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At last... (Audiolab) - part VI

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major-tom said:
I was hoping to be able to feed CD digital out s/pdif on co-axial into coax 1 input & Macbook optical o/p into opt 1 input on MDAC. Then feed either the s/e or balanced output into the Bryston & control volume with the control on the MDAC front panel. Are you saying this is not poss ?
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I misunderstood the question i think! you want to use the coaxial input and the toslink input at the same time?
I dont think it will do this! ie it wont process two digital signals from different sources.

You can use both outputs XLR and RCA at the same time, but both will be variable or not variable.

The dac does output a digital signal while outputting audio though, looking at the back of the Dac when turned on.
 
major-tom said:
I agree, but it's the 'OR' in the Audiolab blurb that has made me question it.
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Yep understood - having reread the features page on the MDAC part of the site now have a similar question in my mind.

John W did say on a post a few days back he would try to host the manual somewhere - not sure if I've missed a subsequent post/link somewhere tho.
 
Space is the Place said:
I misunderstood the question i think! you want to use the coaxial input and the toslink input at the same time?
I dont think it will do this!
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Sorry for confusion Space. I was referring to the analogue s/e or balanced outputs from MDAC being controlled by vol knob. Not the MDAC digital o/ps.
 
Space is the Place said:
I misunderstood the question i think! you want to use the coaxial input and the toslink input at the same time?
I dont think it will do this! ie it wont process two digital signals from different sources.

You can use both outputs XLR and RCA at the same time, but both will be variable or not variable.

The dac does output a digital signal while outputting audio though, looking at the back of the Dac when turned on.
Click to expand...
Just to clarify...I need to be able to connect both a co-ax and optical to the inputs of MDAC. Switch between them as required. Use the vol knob on the front to control vol ie a pre amp function. Then take analogue o/p to power amp from either bal or s/e outputs.
However Audiolab info says.'Select DAC mode OR digital pre amp mode' This suggests to me that it can't walk and chew gum. I'd like to be sure before I part with £600.
 
major-tom said:
Just to clarify...I need to be able to connect both a co-ax and optical to the inputs of MDAC. Switch between them as required. Use the vol knob on the front to control vol ie a pre amp function. Then take analogue o/p to power amp from either bal or s/e outputs.
However Audiolab info says.'Select DAC mode OR digital pre amp mode' This suggests to me that it can't walk and chew gum. I'd like to be sure before I part with £600.
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my understanding is that this is in effect exactly what the Mdac does. The volume is adjusted in the digitally arena before it goes to the analogue outputs. It can be set to fixed level output ie a dac or with a variable volume output ie dac and pre amp
 
To stop the empty conversion

of course you can select any of the inputs (all of them digital)
one at a time
and use the digital volume control to control the volume (!) of the analogue outputs
which can be connected directly to a power amp

The balanced outputs are the better option whenever possible

Can't understand (and don't want to understand) why there'd be any confusion
 
major-tom said:
'Select DAC mode OR digital pre amp mode'
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Yes I think you'd only be able use one at a time if i'm understanding the question correctly, maybe you'll be able to change the settings for each input Toslink fixed/coaxial variable, but i dont know! (it's bit like one of them question at school about John having 6 apples and swapping them for two of Jenny's melons, whilst they're both travelling on a bus at 60 mph...that's why i did art!). :p
 
ChrisPa said:
To stop the empty conversion

of course you can select any of the inputs (all of them digital)
one at a time
and use the digital volume control to control the volume (!) of the analogue outputs
which can be connected directly to a power amp

The balanced outputs are the better option whenever possible

Can't understand (and don't want to understand) why there'd be any confusion
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Thanks Chris, if you read the Audiolab info, it says...'OR'. As in Digital pre amp OR DAC, not AND DAC that's where the question arose.. BTW, dealer didn't know the answer either.
 
Without having to go back and go through reams of previous posts can somebody please advise what Audiolab are now actually offering with respect to their DAC's?

It was my understanding that they were to offer a basic MDAC around the £400 price range an a couple of other versions, QDAC and DQDAC?

It now seems that there is now only two versions, MDAC and DQDAC with the M version at £600 and the DQ at £800?

Why on earth has there been such a significant price increase, 50% or more, on the price of the DAC's are they now gold plated or has there been significant design changes to justify such price increases?

If so what are theses changes that represent such an increase?

What is the difference between the M and DQ versions?
 
The M version is digital input only the Q version includes analogue inputs as well as a complete analogue pre-amp, so it can be used with a phonostage for example performing normal analogue pre mp duties.

Both units now have the higher spec OLED which was never part of the original spec, I assume the Q also gets a similar transformer upgrade to the CDQ. Then both of them use the new CROSS output stage which was developed after the CD and CDQ were launched and is a considerable improvement over them- based on my experience of hearing the MDAC proto several months ago.

They are priced at a level that their quality, sound, reputation and hype will support- just like everything else.
 
Audiolab has had much bandwidth here but I don't get any impression as to what the final product is and what technical support there might be?
 
Cav said:
Audiolab has had much bandwidth here but I don't get any impression as to what the final product is and what technical support there might be?
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Hi Cav

IMO, that's a statement, not a question.

If you are looking for an answer, may I suggest you will need to ask a question.
 
sq225917 said:
The M version is digital input only the Q version includes analogue inputs as well as a complete analogue pre-amp, so it can be used with a phonostage for example performing normal analogue pre mp duties.

Both units now have the higher spec OLED which was never part of the original spec, I assume the Q also gets a similar transformer upgrade to the CDQ. Then both of them use the new CROSS output stage which was developed after the CD and CDQ were launched and is a considerable improvement over them- based on my experience of hearing the MDAC proto several months ago.

They are priced at a level that their quality, sound, reputation and hype will support- just like everything else.
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Thanks for the reply.

Have you any direct experience as to how it compares to the Rega DAC?
 
I've only heard the Rega dac in passing so i wouldn't be willing to give an opinion.

Cav the final product is the CD8200 and CDQ already released, the MDAc due next week and at some point the DQ8200 due at some point in the future. Support so far has been exemplary, plenty pf feature updates in software and hardware improvements that would normally be giving a V2 status.
 
ChrisPa said:
Can't understand (and don't want to understand) why there'd be any confusion
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Cause this is not what ("normal") preamps do. I would be hesitant to call this function a preamp without a detailed explanion. In short, M-DAC is a multi-input DAC with a volume control.
 
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