I have an idea to use M-DAC with active monitors (Adams A7X for example, maybe A5X with subwoofer) - not for mixing but for home listening. Is it a good idea ? I hope so because I'm looking for clean, non-fatiguing sound, I prefere listening on low volume levels and I like especially acoustic music (classic, jazz, baroque, human voices) and my hifi room is small (16m2, ~2m base/distance). M-DAC will be used as preamp but only for corrections - basic volume limit should be set on monitors.
MDAC first listen (part XXIII)
- Thread starter Richard Kimber
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PhilCTTE
Senior mumbler
Some pages back was reading about some DIY balanced cables but through some serious misunderstanding assumed people were using them with their Mdac's . This offer from John to add the XLR headphone output is very generous. Sadly I need the av bypass.
I'm assuming balanced gives you greater protection from interference and allows longer runs, increased output for harder to drive headphones ... Anything else I might have missed? And what sort of length can you get to?
John is there anyway of using a hardwired cable to an external adaptor type socket (am I making sense?) instead of it being fixed to the chassis? To enable the use of av bypass option as well... Or am I wanting too much... Apologies if I am
Edit** I guess there is no way to replace the front jack with xlr .. The relay switch maybe a problem... Sorry for the total ignorance here
I'm assuming balanced gives you greater protection from interference and allows longer runs, increased output for harder to drive headphones ... Anything else I might have missed? And what sort of length can you get to?
John is there anyway of using a hardwired cable to an external adaptor type socket (am I making sense?) instead of it being fixed to the chassis? To enable the use of av bypass option as well... Or am I wanting too much... Apologies if I am
Edit** I guess there is no way to replace the front jack with xlr .. The relay switch maybe a problem... Sorry for the total ignorance here
JohnW
pfm member
As both the 4pin & 5Pin XLR's are physically the same size I can fit any variant - If anyone's interested.
The hardest part is machining the rear panel (by hand) Most of my toolshop is packed up in storage - not that I would have space to bring back much here - the piller drill I bought to rework the rear panels has already made itself at home here - much to Renata's delight.
JohnW
pfm member
The MDAC will work perfect in the application.
Excellent idea. My adam compacts are mighty fine indeed.
No hint at all of fatigue, and as clean as they come.
The new Adam F5's and F7's are getting a good reputation. the F7's plus the Fsub should come in at about £850.
You might also consider the Adam artist 6. A good looking, very slim floor stander. Thomann have some B stock at a good price.
http://www.adam-audio.com/en/multimedia/products/artist-6/gallery
I'd find it very hard to go back to non active speakers.
JohnW
pfm member
Jiri,
The Bryston BHA-1 offer both Male and Female options for there XLR outputs.
Just goes to show that you can never trust any "standard" in the audio industry... Mind you the old computer RS232 format was not any better!
If john can fit a 7 pin XLR you'd have enough pins for balanced out and unbalanced in.Some pages back was reading about some DIY balanced cables but through some serious misunderstanding assumed people were using them with their Mdac's . This offer from John to add the XLR headphone output is very generous. Sadly I need the av bypass.
I'm assuming balanced gives you greater protection from interference and allows longer runs, increased output for harder to drive headphones ... Anything else I might have missed? And what sort of length can you get to?
John is there anyway of using a hardwired cable to an external adaptor type socket (am I making sense?) instead of it being fixed to the chassis? To enable the use of av bypass option as well... Or am I wanting too much... Apologies if I am
Edit** I guess there is no way to replace the front jack with xlr .. The relay switch maybe a problem... Sorry for the total ignorance here
JohnW
pfm member
OR - I could replace the front panel jack with a mini XLR - having never seen one, I'm not sure if it can be mounted within the space available + can it be mounted "Cleanly"?
John,
actually, that's not a good analogy. RS232 is a real standard, mostly being used for serial lines, even today. When you find a socket that looks like this, you can be almost 100% sure it uses RS232. Perhaps you mean the DIN connector that older keyboards had? (and that some people use for balanced headphones
)Fortunately for the computer world, vast majority of connectors or interfaces get standardized, to avoid compatibility problems. There are some exceptions, like this DVI-like connector we have on graphic cards in some DELL workstations. Or the power jacks on laptops, you can never get the right size. But once again, fortunately, those are just exceptions.
In analogy to the XLR problem, the laptop power jacks (plugs?) would do. Every single model line of every manufacturer has a different one, using different voltage levels.
The space isn't the problem, it's the mounting. It would have to be fixed to the front panel, giving a hard time to anyone servicing that unit.
The 4-pin version looks like http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-5...0001&campid=5338728743&icep_item=270969628545 , the 5-pin has the same outside dimensions. You can probably "extract" the inner pin holder from the casing (which is what I'm going to do for my headphones), but you can't PCB-mount it easily any way.
This site contains affiliate links for which pink fish media may be compensated.
Mounting a mini XLR on the front has the fun problem of needing something to replace the TRS switch. AFAIK XLR plugs don't come with switches.
JohnW
pfm member
We could use a 5W mini XLR - and short a "Detect pin" to the shell (Ground).
FYI - the Neutrik 5W XLR's I bought for Jiri (RS 694 9409) have a detect switch (the original plastic moulding appears to have been hand milled and the switch glued into position)!!! Like you I'd never seen a XLR with detect switch so it was a nice surprise - I'll use the switch to detect "XLR inserted" and thus select between front or rear headphone outputs.
http://uk.farnell.com/rean/rt5fc-b/socket-free-tiny-xlr-5way/dp/2008258
http://uk.farnell.com/rean/rt5mp/plug-chassis-tiny-xlr-5way/dp/2008260
PhilCTTE
Senior mumbler
Well if it can be done and you have the time , would it be possible to do this with av bypass as well?
JohnW
pfm member
Not at all – trust me! I lived though the years that RS232 reigned supreme! RS232 was originally a 25W connector but it could be wired in many orientations (it could be the terminal or the CPU) - you never really knew if you need to use the DTR or DCD pins... M/F should have set the orientation but this was more often violated then not.
The 9W "RS232" was a I believe first introduced by IBM (was it for the AT?) many years later to allowing x2 RS232 connectors to fit on one rear panel expansion slot.... the 9W was more standardised then the earlier 25W variant! It really was a standard that was "Not". I believe that the first RS232 used +/- 25V signals, while IBM on there PC used +/- 12V signalling (or was it +/- 5V)? – some older Telco Modems (300 Baud rate!!) would not work correctly with 12V signals… I’m showing my age, and FAR off topic here!
JohnW
pfm member
fusion5
on the dark side of hifi...
Me 2
JohnW
pfm member
Yes indeed back to work John! - cooled down here in Czech rep. - the lab was 32 Deg C this afternoon - I slept though it!
iansr
pfm Member
I knew it all along, you're just a slacker John.
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