PhilCTTE
Senior mumbler
Does this mean I'll have to start listening to Peter Gabriel (B&W Society of Sound)
I think I'll have to broaden my tastes
MDAC first listen thread
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Does this mean I'll have to start listening to Peter Gabriel (B&W Society of Sound)
I think I'll have to broaden my tastes
JohnW
pfm member
Does this mean I'll have to start listening to Peter Gabriel (B&W Society of Sound)
I think I'll have to broaden my tastes
I've been given Peter Gabriels "New Blood" CD from the Manchester HiFi show, there's a couple of good tracks - but I cannot say I'm impressed with it the SQ - too "HiFi" - yuk!
John Dozier
Active Member
I agree with John W . Most pop recordings are garbage. And yes the remastering sometimes has a dreadful effect on SQ. Some of the smaller classical labels are making some stunning cds though. Using Sonore and Millenia systems preamps and monitoring on 801s and Avalons. Regards John Dozier
Have to say I'm loving my MDAC right now. Slightly bumpy start with attenuation and amplifier integration issues, plus a bit of excessive expectation. But now switched the MDAC into another room and am very impressed with the results when using an old CDP and Sonos zone player as transports (MDAC in fixed output mode). What I like right now is that it sounds so smooth, listenable, and yet detailed at low volume levels. I've always thought this is s a good test. Also really getting into the menus, display with track/timings, and input switching via remote. Previously had a V-Dac and M1 Dac and the difference ergonomically is night-and-day. Switched to Optimal Spectrum filter right now, which like someone above said, can't detect any harshness. Looking forward to experimenting with the headphone functionality later.
System: Sonos ZP90 / Sony 3000ESCDP > Eastern Electric M520 > Quad 11L2
Music: Naim Sampler 6 (CD and Sonos)
PS: If I was to start a truly absurd wish-list for John and Dominic, right now I could murder a back-lit function for the wand remote
System: Sonos ZP90 / Sony 3000ESCDP > Eastern Electric M520 > Quad 11L2
Music: Naim Sampler 6 (CD and Sonos)
PS: If I was to start a truly absurd wish-list for John and Dominic, right now I could murder a back-lit function for the wand remote
bottleneck
pfm Member
There is a lot right, and nothing wrong with Pro-tools.
Anachronistic recording has it's place, but lets not get carried away.
Like anything, it's what you do with it that counts..
Anachronistic recording has it's place, but lets not get carried away.
Like anything, it's what you do with it that counts..
When it comes to all these filters, one could ask "which is the most accurate representation of the original recording?". Surely that would be the ones with no ringing whatsoever? The trouble is there is more than one filter without ringing
Has anyone tried the headphone amp part of it? I noticed it remembers a different volume setting when you plug in the headphones. I have high quality cans, but I had been using them with my Clavinova piano and not my hi-fi, so I don't have a side by side comparison for this in terms of performance level of the headphone amp.
Has anyone tried the headphone amp part of it? I noticed it remembers a different volume setting when you plug in the headphones. I have high quality cans, but I had been using them with my Clavinova piano and not my hi-fi, so I don't have a side by side comparison for this in terms of performance level of the headphone amp.
One for John & Dominic :
Earlier this evening I noticed the Sky HD box skipping via optical sp/dif. On your older design you had a setting for adjusting the sensitivity of the digital inputs on a port basis. Didn't find it the options in the end on the M-Dac, but out of stupidity I set the pre-amp to disabled.
The issue came when trying to set the pre-amp back to enabled. At first I tried pressing the mute key on the volume control which reset the box but never saved my settings, leaving it at 0db when its connected directly to my power amp section (HK990). That was fun!
I then tried RTFM and setting the pre-amp to enable, and turning the device off. Nope, didn't work either.
I also tried using the menu key to save my option, but this did take a few attempts.
Thankfully the input was hovering around the -30db mark when it powered up at first!
On a separate note, the Sky HD's optical input tends to show frequency drifts on the input. I wouldn't be surprised if optical audio out was a total afterthought on these receivers to begin with...
Earlier this evening I noticed the Sky HD box skipping via optical sp/dif. On your older design you had a setting for adjusting the sensitivity of the digital inputs on a port basis. Didn't find it the options in the end on the M-Dac, but out of stupidity I set the pre-amp to disabled.
The issue came when trying to set the pre-amp back to enabled. At first I tried pressing the mute key on the volume control which reset the box but never saved my settings, leaving it at 0db when its connected directly to my power amp section (HK990). That was fun!
I then tried RTFM and setting the pre-amp to enable, and turning the device off. Nope, didn't work either.
I also tried using the menu key to save my option, but this did take a few attempts.
Thankfully the input was hovering around the -30db mark when it powered up at first!
On a separate note, the Sky HD's optical input tends to show frequency drifts on the input. I wouldn't be surprised if optical audio out was a total afterthought on these receivers to begin with...
JohnW
pfm member
Being in China or Czech rep. I dont get to use a Sky box, but from customer feedback, I understand these to have very high levels of Jitter - which in itself is not an issue, but they also have large "Discrete" jumps in Frequency - this throws-off our tightly locked DPLLs which are then forced to resync. These frequency "shifts" as you say this can be seen on the "Absolute" frequency display.
Does your unit display "Unlock" briefly when "Skipping"? - if so, we might be able to add a software fix / option to better handle very poor digital sources?
I don't remember, I'll have to check later. Not in a rush for this update myself, barely use Sky 3hrs/week but I'm sure it may affect others.
sam_cat
C'est Crounchifique!
I will be giving that a serious test soon, I use HD555's powered by a Starving Student Valve amp OR a very high spec CMOY of my own design.. Both amps sound superb (but quite different), so will be interesting to hear how they compare to the MDAC.
Sam
On my quick audition, I was quite surprised that the sound was almost identical to what I heard through my speakers. The tonality and musicality were practically identical. My cans are the Denon AH-D7000.
John - I get this issue when the MDAC is fed from my digital tuner until the tuner warms up a bit so yes, a fix or workaround for less than perfectly stable digital sources would be useful.
I've now gone back to using it through my pre amp rather than straight to the power amps, a TAG McLaren versions of the Audiolab 8000Q, this has a gain control which i've turned down to 6db and the DAC is on 0db.
this seams to have had a very positive effect and things are much fuller and rich...will continue listening...
not sure why that would be the case, is the output very hight when the MDAC is used as a pre amp?
this seams to have had a very positive effect and things are much fuller and rich...will continue listening...
not sure why that would be the case, is the output very hight when the MDAC is used as a pre amp?
striped67
Active Member
I was getting the same problem with a Humax set top box fed through optical. It was skipping every few seconds. When the skip occurred it switched briefly from 48.000 to 47.999. I fixed the problem by switching D3E from Full to Partial.
finesensations
pfm Member
As above.
A number of people appear to be able to use the remote with Foobar, and other players, 'automatically'.
As mine doesn't work, how do I set it up please?
UPDATE: HID Input Service is set to automatic but has not started. When I try to start it I get 'Error 2: the system cannot find the file specified'.
A number of people appear to be able to use the remote with Foobar, and other players, 'automatically'.
As mine doesn't work, how do I set it up please?
UPDATE: HID Input Service is set to automatic but has not started. When I try to start it I get 'Error 2: the system cannot find the file specified'.
mark.king
pfm Member
sam_cat
C'est Crounchifique!
Some thoughts..
I like the display, a lot, but I would like the option to set the brightness, and also to set the display to turn itself off after a user configurable time period of receiving no input from remote/front buttons. Probably around 5 seconds.
Or there any other remote functions available that the remote doesnt have buttons for? Using my logitech harmony one so can program lots of options.. Mainly would like codes to switch to a certain source (coax1, opt1, usb) so when I choose the 'Watch a movie' option I can get it to set everything correctly from the one button press.
Thanks again,
Sam
I like the display, a lot, but I would like the option to set the brightness, and also to set the display to turn itself off after a user configurable time period of receiving no input from remote/front buttons. Probably around 5 seconds.
Or there any other remote functions available that the remote doesnt have buttons for? Using my logitech harmony one so can program lots of options.. Mainly would like codes to switch to a certain source (coax1, opt1, usb) so when I choose the 'Watch a movie' option I can get it to set everything correctly from the one button press.
Thanks again,
Sam
sq225917
Bit of this, bit of that
As a Pa20r owner previously I'm surprised at your findings. I always found the Pa20r slightly opaque and veiled. What power amps are you using?
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