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MDAC first listen (part V)

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Okatane

Could you pls. give me more detailed information - how did you increase the volume and change filter at the same time?

If we can recreate the issue - and can confirm the bug then we can fix the issue in the pending software release.

Thank you for the feedback,

John

Hi John,

Here's how to reproduce the issue:
1. On the remote, hold down either vol+ or vol- to adjust the volume
2. Release the volume button and press the filter button. You need to be very quick, easy when using different fingers but doable with one.
3. Volume keeps going up or down and maxes at +3 or -80

Not a big deal but I initially triggered it by an accident.
 
Hi John,

Here's how to reproduce the issue:
1. On the remote, hold down either vol+ or vol- to adjust the volume
2. Release the volume button and press the filter button. You need to be very quick, easy when using different fingers but doable with one.
3. Volume keeps going up or down and maxes at +3 or -80

Not a big deal but I initially triggered it by an accident.

Just tried on mine. Took a few goes but managed to trigger it.
 
Hi John/forum
Am having a small issue with mine - holding down the Mute button for a second either reduces the gain to -80dB or by increasing amounts but not 10dB. Resetting cures the problem for a while before it sneaks back. The only item I change each time is to cancel the VU display.
Regards
 
Pre-ordered silver, but my country only received black. So after four month it was either that or wait for another "period" of time. I must say that I'm slightly disappointed with the appearance. I find it looks a little bland, kind of like my CA DacMagic (which is not a looker and was about a fourth of the price). It certainly does not look the part against my other black gear. My dealer assured me that the front panel would be a brushed finish, which it is clearly not :-(

Straight out of the box and hooked up to my system, the sound was not impressive and did clearly not oust my DacMagic (though that's been always on for the past 1 1/2 years) . I did notice a tendency for a hint of distortion (as noted by someone else somewhere who got flamed into oblivion :) ) My girl friend - who only cared about my audio when it does not sound good - commented that "I think it sound worse".

Comparing the MDac headphone out to DacMagic through the headphone out of my Parasound preamp (cheap but very well performing model), was not a win for the MDac either.

I had a Rega Dac in my system a while back and while not without it's faults, it was clearly better than my DacMagic from the first note. However this was a dealer demo unit, that had a lot or hours on it.

Will let the MDac break in for at least a few days and try to resist listening to it in the meantime, to avoid the worst conditioning :) Then I'll sit down and do a proper listen and report back. Based on other peoples comments and my own experience with break in/warm up, I'm hoping for a somewhat different experience.

So slightly negative post here, but in line with the tread name I guess. Like I said, I'm expecting things to come around.
 
By the way, does anything need to be connected to the MDac's audio or headphone out's, for it to run in properly, or is just having it on and feeding it with music enough? Also do each of the inputs have to be run in separately (Usb, optical1 and so on)?

Thanks
 
Just having it on and plugged in should do the job.

Good luck with it breaking in - hope it gets better for you!
 
Pre-ordered silver, but my country only received black. So after four month it was either that or wait for another "period" of time. I must say that I'm slightly disappointed with the appearance. I find it looks a little bland, kind of like my CA DacMagic (which is not a looker and was about a fourth of the price). It certainly does not look the part against my other black gear. My dealer assured me that the front panel would be a brushed finish, which it is clearly not :-(

Straight out of the box and hooked up to my system, the sound was not impressive and did clearly not oust my DacMagic (though that's been always on for the past 1 1/2 years) . I did notice a tendency for a hint of distortion (as noted by someone else somewhere who got flamed into oblivion :) ) My girl friend - who only cared about my audio when it does not sound good - commented that "I think it sound worse".

Comparing the MDac headphone out to DacMagic through the headphone out of my Parasound preamp (cheap but very well performing model), was not a win for the MDac either.

I had a Rega Dac in my system a while back and while not without it's faults, it was clearly better than my DacMagic from the first note. However this was a dealer demo unit, that had a lot or hours on it.

Will let the MDac break in for at least a few days and try to resist listening to it in the meantime, to avoid the worst conditioning :) Then I'll sit down and do a proper listen and report back. Based on other peoples comments and my own experience with break in/warm up, I'm hoping for a somewhat different experience.

So slightly negative post here, but in line with the tread name I guess. Like I said, I'm expecting things to come around.

Give it at least a week - JohnW has mentioned the 'organic' caps used in the psu section as needing a long time to get to their optimal working condition. Mine sounded uninspiring/variable - for the most part - for a week or two before it came on song. There are those that don't believe this, but ive never had a piece of equipment that needed so much running in time to sound decent. Was tempted to sell it several times I must say. Now my only complaint is the never ending wait for the firmware update to fix the input filter display on all sources except usb...

-John
 
Nenox, i think i was in a similar situation to you - although i had a valve preamp to throw into the mix with the old Dacmagic too.

The MDAC does open out after a bit of running like others have said, it has a different presentation to old Dacmagic, fuller, drier, it's more resolved, more separation, a bit more textured, refined and dynamic than the Dacmagic too, despite its faults the Dacmagic seems a little bit more "live" (or less controlled!) and somehow just works with my system.
Technically and functionally the MDAC is still the best dac out there for VFM.
 
Hi JohnW

I have been thinking about maybe i will go for one of your upgrade solution at the same time sinse i am sending my M-DAC to Czech Rep.
Please pm the address and e-mail adress for easier communication.

Regards

Leif A
 
Not in answer to your query, but related to it, you might want to read posts 260-265 of http://www.pinkfishmedia.net/forum/showthread.php?p=1576082#post1576082

Hi Simon

Thanks for the link.

Normally, XLR to XLR or RCA to RCA is best.

But, for example, my DacMagic sounds better,IMO, XLR to RCA as the output goes to the XLR terminals first then, via additional components, to RCA.

I used pin1 shield, pin2 +Audio and pin3 unconnected (floating).

Obviously, you don't get the benefit of a 'full' balanced output but you do bypass any additional components which may/can improve SQ.

If the M-DAC output is the same as mentioned above it may be worth trying.

Just looking for feedback as I would need to rearrange my kit to try this and no point if unlikely to improve (the already excellent) SQ.
 
Apparently the Dacmagic has extra components in the signal path when using the rca's, that would be one reason they sound different.
 
Apparently the Dacmagic has extra components in the signal path when using the rca's, that would be one reason they sound different.

You have used the term 'extra components' vs my 'additional components'.

Not sure which is correct but basically the same imo.
 
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