MDAC first listen (part IV)

[finesensations]

Hi Seb

About 2 to 3 months... Ive been distracted on the M-AMP.

There's also a cheaper GBP200 DAC in the works (for a UK Brand )

Hi John

Are you able to provide any basic details/specs yet, including approx. price?

When will photos be available?

Will you release all details here or is there another website where I/we can follow progress?

Please don't make it too good/tempting (e.g dual mono,'exposed' heat-sinks,high current output/low Ohms capability) as I will be 'forced' to seriously consider ordering one!

 

[amershamman]

Please feel free to be distracted on that particular project John! I hope you have fun creating something special...

 

[adamlau]

No! Get back to the M-PAX! I wonder if something like what Bob Carver did for amps is possible, digital filters that recreate the sound of popular DACs. One to reproduce what the Weiss sounds like, another for Benchmark and so on and so forth...

 

[JTC]

Has anyone received an MDAC from the latest shipment (to the UK) yet? I'm beginning to get impatient as my dealer has had my money since early December and I'm starting to get a bit hacked off by the total lack of information about delivery dates.

Secondly, if I decide to cancel the order and get a refund, is there anything in the same price-bracket that can match the MDAC for audio quality, functionality, including balanced pre-outs and quality headphone output?

 

[simonom]

I've been waiting since the first week of November. My dealer (A.A., Birmingham) told me at the end of Jan. that their supplier had that day reconfirmed they would be receiving stock by mid-Feb. I wrote to them today to check that this was still the expectation, but I never received a response. I'll try calling tomorrow and if I get a negative or a revised ETA, I'll post it here. I know it's not their fault.

 

[russel]

Yes this is a common limit for a host of devices that use EEPROM's as used by petty criminals to erase Pin codes stored on Mobile phones and car radio head units... Put them in the freezer for a day or so.

Are you sure its the EEPROM and not the backup battery that fails? EEPROMs usually like lower temperatures.

 

[russel]

Hi John

Are you able to provide any basic details/specs yet, including approx. price?

When will photos be available?

Will you release all details here or is there another website where I/we can follow progress?

Please don't make it too good/tempting (e.g dual mono,'exposed' heat-sinks,high current output/low Ohms capability) as I will be 'forced' to seriously consider ordering one!

My guess is it will be class D with a class A error correction/dumping circuit. My guess is also that it will be very good.

 

[arthur]

Hi Arthur,

it will only take me 5 minutes, so no problem to make a 4 resistor XLR attenuator for you - I'd be only to happy to hear if you notice any difference between the more standard type.

Just let me know your ideal attenuation level.

John

Lo John. In that case cheers indeed. Can -25dB be done? If so that'll leave me in the -25 to -20dB listening range on the the M-dac. Thanks dude.

 

[JTC]

Attenuators for me too, if you've any spare... same spec as Arthur's (same speakers after all...)

 

[JohnW]

Are you sure its the EEPROM and not the backup battery that fails? EEPROMs usually like lower temperatures.

Yes, I'm sure its an old trick... I've personally recovered my Range Rover radio as the main dealer in Czech Rep. could not give me the code, only to later find the code on a label stuck to the center glove box console...

Quote from the web:

"Basically, if the code number is stored in EEPROM, and the EE is not MIL spec, it will lose it’s contents at less then -25 degs C. So, seal the radio in a plastic bag (to stop it filling up with condensation when you ‘defrost’ it) put your radio in a freezer at less than -25, leave for a couple of hours, then let it warm up to room temperature. With any luck, the code will now be all zeroes or something equally easy to figure out (it’s probably stored as a couple of bytes of BCD). Freezing EEPROMs does indeed work – I’ve seen them get erased at -30 C in ‘real life’ (it was *not* a radio product though)."

 

[PhilCTTE]

John ,

Sorry to pester ... did you have any joy with the CAD design in regards to the mini-itx build in the MDAC styled case work ?

I guess this would take the form of your new transport. And with this in mind have you a timescale and price yet?

Would the transport be available in varying options for instance without the transport
Do you think you could squeeze the mini itx in the same unit with usb-optical 192 conv, instead ?.

Cheers

 

[JohnW]

Attenuators for me too, if you've any spare... same spec as Arthur's (same speakers after all...)

Hi JTC,

No problem to make you up a set - Arthur posted "standard" pair for modification - I'm not sure where he got them from...

John

 

[JohnW]

John ,

Sorry to pester ... did you have any joy with the CAD design in regards to the mini-itx build in the MDAC styled case work ?

I guess this would take the form of your new transport. And with this in mind have you a timescale and price yet?

Would the transport be available in varying options for instance without the transport
Do you think you could squeeze the mini itx in the same unit with usb-optical 192 conv, instead ?.

Cheers

Hi Phil,

We have 177mm width in our case between heatsinks - so we can squeeze the motherboard in no problem - we need work workout the "Heatpipes" to transfer the heat too these heatsinks - I have a friend in China who makes the heatpipe's - so I'll pay her a visit when I'm next in China.

We will design a 192kHz Async Clock Lock USB "Card" that can be fitted with the chassis - we might also be able to Clock-Lock the Motherboard to the audio clock to reduce Non-synchronous RF radiation from the PC... But I need to get hold of a motherboard first to take a look at its clock Gen structure.

John

 

[JohnW]

Lo John. In that case cheers indeed. Can -25dB be done? If so that'll leave me in the -25 to -20dB listening range on the the M-dac. Thanks dude.

Hi Arthur,

I'll do -24dB as the M-PAX will step -12dB, -24dB and -36dB...

 

[PhilCTTE]

Hi Phil,

We have 177mm width in our case between heatsinks - so we can squeeze the motherboard in no problem - we need work workout the "Heatpipes" to transfer the heat too these heatsinks - I have a friend in China who makes the heatpipe's - so I'll pay her a visit when I'm next in China.

We will design a 192kHz Async Clock Lock USB "Card" that can be fitted with the chassis - we might also be able to Clock-Lock the Motherboard to the audio clock to reduce asynchronous RF radiation... But I need to get hold of a motherboard first to take a look at its clock Gen structure.

John

Great stuff ,I'll hold fire on my plans and wait until things progress your side. I'm in no rush. Well 6 months maybe

Sold the SBT, sticking with a laptop for now.

Mentioned this possibility elsewhere and I'm sure there will be a few more interested if it comes to fruition.

Thanks again for this .

edit ** there are some gigabyte boards claiming to run cooler with their "durability" trade marked design 2 oz copper layer and 50K hours component life. They have no DC jack but I've heard that some of the DC implementations are poor anyhow. Still doing lots of research here, but you can only find out so much without trying getting drowned in marketing blurb.

 

[arthur]

Hi Arthur,

I'll do -24dB as the M-PAX will step -12dB, -24dB and -36dB...

Top class John. Thanks again.

I know you've explained the M-pax a million times but I still don't know what it is or does. I deplore my lack of technical savvy here. Still, I'll understand when it arrives at my door. Don't need to before then.

Cheers.

 

[ADL]

Great stuff ,I'll hold fire on my plans and wait until things progress your side. I'm in no rush. Well 6 months maybe

Sold the SBT, sticking with a laptop for now.

Mentioned this possibility elsewhere and I'm sure there will be a few more interested if it comes to fruition.

Thanks again for this .

edit ** there are some gigabyte boards claiming to run cooler with their "durability" trade marked design 2 oz copper layer and 50K hours component life. They have no DC jack but I've heard that some of the DC implementations are poor anyhow. Still doing lots of research here, but you can only find out so much without trying getting drowned in marketing blurb.

I'm interested in, too, but I don't know if can wait six months...

 

[glenann]

Has anyone received an MDAC from the latest shipment (to the UK) yet? I'm beginning to get impatient as my dealer has had my money since early December and I'm starting to get a bit hacked off by the total lack of information about delivery dates.

I picked one up from Moorgate Acoustics last week, they had one in stock. I know they have a Silver one on Dem, but not sure if they have any more. They'll ship next day too.
Link

 

[Sebbyp]

Hi Phil,

We have 177mm width in our case between heatsinks - so we can squeeze the motherboard in no problem - we need work workout the "Heatpipes" to transfer the heat too these heatsinks - I have a friend in China who makes the heatpipe's - so I'll pay her a visit when I'm next in China.

We will design a 192kHz Async Clock Lock USB "Card" that can be fitted with the chassis - we might also be able to Clock-Lock the Motherboard to the audio clock to reduce Non-synchronous RF radiation from the PC... But I need to get hold of a motherboard first to take a look at its clock Gen structure.

John

That sounds very exciting!!

 

[John_73]

My Silver MDAC arrived this morning - huzzahhh! MANY thanks to Ducatiman! Not quite sure where I stand (if anywhere!) in regards to the guarantee as I've purchased this from him, even though it's a brand new and sealed unit from Sevenoaks Hi-Fi.

Hope I won't have any problems with the software suddenly disappearing - the unit is extremely cold, so I'll let it get up to room temperature before turning it on for the first time.

Certainly looks far nicer in the 'flesh' then the pictures I've seen so far! Very nice indeed

- John