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MDAC First Listen (part 00111001)

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Ps. I seem to recall the first MDAC2 iteration bein on a black PCB...are you still considering exotic options, or too difficult to see soleder points etc?
 
For those of us how have already paid for the streamer, what will the DDA cost?

I was quite excited by the discrete DAC version, but the DDA is possibly even more exciting - a better analogue stage is likely to make more improvement to the sound IMHO, given that the 9038PRO is an excellent DAC anyway. And it will be more flexible.

Will the PMD200 still be an option with the DDA? Also, what will the output voltage be? I'm hoping 4V unbalanced. :)
 
ti33er said:
Any Friday Hardware Porn for the weekend Mr LakeWest? ...I’d love to see a few angles of those dozen boards, if you have a moment (I have a ‘new hardware fetish’) ;-)

Thanks

Paul
Click to expand...

Paul,

Production MDAC2 streamer PCB & DevDAC PCB files are now ready for release to production - we will order the bare boards from China on Monday:-

https://www.dropbox.com/s/3pf7llp7ebg45q1/Streamer A04.jpg?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/8zhb5g2qpevdhvj/DevDAC A02.jpg?dl=0

The small SPDIF board that connects to the DevDAC PCB adding Optical and SPDIF input:-

https://www.dropbox.com/s/ezpwyw9zk68cs24/DevDAC SPDIF BD.jpg?dl=0

In other news the new stencil printer has been ordered from Germany it will arrive in the next 2 - 4 week, we will have to struggle with the current one until then (its really useless - for sure no BGA's until the new printer arrives).

I've also ordered a BGA rework system so we can rework BGA devices - there seems no escaping having to use BGA as we move forward. The eMMC memory option on the Streamer PCB is BGA. The BGA system weighs 120KG (shipped weight) - I'm going to be fun next week when it arrives...

Earlier this week we also setup a couple of (one new and one used) convection reflow stations to expand our product capabilities. Due to space constraint in the lab, one is setup on an Ikea "TV" table and the other on the floor! We will have to expand the lab space upstairs into the listening area - atleast one bench long top with the speakers moved closer together... If we can manage to work like this for a year or two then we will be in a position to build a larger lab / production space.

I'm Not sure if I should admit to this, but we are so short of space in the lab that we have put the SMD reflow oven into the lab's bathroom (its also a well ventilated space :) )!
 
ljmac said:
I was quite excited by the discrete DAC version, but the DDA is possibly even more exciting - a better analogue stage is likely to make more improvement to the sound IMHO, given that the 9038PRO is an excellent DAC anyway. And it will be more flexible.

Will the PMD200 still be an option with the DDA? Also, what will the output voltage be? I'm hoping 4V unbalanced. :)
Click to expand...

I discussed this with Jarek - we are not sure...

We believe that the Optimal Transient filter will still sound better then the HDCD filter so wonder what advantage in adding it to the DDA board (The HDCD filter was never about decoding HDCD material)....

The HDCD filter is required on the discrete DAC as it also provides the digital volume control.
 
ti33er said:
Ps. I seem to recall the first MDAC2 iteration bein on a black PCB...are you still considering exotic options, or too difficult to see solder points etc?
Click to expand...

Gosh No - Black PCB's are too difficult to work with I'm afraid... But if someone really wanted to pay say an extra GBP200 - GBP300 then I'd consider it... (one-off 4 layer PCB's are very expensive).
 
MattN said:
Hi John,

Great to see such progress being made!

Is it still your intention to produce the FDAC after the MDAC2/DevDAC & DeTox etc.?

Appreciate it's difficult but any ROM on time-scales?

Cheers


Matt
Click to expand...

Matt,

First streamer boards + Dev DAC's will be shipped in the next 2-3 weeks. We will also try to ship the first MDAC DDA boards this side of Christmas.

FDAC is for later next year - after the VFET amps.
 
John, The final renderings look really great...rather neat and with the typical LakeWest signature of class.

I'm really looking forward to seeing the built PCBs in a couple of weeks....and your listening tests and impressions are eagerly awaited.

Great work John and don't let the pressure from eager beavers on PFM get you down...:D:D:D
 
ljmac said:
For those of us how have already paid for the streamer, what will the DDA cost?
Click to expand...

It will cost minus what you have already paid for the streamer.

Later we will release a Streamer PCB "designed" for the DevDAC PCB so you will not have to "scrap" the DevDAC when the MDAC2 streamer board is installed into the MDAC2.
 
Are there any experts (ideally not John, although it would be great if he could review) willing to draw up a matrix in an excel spreadsheet, of all the known options, costs and delivery order, and keep it in Dropbox so that others can review or even update/enrich as things move on.

I'm really struggling to keep up with this. I come back for a read every month or 2. The first task is reminding myself of what is already happening, and complexity wise, that seems to be the square of the previous read. I do like to read every post but it takes hours, and the proportion of unhelpful/helpful posts is rising as time goes by. I'm sure when I start reading I have something interesting to say, or a question to ask, but by the time I get to the end I've usually forgotten!! Keeps the post count down I suppose!

I know it's a fair bit of effort but it would be an excellent resource and it would reduce John's time in answering repeated questions.
 
Hi John,
I'm a little confused about the MDAC progress. I'm a Level 2 owner of your perfect modified MDAC. What do I need, what do I have to pay (I already refund 100 Pounds L2 at cost). I like the idea of the streamer because of Tidal Masters streaming. Do I put it in my MDAC maschine I already own? Do I get a new Mdac mainboard, too?
Greeting from Berlin, Christian (00fiete)
 
JohnW said:
I discussed this with Jarek - we are not sure...

We believe that the Optimal Transient filter will still sound better then the HDCD filter so wonder what advantage in adding it to the DDA board (The HDCD filter was never about decoding HDCD material)....

The HDCD filter is required on the discrete DAC as it also provides the digital volume control.
Click to expand...

For me, the high frequency roll-off of the optimal transient filters is totally unacceptable, so it is actually my least favourite MDAC filter. Still, I like Optimal Spectrum and (especially) Minimum Phase - I hated it at first, as I found it too glary, but as my system has improved the glare is gone, leaving it with the greatest "hear into" quality of any of the filters. I remember a while back you mentioned you had a new version of this filter with less post ringing (which I presume was the cause of the glare), so I am really looking forward to hearing this filter.

Anyway, will the DDA board have a higher output voltage, with all those DACs? I certainly hope so - I'd love to have 4V+ unbalanced.
 
JohnW said:
I discussed this with Jarek - we are not sure...

We believe that the Optimal Transient filter will still sound better then the HDCD filter so wonder what advantage in adding it to the DDA board (The HDCD filter was never about decoding HDCD material)....

The HDCD filter is required on the discrete DAC as it also provides the digital volume control.
Click to expand...

John, re the HDCD Filter for the Discrete version, does this rely on NOS components that you have a stock of, or is it something you can source / manufacture? I'm ignorant of what it comprises.
 
00fiete said:
Hi John,
I'm a little confused about the MDAC progress. I'm a Level 2 owner of your perfect modified MDAC. What do I need, what do I have to pay (I already refund 100 Pounds L2 at cost). I like the idea of the streamer because of Tidal Masters streaming. Do I put it in my MDAC maschine I already own? Do I get a new Mdac mainboard, too?
Greeting from Berlin, Christian (00fiete)
Click to expand...

Christian,

The streamer PCB can only be used with the new MDAC2 upgrade boards.

Would you be be interested in a standalone streamer that works with your current MDAC via USB?
 
iansr said:
John, re the HDCD Filter for the Discrete version, does this rely on NOS components that you have a stock of, or is it something you can source / manufacture? I'm ignorant of what it comprises.
Click to expand...

Hi Ian,

For HDCD support (option) we will purchase NOS PMD200 filters from China.
 
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