MDAC First Listen (part 00100100)

[JohnW]

The apple remote transmits a "remote ID" witch can be changed by holding the Next/Fast-Forward and Menu buttons for 5 seconds. Thats why you always have to pair the apple remote with the device.
So there should be ne problems with interferences by using more than one remote. (May be also important for MDAC2 slave units)
Look here under "technical details": http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_Remote

Perhaps the apple remote is still an option for MDAC2. Additional it is not so expensive (20€) , has a full handy aluminium body and is everywhere available.
For example the MIRUS DAC from resonessence labs uses an apple remote, or mytek audio.

Thank you - great, its been so long since I played the Apple remote I forgot about the pairing - I'm getting old!

Sound like a practical solution, although rather limited in functions.

 

[Obi1]

I would love to have the Apple remote controlling the MDAC2. This should be sufficiant for day to day use. It is a joy to handle it and it is very sturdy.
Maybe with additional support for a complete set of codes for the more advanced or not so frequently used commands, for example Harmony remotes. This way it is possible to have the best of two worlds.

 

[BrianPK]

Sorry, missed your post, it was buried in the recent flurry.

Sounds like a relock event - maybe the clocks drifting apart from each other too rapidly on power-up as the units warm and the clocks stabilise.

Thanks (as usual) John😊.It doesn't really bother me and only happens now and then.Once it's not a sign of more serious trouble in the future I'll just ignore it.

 

[JohnW]

Thanks (as usual) John😊.It doesn't really bother me and only happens now and then.Once it's not a sign of more serious trouble in the future I'll just ignore it.

From your description, I doubt its indicative of pending doom, but I'm always here to repair your unit for free if its decides its life is too hard

It might also be the CD player... either way its not something I'd loose sleep over

 

[BrianPK]

That's very generous of you John.Thanks again

 

[jarip]

I would love to have the Apple remote controlling the MDAC2. This should be sufficiant for day to day use. It is a joy to handle it and it is very sturdy..

MDAC remote is a joy to handle compared to the Apple remote..

 

[PhilCTTE]

John has Dominic decided on which sacd player he can modify yet ..was it the oppo ?

 

[JohnW]

John has Dominic decided on which sacd player he can modify yet ..was it the oppo ?

Phil,

TimR has an Oppo, once I can get to probe his unit then I can confirm - but at this moment the Oppo looks like the favourite contender.

 

[ti33er]

OPPO BDP-105D IS A GREAT MACHINE (am liable to claim the best, by some margin)...nice alloy case and a true Universal Player (does everything except ISO because they were forced to remove it 2 years ago) ...now if only someone could hack that Firmware....! ;-)

 

[ti33er]

...it would have been even better if Mr LakeWest could have created the 'MDAC2' inside there. I've even seen Tube mods (at insane prices) in these suckers...

 

[fred sonnen]

John has Dominic decided on which sacd player he can modify yet ..was it the oppo ?

Phil,

TimR has an Oppo, once I can get to probe his unit then I can confirm - but at this moment the Oppo looks like the favourite contender.

Hi John

Would you think about a new (oppo) and a 2. hand (Denon DVD-2900 ) solution?
If you are interested I can buy a test object for you / me/ us...

 

[TimR]

Phil,

TimR has an Oppo, once I can get to probe his unit then I can confirm - but at this moment the Oppo looks like the favourite contender.

Hi John,
I'm happy to send it over to you any time if all you want to do is verify that it's a suitable candidate, but obviously not if it's going to be an unwanted distraction for you

 

[PhilCTTE]

Was thinking about picking up a secondhand oppo 103 .. But was thinking ahead rather than to distract other developments And likewise I could offer this as a test machine if needed

 

[JohnW]

Tim, Phil

Thank you for the offer - it will be something I plan to look into once I complete the Analogue PCB

The lab construction has caused much interruptions, atleast the Lab Benches are being installed so the light is now visible at the end of the tunnel!

 

[JohnW]

Hi John

Would you think about a new (oppo) and a 2. hand (Denon DVD-2900 ) solution?
If you are interested I can buy a test object for you / me/ us...

I suggest Oppo (if it proves Bit Accurate) as its a newer machine with support.

 

[misterdog]

the light is now visible at the end of the tunnel!

I can see the light, through the ceiling in my workshop

The incoming rain/snow has added some interesting water stain marks to some walnut and oak timber stock

Glad your lab is nearing completion, always better when the dust has gone.

With 70 sockets you should never have to reach too far to plug something in...

 

[ChrisPa]

In another thread:

The same output stage is used for the Line Outputs / headphones - which is selected by Small Signal relays.

The MDAC's output impedance into Headphones, RCA and XLR is less then 0.1 Ohms, in practice limited by the contact resistance of the connectors, if these are removed from the equation, then its less then 0.001 Ohms at 100Hz.

... So could the output relay be removed if we don't want headphone capability?

 

[JohnW]

The problem is that the relays also function as the Power on / Off Muting circuits - on the MDAC(1) due to space issues the analogue Gain stage is a non symmetrical design so DC will be messy during Power On /Off events.

The Relays insure acceptable behaviour (atleast it appears as such to the outside world). There is only ever one relay in the signal path for any output.

Its a shame I could not include active cable compensation with the MDAC2 (Cable Feedback). The MDAC2 has very high bandwidth analogue stage that places extra emphasis on Loop stability, the unknown 'horrors' of extra capacitance on the Feedback signals is hard to manage without compromising the Open loop gain too detrimentally. The MDAC2 has 3 nested feedback loops, this has been challenging to design and insure target Phase margins of 82Deg in each loop.

 

[JohnW]

I can see the light, through the ceiling in my workshop

Ouch, hopefully you know its origins, otherwise it can drive you around the bend finding the root cause.

Glad your lab is nearing completion, always better when the dust has gone.

With 70 sockets you should never have to reach too far to plug something in...

Not wired up the sockets yet, it would have been easier to install them before the lab benches where installed, but I just want to get the PCB issued first!

I've already so distracted by the carpenters who need me to install the lights etc. So much effort for such a tiny lab, it would have been the same amount of work for a lab x4 times the size... its so depressing that planning permission for anything larger would have been so hard to get..!

 

[alonwa]

OPPO BDP-105D IS A GREAT MACHINE (am liable to claim the best, by some margin)...nice alloy case and a true Universal Player (does everything except ISO because they were forced to remove it 2 years ago) ...now if only someone could hack that Firmware....! ;-)

Actually you can buy jailbroken firmware for the oppo 103x machines on ebay. Just search "oppo firmware" on eBay. Makes the machine region free, supports ISO for Blu-ray and DVD (and BDMV folders, not VIDEO_TS) and disables Cinavia. Cheaper and more functional than the hardware region free mods. Works well on my 103D. Based on past experience, once you buy it, whenever there's a new official firmware version (not beta), its broken counterpart is available (for free if you bought it once) after about a month or two. Only works on US version (not European or Australian).