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Merason Frerot DAC
Merason Frerot
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Posted On 23.06.2025
Last Update On 23.06.2025 Merason  Frerot
Merason  Frerot Merason  Frerot Merason  Frerot
Description Original Description is in English, other language texts are translations and can contain errors. EnglishDeutschSpanishTurkish Excellent.

The Merason Frerot is described as an entry level version of the DAC-1, although with the same technology as its big brother. Merason’s Daniel Frauchiger uses a very similar circuit layout for both units, but the Merason Frerot features a single Burr Brown PCM 1794A chips, compared to the pair in mono configuration on the DAC-1. There have been minor concessions on parts quality for the Frerot, which is to be expected. But Frauchiger is satisfied that the tiny Merason Frerot has that same essence as the larger DAC.

As I mentioned, I set up the Merason Frerot DAC to perform two basic functions, the ones that are important to me—streaming Qobuz through my main system, and combining the Merason with the Innuos Zen Mini Mk. 2 music server that I’ve already reviewed. The Zen Mini is the only Innuos music server to include its own DAC, and while it’s a minimalist unit—one designed to compete at the level of most inboard DACs—it sounds good enough to make the Zen Mini a fairly complete and satisfying product.

Once the Merason was in the system, performance rose from “this is pretty darned good” to something roughly the sonic equivalent of that older CD player I use. (By the way, it’s the Unison Research CDE, which has dual-mono DACs and tubes in the output stage and it’s still one of my favorite one-box players, which is why I still use it.) I’ll admit that a lot of those files I streamed were probably 16-bit, 44.1 kHz, so yes, it sounded like my CD player—maybe a little on the cool side of neutral.

I searched out some hi-rez tracks on Qobuz and wound up listening to Roger Waters’ Amused to Death all the way through for perhaps the first time. (I’m not a fan of Roger’s solo stuff—David Gilmour is my “favorite Beatle.”) I was impressed with the width of that immense soundstage, as most people are, but I felt that so much of the music was flanking me, settling out further on the horizontal plane than I’ve heard in a long time. Hmmm, the Merason Frerot was starting to capture my attention.

When I switched to my “high-end audio exhibit room” playlist from the Innuos server, composed of some of my favorite hi-rez CDs from FIM, Analogue Productions, Mo-Fi and more, I felt satisfied that the Merason Frerot was serving as a viable source in my system—not for the convenience but for the sound quality.

At this point I was ready to say that the Merason Frerot, at $1350 USD, was easily the best DAC experience I’ve had at home. Solid digital sound, plenty of color and texture to the music, some extraordinary imaging and soundstaging fireworks as I mentioned, and an ease of use that simply hasn’t been matched. I plugged this in without even consulting the owners’ manual, I knew where the wires needed to be plugged, and boom! Been happy ever since

 

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