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At last... (Audiolab) - part III

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Does this mean that the pro's 'beam' music at a certain spot as it were?
Been a Adam A7 owner and user (in the studio) since the first day they came out - and yes at least this model is very sensitive regarding the correct position of the listener.

I don't seem able to find any s/h Adam's just about anywhere, perhaps they are so good they never leave the original owners? :D
Call your local distributor - he will help you for sure.

Personally been patiently waiting for the arrival of my CDQ....
 
Dear John or Dominik,

some CDQ User reported a remote control clash with their amps because of the RC5 Codes. Many common amps (e.g. Roksan, Sugden) using the RC5 Codes for their volume control and so do the cdq. This clash between the components will be really annoying if you want to use the CD/DAC remote controls with the CDQ and the volume control with the amp.

For instance, all Arcam DVD players have a hidden menu that allows for the standard RC5 system code to be changed to system code 12. This is to avoid RC5 code clash problems between different manufacturer’s components.

Is there a comparable function with the CDQ or will you add something in future firmware-updates? Perhaps a "CD player function/feature" which disable the volume control?

Kind regards and thanks a lot,
Niels
 
I'm hoping the following comment was not aimed at me.

"It is interesting however to see how lovers of AVI and their paid shills attempt to appropriate this thread for their own ends every so often."

Mine was just an observation.
 
MrScott,
Thanks for the recommendation. It's for the Adam Classic Series Compact mk3, yes?
Can I ask where you bought them and what price they come in at?
The finish (and presence of grilles) on these appears to be far more living-room friendly than a lot of the pro-gear, but from general reading I'm not sure the pro-gear is necessarily a bad match to the home. The Focals, for example, are supposed to be near and midfield, so fine for a listening distance up to 3m. As always the ultimate test is what the system sounds like in your own house, but are the Adams designed to have a much deeper range than that?
Cheers, Duncan

Hi Duncan,

I've got some Dynaudio BM5A monitors at the moment and am very happy indeed with them so far especially given the cost! I'm sure their bigger models would also be very good and worth a try.
 
If you want the best out of the CDQ and must use a streaming device, the Logitech Transporter is the best choice.

It's been very interesting reading the discussions around external v CD source.

I was originally going to hold out for the MDAC purely on the basis of the configurable clock-out option. But the more I looked, the more i realised that streamers with a clock-in are very thin on the ground. I did look at the transporter, but to be honest, the thought of paying £1K+ for a box with a "high quality internal DAC" that I have no intention of using made me feel slightly ill. Wouldn't this effectively just be a clock-locked SqueezeBox3? In the right hands, I can't help wondering if it is possible to clock lock the CDQ to an SB3 (giving me a transporter, but at a fraction of the cost). It would certainly be a mod that I'd be prepared to pay for - if nothing else, to help determine whether the relatively low SQ of the squeezebox (vs CD) is simply a jitter issue.

In the end though, I thought I should get the CDQ and wait for the market to mature in this area. No point having an MDAC with nothing to clock lock it to.
 
Dear John or Dominik,

some CDQ User reported a remote control clash with their amps because of the RC5 Codes. Many common amps (e.g. Roksan, Sugden) using the RC5 Codes for their volume control and so do the cdq. This clash between the components will be really annoying if you want to use the CD/DAC remote controls with the CDQ and the volume control with the amp.

For instance, all Arcam DVD players have a hidden menu that allows for the standard RC5 system code to be changed to system code 12. This is to avoid RC5 code clash problems between different manufacturer’s components.

Is there a comparable function with the CDQ or will you add something in future firmware-updates? Perhaps a "CD player function/feature" which disable the volume control?

Kind regards and thanks a lot,
Niels

Well, the CDQ is a preamp and as such is not expected to be paired with another preamp or integrated but rather a poweramp. Clearly this expectation is quite often not met in field.
Thanks in particular to this thread, there is now a new menu option to respond to CD keys only or CD & Pre keys. It is shipping with the first batch of trigger enabled CDQs about to leave the factory now.
As per another request there is a discrete remote code for trigger on and off.

Dominik
 
I'm hoping the following comment was not aimed at me.

"It is interesting however to see how lovers of AVI and their paid shills attempt to appropriate this thread for their own ends every so often."

Mine was just an observation.

So was mine, why ever would you feel it targeted you?
 
As per another request there is a discrete remote code for trigger on and off.Dominik

Hi Dominik, you just reminded me. Are there discrete codes for the external digital inputs? I'm finding it annoying that I can't switch directly without using the digital up/down select (or have I missed something?). If you have discrete codes, I can put them into my philips pronto. Thanks for any help.
 
Well, the CDQ is a preamp and as such is not expected to be paired with another preamp or integrated but rather a poweramp. Clearly this expectation is quite often not met in field.
Thanks in particular to this thread, there is now a new menu option to respond to CD keys only or CD & Pre keys. It is shipping with the first batch of trigger enabled CDQs about to leave the factory now.
As per another request there is a discrete remote code for trigger on and off.

Dominik

Wow! Thank you very much for the fast reply! Great Idea and feature, but i've already ordered a CDQ. So is it possible to update that feature on current CDQs via a firmware-update?

Edit: And when will hitting the new CDQ version presumably shelves in Germany?
 
Wow! Thank you very much for the fast reply! Great Idea and feature, but i've already ordered a CDQ. Is it possible to update that feature on current CDQs via firmware-update?

Also, silly question, how will I be able to differentiate batches so I know I'm getting an updated CDQ to work with Caspian integrated? Specific serial numbers perhaps?

I had a CDQ on loan this weekend and ran into issues with my Caspian M-1 series integrated in terms of IR signal for volume clashing as mentioned earlier.

I realise the CD version will do me but I want to able to go pre-power at a later date so a CDQ with the option of "Respond to CD-only" would be bloomin marvellous.

Thanks
Darren
 
Is there are way of connecting a sub to the 8200CDQ, at line level, if you are already using the balanced outputs?

thanks
 
Yes, the Adam Classic Series Compact mk3 are great, especially if you prefer a neutral sound with lots of detail.
Bought mine from a dealer called "Hoerzone" in Munich (Germany) - demo models in new condition for 2000€.

Lo again mrscott.

I bought some Adam Audio compacts today after your recommendations.

I don't think they are the mk3 though. They have a silver baffle and maple cabinet. I got them from unityaudio on ebay.

Should get them early next week I hope.. Looking forward to the active sound. :)

Cheers, Arthur.
 
As to the cdq......I've found that sometimes toggling between analogue and digital pre amps the left speaker goes dead!!!!:confused:

I have to swith off the unit for a while to reset it.

Does anyone know anything about this? Should I return it or hope the sticky relay if that's what it is unsticks itself?

bummer.
 
Is there are way of connecting a sub to the 8200CDQ, at line level, if you are already using the balanced outputs?

thanks

Interested in this myself - specifically for the MDAC though - the ability to connect to a sub and adjust the output crossover level on the MDAC would be great.
 
Well, the CDQ is a preamp and as such is not expected to be paired with another preamp or integrated but rather a poweramp. Clearly this expectation is quite often not met in field.
Thanks in particular to this thread, there is now a new menu option to respond to CD keys only or CD & Pre keys. It is shipping with the first batch of trigger enabled CDQs about to leave the factory now.
As per another request there is a discrete remote code for trigger on and off.

Dominik

Hi Dominik,
I am already enjoying a CDQ .. in combination with an integrated. The reason for buying the CDQ instead of the CDplayer is simple: it was advocated by the significant improvements to the power supply circuit as listed by John on this forum.
Since firmware updates are not so simple as earlier explained by John: is there a simple solution to this, i.e. by controlling volume via the CDQ remote? I am confused if the digital preamp needs to be fixed to 0dB to get it out of the signal path or that dB can be varied on the CDQ without any detrimental SQ effect. Thank you, Paul
 
Hi Dominik,
I am already enjoying a CDQ .. in combination with an integrated. The reason for buying the CDQ instead of the CDplayer is simple: it was advocated by the significant improvements to the power supply circuit as listed by John on this forum.
Since firmware updates are not so simple as earlier explained by John: is there a simple solution to this, i.e. by controlling volume via the CDQ remote? I am confused if the digital preamp needs to be fixed to 0dB to get it out of the signal path or that dB can be varied on the CDQ without any detrimental SQ effect. Thank you, Paul

Out of interest, which integrated are you using?

Also, as I had issues with remote control command clashes with volume on both my Caspian and the CDQ I thought I'd try blocking the IR sensor on my Caspian and winding the volume right up to max in order to then use the volume control on the CDQ.

Not sure if having 2 pre-amp stages acting at once was detrimental to SQ as I soon discovered my Caspian got very warm very quickly...so I abandoned this course of action.

All I want is a simple option on the CDQ that locks the digital pre-amp volume ( set to 0db in my case) or as stated, an option to only sense CD commands.....But would this mean I can still operate other menu functions from the remote, like digital input selection and filter-toggling?

I really hope this volume-clash issue can be resolved without impacting on all other aspects of the CDQ's functionality in terms of using the remote-control.

Rgds
D
 
It's been very interesting reading the discussions around external v CD source.

I was originally going to hold out for the MDAC purely on the basis of the configurable clock-out option. But the more I looked, the more i realised that streamers with a clock-in are very thin on the ground. I did look at the transporter, but to be honest, the thought of paying £1K+ for a box with a "high quality internal DAC" that I have no intention of using made me feel slightly ill. Wouldn't this effectively just be a clock-locked SqueezeBox3? In the right hands, I can't help wondering if it is possible to clock lock the CDQ to an SB3 (giving me a transporter, but at a fraction of the cost). It would certainly be a mod that I'd be prepared to pay for - if nothing else, to help determine whether the relatively low SQ of the squeezebox (vs CD) is simply a jitter issue.

In the end though, I thought I should get the CDQ and wait for the market to mature in this area. No point having an MDAC with nothing to clock lock it to.

If I read correctly in a previous posting of this (very long) thread using the USB entry is far less prone to jitter, because of the asynchronous USB entry of the audiolab DAC. You can make a Squeezebox Touch use the USB as a digital out. It does take a "hack" though which is completely reversible. I did not try this myself, I only read it in a Stereophile article (october 2010). This URL points to a thread describing how to do it. http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=68346 I want to upgrade my current CD player with the CDQ and a squeezebox touch.
 
Thanks very much for this. Haven't looked at the link yet, but sounds like just what I've been looking for. I will investigate. Cheers...

Edit:
Just had a quick read.... This looks too good to be true!!

John/Dominik... could you possibly comment on whether you think this would work? I'm almost wetting myself at the thought of a silent, remote controlled, relatively cheap "black-box" streamer that can do 24/96 and take advantage of a jitterless connection into your wonderful DAC. Surely this would be a killer add-on ?

PS. I won't hold you to it, just after an "unofficial" steer as to whether this could be a goer.

dre... if this works, a drink is in the post
 
Well, the CDQ is a preamp and as such is not expected to be paired with another preamp or integrated but rather a poweramp. Clearly this expectation is quite often not met in field.
Thanks in particular to this thread, there is now a new menu option to respond to CD keys only or CD & Pre keys. It is shipping with the first batch of trigger enabled CDQs about to leave the factory now.
As per another request there is a discrete remote code for trigger on and off.

Dominik

Got my shiny new (well black actually!) CDQ today and after only a few hours and a few CDs, I am extremely pleased with it so far. Looking forward to getting to grips with the DAC over the next few days.

I went for the CDQ (as opposed to the CD) based on the audio improvements discussed earlier. One thing I hadn't cottoned onto however is the issue of remote control volume clash with another pre-amp. I have a Musical Fidelity A5 pre/power combo and the CDQ remote changes the A5 pre volume and vice-versa (i.e. MF remote changes the CDQ volume). Obviously my unit is too early to have caught the new menu option. My question is - will I be able to get the firmware updated to include the mod?

My long-term preference would be for a totally different IR system code. I appreciate that the CDQ is in itself a pre-amp and it is not the norm to have two, but the A5 power-amp does have two inputs (switchable) so it would be nice to have totally independent control.

Gary
 
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