MDAC First Listen (part 00110100)
- Thread starter JohnW
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JohnW
pfm member
Hi all,
Maybe this has already been answered...will the FDAC have some form of RPi CM3 option too? It seems that the MDAC2 is almost more attractive if not for ultimate SQ
Yes, I mentioned few pages back that depending upon performance results with MDAC2 - if the CM3 looks workable then we will use on the FDAC.
Thanks John, it sounds very appealing to have such functionality in my case.
Merry Christmas!
Space is the Place
pfm Member
With just the new MDAC2 board how will the sound of the Dac change?
I know a good power supply makes a difference so looking forward to the separate box to power the Dac.
What is Detox? Ive not been following the thread closely!
Happy Xmas btw, wish it was snowing here!
I know a good power supply makes a difference so looking forward to the separate box to power the Dac.
What is Detox? Ive not been following the thread closely!
Happy Xmas btw, wish it was snowing here!
DTOX is basically a USB filter. It tooks place between DAC and USB cable and is, AFAIK, clock locked with dac to clean efficently the USB signal.
It's ways more complex than an simple isolated USB and far less esoterik than all kind of kryptonite powered special cables
First listeners says that it's worth the price which is very decent for such device
Of course it will be available in dark cosmic radiation blackhole black
Steven Toy
Accuphase newbie
Stage 1 + VR PSU for me please until FDAC is ready.
Instead of going down the retrofitting route I would be tempted to have FDAC plus MDAC2 and sell.the latter on.
Thank you very much Darren for your support. I’ll hope everything tunes out well in the next year. I’d rather not like to make too much noise about the refunds. Critics are not so appreciated here I believe.
Thanks John for the update, I hope we can sort things out sooner than later.
BTW, I didn’t mention the options I have open with the MDAC2/FDAC project. In case someone is interested to jump in on my place in the queue:
MDAC2/FDAC L2
+ L2 Slave 1
+ L2 Slave 2
for 900£
Take care and all the best in the coming year.
P.S. Didn’t mean to spoil anyone’s Christmas, I haven’t been on this forum for a long time and thought there might be a Christmas present this year (MDAC2 finally shipping).
John,
Been dipping in and out of the thread for a while so not 100% up to speed. I've got a Fusioned MDAC and am paid up to date for the FDAC with ADC & Phono stage (Plus the Detox). If there's a list in circulation I'd like the MDAC2 Stage 1 + PSU as well as the FDAC when it becomes ready. What are the cost implications please for this option?
PS - Happy Christmas & keep up the good work, I'm sure Munich will be enjoyable for those able to attend.
Cheers
MattN
Been dipping in and out of the thread for a while so not 100% up to speed. I've got a Fusioned MDAC and am paid up to date for the FDAC with ADC & Phono stage (Plus the Detox). If there's a list in circulation I'd like the MDAC2 Stage 1 + PSU as well as the FDAC when it becomes ready. What are the cost implications please for this option?
PS - Happy Christmas & keep up the good work, I'm sure Munich will be enjoyable for those able to attend.
Cheers
MattN
JohnW
pfm member
Steve,
The final development fee has not been settled - it will either be GBP400 or GBP500 depending upon resources going into production - I'd like to keep it at GBP400 but lets see how things pan out with Detox.
I dont see you using any of the FDAC's advance features except maybe the DVD/CD loader - the CD loader is more intended for transferee of files to the internal SSD Drive and burning disks then day to day usage. My experience of computer drives is that they are not designed for heavy use.
In many ways the MDAC2 with the external PSU is now sonically on par with the FDAC - it does not have the FPGA and DSP but as a "basic DAC" I've used FDAC circuit section in the MDAC2.
That said, we are now thinking what extra we can give to the FDAC to sonically give it a step improvement over the MDAC2... its not easy as the FDAC was really a no compromise design. The MDAC2 does have a simplified discrete analogue stage design but I'm not sure how big a difference this will make in reality.
MDAC2 is a step change going from MDAC - but the difference will not be so great going from MDAC2 to FDAC unless you need the FDAC's more advanced features.
I am trying out an idea for the FDAC that might widen the gap....
Yes, that is my feelings as well.
When there was pool about internal CD drive I had hopes that this internal drive will give best possible connection to DAC and will be much beter solution than any external drive. Now it is replaced by DVD drive which goes somewhere arround through computer board by USB bus, so it practically an external drive, as far I understand.
Also since streaming board I did hear nothing new about FPGA use. I understand that can be powerfull tool to improve sound. And now people, who could make it work from start, working on streamer board instead. Ok, right, maybe we need board first to have something to work with.
In general streaming is good thing, maybe I will use it one day. At this moment I am a bit concerned that it can compromise FDAC and work on FDAC as now everything needs to be coordinated between this two boards and I see that there is still not final option choosed. External streamer could give more freedom and independed workload, I think.
JohnW
pfm member
Matt,
Theres no list for the MDAC2, once its available you can change your position from FDAC at anytime...
Merry Christmas and best wishes for the New Year
An optimized parts maybe? Ok, it will be a bit more expensive, could live with that. Can it give some advantage?
JohnW
pfm member
In reply to Steve I made it clear the that the MDAC2 streamer is an option and "Stg2" of the MDAC2... it might be ready for general public release at Munich - it depends on the RPi CM3 delivery times.
From next week we have four team members working on the project developments - the streamer is designed as a separate module / project from the mainboard and does not impact my work on designing the mainboard (apart from obviously coordinating the interPCB interface and physical support etc.) This has already been defined.
We are using the MDAC Stg2 streamer as a stepping stone to the FDAC internal display driver / streamer section. To that end, the MDAC2 Streamer board will have an connector compatible with the "FDACs" front panel. With a little more thought we realised that we could also re-purpose this same connector when we release the retrofit MDAC2 front panel with touch Panel display.
We plan to get the MDAC2 Stg2 Streamer board (with RPi CM1) to JiriJ in the next few weeks complete with an FDAC front panel to get the wheels turning
fred sonnen
pfm Member
JohnW
pfm member
Both MDAC2 and FDAC will have the Vishay bulk foil resistor options - these have a big impact on SQ - but after that there's little else that can be optimised (both come with polystyrene capacitors).
I have a few ides that I have on the lab bench ATM and depending on the sonic results I might consider for FDAC...
JohnW
pfm member
There's also that one thing you wanted to do in the FPGA that could quite possibly make all the difference.
If done right. Look at how praised Chord Mojo is ...- Status