Maverick Audio DAC/Amp - Page 49

Nice idea Bearmann, I was planning on buying a couple opamp sockets anyway I smell the beginnings of a FrankenMav

Am I understanding this right?
The noise in the gain isn't a constant increase with more gain, it exponentially increases? Thus less gain would be significantly less noise even if you have to turn the volume up?

Dumb question... does it matter which way I install the resistors?

Maverick Audio DAC, DAC chip-U3 is CS4334(development around
1998) - 96 dB Dynamic Range!!!. ........ ! - Is not 117dB. Receiver U2 -CS8415A This scheme - I sketched about ..

yes.

no.



@74dva:
nice reverse engineering. Any idea about the USB receiver chip?

regards.
bearmann

I do not know yet

Is a obsolete chip?

very old chip

I’m a long-time lurker, and now I’m a first-time poster. I wanted to chime in on my MAV that arrived today. In fact, reading this forum is what convinced me to buy the MAV in the first place.

I bought it for the DAC and tube pre-amp. I seriously doubt I’ll ever use it as a headphone amp. I viewed it as the missing piece to my home speaker system.

First, shipping was extremely fast. Left China on Monday and arrived in my apartment Wednesday morning. Packaging was good. Before I fired it up, I took the cover off to see if any cables were loose. Sure enough, one was, so I gently pushed the clip back into the socket.

I ordered the upgraded tube.

Here’s the rest of my system. Don’t laugh--I know, it’s a little unorthodox and strange, but I’ve been building it for a few months and I really like it. It’s designed as a compromise. I spend 50% of the time using it for TV and movies, and the other 50% for music. So, I have a Vizio blu-ray player for movies. I send audio and video to my tv using HDMI. I also send my cable box to my tv via hdmi. From my tv, I send the audio out into the optical in of the MAV. I have the Sony NS-710H dvd player for sole use as a music cd player. It also decodes AAC files, so I can fill a DVD up with about 600 iTunes songs and play forever. However, the dvd player has always been the weak in my system. The onboard DAC is pure garbage. I also have a vinyl turntable, which gets periodic work.

Anyway, and this is where I don’t want you to laugh, but my speakers are a Vizio sound bar. Like I said, my system is a compromise for video and audio (the sound bar is a 2.1 system, but has an awesome phantom center. I wanted a 2.1 for music and movies). However, I think the sound bar sounds fantastic. Also, online reviewers agree with me. I think it sounds great for music. I also have a Sony subwoofer connected to the sound bar. Anyway, the weak link in my system is the dvd player--not the speakers.

So, I got the MAV to shore that up. I’ve only got about 6 hours on the box so far, so I know things are going to get a lot better in about 50 more hours or so. But, I gotta say, even after 6 hours, I can definitely tell the upgrade. The sound is much better than my old setup. My system is no longer crippled by a terrible DAC in the dvd player. The tube warms things up. Very nice.

The sound is more refined. More balanced. Less harsh. Less sterile. Less treble-heavy. Less muddy. Those of you who’ve used a low-end dvd player for cd music know exactly what I’m talking about. It never sounded good. But, as soon as I ran the digital coax into the MAV, the music just opened up. Wow. I hate to repeat words of others here, but I can literally hear new sounds I’ve never heard before on songs I’ve heard hundreds of times. The sound is more detailed, but more relaxed. I don’t have the terminology to properly describe things, but the sound is “more pure.” More musical. Less clinical and more musical. The sound stage is a little larger. I can still tell where the speakers are, but this more tied to the speaker bar design than anything else. The MAV really helps open things up. I’m hearing more of the harmonies in the music. Harmonies that I never knew existed.

I could not be more pleased. I love this thing. And to think I only have 6 hours on it. I can’t imagine how things are going to be after a nice burn in. I even run my turntable through it. While my turntable has always been warm, the MAV’s tube really makes the music come more alive. The turntable has a built-in phono amp, which is marginal at best. The MAV really makes the music explode and sound lively.

Here’s some of my other observations, both good and bad, for those wanting more information about it.

The sound output (when using direct mode) from the MAV runs extremely hot. Unless you have a good amp or some sort of final sound shaper, you might risk clipping on your home stereo. I have the Behringer FBQ800 graphic equalizer that also has a sound level control. On every source other than my turntable going into the MAV, I have to turn down the sound level about 8-10 db to eliminate clipping. If I didn’t use the MAV, I’d have to up the signal about 2-4 db to prevent the signal from bottoming out. So, you can say that the MAV adds up to 14 db for the line signal. This is no big deal to me, but I’ve read that some people have clipping here. Just be aware that the sound output is extremely hot.

My case has the wobble. I looked at the rubber feet, and nothing is rough. It’s just got a little bend in the case. I put a piece of felt under one leg and problem solved.

I also have the headphone hum. But I have some very low impedance (32) headphones, which may be the cause. I don’t use headphones all that much, so it’s no big deal.

All in all, I am very pleased with my purchase. It does all I want. Can’t wait for more burn-in.

I’m going to try it out with blu-ray movies to how they perform. The soundbar does a really good job taking a 2-channel signal and simulating a surround sound. I’m going to see how much the new DAC and tube open up the stage and create more movie presence.

From a Stereophile article about the particular DAC circa '98:

"Digital audio quality at analog prices." ThatÆs how Cirrus Logic's Crystal Semiconductor division introduced a chip that may bring a new level of audio performance to a much wider audience. On April 6, Crystal announced its CS4334, an 8-pin, small-outline D/A converter. The 24-bit CS4334 will support sampling rates of up to 96kHz, and is being marketed as a low-cost, high-quality solution for computer, automotive, and portable audio applications, as well as DVD systems and set-top converter boxes. Crystal claims the new chip is the industryÆs smallest delta-sigma DAC.

The highly integrated CS4334 requires fewer external parts, further decreasing manufacturing costs for the products in which it will be used. Unlike most competing DACs, the chip has an internal power-transient control circuit that eliminates the need for external mute circuitry to eliminate clicks and pops when the device is powered on or off. Published specifications include a dynamic range of 96dB, -88dB THD+noise, and the support of multiple word depths, from 16 to 24 bits. Beginning in June, the CS4334 will be available in quantity at less than $2 each in lots of 1000.

Stereophile: Cirrus Logic Introduces New DAC and DVD Controller ICs

I always wanted a sound bar actually, but always thought they were too expensive for what they were worth. (A good pair of equally priced speakers usually sound better) I want to plop a sound bar under my monitor.

That's why I went with the Vizio bar. It's only $150, and a lot of test sites and reviews claimed it was one of the best out there. It even beat out the $1000 Yamaha sound projector. So, I wasn't turned off by the brand name. Whoever made it for Vizio did a nice job on it.

Is it better than a pair of floor or bookshelf speakers? Not if you're going to listen to only 2.0 audio. But, It's awesome for movies and certainly is pretty darn good for 2.0 audio. I can hear great stereo separation. But the extra feature is it has a great phantom center for movie dialogue.

I'll look into it, price isn't bad at all. I don't need them for music, my current bookshelf speakers(like $8 but really really good. They beat my Logitech Z2100 speakers rofl.) are a little too big and hard to place but the sound bar is easy to place, and is powered so I can just stick it in the back of the mav and be done.

The Vizio sound bar is rated to go down to 60 hz, but that's a generous estimation. I would say it does go to 60 hz, but it's a little weak and unrefined below 70 hz. So, I added a $100 Sony sub woofer and set the crossover at 70 hz, and now the thing is singing. The sound bar was made for tv and movies, so the low end was not a priority. Adding the sub really gives it a full low end.

Im considering buying one of these units but im kinda curious about the build quality. I want something thats gonna last awhile. What kind of life expectancy could i realistically expect from the maverick? Any feedback is greatly appreciated.

thanks

I would say the build quality is on par with other electronic devices. I only have two minor complaints about my unit. 1) The feet aren't flush, so there's a slight wobble in. This is due the pressing of the metal case, and nothing more. I just put a sticky felt shim under one foot and problem solved. 2) I have a hum in the headphone jack, but this is most likely due to my low-impedance headphones.

Considering about 99% off all our electronics these days are made in China, I would say the build quality of the MAV is right in line, or slightly better, than all other electronics we buy.

My only main concern is there is no certification, such as UL listing, to ensure the electronics aren't going to burn your house down.

However, I expect this unit to last a long time. I will have to replace the tube every so often, because those are considered consumables, but that's about it.

117dB DR is not stated in the Mavaudio specs, but in XS' and Grant audio's specs. I presume they still use same DAC than Mave, but exaggerate the DR "little"?

I have AD1955 (120dB DR, -110dB THD + N) DAC in my integrated amp, will test how MAV's DAC compares to it once Mave arrives. One must rememeber that the specs of the DAC aren't always the whole truth as the sound signature varies from DAC to DAC. All "reasonably good" specs DACs can have good sound and to human's ears a DAC with inferior specs can sound better than the one with better specs.

Edit: 74dva: have you already figured out that what DAC would be "drop in" for the mentioned Cirrus Logic DAC, if one wants to change Mave's DAC?