JohnW
pfm member
Life is not easy for Paris thesedays in the lab, first the hissing SMT Machine and now the Subwoofers !!!!
I'm designing the output level attenuation section for the MDAC2 DD2A. What level do you normally listen to music - not background music levels, but "serious listening" levels?
Listening levels with Speakers and Headphones would be interesting.
Eg. normally I listen at about -20dB to say -10dB for very Loud... (with Speakers, I don't use headphones).
Maybe someone else with ncores can confirm/correct my memory?
I'd vote with you...Is there a problem with the MDAC's gain? If not, I'd vote for retaining it, rather than changing based on a few (probably unrepresentative) replies here.
Is there a problem with the MDAC's gain? If not, I'd vote for retaining it, rather than changing based on a few (probably unrepresentative) replies here.
I only used the MDAC as a preamp with my ncores for a very short period, because -20 was to loud for normal listening. Definitely remember never wanting to try +3.
Maybe someone else with ncores can confirm/correct my memory?
Yes, it will be fine. The problem with digital attenuation is that you get a loss in SQ. It is not only the MDAC that has this problem my Hugo has this as well.Same for me, but if the attenuation in the MDAC2 is in the analogue domain, that would be fine would it not?
Depends heavily on the program/label. With modern Pop -26db is already too loud, but good classical productions without compression - which I hear 95% of the time - I play normally at -18 to -12db, very seldom up to -6db or so. BIS, old Denon, MDG, LSO, Sony, Challenge, Harmonia mundi (and my own recordings with a pair of condensor mics and no compression, naturally)... Most bigger companies (DG, Decca, also Linn) are strongly compressed, so around -6db less => -24 to -18db. Older only slightly compressed pop records of the 70s to mid-80s, sometimes even 90s (Pink Floyd, Yes, King Crimson; The Roches; Rickie Lee Jones! e.g.) are in that same range.I only used the MDAC as a preamp with my ncores for a very short period, because -20 was to loud for normal listening. Definitely remember never wanting to try +3.
Maybe someone else with ncores can confirm/correct my memory?
Yes, it will be fine. The problem with digital attenuation is that you get a loss in SQ. It is not only the MDAC that has this problem my Hugo has this as well.