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MDAC first listen (part VII)

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delange said:
I am one of the owners of an SBT / M-DAC combo but I have never compared the SBT internal DAC with the M-DAC. I’ve been using an external DAC since I bought the SB3 (back in 2005). The SBT has replaced the SB3 in my main listening room about 6 months ago and since I already was using an external DAC I never took the trouble to compare the internal DAC with the external DAC. For sure the M-DAC will sound miles apart from the internal SBT DAC due to the difference in technology (DAC chip), the analogue stage and the power supply designs of both systems.
The Squeezebox is a great streamer; the M-DAC is a great DAC. The combination is best of both worlds I would say.
Click to expand...

I've only has my SBT now for about a week... So user friendly...it's awesome.... However I haven't been able to get 16/44 out of it to the MDAC... It always shows 24/16 or 24/96, etc.... And sometimes shows 16/96.....

I'm using the qnap LMS, running on my NAS... Not sure if this is the problem.... Driving me nuts! But the interface is magical though...
 
bigmarcelo said:
I've only has my SBT now for about a week... So user friendly...it's awesome.... However I haven't been able to get 16/44 out of it to the MDAC... It always shows 24/16 or 24/96, etc.... And sometimes shows 16/96.....

I'm using the qnap LMS, running on my NAS... Not sure if this is the problem.... Driving me nuts! But the interface is magical though...
Click to expand...

Ok, after removing the optical out of the SBT, and just leaving the coax in, the MDAC now sees 16/44 correctly!!

So, only one digital out at a time.....
 
bigmarcelo said:
Ok, after removing the optical out of the SBT, and just leaving the coax in, the MDAC now sees 16/44 correctly!!

So, only one digital out at a time.....
Click to expand...

Listening to Ola Gjeilo Piano Improvisations using Triode's app on 23/192..... Fantastic!!!!!!!! SBT is awesome.... A bit tricky..but in combination with the MDAC I'm over the moon and my GX300 with my Tube amp are doing the piano justice.... Love it!!
 
bigmarcelo said:
Listening to Ola Gjeilo Piano Improvisations using Triode's app on 23/192..... Fantastic!!!!!!!! SBT is awesome.... A bit tricky..but in combination with the MDAC I'm over the moon and my GX300 with my Tube amp are doing the piano justice.... Love it!!
Click to expand...

((SBT + AsyncUSB) / MDAC) * Tubes = Win²

:D
 
bigmarcelo said:
Listening to Ola Gjeilo Piano Improvisations using Triode's app on 23/192..... Fantastic!!!!!!!! SBT is awesome.... A bit tricky..but in combination with the MDAC I'm over the moon and my GX300 with my Tube amp are doing the piano justice.... Love it!!
Click to expand...

Now you can understand why theirs no point in wasting our limited design resources - the SBT with Triodes app. is hard to beat at any price! and I hope I did not appear rude in my earlier posting :)

John
 
If you want a "the singer is in the room with you" moment try Johnny Cash "the beast in me" from the American Recordings album. Outstanding. M-Dac/EAR 509s/ESL 63s.

I spent much of the weekend listening to music, and the M-Dac just seems to get better and better.
 
Stunsworth said:
If you want a "the singer is in the room with you" moment try Johnny Cash "the beast in me" from the American Recordings album. Outstanding. M-Dac/EAR 509s/ESL 63s.

I spent much of the weekend listening to music, and the M-Dac just seems to get better and better.
Click to expand...

Thats a really nice system you have there :) I can see a good synergy with the MDAC SQ...

I wish my system / ESL's worked will - I miss decent sound quality ATM... Need to build the MAMP...
 
A friend was toying with the idea of buying an M-DAC, having heard mine on several occasions but due to very limited finances, bought the new Arcam rPAC instead (a quarter the price).

He brought it around a couple of Sundays ago. Very different sound, the owner thought -he also considered it to have more bass but sounded a little harsh in comparison to the M-DAC running fw v0.96. My thoughts were its soundstage hung between the tweeters whereas mine extends beyond to the point where my Arros disappear. The rPAC's image depth didn't trouble the M-DAC either. Nicely solid, USB input only with a 3.5mm headphone jack on the front. The red LED turns green when locked. Up/down volume buttons for the 'phones output on top. Not bad for the money, I suppose.

Have just updated to fw v0.99 - no issues - I wish everything was this painless to upgrade! No recycling power for iTunes to output via USB after being reconnected after upgrading. I can't quite convince myself that the USB port doesn't sound slightly better than the others!
 
busb said:
A friend was toying with the idea of buying an M-DAC, having heard mine on several occasions but due to very limited finances, bought the new Arcam rPAC instead (a quarter the price).

He brought it around a couple of Sundays ago. Very different sound, the owner thought -he also considered it to have more bass but sounded a little harsh in comparison to the M-DAC running fw v0.96. My thoughts were its soundstage hung between the tweeters whereas mine extends beyond to the point where my Arros disappear. The rPAC's image depth didn't trouble the M-DAC either. Nicely solid, USB input only with a 3.5mm headphone jack on the front. The red LED turns green when locked. Up/down volume buttons for the 'phones output on top. Not bad for the money, I suppose.

Have just updated to fw v0.99 - no issues - I wish everything was this painless to upgrade! No recycling power for iTunes to output via USB after being reconnected after upgrading. I can't quite convince myself that the USB port doesn't sound slightly better than the others!
Click to expand...

Be interesting once you have had an extended listen if you feel there's a difference in SQ between 0.96 and 0.99...

John
 
JohnW said:
Thats a really nice system you have there :) I can see a good synergy with the MDAC SQ...
Click to expand...

Thanks, it suits the type of music I prefer - classical, acoustic jazz and acoustic music in general. I bought the amps years ago from the Music Room in Manchester - they were a lot cheaper then than they are now!

Another acoustic record that I listened to over the weekend was Career Moves by Loudon Wainwright III. Another simple recording that puts the performer in the room.

Also have to give a thumbs up to the 4CD Riverside label sampler. Wonderfully recorded jazz from the 50s and 60s.

This is all streamed from a MacBook to the M-Dac via USB. I haven't played an actual CD - other than ripping them to disc - in a couple of years or more.
 
JohnW said:
Be interesting once you have had an extended listen if you feel there's a difference in SQ between 0.96 and 0.99...

John
Click to expand...

Well, that question has certainly baked my noodle! I've never really heard much difference between the various filter settings - until now. I've been wondering if mine hadn't lost a little excitement (transient attack). I settled on the "Optimal Transient XD" a good while ago more for what I heard other's say than anything detectable by my ears.

Prompted by your question, I've tried the "Minimum Phase" - the sound is a little punchier with more extended bass - nothing wrong with the dynamics on Front242's "Mixed By Fear" EP that's very well recordered & listening too as I type! Back to the keyboard... I don't know if it's Expectation Bias but it also seems to digging a little more detail...
Now playing "Northern Lights" but Gus Gus - am having to turn the volume down a tad before the bass lines upset my neighbours!
I've just powered up my CDP & will listen to Martinu's 5th & report back.
 
bigmarcelo said:
Ok, after removing the optical out of the SBT, and just leaving the coax in, the MDAC now sees 16/44 correctly!!

So, only one digital out at a time.....
Click to expand...

Glad it worked out for you.
It is strange though that connecting both digital outputs to the M-DAC caused that. Wondering why that is; are the different inputs on the M-DAC somehow connected to eachother? Maybe John can shed some light on this one?
 
busb said:
...I can't quite convince myself that the USB port doesn't sound slightly better than the others!
Click to expand...

This is what one might reasonably expect: the whole point of the asynchronous USB input is that the receiver (DAC) does not have to tweak its clock rate to match that of the incoming signal. The receiver's clock rate is governed by a nice stable crystal without any need to lock to, and track, an incoming clock of indeterminate quality and stability.

The benefit of this approach is easily heard!
 
Sorry if this has been asked before - I did find a thread on this and took what I could from it but still have a couple of questions. Following AndrewR's comment about using USB (thanks Andrew) I am trying the bitperfect test through USB (coax works perfectly) but am having trouble getting results. I use Foobar2000 with both ASIO4ALL and WASAPI. With the smallest possible buffer size on both (as indicated on the other thread), the following happens:

(1) With WASAPI, I can get a correct bitstream for a few seconds, but a failure soon ensues

(2) With ASIO, the following happens: (a) The M-DAC is continuously "scanning for match" without actually detecting the bitstream, and (b) I note that for the 16-bit test file the display constantly alternates between 16bit/44.1KHz and 24-bit/44.1KHz

Does anyone have any suggestions? Is the USB cable I'm using likely to play a role in this (it is a fairly basic one)? Obviously I'd really like to ensure I'm getting a bitperfect stream through the USB port.

Incidentally, is the asynchronous USB going to be far superior to the bitperfect coax input which would warrant the effort to use it?

Many thanks in advance
Krisposs
 
Krisposs12 said:
Sorry if this has been asked before - I did find a thread on this and took what I could from it but still have a couple of questions. Following AndrewR's comment about using USB (thanks Andrew) I am trying the bitperfect test through USB (coax works perfectly) but am having trouble getting results. I use Foobar2000 with both ASIO4ALL and WASAPI. With the smallest possible buffer size on both (as indicated on the other thread), the following happens:

(1) With WASAPI, I can get a correct bitstream for a few seconds, but a failure soon ensues

(2) With ASIO, the following happens: (a) The M-DAC is continuously "scanning for match" without actually detecting the bitstream, and (b) I note that for the 16-bit test file the display constantly alternates between 16bit/44.1KHz and 24-bit/44.1KHz

Does anyone have any suggestions? Is the USB cable I'm using likely to play a role in this (it is a fairly basic one)? Obviously I'd really like to ensure I'm getting a bitperfect stream through the USB port.

Incidentally, is the asynchronous USB going to be far superior to the bitperfect coax input which would warrant the effort to use it?

Many thanks in advance
Krisposs
Click to expand...

ASIO4ALL MUST be set for max buffer size - (I believe 1024 samples - or maybe it was 2048)... but set to Maxim. Hopefully this will resolve your issues.

John
 
JohnW said:
ASIO4ALL MUST be set for max buffer size - (I believe 1024 samples - or maybe it was 2048)... but set to Maxim. Hopefully this will resolve your issues.

John
Click to expand...

Hi John, yes I read that previously and followed the instructions in the manual (as best as I could - it's for an older version of Foobar) - all to no avail. It just won't shift from "Scanning for match" (and fluctuations between 16-bit and 24-bit for the 16-bit test file). Volume is set to max in Foobar and there are no DSP plugins assigned. The WASAPI plugin is more successful but I'd prefer to use ASIO if I can get it working...
 
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