MDAC First Listen (part 00110010)
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JohnW
pfm member
Michael,
The SMD is completed and PCB cleaned, but I've had to put it to once side while I help Jarek on the XMOS PCB so he can work on the software.... Once the XMOS board is sorted, then I'll fit your Vishays and PS caps.
The XMOS board sounds very good - so we are very keen to hear it mated to your board
early indications are we might sidestep upgrading your MDAC and just ship you a XMOS board + Superior with your PSU until the direct MDAC2 replacement PCB proper...
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/86116171/Fusions Superoir.jpg
The SMD is completed and PCB cleaned, but I've had to put it to once side while I help Jarek on the XMOS PCB so he can work on the software.... Once the XMOS board is sorted, then I'll fit your Vishays and PS caps.
The XMOS board sounds very good - so we are very keen to hear it mated to your board
early indications are we might sidestep upgrading your MDAC and just ship you a XMOS board + Superior with your PSU until the direct MDAC2 replacement PCB proper...https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/86116171/Fusions Superoir.jpg
I must say I was dead set on getting some ESLs next upgrade, but they seem quite fragile compared to conventional Loudspeakers?
Very much put off the Used market re ESLs in light of hearing this too 8-/
Are Magnaplanar Loudspeakers also as enviro-sensitive, does anyone know?
No Maggie's are a sort of ribbon ,there best speaker I ever heard was a humongous appogie with ginormous amps driving them nothing has ever come close.
davidjt
pfm Member
I have been thinking the same: a pair of s/h MLs had to go back due to a popping noise from one panel and rather put me off the idea.
Now considering One Thing Audio refurbished Quads, which would almost certainly last longer than I shall.
JohnW
pfm member
The Popping noise (if heard with no Music playing) is most likely due to dust build-up on the stators - a quick vacuum and wipe over with a damp cloth should resolve the issue - BTW, which model?
davidjt
pfm Member
They were SL3s and apart from the popping sounded fine. I cleaned and vacuumed them twice; the faulty one only popped when playing music. When I researched the cost of new membranes (which I should of course have done earlier) I hastily returned them for a refund. I appreciate that the Quad sound will be different again, but they would at least be re-furbished to as new (or better) condition and there would be recourse to OTA if necessary. For me they look like the most cost-effective solution, as if they see me out I don't need to worry about s/h value. But I need to audition a pair first.
fusion5
on the dark side of hifi...
The XMOS board sounds very good - so we are very keen to hear it mated to your board
OK
Would that even work without the voltage regulators on the MDAC board?
JohnW
pfm member
OK
Would that even work without the voltage regulators on the MDAC board?
Not sure yet how we are going to construct your DAC, much depends if the DUAL ESS XMOS board justifys the effort - we have it on the lab bench ATM and it sounds impressive (with its own output stage) so lets see - we can hear the difference with the DSD recordings even on the Lab bench powered speakers....
JohnW
pfm member
Personally I don't like the sound of later Quad ESL's they lack the resolution of the better ML's...
JohnW
pfm member
Paul,
While the external PSU's indeed bring an improvement to the MDAC, while decent its nether the less relativity small by comparison to the changes the Superior board brings. For sure to get the best from superior you need the External HQ PSU which is why superior is not so practical as we currently are not able to offer a whole solution.
JohnW
pfm member
Richard,
Very sorry for the delay, I was thinking in bed this morning that I must reply to you!
The Optical output is routed with the Coax output, so while we officially might not support anything above 96KHz via optical, you should still see a valid but not guaranteed signal - however Coax / Optical output from USB is only to 96KHz due to the USB1.1 interface limitation.
adamdea
You are not a sound quality evaluation device
Hi John
Does that mean that the superior is abandoned and we are just proceeding with the FDac?
s1h1
performing within expectations
Just trying to work out all the inputs and outputs...
What are the two HDMI connectors next to the (AES?) XLRs for?
Also the 4 XLRs on the bottom left 'module'? I remember a separate DAC for sub-bass duties, but what else might be offered.
AFAIK "Superior MDAC" was never meant to be anything beyond the 3-4 evaluation boards (which are, I imagine, for DIY-capable people). It was born purely because John needed an evaluation board and could easily let more of them be manufactured at the same time.
The "production" version of the Superior MDAC is supposed to be the FDAC Lite (after FDAC production).
(That's how I understood it anyway.)
fusion5
on the dark side of hifi...
These two HDMI ports are the slave in/out ports.
Besides the 4 channel dac dic there will be a 2 channel version with additional HDMI input (SACD playback and such). There will be more..
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