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MDAC First Listen (part 00110100)

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Maybe you could have 'LW' on the other heatsink.....Looks very nice even in the rough.

Not sure where we will put the Lakewest logo :)

I dont really see the need to "plaster" our logo on the front panel - who wants to constantly advertise a brand in there living room?

The way I see it is that my (our) designs are unique and the owner knows this - no need to advertise.... my designs will never be for general consumption so no need to plaster our brand across them - you either now or you don't :)

I can see us manufacturing MDAC2 / FDAC in batches once or twice a year... we are not seeking mass numbers... more important is to constantly develop FPGA firmware updates then getting bogged down in manufacturing and shipping etc.

We will have a line of "consumer" grade units sold under a couple of different brands - both will be at Munich, these are based on aspects of MDA2 / FDAC IP etc.... this will generate the main income stream so we can concentrate on designing the low volume "statement" designs where my heart is :)
 
Indeed and some very professional vegetable chopping in the kitchens.

Though I think I may be a little strange, but I do like attention to detail.

Some early Peter Greenaway/Michael Nyman here, been looking for this for years, saw it on TV. when I was a lad..

https://vimeo.com/66720845
 
My understanding of MQA (MQA seems in a constant change of flex - I can only guess as a result of the negative opinion of some manufacturers refusing the stringent and invasive licensing conditions):-

1. Meridian will not allow the audio Data to be manipulated in anyway - which for the average company can be a good thing - but severely restricts what we have planned with FDAC and its FPGA's. In fact we would not be allowed to issue a software update without submitting and approval from Meridian (and associated extra cost).

2. No Room correction, EQ or the such (if you believe in such things)

3. No External connection to the "decoded" digital output Data = no FDAC / MDAC2 Master / Slave interface or transmitted (once decoded) via the SDPIF interface etc.

Its my personal belief that the reason Meridian does not want this data available is that MQA is being sold to record company's concerned about releasing "High resolution content" to the public and MQA is packaged with DRM - once this data is decoded then there is no way to enforce DRM.

4. It goes against every bone in my body to enforce what I believe is DRM onto "my" customers - it sickens me that Meridian dangles a juicy carrot in front of customers eyes of better sound quality, but then rams DRM up there backsides... it is my claim that Meridian interest is not in better sound quality - but generating income via licensing / royalty fees.

The basis of MQA does not need the DRM aspects - its only there for Meridians and the records company's best interests.

5. I will not summit full schematics of my design that I have labour for over 5 years on to a "competitor" - MDAC2 and FDAC feature very unique circuits. I can understand this not being a concern for company whose designs are basically a collection of op-amps and manufacturers applications notes - but FDAC / MDAC2 is far more then this.

I could go on but I'm working on the MDAC2 design - I'm having an internal "race" with Jarek who is also working on a design :)

Thank you.
 
The good news on MQA is that it seems that software decoding is working, so there is no need for hardware decoding in the DAC. If any of us want to use MQA encoded material we can decode in software and feed the data stream to the MDAC2/FDAC and do whatever we want with the bits at that point. Someone may even develop software that will run on the RPi SOC inside the FDAC that decodes MQA if that is what we want. John doesn't have to waste money on a MQA license - not that he would have done anyway!
 
The good news on MQA is that it seems that software decoding is working, so there is no need for hardware decoding in the DAC. If any of us want to use MQA encoded material we can decode in software and feed the data stream to the MDAC2/FDAC and do whatever we want with the bits at that point. Someone may even develop software that will run on the RPi SOC inside the FDAC that decodes MQA if that is what we want. John doesn't have to waste money on a MQA license - not that he would have done anyway!
Software decoding is only a max rate of 24/96. If you want the full MQA you need hardware.
 
Software decoding is only a max rate of 24/96. If you want the full MQA you need hardware.
Is that a real limit, or just one imposed to promote hardware licenses? I'm quite happy to be limited to 24/96 when streaming, and maybe one day use DSD for locally stored suff.
 
Is that a real limit, or just one imposed to promote hardware licenses? I'm quite happy to be limited to 24/96 when streaming, and maybe one day use DSD for locally stored suff.

It must be to promote hardware as you say. I think Audirvana will only decode 24/96 when the next version is released.
 
The good news on MQA is that it seems that software decoding is working, so there is no need for hardware decoding in the DAC. If any of us want to use MQA encoded material we can decode in software and feed the data stream to the MDAC2/FDAC and do whatever we want with the bits at that point. Someone may even develop software that will run on the RPi SOC inside the FDAC that decodes MQA if that is what we want. John doesn't have to waste money on a MQA license - not that he would have done anyway!
I'm still a bit doubtful about this. At least it doesn't seem to work on my W8 desktop. I will give it a go on my W10 laptop with my mdac later.
 
I'm still a bit doubtful about this. At least it doesn't seem to work on my W8 desktop. I will give it a go on my W10 laptop with my mdac later.

The Tidal desktop app is working fine here with a Mac Mini. Will exclusive use selected in the program most of the MQA albums come through as 24/96, though some show 24/88.2.
 
As a public service announcement (?), one of the very few BD/SACD players which can be used to easily rip SACDs is currently available -in limited quantities- on Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00KFZWNQE/?tag=pinkfishmedia-21

(The Oppos 103/105 are becoming hard to find, and the cheapest alternative I can find in Europe is the Cambridge Audio CXU which is 2x dearer; the newer Oppos and Pioneer do not work for this unique need)

Hi Eiffel, I wanted to say thanks again for pointing me at this. The player arrived on Friday and I've now successfully ripped my entire SACD collection as DSD64 files (both the Stereo and the multichannel layers).... couldn't have been easier :)
 
This site contains affiliate links for which pink fish media may be compensated.
The Tidal desktop app is working fine here with a Mac Mini. Will exclusive use selected in the program most of the MQA albums come through as 24/96, though some show 24/88.2.
Where do you get the option for exclusive mode? Is it in the tidal desktop app settings?
 
Tim, glad I could help. To be honest, I'm surprised that Amazon still has the player in stock, as it is, by a long shot, the cheapest and easiest solution to rip SACDs (with a new or used device), and as there are few alternatives based on my findings when I looked for a way to rip SACDs at the end of 2016.

The device is nothing to write home about otherwise (it plays Blu Rays, SACDs, DVDs and CDs via SPDIF, HDMI and stereo analog outputs, and makes little noise, which is the best I can say. Network playback is limited and the case is nothing fancy)
 
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