Just got my Mav yesterday. Popped in two LT1364s and one JAN GE 5670W. Nice layout inside and the opamp sockets are a nice touch. Build quality is excellent for the price but I would not go overboard here. It looks and feels like a $500 piece, not a $2K piece. Here is the system my Mav is...

Quote: Originally Posted by sp70 I forgot to mention, my upgrade to the LT1364 & LM4562 has almost entirely eliminated the hum at lower volumes! It struck me as strange when I first put my 'phones on but now I realize that there is a huge difference. Like I said, the LT1364 & LM4562 are...

I think I read somewhere that the Mav uses a Cirrus 24-bit/96 kHz DAC. If this is true will the DAC handle hires downloads? Has anyone tried anything higher than 16-bit/44 kHz?

Has anyone heard or compared the Great March 2?

This is insane. DA converters don't sound warm or cold. The people that promote this engage in open loop listening tests where they can hear anything they imagine. Both of these dacs are excellent performers. Don't waste your time on audiofool fantasies.

Quote: Originally Posted by Torm All three op-amps drive all the outputs! The RCA out, the mini XLRs and the minijack (which is mislabeled as headphone -- its just line out). I'm not electronics expert but i diligently followed the traces and they all end up in one "set" that goes to...

Quote: Originally Posted by Torm Agreed - i have examined that photo extensivly and compared it to my stock unit. The changes i can see are: The 4 "green" caps changed - but to three different types. I dont know why they would do this but i suspect they got their reasons (the two...

Quote: Originally Posted by bluemeteor Pacific Valve does more to these DACs to get them to sound a certain way than they are admitting to on their web site. I would like to believe that but looking at the photo of the PV modified unit, it looks pretty shaky to me. Mismatched...

Some of the upgrades listed include: Upgraded OP AMPS : OPA2111 a high quality BI- FET amplifier AD797 – a high slew rate OP AMP for preamplifier applications feeds headphones AD827 OP AMP used as an input buffer for DAC Conversion AD711 (BI-FET) for USB buffering...

Quote: Originally Posted by Torm I will change the four "green's" for 2200uf 16v Nichicon Muses tonight. I will also put 0.1uf NX-HiQ blackgates over them - unless somebody tells me this is a really bad idea. A great idea and I will probably do the same. I think Nichicons are 99%...

Interesting about the AD827s. I have 4 OPA2107s on the way so I think I will try 3 of those to replace the 2604s and use OPA627s (4) on the PS section. I'll report back when I have swapped these and listened to before and after.

Quote: Originally Posted by Daryn Alexander My wife thinks that Alvin and Ken are the same person. If this is true than everyone should IMMEDIATLY challenge the charge via PayPal.

Quote: Originally Posted by peelax I replaced the 4 green caps with black gates, this was in my GM originally modded by PV. Although they changed the caps there already, they were funny values and I wanted to get my soldiering iron out. I wouldn't like to say if it actually made a...

I would also be willing to contribute to the fund. I feel I need to do this since the warnings on this board prompted me to think twice before sending Ken my $$. The Ken Law victims on this board saved me $500 and massive anger and frustration.

Quote: Originally Posted by Sean H Oh, I see, I thought you had one now. Did you go with a stock unit or modified? The GM is warmer than the Zhaolu, definitely. I tend to prefer the Zhaolu for it's more neutral sound because I use a tube amp and I find the Grado HF-1's (with flat pads)...

I recently exchanged e-mails with Ken's ISP (osCommerce) and it appears that Ken has gone underground. I was very close to sending Ken my $500, so glad that initial customers started alerting others here. Ken has never answered any of my e-mails and most of those were of a pre-sales nature...

Thanks Sean. You are right about the 637, brain cramp on my part. I will go ahead and try the OPA2107. I WILL figure out the cap issue, I should be able to trace this on the board. Too bad there is no schematic floating around on the net, it would be simple. >>Where did you get your...

Thanks alot for the details. So the PS opamps are singles. Funny, I also have 2 spare OPA627s from another project (upgrading the DAC-AH) so I will probably do just what you have done. The other three are duals - the middle one is for the unbalanced outputs and the other 2 (outer opamps)...

I finally went for one of these as it sounds a little warmer than the Z dac. I heard both and they are similar. I am still waiting for delivery. This thing looks prime to mod though... There are a total of 7 SEVEN! opamps that are socketed. Can anyone explain which opamps control which...

That completely blows me away. The Monica dac is probably the warmest and smoothest DAC I have ever heard. And I have heard quite a few. Just shows how different ears, cans, speakers, etc. can change everything.

Can anyone report back on a shootout with the dac in the box vs. other similar dacs? I have a Monica 2 on battery so I'm thinking of throwing this dac into the same box so I have NOS and OS dacs to compare. Any advice?