MDAC first listen (part IV)

That's why John, I would suggest a monoblk Mamp Of course in monoblk you will have to deal with the gain matching (depending on design and component used)

biamp involve 2x speaker cable and 2x xlr cable that I would want to avoid. And not sure if MDAC connect to 2 input via a Y spliter would have any impact on sound quality wise.

And I don't mind to be beta tester for the Mamp (and/or the mpax/transport)


Mav

 

This means the MDAC is GBP 100 DAC considering component costs...

 

This is why DIY is so rewarding... For not a large investment you can build something that sounds superb... Come over to the dark side and learn to build your own hifi

Sam

 

Hi John, I can't see it but then I usually just empty the spam folder without really paying much attention to what's inside it (it's a GMail account so normally it's rare to get a false positive).

Could you dig out the email from your sent folder and forward it on again, and this time I'll keep an eye out for it? Thanks.

 

John, can you PM an email address to me, i want to buy one psu for mdac.

 

[FIRMWARE] SUGGESTION: Option to skip certain filters as it is a small burden to have to cycle through everything in order to get to what you want.
Last edited by adamlau; 31-01-12 at 02:37 PM.

In addition to adamlau's suggestion above for an option to skip certain filters, I'd like to offer for consideration for the next firmware update the option to navigate through filters by previous/next buttons, rather than by cycling by pressing the filter button. Thus, one press of the filter would display current filter, upon which one could select previous/next filter by the previous/next buttons. Thank you

 

Like that idea

 

Ditto - nice idea! Top priority though is ensuring the coax/optical selections are displaying the correct filter being used. According to JohnW only USB currently displays the correct selected filter due to a bug in the ESS chip.

- John

 

does anyone know if the digital attenuator of MDAC will be bypassed (i.e. DAC used with fixed output) when used with M-PAX?

i'm asking because i'm coming to interesting conclusions - that i'm getting (much) better results with my preferred external (active) preamp so i don't use an attenuator anymore.

could be it's me preferring a bit more of life & drive (& coloration) of an active pre in comparison with nothing added, but there i am.

will M-PAX utilize an active preamp or 2 line inputs will be also passive?

 

anubisgrau,

JohnW will have the ultimate answer, but I would be very surprised if the MPAX prevented using the MDAC as a fixed output DAC (which, per JohnW, is exactly the same as setting volume level to 0dB from a sound quality standpoint).

My understanding is that the MPAX won't have an active pre-amp section (even with the optional volume control board which will, in effect, be acting as a passive preamp).

 

I'm really looking forward to the MPAX, so I can utilise it as a pre-amp for my TT. One question how will the optional volume control board work? I suppose there will have to be a software change or will it be manual?

 

If I remember correctly there will be special firmware updates (Lakewest builds) for the M-DAC to enable new features provided by the extensions M-PAX and M-TRN.

 

M-PAX will offer some additional analogue output attenuation* to enable those with sensitive amplification to run the M-DAC digital attenuator at a higher level i.e. no need to run the digital attenuator at -50dB.

The options to bypass the on-board M-DAC digital attenuation will, I believe, be no different to the way they are now. I assume that the firmware for the M-DAC with M-PAX will include the ability to use the analogue attenuation that is part of the M-PAX kit while keeping the M-DAC digital attenuator in bypass mode.

* plus the options offered by the optional external volume control board

 

Where is the software update? This was originally promised a few weeks after release. I like all the new devices being released but not at the expense of getting timely updates

 

Hi Mark,

I'm sorry, you are correct to be upset - the software update should have been released in December... so it is now very late.

Its not a question of wanting to work on new projects, but we need to insure an income stream in the future - so I have to balance our development time between projects.

Since leaving China, I've had a hard time to motivate Dominik - he's easily distracted, managing creative genius is not easy... (management is not my strong point).

I hope an initial release will be pending within the next week,

John

 

I think its Audiolab you should be asking that question to though i know what the reply will be

Remember John doesn't work for Audiolab now so he isn't obliged to work on new software, the fact that he is doing i think is brilliant and if it take s a bit longer then so be it.

 

JohnW you've got PM

 

OK I'll go with that. Thanks for answering

 

We should start a motivational PayPal fund for Dominik...I'm willing to fund it with $5.00 US to get updated sooner rather than later...

 

Just had a long call with Dominik - he's working on it now - we have a small time window available ATM as hes just completed an urgent project, so I expect to see further progress this week.