MDAC First Listen (part 00011110)
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JohnW
pfm member
Hi Andy,
Yes - however just to be aware that the £370 payment option is only for the salvaged donor unit, you then need to include the cost of the MDAC2 project / PCB
JohnW
pfm member
John finally fired up the Quad
First words that come to mind "warm and musical"
Top end is far more listenable. It's lost control a little in the lower register and on busy tracks some of the clarity is missing. I could certainly pick out and separate the instruments better with the audiolabs. The sound is different , but a lot easier to listen
I'll swap out with the other 520 later in the week .
Yes - I believe the Quad is on the correct track, I also believe I'll be able to restore what's been lost in the Bass and "complex" resolution department.
For a bit of fun, I'm considering using the Minitube in the design, so Tube front end, Class A Current dumping
The only thing I would ask is that you don't offer your modified unit for sale in the future as it will contain a lot of "unique" IP I'd rather not fall into competitors hands...
travelfotografe
pfm Member
Hi John,
But do we need to wait for a notification from yourself or Renata that a salvaged unit is available before making this £370 payment, or can this this £370 payment be made right now and there will somehow be a salvaged unit allocated to the payee?
Leon
But do we need to wait for a notification from yourself or Renata that a salvaged unit is available before making this £370 payment, or can this this £370 payment be made right now and there will somehow be a salvaged unit allocated to the payee?
Leon
Hi Andy,
Yes - however just to be aware that the £370 payment option is only for the salvaged donor unit, you then need to include the cost of the MDAC2 project / PCB
zzzmonster
pfm Member
Hi, can we wait, but hop on the bandwagon by paying 1st, very troublesome to ship to and froth...
fusion5
on the dark side of hifi...
John,
If it's not to much trouble and not causing any delays I would like to have one of these interim boards for my first MDAC2. Since everybody seems to be eager to wait for the final digital board some early feedback might be useful. No problem paying for the interim board.
With my three MDACs I could easily test the new MDAC2 design against L2 FUSION and standard design. So if you need anything field tested just let me know.
Michael
PhilCTTE
Senior mumbler
Yes - I believe the Quad is on the correct track, I also believe I'll be able to restore what's been lost in the Bass and "complex" resolution department.
For a bit of fun, I'm considering using the Minitube in the design, so Tube front end, Class A Current dumping
The only thing I would ask is that you don't offer your modified unit for sale in the future as it will contain a lot of "unique" IP I'd rather not fall into competitors hands...
You have my word ... Really looking forward to it , many many thanks John!! More listening last night , just find the quad easier to get along with
chasefrench
Member
Dear John, (or anyone who knows!)
I am very interested in your MDAC2 product. My MDAC has recently stopped working. It started acting strange then went into a bootloop, then finally wouldn't turn on whatsoever. It is currently being looked at by Audiolab.
Unfortunately and I think rather unfairly, they have said that because the unit was purchased in Hong Kong, they will not honour the warranty now that I have come home to the UK.
They have said the problem will either be a faulty PSU or something on the mainboard. The reason for my post is that it would make more sense to pay you to upgrade to the MDAC2 (when it is ready) than to pay Audiolab (especially since they won't honour the warranty!)
Is it possible to upgrade to MDAC2 rather than just be repaired by Audiolab?
Also will the MDAC2 benefit from a linear PSU such as the Mains Cables R Us version or your rumoured MPAX?
I hope to hear from you at your earliest convenience because I would much rather support your business than Audiolabs.
Kind Regards,
I am very interested in your MDAC2 product. My MDAC has recently stopped working. It started acting strange then went into a bootloop, then finally wouldn't turn on whatsoever. It is currently being looked at by Audiolab.
Unfortunately and I think rather unfairly, they have said that because the unit was purchased in Hong Kong, they will not honour the warranty now that I have come home to the UK.
They have said the problem will either be a faulty PSU or something on the mainboard. The reason for my post is that it would make more sense to pay you to upgrade to the MDAC2 (when it is ready) than to pay Audiolab (especially since they won't honour the warranty!)
Is it possible to upgrade to MDAC2 rather than just be repaired by Audiolab?
Also will the MDAC2 benefit from a linear PSU such as the Mains Cables R Us version or your rumoured MPAX?
I hope to hear from you at your earliest convenience because I would much rather support your business than Audiolabs.
Kind Regards,
Seems a sound and sensible approach
You've decided to implement the system as 3 boards for reasons of engineering quality and modularity. The digital design you're suggesting here possibly/probably already exists albeit maybe without the isolation elements. A digital board like this at least lets you experiment/evaluate the other elements of the design as a fully working system and ensure the performance of the other 2 sections
Assuming you go down this route for your own prototyping purposes, I'd be very interested in a unit using one of these 'evaluation' digital boards
+1 to that version!
John,
I would certainly be very interested in MDAC 1.5, particularly since you have a salvaged unit for me, so I will be able to do direct comparisons with my present one. Also, for the past year I have been steadily improving a couple of Mac Minis, and both are now well ahead of my Meridian CD transport as a source. However in the later stages of this I am definitely in the diminishing returns part of the curve- maybe the Minis are at their limit, maybe the rest of my system is, but also perhaps the MDAC is at the limit, or close to it. Just a small improvement in the MDAC would be very helpful in deciding where to go next, and from all your descriptions the 1.5 should be a lot more than a small improvement!
Looking even further to the future, there is a lot of interest in DSD around, and for those of us with a fair number of SACDs, there is already at least one firm offering to rip SACDs to DSD. Is there any chance of a future DSD input module? (Not, of course, before TDAC, MIMP, MTRNS etc.)
I was just about to get one of these John. I have no idea if it's a switching design. Why can't things be simple to us simple souls...
The plan is simply to isolate the M-dac and speakers from the rest of the crud in the house. I have a DC blokker into which I'll plug the ups then the dac and Adams into the ups. Or at least that was the plan...
http://www.powerinspired.com/vis100...0_108&osCsid=8ccea7b4b46c3ee9aabc0dc370166b20
Ps, as the MDac and Adams aren't power hungry I had hoped to be able to get an hour or two running just off the batteries in the ups, hence avoiding the house supply altogether?
JohnW
pfm member
Michael,
I was already considering sending you an early prototype for your valued feedback
JohnW
pfm member
JohnW
pfm member
Chasefrench,
Sorry to hear about your issues (also sorry to hear your back in the UK from HK
- the years I spent in HK was the best time of my life )As MDAC2 is not likely to be shipped until July / Aug. I can repair you MDAC for free - but you would need to pay for the shipping to and from Czech Rep. (shipping from Czech Rep. to the UK is about GBP35).
I'd recommend holding off on an external PSU for the moment - much is in flux as ideas and a clearer direction forms (such as separating the digital / Analogue stages + TDAC option)... I'm sure the PSU will also develop with time...
JohnW
pfm member
I was just about to get one of these John. I have no idea if it's a switching design. Why can't things be simple to us simple souls...
The plan is simply to isolate the M-dac and speakers from the rest of the crud in the house. I have a DC blokker into which I'll plug the ups then the dac and Adams into the ups. Or at least that was the plan...
http://www.powerinspired.com/vis100...0_108&osCsid=8ccea7b4b46c3ee9aabc0dc370166b20
Ps, as the MDac and Adams aren't power hungry I had hoped to be able to get an hour or two running just off the batteries in the ups, hence avoiding the house supply altogether?
Arthur,
I'd not recommend the UPS as its a High Frequency switcher (PWM) design, I'd avoid introducing anymore RF energy into your system. Your Adams being ClassD will not like an additional RF noise source via the mains supply.
JohnW
pfm member
MDAC2 + TDAC support DSD input via USB and also "SPDIF" with certain modified SACD players (mainly older Pioneer designs), we can upgrade certain SACD players at a later date.
JohnW
pfm member
The MDAC1.5 Digital PCB will be sold at cost + GBP100 to cover development, handling and testing etc.
I suspect the PCB build cost will be about GBP50...
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