[variable]

I read through the docs and didn't see it, are there are vertical clearance requirements for heat or if the sides are clear am I ok?

 

[AudioMan612]

I read through the docs and didn't see it, are there are vertical clearance requirements for heat or if the sides are clear am I ok?

The unit runs warm, but not hot, so I'm sure that you'd be alright. In the manual, they mention that the unit can be rack-mounted on a standard 1U rack, and you can even put two of them side by side, which means they are made to be crammed next to other equipment. This isn't surprising from a company known mostly for pro/studio equipment.

 

[Dimoroc]

Hi,
 
Why does the m920 make use of an SABRE HiFi Mobile Digital to Analog Converters instead of an PRO SABRE Digital to Analog Converters?
 
And unlike even many DAPs do make use of a dual dac chip, the m920 makes use of only one of this chip? And the Gustard X20 DAC makes use of dual PRO SABRE DAC chips and it is less than half the m920 price.
 
Can anyone justify this for me please? As I'm very interested in buying a 2.000$ dac to use mainly as a dac for 2x Genelec 8050's. Would the Benchmark dac2 be an better option for me or are there better alternatives, would I just as well go for an rme fireface ucx? 
 
Thanks.

 

[AudioMan612]

I remember reading about this a year or so ago, and now I can't remember what I read or where I read it.  I think I read that they were able to get better quality out of the mobile version of the chip, but I might be thinking of something completely different.
 
I wouldn't focus too much on the DAC chip.  The implementation of a DAC chip matters much more than the chip itself.  A DAC with good design but a lesser DAC chip will generally out-perform a DAC with a more mediocre design, but an excellent DAC chip.

For the price that you can get an m920 on Massdrop right now, you're going to be hard-pressed to find something better at this price point in my opinion.  I've been extremely satisfied with mine.

 

[Dimoroc]

How often do they offer it at mass drop? Like every month?

 

[boatheelmusic]

Not necessarily ever again.  Like I said, snooze and lose.

 

[Dimoroc]

That's a pity then.

 

[boatheelmusic]

Massdrop now sold out of its 20 committed units.

 

[variable]

Ya, they must have sold out early, By 10am PST they were gone. I missed it! I was home at 4am last night and they were only at 14!

 

[AudioMan612]

Yeah.  This is the third of fourth time they have had it available if I remember correctly.  I got mine the first time they offered it.

 

[Tobes]

  Hi,
 
Why does the m920 make use of an SABRE HiFi Mobile Digital to Analog Converters instead of an PRO SABRE Digital to Analog Converters?
 
And unlike even many DAPs do make use of a dual dac chip, the m920 makes use of only one of this chip? And the Gustard X20 DAC makes use of dual PRO SABRE DAC chips and it is less than half the m920 price.
 
Can anyone justify this for me please? As I'm very interested in buying a 2.000$ dac to use mainly as a dac for 2x Genelec 8050's. Would the Benchmark dac2 be an better option for me or are there better alternatives, would I just as well go for an rme fireface ucx? 
 
Thanks.

I have no experience with the Gustard - but it appears well made.
As stated above, implementation is perhaps more important than the DAC used - Grace has many years of experience refining their designs.
 
Probably the bigger question is whether you have a use for the Grace m920's extensive features, analog line inputs etc.
I think it's brilliant as a monitor controller. 
I actually have two power amps connected to the m920 - one via balanced out driving my HE6 phones, one on the SE out for my Harbeth monitors.
Love that fact that I can control both power amps and the headphone amp independently for volume/balance in 0.5db steps.
Among other things, this allows me to make volume matched comparisons between the HE6 and other headphones driven off the m920 - or switch to the monitors - or play/control all three simultaneously.
For me this functionality and flexibility is worth much more than some arcane difference in DAC performance. YMMV. 

 

[urbino]

  Massdrop now sold out of its 20 committed units.

 
I must've gotten one of the last few, then. 

 
It's the first device I've run across that will do what I need: feed multiple sources to multiple destinations.  The fact that it's also, as best I can tell, a world-class dac and headphone amp is almost gravy.  It'll be interesting to compare it with the HA-1.

 

[variable]

 

  Massdrop now sold out of its 20 committed units.

 
I must've gotten one of the last few, then. 

 
It's the first device I've run across that will do what I need: feed multiple sources to multiple destinations.  The fact that it's also, as best I can tell, a world-class dac and headphone amp is almost gravy.  It'll be interesting to compare it with the HA-1.

@urbino -> I'd be VERY interested to hear your findings on the HA-1 vs. the m920, because that is exactly what I am considering. Please let me know when it arrives!

 

[urbino]

  @urbino -> I'd be VERY interested to hear your findings on the HA-1 vs. the m920, because that is exactly what I am considering. Please let me know when it arrives!

 
Roger that!  I dunno how good a reviewer I'll be, but I'll do what I can.

 

[BobJS]

   
I must've gotten one of the last few, then. 

 
It's the first device I've run across that will do what I need: feed multiple sources to multiple destinations.  The fact that it's also, as best I can tell, a world-class dac and headphone amp is almost gravy.  It'll be interesting to compare it with the HA-1.

 
I had them both at the same time briefly before I got rid of the HA-1.  No comparison.  m920 is superior in every way I can think of (including much smaller desk footprint).