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Maverick Audio TubeMagic D1 (DAC/Amp) - Condensed FAQ and Info Thread - Page 40

post #586 of 668
12/30/11 at 11:45am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by uelover View Post



Ask Ryan (seller) to ensure that the unit has got no noise before shipping it to you. Don't think that is a very prevalent problem, might be affecting only a small batch.



I think it's dependent on setup. How your computer is built, etc. There could be batch issues though too, some not having proper grounding. Some people report issues with USB (like me) and others report no noise with USB. I think everybody agrees that if you use coaxial or optical input, there's no noise at all, aside from a high gain hiss (but that was supposed to be fixed many many months ago). 

 

Oh, and you don't HAVE to swap opamps but it's super easy and cheap to do so and it makes the unit sound so much better.

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post #587 of 668
1/1/12 at 8:47am

I received my Maverick Audio D1 this last Friday and I have a question.  When I opened the box I noticed that the top part or lid of the D1 was discolored\faded in two big sections (left side and right side).  Almost exactly like the it had been sitting in the sun and was partially covered with something.  I would expect the whole unit to have the same basic black color.  I definitely doesn't look right.  I tried gently wiping it but the discoloration is permanent.  Here is a picture.

 

IMAG0346.jpg


Edited by mtwill54 - 1/1/12 at 10:21am
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post #588 of 668
1/1/12 at 8:58am

I owned a Maverick for a week.  Then I got rid of it.  It's not a good kit.  Mine was made very poorly.  The rubber feet were all different heights, so it wobbled.  The case was warped as well, so the screws didn't line up right.  And then there was the whole sonic issues as well.  When I emailed customer support, I was offered $25 in an attempt to appease me. 

 

Why am I telling you this?  Because I was not at all satisfied with the Maverick and I will never buy another Maverick product again.  I hope the customer service has improved since then and you get a fair resolution.

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post #589 of 668
1/1/12 at 12:21pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by mtwill54 View Post

I received my Maverick Audio D1 this last Friday and I have a question.  When I opened the box I noticed that the top part or lid of the D1 was discolored\faded in two big sections (left side and right side).  Almost exactly like the it had been sitting in the sun and was partially covered with something.  I would expect the whole unit to have the same basic black color.  I definitely doesn't look right.  I tried gently wiping it but the discoloration is permanent.  Here is a picture.

 

IMAG0346.jpg




I've seen several D1s and they all had this issue, one more as the other

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post #590 of 668
1/1/12 at 5:12pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by hodgjy View Post

I owned a Maverick for a week.  Then I got rid of it.  It's not a good kit.  Mine was made very poorly.  The rubber feet were all different heights, so it wobbled.  The case was warped as well, so the screws didn't line up right.  And then there was the whole sonic issues as well.  When I emailed customer support, I was offered $25 in an attempt to appease me. 

 

Why am I telling you this?  Because I was not at all satisfied with the Maverick and I will never buy another Maverick product again.  I hope the customer service has improved since then and you get a fair resolution.


The case on my Audio-GD NFB-12 is wobbily and it doesn't even come with feet, it's just extruded aluminum. My D1 was also wobbily but it's easily fixed with a piece of foam tape. My D1 case did line up properly but my A1 did not but it was a pre-production model. The D1 is an introductory all-in-one unit. It's not meant to be high end, it's meant to give you an all around taste of quality audio with a dedicated DAC, amp and tube preamp.

 

As for Maverick Audio customer service, Ryan is always wanting to resolve any issues you might have. He's always friendly and prompt to reply to any e-mail. I also know that all the units are personally tested by him before being shipped out. Being that this is a budget introductory unit and peoples setups are greatly different, certain situations will induce more grounding problems/noise than others. Also, all the units are hand made. For the price, Ryan's products are pretty good.

 

*EDIT*

That issue pictured above is the first I've seen of it. I've never seen it on my units nor have I seen it in other user pictures. If it really bothers you, I would ask about a replacement top.

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post #591 of 668
1/1/12 at 9:43pm

Yea, it is very noticeable.  I sent Ryan an email about it with the picture.  Hopefully they can just send a new lid.

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post #592 of 668
1/2/12 at 10:00am

Update, I received an email back from Ryan.  He told me they spray a thin layer of protective wax on the units and to use a dry cloth to wipe the wax off.  I used a microfiber cloth and was able to remove all of the protective wax.  The top looks fine now. 

 

I'm still going through the break in period, but initially the D1 sounds excellent.  Definitely better than the FiiO E10 I was using.  I also purchased the LT1364CN8 and LM4562NA opamp upgrades that I might try after I get a chance to listen to the stock setup.  I'm also thinking about ordering the LME49720HA since I will only be using the D1 as a DAC\Preamp for my two channel music listening.


Edited by mtwill54 - 1/2/12 at 10:04am
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post #593 of 668
1/3/12 at 12:25pm

The exact opposite happened with my unit, everything was fine.  Eventually for some unexplained reason and not forever there was a small current flowing through the RCA ports but thats about it.

 

Built quality/screws was spot on and no wobble on the case that I can remember.  It is possible the unit was a fluke~

 

Actually ide say the build quality of the maverick was a bit better than the NFB-2 from Audio-Gd.

 

But nothing matches the build quality of the schiit products I own,  their quality control seems to be very very good.


Edited by ninjikiran - 1/3/12 at 12:26pm
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post #594 of 668
1/3/12 at 8:08pm

I'm curious how many people have used the D1 as a preamp for two channel listen.  I was planning on using the D1 as a DAC\Preamp connected to an Emotiva UPA-2 amplifier.

 

Netbook (toslink)--> D1 (rca)--> Emotiva UPA-2

 

Would upgrading the D1 volume pot make any difference in this setup?


Edited by mtwill54 - 1/3/12 at 8:12pm
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post #595 of 668
1/4/12 at 4:07am
Quote:
Originally Posted by mtwill54 View Post

I'm curious how many people have used the D1 as a preamp for two channel listen.  I was planning on using the D1 as a DAC\Preamp connected to an Emotiva UPA-2 amplifier.

 

Netbook (toslink)--> D1 (rca)--> Emotiva UPA-2

 

Would upgrading the D1 volume pot make any difference in this setup?


I would bypass the D1 volume pot, just put it on Direct, that's what I do when I used it as pre amp

 

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post #596 of 668
1/4/12 at 12:22pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ultrainferno View Post


I would bypass the D1 volume pot, just put it on Direct, that's what I do when I used it as pre amp

 



Problem is, his amp doesn't have a pot. I might suggest getting/building a passive preamp. I looked into the designs and they're very simple. You can even have multiple switched inputs if you wanted. That way, if you pass on your D1 and get another DAC, you still have a nice quality pot.

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post #597 of 668
1/4/12 at 9:09pm

I was able to test out the D1 as a Preamp and DAC (tube output) to the Emotiva UPA-2.  Honestly, I think it works and sounds great.  I definitely like the sound better than the Emotiva XDA-1 I was using and I only have about 15-20 hours into the break in period.  So I'm hoping it will sound even better after 50 - 100 hours of break in. Thanks again for the help.

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post #598 of 668
1/5/12 at 12:09pm

Have someone try to replace 4 transistors in headphone section? My D1 have two green NEC and two black SEC.

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post #599 of 668
1/5/12 at 5:56pm

After listening to my current setup, I noticed the vocals don't seem to have the same sound stage as the music and not as clear as I would like.  I'm currently using the GE5670 tube and stock opamps.  I have (1) LT1364 and (2) LM4562NA opamps sitting in a box.  Any suggestions on which opamps or tube to switch out that might improve the vocals? 

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post #600 of 668
1/5/12 at 6:26pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by mtwill54 View Post

After listening to my current setup, I noticed the vocals don't seem to have the same sound stage as the music and not as clear as I would like.  I'm currently using the GE5670 tube and stock opamps.  I have (1) LT1364 and (2) LM4562NA opamps sitting in a box.  Any suggestions on which opamps or tube to switch out that might improve the vocals? 



Try to let the D1 run in for 200 hours more and at the same time, use some isolation cones at the bottom of the D1. They will make a big difference.

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Head-Fi.org › Forums › Equipment Forums › Headphone Amps (full-size) › Maverick Audio TubeMagic D1 (DAC/Amp) - Condensed FAQ and Info Thread