MDAC first listen (part VII)
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klipschman70
Active Member
My Oppo BDP-93 only outputs PCM or DSD signal from SACD via HDMI. So, direct connection to MDAC is not possible. This is not a problem with DVD-A. Oppo BDP-93 can output 24/96 out of DVD-A disc from one of its spdif outputs.
Harry
JohnW
pfm member
Hi Ale79,
OK - although we are not sure on Pricing yet - depends how far we can push the MDAC PCB
The guy owns a Mac mini - how user-friendlier than that can you get? I've been using that to great effect with mdac on USB. Although I use pure music, mainly for the memory play and sample-rate swithing features, I went for transcoding flac to m4a.
Hi JTC,
The pre-order list is variable - we are getting so many pre-orders now that will will increase our initial production batch(s) - something I did not want to do in case we discover issues once the first batch has been shipped.
But we are gaining more experience with the design platform, and gaining more confidence with the design - even at this early stage.
So don't worry, I'll insure you get a MPAX / MAMP's if your still interested when they are finally launched
I can say the casework looks really cute,
John
Some of us faint-of-heart are waiting for early-batch teething problems to be resolved before jumping on board. Please refrain from turning out all spoken-for m-paxes all at once.
Dearest John please oh please consider making available a FAQ somewhere! If I can be of any help in producing/curating one, please let me know!
but hey, that's what Greece is for...
It's quite true that the normal SPDIF outputs on an SACD player only give you 44.1k output. However, way back in the earlier threads (2 or 3, I think), there is a report of using the HDMI output into a de-embedder (see product no. 5557 at Monoprice website, other similar more expensive items are available in the UK but without the switching ability). This can give you very high quality output to a DAC- on an Oppo apparently 196k PCM. I have a Monoprice on order to use with my old Oppo 980H; I'll report when it arrives.
Up to now I have been using a mod which bypasses the Oppo internal dacs and gives you 88.2k PCM output, and with my old MF DAC this, playing SACDs, was the best sound I heard from my system. Into the MDAC, this plays perfectly well. Unfortunately (!), the MDAC has improved everything, but it is so good with my Linn CD as a transport that CD on this has caught up with SACD played on the Oppo at 88.2k. You can see why I'm interested in the de-embedder experiment.
Yes you can get very good sound from an SACD, but it's not a trivial matter.
Hi Ale79,
OK - although we are not sure on Pricing yet - depends how far we can push the MDAC PCB
Thanks John, I'm a happy man!
I'm confident you will achieve an incredible result, I really look forward to hearing the MDac/MPax combo, please let me know if I can send a deposit and when to send you my MDac.
Hi John,
Concerning Option 3; a while ago I think you suggested that:
a) the mods to the MDAC would have such a dramatic effect that the MPAX might not be needed, or at least would be an optional extra to the MDAC mods- has this changed?
b) that instead of sending the MDAC back to you for modification, you could send out a new board for in-the-field replacement, against a suitable financial arrangement to cover you for getting a not-perfect old board back.
If b) is still a possibility, this is what I would go for- I like my MDAC too much to lose it for a couple of weeks (see SACD 'problem' reported above).
Strange, no matter how I test now, I am unable to disable the pre-amp.
Thanks John for the reply. It seems to work well if I off the CDQ and did the change. If the CDQ is on, it does not work everytime. I will need to re-confirm this again once I get back from China.
By the way, using the RCA connection now and the left channel is subtlety louder than the right. I know there is a balance adjustment. But would like to check if the XLR output (no chance to try yet as no XLR amp) will have the same effect as the RCA output in the same unit?
Will the BDAC sound better than the Creek CD/DAC/pre like the M-DAC and CDQ?
MattWhittingham
Member
I upgraded to v .96 about a week ago. Initially all was well, and it fixed the issue of dropouts I was having with Sonos. However, I am now getting some very nasty crackling happening in both channels intermittently. I know a couple of others have experienced this. Is there any fix for this?
JohnW
pfm member
The issue others are experiencing is Crackles in Left Channel only - An ESS Locking Issue (ESS Design Bug).
Dominik arrived back in China yesterday - and will be working on re-engineering the "Work Around" - Note this will only fix the "Left Channel" Crackling issue.
If you have crackling on Both Channels - on What source??? If Sonos (SPDIF Input) have you sent the DPLL bandwidth for the Sono's input to High? (Via the the New Menu option).
John
JohnW
pfm member
Strange, no matter how I test now, I am unable to disable the pre-amp.
The "Pre-Amp" function only sets the Gain level to 0dB and removes the Volume control option.
Dominik will looking into the software again, but we have never seen the issue ourselves (although others have reported the issue).
John
Hi John, don't worry about it.
I use the M-Dac direct to the power in of my amp anyway. Just want to feedback about it.
I actually have two units of M-Dac and both behave like that. Only managed to test the 2nd unit when I got back from overseas. Both still V0.90 by the way.
More interested in the new firmware that allows the display to be turned off.
Further to the "Cannot acquire handle" issue when running updater on my W7/64 system.
I thought to resurrect an old Windows XP PC from the attic. Update works fine.
On the basis of the output from the successful run, it looks as if on my W7/64 system it can't get the handle for reading from the MDAC.
Have you tried running the updater with elevated privileges (right-click, Run as administrator)?
JohnW
pfm member
The error Message "Cannot acquire handle" we believe refers to the HID interface used to communicate with the MDAC - and transfer the software payload...
Odd, no idea why your system has issues...
Good old XP to the rescue...
John
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