes my dealer Rob at Audio Art Cable, knows the pinout and has the cable end that goes into Sonnet pinned correctly, and working with Denafrips DACs.

I'm selling a Cardas Clear that is already pinned for Sonnet / Denafrips if you're interested.

@kray   Hi kray,  can you give me details on how to do this? Did the cable dealer know what to do or did you need to give specific pin-out details? Or did your Morpheus dealer assist?  As you said, and I’ve also read that some people have needed to “program” the Denafrips Hermes by trying different I2S setups in the Hermes setup menu.  Did you need to do that even with custom cable?

Thank you for the assist!

@txp1 i had both the Hermes and Gaia but they are programmable so doesn’t matter. BUT the pin into the Morpheus is not common. I had a Cardas Clear RJ45/i2S cable made specifically for the Morpheus. 

@kray how did you connect the Iris to the Morpheus?  A Phasure cable?  
I’m also considering the Denafrips Hermes DDC. Do you know if it uses the same pin-outs as the Iris or does it not matter because I‘ve read that you can program the pin configuration via firmware on the Hermes?

@txp1 id vote for 1

the i2S is much better input on this dac. 

@rja @kray @dalims4 @audioartcable I’m strongly considering the Morpheus as an upgrade DAC.  I’d need to also purchase the Denafrips Iris DDC and a Phasure cable to use the very highly touted I2S input because I have an Aurender N150 streamer that I really like which is USB output only.

My current DAC is a Chord Qutest.  The Aurender has proven that the Qutest is a very competent DAC but I can now hear some issues that others have mentioned. Also FYI, the Qutest upscales.  My previous decent DACs were both NOS.  Maybe I just prefer a NOS DAC    Should I:

1 - just do it, get everything the reviewers loved, the Morpheus, a DDC (Iris or Hermes) and the Phasure cable;

2- get the Morpheus with a USB input because its USB input is better than reviewers give it credit for; 

3 - buy the Pasithea because it’s USB input is much better and overall it is a far superior DAC.

I’m not opposed to 3 but I also plan to upgrade my integrated amp. Any funds saved can go to that upgrade.  Number 3 would need to be a significant upgrade.

Thanks!

@dalims4 perfect. Mine arrives tomorrow. I partly chose the Morpheus because I plan to use it direct. Glad to know it works great direct. 

I just pulled the trigger on a Morpheus. I made the mistake of selling off my Audio Mirror Tubadour III SE thinking I’d simplify things down into a “all in one”.. who was I kidding 😂.  I miss the R2R/multibit sound so much I’m back into one. I considered the newer AMT IV but decided to try something different and I’ve had EXCELLENT service from Rob at Audio Art with some other things including cables, so grabbed his last Morpheus. Next shipments next leaving Europe until sometime into Sept so no ETA. 

Anykne have any follow up thoughts to share for those that have owned one for a while. Looks like mine is the new MKII version which includes a hardware dip to lower the DB by -10 as some with high gain amps/speakers were complaining it was too hot. 

That explains the lack of US based reviews. Maybe later this year?

Heard very few were initially released due to limited parts availability.

Just wondering if anyone has listened to the Pasithea yet.

Have they hit our shores?

Srajan recently added a final line to his Pasithea review stating that he bought the review sample for his system.

Another Pasithea review has gone up on: alpha-audio.net

Srajan has an uncanny ability to "beat around the bush".

I can't tell if the Pasithea article is a rave review or a lukewarm one.

The Morpheus review was much clearer to me.

Interesting quote. His bringing his colleagues/friends (Darko & Lavorgna/Twittering Machines) into the Sonnet discussion is a little weird. Those guys favor the dCS Bartok, Mola Mola Tambaqui, the totaldac d1 tube mk2 and the dCS Rossini -- he hasn't reviewed those, as far as I can tell. So for him to say (even if not definitively, not that reviews are definitive) that the latest Sonnet dac "probably belongs side by side with them or at least gets close" is something of a head scratcher. 

 

I actually enjoy Srajan's writing but I also find myself reading more closely to make sure I understand the context.  I find him to be a thoughtful reviewer and I appreciate how he usually tries the reviewed component with a variety of gear, and usually compares to other similar gear he either owns or has reviewed.

In the case of this Pasithea review, I did not find it to be a clear slam dunk.  On one hand he said,

I too reviewed the Morpheus, reviewed/owned the Terminator, now own the Terminator+ and rate all three as highly as my colleagues do.  You already know my sentiments on Pasithea eclipsing the Denefrips flagship…Nothing more definitive can be said when I’ve not reviewed John’s and Michael’s top decks.  I’d simply suggest that this latest Cees box probably belongs side by side with them or at least gets close…Either way would mark nice savings for going Dutch and throw in remote-controlled lossless volume control.

So, he is saying "better than Terminator+," "in the same ballpark with Mola Mola Tambaqui and dCS Bartok," and "a great value" but the confusing part for me becomes the absence of a Blue Moon Award, and what that means relative to his overall impression of the DAC, especially after awarding the Morpheus a Blue Moon.  He could have awarded it on the basis of "punches above its weight" or "tone with resolution at lower power" or something else.  

I would like to hear the Pasithea since I owned both the Metrum Pavane and Adagio - and Srajan said, "In my little black book, Cees Ruijtenberg has now wholly eclipsed his best-ever work at Metrum."  I thought the Pavane sounded best of the Metrum DACs in my system.  Although the volume control on the Adagio was "lossless,"  it was implemented at a higher output voltage 4V than the Pavane 2V and IMO whatever they did to the Adagio sounded slightly different than what I heard from the Pavane.  In addition, for the Adagio to sound its best, I still used a buffer between that DAC and my amps.  I like how Cees has offered a -10dB switch for folks using a preamp and I wish he had provided a method of totally bypassing the volume control.  I also wish the display were bigger and easier to read.

I think Srajan (Six Moons) brings a wonderful perspective -- but yes, his reviews can require some patience to parse...

On my read, his main (or most important) points on the Pasithea are (1) like the Morpheus, it's a truly excellent preamp -- in most applications, it should sound just as good direct as through a quality analog preamp and (2) it has an exceptionally low noise floor and high resolution, without sacrificing tone or emotion.

I used to own the Morpheus, I may try the Pasithea one of these days...

A review of the Sonnet Pasithea has been completed on Six Moons.

If you read the review and feel that you understand its conclusions please summarize it for us as many of these reviews seem extremely cryptic. Maybe it's just me but I find some Six Moons reviews difficult to understand.

 

Looks like new Sonnet Pasithea DAC will be available sometime early 2022 @ about double Morpheus price.

Looking forward to hearing it and reading reports and reviews.

There's a thread on 6Moons if you want to follow the development of the new Sonnet DAC, so far un-named. Not much information though.

I appreciate your comments on this thread.

I have never heard a Metrum DAC. For the last fives years or so I’ve been enjoying an Aesthetix Romulus Eclipse w/volume control and decided to try something new just for fun. So I purchased the Morpheus after researching as much as I could about it. As far as I know there are no dealers near me for an audition.

These two DACs have quite different sound signatures but I like them both. The Morpheus definitely has the upper hand in resolution and weight/punch, especially in the low end, while the Romulus has much better finesse and grace.
I’ve rolled the pairs of 12AX7 and 6922 tubes in the Romulus to my taste.

I’m currently using a Wadia 270SE transport with both DACs although I have other transports yet to try. Connected with 1.5m Shunyata Sigma XLR digital cable. Redbook only for now.
If Sonnet releases an upgraded DAC I would definitely consider a purchase.

@mitch2 i share those sentiments entirely. Cees has accomplished so much with both Metrum and Sonnet. I simply wanted to weigh into provide a user’s direct experience, which tends to contradict the gushing reviews regarding the Sonnet’s purported sonic benefits. While it is a stupendous DAC offering a feature set and value proposition that outdoes what Metrum provided, I don’t yet feel that the sound is a universal improvement. I do feel it is better sound per pound and would recommend it for those seeking support from a solvent company. I urge everyone to hear what the Morpheus can do (which is quite extraordinary) but as a Pavane user who has explored the Sonnet Morpheus, and is willing to spend more and wait, I am anxious to see Cees scale the new heights I am certain Sonnet will achieve as it develops to a higher price point. Even now the Morpheus competes with Lampizator, PS Audio, and others, but I find the Pavane to be, bar none, the best digital audio converter I have ever heard in my system. Cees is a genius. 

@transience 
Your comment in another thread about Metrum Acoustics closing shop is correct according to this....
https://metrumacoustics.com/
Like a marriage, when SHTF only those involved in the marriage can figure out what really happened, and there are usually two sides to the story.
However, as a former Pavane L3 owner and current Adagio owner (and Jade, and Ambre, and baby Ambre) I can say without reservation that my dealings with Cees Ruijtenberg have been some of the most pleasurable I have had in my years in this audio hobby.  I am also glad Cees said he would help support Metrum Acoustics products if needed.   
The posting on Metrum's website sounds like sour grapes and was probably more of an emotional response than a tactical marketing response, which is usually a bad idea.  They had an excellent component line-up, solid customer base, and probably could have ridden the wave for awhile if they had only continued providing the stellar customer service I had received from Cees.  However, my great customer service experiences with Metrum were all with Cees directly.  If he was designing the products, overseeing manufacturing, and taking the lead on customer service, I can see where that would lead to overload and a need for a change in venue.  Pure speculation on my part.
Whether the Morpheus is better than the Pavane L3 or Adagio, I wouldn't know since I unfortunately have not heard the Morpheus.  I have been trying to decide whether I need a DAC in my living room, which is mostly set up with unobtrusive HT gear.  Actually, I am trying to find an excuse to purchase a Morpheus but haven't reached that point yet.  I do know the Pavane L3/Adagio are the best in digital that I have had in my system, which includes some very good CD players and DACs by Lampizator and Ayre.  They are quite natural sounding and have excellent drive.  However, I have consistently preferred the Adagio through my SMc Buffer rather than amp-direct.  I would really like to hear the Morpheus since some have spoken about how it fleshes out the sound more than the Pavane L3 or Adagio.  It is difficult for me to get my head around how the Pavane/Adagio have clearly superior chassis, more substantial power supplies, and use of separate boards, yet the fairly pedestrian Morpheus apparently at least matches if not improves on the sound of those two former Metrum flagship DACs, designed by the same person as the Morpheus.  However, all the positive reviews can't be horse hockey pucks so there must be some truth.  I am content to keep my Adagio until I can try and directly compare a Morpheus or the next higher level DAC Cees may reportedly be working on in his spare time. 

Maybe it’s just me, but I feel that the Morpheus makes notable sacrifices in drive for a smidge of delicacy, particularly with its single-ended outputs lacking the output transformers of the Pavane, which in guises from the L1 to L3 sounds considerably better to me than the Morpheus. I also do not notice a marked decline in resolving power between the Morpheus and Pavane L3, but would argue it is modestly higher in resolution than the L1. I have only used the balanced outs on the above DACs, and - as ever - ymmv. I welcome the cost benefits of the Sonnet line , and I’ll be excited for Sonnet to release a flagship DAC that reconciles the best of both worlds but am sticking with the L3 for now.

Bought a Morpheus recently and I’m liking it.
Might consider the Hermes when it becomes available.
Would anyone recommend the MQA card?

I bought a Morpheus back when it was first released, unfortunately haven’t had all that much time to "play" with it due to other priorities but can say it was a step up all around from my Metrum Menuet.

Back when I was purchasing I spoke to Cee’s about the possibility of a top of the line model & he did say it was likely but some time off (the streamer & mono amps to be released first). My guess would be looking a year down the road. Obviously not set in stone (& a lot could change) but he ballparked around a 70% price increase vs Morpheus.

Going by his past designs I would expect a doubling of the DAC modules, installed in a larger format, higher end case.

Yes, that statement in the review intrigued me as well.
Now of course I’m wondering about the timeline and price point of the "upper echelon" DAC.

Thanks for the heads up @rja .
I read the review and like every other reviewer who has heard the Morpheus so far, he liked it. The reviewers have all commented on the excellent performance to cost ratio and end up concluding the Morpheus is at least equal to but in some ways better than the Pavane L3 or Adagio, although the reasons given are not always consistent. The Sonnet website promotes, "more weight, body, tonal richness, and a more natural sense of the space of the recording"  but I am not sure about "more than what?"
I would like to hear the Morpheus side by side with my Adagio and may decide yet to try one.  As a test this morning, I reconnected my Adagio directly to my new amplifiers, played some music, and then reconnected them through my SMc buffer and listened to the same music.  I found exactly "more weight, body, tonal richness, and a more natural sense of the space of the recording" when running the Adagio thorough the buffer, compared to amp-direct.  This observation is consistent with my previous attempts at going amp-direct.

I read this comment in the Mono&Stereo review:

So for those of interest a pricier, upper echelon Sonnet Digital Audio DAC is already in the pipeline, although it's not coming so soon.

It will be fun to see what Cees comes up with that will perform at an even higher level than the Morpheus.

Review now complete at mono and stereo site.

We're playing a mix of FLAC, AIFF, and MP3.  File server is Minimserver on a Synology NAS, streamer is a microrendu.  We use the USB input on the DAC.

Thanks for the excellent review.
What type of files were you running through the Morpheus?

I've got a Morpheus.  We've been playing it probably 12-16 hours a day for a week or so, including white noise (ocean waves) overnight.  My previous DACs were a Metrum Octave, then a Metrum Musette, so that is my basis for comparison.

To my ear, the Morpheus really opens the music up.  Individual instruments and voices are easier to distinguish.  I'm hearing stuff I haven't noticed before.  Instrumental and vocal timbres are reproduced in a very accurate and life-like way.  It's got kind of a round sound, for lack of a better word, like the Octave did, but is much much more detailed.  It's accurate like the Musette was, but with a much more full-bodied sound.  Things that sounded reedy on the Musette - strings, saxophone, some vocals - sound fleshed out on the Morpheus.

It's got a volume control, which we don't really need because we have a pre-amp, but if you are happy running all digital end to end you may not need a pre-amp.

It's a really, really good DAC.

For anyone interested, 2 part review at mono and stereo site.
1st part up now second part coming.
Also check the review on 6moons.

Thanks Bill

@ducatirider - The Sonnet Audio Morpheus (and the Metrum DACs) only decode PCM, no DSD support at all. In order to play DSD files you would need to convert them to PCM either before playback or on the fly.

DSD over PCM (DoP) is not PCM, but is the DSD data encoded into PCM frames for transmission. In order to support DoP playback a DAC must be DSD compatible, but instead of converting native DSD it first recognizes the PCM frames as being DoP and then converts the data back to the original DSD to then be converted to analog. So PCM only DACs do not support DoP playback.

When DoP data is decoded back into DSD by a DAC which supports it, the recovered datastream should be identical to the original DSD. Therefore if there's a difference in the sound quality of DoP compared to the original DSD it's not due to a difference in the data, but could be cuased from additional processing required to decode the DoP back to DSD and potential noise that the conversion might create.

What are users impression of DoP.  DSD over PCM.
I understand thisd does not play DSD "natively"

edwoodjr,
Any report on your Morpheus?

The Hermes is a music server and the Kratos are monoblock amps.
https://www.criticalsound.co.nz/products/sonnet-digital/
Scroll down the page for info.

All the best,
Nonoise

Did you order from HiFiHeaven?
A SQ report would be appreciated.

Just ordered one yesterday, shipped today. They had the i2s and mqa modules also.  Ordered the i2s.  So they have everything in stock.

Mitch2,Check with HiFiHeaven, they have the Morpheus with the MQA card listed @ $199.99 and the I2s card @ $99.99.
Don’t know whether they actually have them in stock, you’ll have to check with them.
BTW: Sonnet-Audio has 3 products listed on their net site, the Morpheus, Hermes and Kratos.
Has me wondering what the Hermes and Kratos might be.

For clarity, I believe the Pavane used for comparison by the OP was the original version and not the Level 3 Pavane. The Level 3 is basically equivalent to the Adagio, sans volume control, and both of those were clearly superior to the original Pavane to my ears and in my system. My recent communications with the designer indicate the differences between the Morpheus and the two top Metrum DACs may not be large but to play at the same level as the Adagio and Pavane L3 and get there at about half the price is quite an achievement.

Do any of you Morpheus owners know whether the I2S and MQA boards are available from Sonnet yet? Also, do you know if the I2S cable implementation is identical to that used by Metrum.....so that I could run I2S from my Metrum Ambre endpoint into the Morpheus?