advertisement


MDAC first listen (part VII)

Status
Not open for further replies.
arthur said:
Lo John. I'm intrigued;

I assume you'll be using M-amps into the ML's, but what digital source will you use?

The Bdac, Mdac+ or the new fangled CDQ?

I really am looking forward to the latter next year, hence even though poverty is slapping at my door I'm keeping both the Mdac and CDQ.

Best of luck with the M-amps. I wanted to try them too, but I've been converted to Active speakers.
Click to expand...

MDAC at first to get accustomed to the system once again thus setting a "SQ Reference" - hopefully BDAC soon afterwards.

We are working with a speaker company - there maybe an option of small bookshelf speakers with custom designed MAMP's with "active crossovers"...

John
 
Hi John and Dominik,
FYI re. FW 0.99 update on a Mac not running OS Lion:
I have now tried 2 different virtual machines (Parallels and VMware Fusion with XP), Bootcamp (XP), and two different Macs (both running 10.6.8), but I cannot get the 0.99 .exe file, or any of the earlier versions, to run. No matter how many times I download and try to run it, I get the message: "the application configuration is incorrect. Reinstalling the application may fix this problem."
It's only greed that makes me want to update. Greed for what others are claiming gives better SQ.

Please: If anyone has successfully installed 0.99 or prior versions using Snow Leopard (10.6) or earlier, would they post or PM. Many thanks.

PS. running FW 0.90, using high-end Grado headphones, I struggle to hear a difference between the filters. The exceptions are Minimum Phase and Opt. Spectrum.
 
JohnW said:
MDAC at first to get accustomed to the system once again thus setting a "SQ Reference" - hopefully BDAC soon afterwards.

We are working with a speaker company - there maybe an option of small bookshelf speakers with custom designed MAMP's with "active crossovers"...

John
Click to expand...

Dear John
Why a cheaper dac. You claim different if not better than M-dac. (b-dac) Never had to buy a cheaper unit to make my system sound better. Am I missing something?
 
Flampy said:
Never had to buy a cheaper unit to make my system sound better. Am I missing something?
Click to expand...

I can buy a PC today for £300 that will outperform one I bought a few years ago for £1500... I'm not sure why audio ought to be exempt from the general concept of 'progress' :confused:
 
Hi, just getting started here since my M-DAC is on its way now that some are finally available around here. Seems like this is the go-to forum for anything M-DAC!

I tried to go through as many posts as possible to avoid asking redundant questions, but here's a couple I'd like to confirm:
- Despite mentioning them in their own manual, I could not find the bitperfect testing files anywhere on Audiolab's website (i.e. Support/Downloads etc.)... is that correct or are they in some secret member-only area?
- I also saw mention of Audiolab "official" firmware updates in these threads, but I could not find those anywhere on their site either? Were there ever official Audiolab firmware updates made available for the M-DAC?

As far as locating them here (to save other people getting started late like me the trouble):
- Testing Files with the java program to generate them (any links with pre-generated sound files seem to have expired)
- The most recent unofficial firmware 0.99 beta

If that's incorrect, please let me know. Also is the non-beta 0.99 aorund the corner (or even the 1.0 release)?

I'll try the update via an OSX VM running Windows 7 first and post the result (even though the post above is not encouraging. Worst case, I'll have access to an old PC running Windows XP)

UPDATE:
- Alternate link to the Testing Files (as per John's post): Dropbox
- As per John's post, the slightly updated modified 0.99 firmware
 
Separately: I mostly planned on using it with a Cambridge Audio dock since I don't generally keep the laptop in the vicinity of my audio setup... in light of John's recent post:

- Any comments on the iD100?
- Is there a way to test for jitter on the M-DAC itself? (or was that based on measurement with separate equipment)
- If the combo passes the bitperfect test, is jitter still an issue?
- Would you then recommend using coaxial (not electrically insulated) over optical? (It's a shame the M-DAC doesn't have AES/EBU since the iD100 has one, which not even the Wadia offers... strange since their own matching DAC has the inputs)

Anyway, one of the main reasons I got the M-DAC is remote-controlled digital volume, but I'm excited to find all this rather geeky customization available and look forward to trying it all out. I also found out that John has helped design my other mainstay audio setup, the Peachtree Nova (albeit the i version) which I'm very fond of!
 
Flampy said:
Dear John
Why a cheaper dac. You claim different if not better than M-dac. (b-dac) Never had to buy a cheaper unit to make my system sound better. Am I missing something?
Click to expand...

Over recent years HiFi seems to be turning into a world of "Bling" it turns my stomach to see those High end "expensive" designs that are have no real connection with HiFi audio reproduction...

Practically my whole career has been involved within the world of HiFi... I strongly believe that if theirs to be a real HiFi industry in 10 years from now then we need to have "real" affordable and exciting designs today...

There's no challenge to design a better sounding more expensive product - the real challenge is to design a better sound cheaper product!

Beside I have an evil plan to wean SQ off his Weiss... and that's where the BDAC comes in.... :D
 
gh0st said:
Try this http://goo.gl/CGvLE

/dom
Click to expand...

Grummpyoldman,

Thanks to gh0st, here's a link to the Bit perfect file.

I believe the later V0.99 Link Dominik himself posted has the most up to date version where "Polarity" is renamed to "Phase" in the Menu option - plus resolves the issue with the AC3 pass though validity flag with the Virgin set top boxes.

We will have a V1.0 Audiolab release that should hopefully include a very small tidy up with the validity flag - and that should be the last Audiolab release - then we move onto the Lakewest builds.

John
 
sq225917 said:
I like you John, you don't let unrealistic targets get in the way of progress.. ;-)
Click to expand...

OoooooH is that a challenge :)

Well, I've been working on the design since Christmas.... just spent the last week on MAMP just to "spice up" my life a little - the BDAC PCB layout is soooooo boring...
 
I've been lurking around this thread since I purchased the MDAC a couple of months ago. I've been listening to a lot of music since then and am happy for the lift in sound quality the MDAC has brought to my system - it's never sounded better! The MDAC is connected to my Win 7 64-bit laptop via USB playing (mainly) AIFF 16/44.1 files and a limited number of 24/96 flac files utilising J.River Media Center. I've updated the firmware to V0.96 and subsequently to V0.99.

I've noticed a possible 'bug' in my MDAC which the current firmware hasn't resolved, and I haven't read anyone else bring up this issue on this forum...

When I power up the MDAC, it shows 44.1 on the bottom of the display. When I fire up J.River Media player and attempt to play a 24/96 flac file, I do not get any sound. I have to subsequently play a 16/44.1 AIFF file to obtain sound. Only then, I can proceed to play the 24/96 flac file successfully. The same happens if I try to stream music using Spotify immediately upon power up...no sound, display reads 24/96 (which I'm sure it isn't!). It only plays fine AFTER I play a 16/44.1 file. :confused:

Is this normal? Has anyone else experienced this issue? John, I will be grateful if you could comment on this...by the way, I think the customer service you're providing is amazing! :)

Stephen
 
StephenG said:
I've been lurking around this thread since I purchased the MDAC a couple of months ago. I've been listening to a lot of music since then and am happy for the lift in sound quality the MDAC has brought to my system - it's never sounded better! The MDAC is connected to my Win 7 64-bit laptop via USB playing (mainly) AIFF 16/44.1 files and a limited number of 24/96 flac files utilising J.River Media Center. I've updated the firmware to V0.96 and subsequently to V0.99.

I've noticed a possible 'bug' in my MDAC which the current firmware hasn't resolved, and I haven't read anyone else bring up this issue on this forum...

When I power up the MDAC, it shows 44.1 on the bottom of the display. When I fire up J.River Media player and attempt to play a 24/96 flac file, I do not get any sound. I have to subsequently play a 16/44.1 AIFF file to obtain sound. Only then, I can proceed to play the 24/96 flac file successfully. The same happens if I try to stream music using Spotify immediately upon power up...no sound, display reads 24/96 (which I'm sure it isn't!). It only plays fine AFTER I play a 16/44.1 file. :confused:

Is this normal? Has anyone else experienced this issue? John, I will be grateful if you could comment on this...by the way, I think the customer service you're providing is amazing! :)

Stephen
Click to expand...

I've never experience this before... will try to see if I get it ... on my SBT, whenever I play an MP3 file, it shows as 24/16 .... that's the only weird thing I notice at the moment... although I don't have many Mp3 files.... mostly FLAC..
 
You can store your song in itune of PC/Mac and stream via wifi to your ipad. You can search itune home sharing.

Mav

kaydee6 said:
Sq, thanks for the insight. The only problem for me is iPad storage is running out!:( I'm looking to iPod for more storage but have to spend on a decent dock. If only the cck works with an iPod :)
Click to expand...
 
Hi John,

I just noticed something a little strange and hoped you might have some insight. When using a coax (*or* TOSlink, from the same socket with an adaptor) input from my STX soundcard which passes BTP tests with no problem, I noticed that quite often (but sometimes not) when stopping playing a file one or both of the level indicators on the M-DAC will stick at a certain random level. There will be no sound (at least none audible) even if the levels are stuck on high, but there will be a slight clicking/stepping sound when adjusting the volume in this state (which never occurs otherwise). Now the problem seems to be the STX outputting a constant signal of some kind; when unplugging the cable in this state (from the STX) the signal disappears and plugging it back in causes the situation to revert and the level indicators jump back to where they were before unplugging. Using the same cable on the same input from another coax source doesn't seem to have any issues which suggests it's the source. So:

(1) Do you have any (perhaps general) insight into what kind of situation could cause the constant input/stuck levels/subtle stepping noise when adjusting volume?

(2) Is this likely to be harmful to the M-DAC?

Many thanks again in advance,
Krisposs
 
quick question - I'm on version .99 -

Turning ON and OFF, while on USB, turns the volume to 0 ... I have it set at -5 ... is this a feature or a bug?

if its a feature, Id rather the volume remained constat after On/OFF ...

cheers
 
JohnW said:
We are working with a speaker company - there maybe an option of small bookshelf speakers with custom designed MAMP's with "active crossovers"...

John
Click to expand...

Now that is an excellent idea. My bet is Spendor. Just a guess :)

If that happens, might it be possible to build a cut off frequency for the speakers into the dacs and redirect to a sub?

Or do I not know what I'm talking about?
 
bigmarcelo said:
quick question - I'm on version .99 -

Turning ON and OFF, while on USB, turns the volume to 0 ... I have it set at -5 ... is this a feature or a bug?

if its a feature, Id rather the volume remained constat after On/OFF ...

cheers
Click to expand...

I had the option of allow USB volume control to ON... Turned it OFF and it's fine now.... My bad!
 
Status
Not open for further replies.


advertisement


Back
Top