????? surely it does everything a normal pre amp does just this works with digital signals rather than analogue signals.
...like the Wadia 302 ? I'm still unsure about this. The Audiolab website description of the MDAC functionality is a ball of confusion.Pretty much, if you use the 'pre-amp' function then the MDAC is altering the actual analogue output by modifying the signal in the digital domain, essentially before it goes through digital to analogue processing. Inevitably this means some information is lost, especially at low listening levels - whether this is audible I have no idea.
Pretty much, if you use the 'pre-amp' function then the MDAC is altering the actual analogue output by modifying the signal in the digital domain, essentially before it goes through digital to analogue processing. Inevitably this means some information is lost, especially at low listening levels - whether this is audible I have no idea.
In my recent experience a digital volume control is more transparent than something like an LDR preamp even at lower volumes.
It's system dependant though, some combos sound better with an active preamp in the chain, some without.
I know you found a pre-amp better with the opals but I'm hoping the MDAC will sound good enough through mine for me to not bother with that experiment........
The Dacmagic sounded fine into them but it showed that the top end is more forward dynamic and less refined than the Matrix Dac (which i would say would be a good match for the Events).
The pre worked really well, amazed by how transparent it really is.
I should hope the MDAC is on another level to both the Matrix and the DM, it better bloody had be!
I like the matrix into them but it seems to lack a bit of punch that the HDR had
????? surely it does everything a normal pre amp does just this works with digital signals rather than analogue signals.
With 32 bits to burn on the volume control by the time it's attenuated enough to give an audible loss it's not going to be at a level you can hear.
no one at any time said the mdac had an analogue preamp - because it doesn't.just a truthful info. plenty of people here kept on saying it has a preamp even after someone gave a clarification after i asked for a precise explanation what it is. someone mentioned switching between "DAC and preamp" mode.
i was a click away from wasting 599 pounds plus shipping based on trust that people here know what a preamp is.
just in case -
my low level understanding, forgive it you technical types
it takes an analogue input, turns it into a digital signal, and then controls the volume of the digital signal.
the digital signal is then converted (by the DAC) back again into an analogue signal.
So - it's -
Analogue Input
Analogue to Digital Converter
Digital control of volume
Digital to Analogue Converter
Analogue Output
If you're thinking ''doesn't sound like a very purist idea to convert an analogue phono stage output into digital and then back to analogue again" -
You are right, it's not very purist.
Some will say you can't hear this process, some will say, yes you can.
just a truthful info. plenty of people here kept on saying it has a preamp even after someone gave a clarification after i asked for a precise explanation what it is. someone mentioned switching between "DAC and preamp" mode.
i was a click away from wasting 599 pounds plus shipping based on trust that people here know what a preamp is.