If you do buy one, I'd be interested to hear how you get on. I am occasionally tempted, but there were reports of overheating with the original unit and the association with the Slovakian entrepreneur made me hesitant.
The John Westlake/Lakewest MDAC/FDAC, VFET and Detox
- Thread starter Tony L
- Start date
Sloop John B
And any old music will do…
sq225917
Bit of this, bit of that
Space is the Place
pfm Member
Thoughts an Prayers indeed.
£2300 for VFET amps, not some esoteric, bleeding edge Dac build, amplifiers, known, mature, technology, that should be strait forward for a designer to make, I think there is a guy on ebay (i'm not going to mention him by name as i don't won't tether him to his thread, as he actually makes things that exist, are well regarded and look like they are built with care).
Up thread somewhere, there is discussion into JW using design ideas for a Project Dac that came from the MDAC2.
JW has used his design skills linked to the development of the MDAC and Detox, are there anymore manufacturers out there i wonder?
I'm really not sure why this story hasn't been picked up on by the Hi-fi press, surely someone must have some journalistic integrity? Or is it just insidious advertorials?
Ok no one has died, but the truth is i bet Rosewind and everyone else who's in for thousands could do with either their amps or the money right now. 8-9 years waiting and being thousands out of pocket...
We live in hope, lets hope JW builds some amps and sorts out the VFET customers.
£2300 for VFET amps, not some esoteric, bleeding edge Dac build, amplifiers, known, mature, technology, that should be strait forward for a designer to make, I think there is a guy on ebay (i'm not going to mention him by name as i don't won't tether him to his thread, as he actually makes things that exist, are well regarded and look like they are built with care).
Up thread somewhere, there is discussion into JW using design ideas for a Project Dac that came from the MDAC2.
JW has used his design skills linked to the development of the MDAC and Detox, are there anymore manufacturers out there i wonder?
I'm really not sure why this story hasn't been picked up on by the Hi-fi press, surely someone must have some journalistic integrity? Or is it just insidious advertorials?
Ok no one has died, but the truth is i bet Rosewind and everyone else who's in for thousands could do with either their amps or the money right now. 8-9 years waiting and being thousands out of pocket...
We live in hope, lets hope JW builds some amps and sorts out the VFET customers.
Last edited:
Alex S
carbon based lifeform
I am not an investor but perhaps Tony will let this go since this might be the best thread for it. I notice that Musical Fidelity have released the MX Stream: https://www.musicalfidelity.com/uploads/catalogerfiles/mx-stream/5_MF-MXStream-Flyer.pdf complete with Detox. Looks remarkably like the Stack in a single box. I’m just wondering if this is another JW input product brought to market while investors wait for something, anything.
wd40addict
pfm Member
Project own MF so quite likely!
nostromo
pfm Member
I would agree with you, but there is a section labelled 'Detox', I thought that name was invented by JW but never trademarked, so perhaps it's just been adopted by another designer in the loop somewhere.
Craig B
Re:trophile
Or, used it to pay someone to sanitize 'his Dad's' Wikipedia page?Maybe 'his son' has my 350 quid.
Here is the most recent WayBackMachine crawl of how it was prior (and seemingly forever should be)...
P.S. I feel a big copy/paste coming on!
Ian M
pfm Member
Update from Facebook……
Project update time
For initial accounting purposes, the MDAC2 / FDAC has been called “DacX” – The names grown on me, so from now on the design will be referred to as the DacX – as I was never sure wither to call it the MDAC2 or FDAC…
Over the past month I’ve been working on the DacX mechanical and “System” design, its been uplifting to finally see the product take shape in its pending “physical” form – rather then a collection of “development” PCB’s…
Mechanically, 80% of the 2D drawings are complete – over the past month I’ve ordered over 60 “Small” items from China (from Screws / grub screws, washers, bearings, connectors, displays etc.) – only 3 items have arrived so far (China shipments are VERY slow ATM), I need to physically measure some of these items before I can complete the 2D drawings, then turn them into a 3D Solidworks project.
Once the 3D drawings are completed I will open 4 extrusion tooling’s, with possibly 2 more (6 custom tooling’s) – it’s an investment to realise the design to the quality I’m visualising.
A bigger investment is the custom front panel display, originally the vendor requested an MOQ of 500pcs at about US$100 – US$120 each, and that was a real concern, however after working with the vendor on the designs, the vendors CEO agreed to an MOQ of 100pcs – so a far less painful upfront cost, I honestly have no idea how many of the original development sponsors are still interested in the DAC.
A confirmed features of the design – the DacX can support upto 8 audio channels over a single USB link (192KHz max in 8 Channel mode) – these can comprise of any mixture of “Slaved” DacX’s or the far cheaper 2 channel digital expansion module DAC’s for those of you who are experimenting with Active speaker systems etc.
I forgot to mention the ADC module WITH Phono Stage (using MC step-up transformers) – this will be a x2 slot wide module (DacX has 5 rear expansion slots).
Also, later there will be an FM/AM/DAB + APTX BT module… Not HiFi, but people keep asking if I can support Bluetooth… pains me to offer a “Non HiFi” source on this DAC I’ve worked so long and hard on…
The Microprocessor module now includes USB input + option to install a CM4 module so there will be no need to purchase an USB module – the CM4 module option when installed and enabled can add streaming services such as Roon and Spotify Connect, Tidal, DLNA etc.
I’ve also been asked about R2R Dac, I will offer a R2R DAC board once the discrete 1Bit DAC and HiBit DAC boards are released – the DacX can be “upgraded” to any versions by the owner.
After all this time and work – its really nice to see the DAC’s “physical” outline coming together.
Once the 3D is drawn up, I will design the front panel PCB as its going to take a few spins to get the design correct.
Hopefully over the next month the items will arrive from China and the drawings can be completed – then I’ll issue the Custom display + extrusion drawings…. Taking us to the prototype construction stage.
Project update time
For initial accounting purposes, the MDAC2 / FDAC has been called “DacX” – The names grown on me, so from now on the design will be referred to as the DacX – as I was never sure wither to call it the MDAC2 or FDAC…
Over the past month I’ve been working on the DacX mechanical and “System” design, its been uplifting to finally see the product take shape in its pending “physical” form – rather then a collection of “development” PCB’s…
Mechanically, 80% of the 2D drawings are complete – over the past month I’ve ordered over 60 “Small” items from China (from Screws / grub screws, washers, bearings, connectors, displays etc.) – only 3 items have arrived so far (China shipments are VERY slow ATM), I need to physically measure some of these items before I can complete the 2D drawings, then turn them into a 3D Solidworks project.
Once the 3D drawings are completed I will open 4 extrusion tooling’s, with possibly 2 more (6 custom tooling’s) – it’s an investment to realise the design to the quality I’m visualising.
A bigger investment is the custom front panel display, originally the vendor requested an MOQ of 500pcs at about US$100 – US$120 each, and that was a real concern, however after working with the vendor on the designs, the vendors CEO agreed to an MOQ of 100pcs – so a far less painful upfront cost, I honestly have no idea how many of the original development sponsors are still interested in the DAC.
A confirmed features of the design – the DacX can support upto 8 audio channels over a single USB link (192KHz max in 8 Channel mode) – these can comprise of any mixture of “Slaved” DacX’s or the far cheaper 2 channel digital expansion module DAC’s for those of you who are experimenting with Active speaker systems etc.
I forgot to mention the ADC module WITH Phono Stage (using MC step-up transformers) – this will be a x2 slot wide module (DacX has 5 rear expansion slots).
Also, later there will be an FM/AM/DAB + APTX BT module… Not HiFi, but people keep asking if I can support Bluetooth… pains me to offer a “Non HiFi” source on this DAC I’ve worked so long and hard on…
The Microprocessor module now includes USB input + option to install a CM4 module so there will be no need to purchase an USB module – the CM4 module option when installed and enabled can add streaming services such as Roon and Spotify Connect, Tidal, DLNA etc.
I’ve also been asked about R2R Dac, I will offer a R2R DAC board once the discrete 1Bit DAC and HiBit DAC boards are released – the DacX can be “upgraded” to any versions by the owner.
After all this time and work – its really nice to see the DAC’s “physical” outline coming together.
Once the 3D is drawn up, I will design the front panel PCB as its going to take a few spins to get the design correct.
Hopefully over the next month the items will arrive from China and the drawings can be completed – then I’ll issue the Custom display + extrusion drawings…. Taking us to the prototype construction stage.
killie99
pfm Member
Yawn yawn yawn, same old same old, blah blah blah. 9 years and there still isn’t even a 2D drawing and he should be thoroughly ashamed that he has no idea how many of the original sponsors are still interested.
Oh, and my apologies for not getting excited that he’s bought some screws from China.
Oh, and my apologies for not getting excited that he’s bought some screws from China.