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MDAC first listen (part XXII)

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Steven Toy said:
I was thinking reverse logic. If you put a label on that says "Fragile" the couriers use the package as a football.
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That's a funny point, but in reality, they don't really give a <something> about fragile packages - I've seen them stacking those alongside regular ones (with some short distance throws). The original MDAC shipping box should be more than capable of protecting the MDAC from that kind of manipulation. I wouldn't say the same about ie. fragile glass, but MDAC will be fine. .... As long as somebody doesn't rip the package open and steals the goods or misdelivers the package to a completely different address. As you might have guessed, I'm not making that up.

The good thing about Czech Post is that it (as far as I know) never loses or misdelivers the package to a distant location, which makes up for the pain of dealing with them. The other parcel services in the Czech Republic like PPL or DPD have a higher percentage of really bad things happening to packages (like 1-2%).

As the Czech Post is the primary service for receiving packages from abroad (not sure how John handles the packages), your MDACs should be safe.

The funny thing I discovered is that this kind of behavior from parcel delivery services is not specific to this country.
 
jirij said:
That's a funny point, but in reality, they don't really give a <something> about fragile packages - I've seen them stacking those alongside regular ones (with some short distance throws). The original MDAC shipping box should be more than capable of protecting the MDAC from that kind of manipulation. I wouldn't say the same about ie. fragile glass, but MDAC will be fine. .... As long as somebody doesn't rip the package open and steals the goods or misdelivers the package to a completely different address. As you might have guessed, I'm not making that up.

The good thing about Czech Post is that it (as far as I know) never loses or misdelivers the package to a distant location, which makes up for the pain of dealing with them. The other parcel services in the Czech Republic like PPL or DPD have a higher percentage of really bad things happening to packages (like 1-2%).

As the Czech Post is the primary service for receiving packages from abroad (not sure how John handles the packages), your MDACs should be safe.

The funny thing I discovered is that this kind of behavior from parcel delivery services is not specific to this country.
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Perfectly on point. The situation is actually not much different here in Slovakia - all you need to see are the UPS/DPD/DHL couriers kicking things around the delivery vans when you're receiving your shipments. Once I was at a UPS sorting facility - a very nasty sight.
 
My MDAC is on its way to John for L2 upgrade. I have also requested the AV bypass.
Am I correct in thinking that the extra inputs will be RCA connectors. How will I select this bypass input in the MDAC menu. Will it be via the SEL button?

Thanks

Ian
 
How exactly does the AV bypass work? Will it enable me to connect a turntable phono stage to the MDAC L2? Or am I stuck with the phono stage->ADC->MDAC step?
 
JTC said:
How exactly does the AV bypass work? Will it enable me to connect a turntable phono stage to the MDAC L2? Or am I stuck with the phono stage->ADC->MDAC step?
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As i see it your phono stage will still need to connect to pre amp. The pre amp then connects to the AV bypass. I dont know how the the AV bypass is switched though.
 
Ian M said:
As i see it your phono stage will still need to connect to pre amp. The pre amp then connects to the AV bypass. I dont know how the the AV bypass is switched though.
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With existing versions of software by powering off the MDAC - with future software by source select.
 
JohnW said:
with future software by source select.
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Ah, John, I must have missed this part before. If it's going to be software selectable in futuire then can you please count me in for this. My concern was that I'd still have to get out of my seat to do the bypass - i.e. not much imporovement over getting up to swap the cables as I currently do.
Cheers!
 
TimR said:
Ah, John, I must have missed this part before. If it's going to be software selectable in futuire then can you please count me in for this. My concern was that I'd still have to get out of my seat to do the bypass - i.e. not much imporovement over getting up to swap the cables as I currently do.
Cheers!
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I guess you'll be able to switch inputs with a remote too.
 
Good afternoon fellow MDAC-ers. :)

Let me introduce myself... I have been enjoying a new MDAC for the last 4 weeks (& reading this forum for 3.9 weeks!). The MDAC has been powered up constantly pretty much since plugging in. This reads as being a great community and John is... well, you know all that already!

Mac-mini > Audirvana Plus 1.4.6 > Wireworld Ultraviolet USB > MDAC A.10 > XLR/adapter > Atlas > Kenwood KA3020SE > Unknown speaker cable > Harbeth Xpression DPM1

RCA > Consonance/Shanling & Graham Slee Head-amps > Beyer DT250-250, DT48E, Shure SRH 940, Senn HD650 / HD800.

The MDAC really is an amazing piece of kit for the money - sound, features and usability. I find it more revealing than my Rega DAC and the headamp does an excellent job with everything except my HD800s. I would recommend without hesitation as a great all-in-one for entry-level head-fi-ers.

I had some pain with the Mac at setup which required an unplanned upgrade from 10.7 to 10.8.3 but all good after that!

In case anyone has had a similar experience... I did hear some distortion last night from both RCA and XLR and the 'solution' was not what I expected. All-through this investigative process, the headamp was clean as a whistle.

1. Check everything plugged in
2. Re-boot
3. Try alternative power socket
4. Move all cables further away from any other power cables
5. Re-install A.10 OS
6. Alternate between XLR & RCA outputs

all with no impact... and then I took out the XLR to RCA adapters from the XLR sockets and hey-presto! distortion gone :) this morning all is still well though I only have XLR plugged in.

I look forward to reading more about all the upgraded units, enhanced power supplies etc.

Best regards

James Connor
Wembley, UK.
 
HI James Connor,

Welcome to PFM :)

I'd wager that your XLR to RCA converters are wired incorrectly - shorting out the XLR- to RCA Ground... MDAC protection circuits will have saved the MDAC output stage - but the output devices would have been dissipating some power and getting hot - poor guys...
 
My upgraded MDAC arrived this morning - all in good order.
Now even though "warming up" it's sounding really good.

Not sure how to describe any differences - but the overall sense is that its more organic - nicer to listen to, less digital.
The obvious describable difference is the bass, which is more realistic.

Smile-inducingly-turn-up-able.

Hmmmm

Happy Yanntoe
 
Mine is still in transit: ""released to postal service in destination country".
So I'm green with envy reading about you people already having it back.
Imagine how the people still on the list must feel.
I vote for a password protected area where the happy and lucky few are allowed to spill their joy. As password I suggest the added serial no.
 
Yanntoe said:
My upgraded MDAC arrived this morning - all in good order.
Now even though "warming up" it's sounding really good.

Not sure how to describe any differences - but the overall sense is that its more organic - nicer to listen to, less digital.
The obvious describable difference is the bass, which is more realistic.

Smile-inducingly-turn-up-able.

Hmmmm

Happy Yanntoe
Click to expand...

:) once its warmed-up try with good recordings with plenty of fine detail and soundstage :)
 
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