[Clemmaster]

I turn windows souns off. Who needs them?

 
You might need the mixer when your watching any web video or streaming service.

 

[kschiu]

I'm using QA660 with a AGD Ref 7.1 with excellent result.  No headache.  Do you know what the QA660PLUS MOD is all about?  I couldn't find any reference to it.

 

[aive]

For those who have analysed the bass performance of the M7 - just wondering, would you be able to do some listening with Daft Punk's track "Giorgia by Moroder"? From my own listening sessions with the M7, I noticed that the bass in this track could (possibly) be clearer but I have nothing to compare with which makes assessment difficult.
 
I also want to understand quantitatively what you guys mean when you say:
 

Nothing I have tried ever has made the M7 bass as tight as it needs to be. It really nice tones and good clarity it's only issue to my ears is the bass is a bit over the top but also not as detailed as it needs to be. . 

 

So if it we reference and comment on a track (like Purrin has done in the past) I think it would be helpful. If I can understand the issues I can then start looking into solutions, OR5, firmware upgrade, etc

 

[ALRAINBOW]

The bass is bloated. If you have LCD 3 as I do. The sound of the is like the M7 . But if you EQ the headphones the deatils come in. The bass in the M7 gets less with EQ but not in details as the headphones do. I have the offramp with all the goodies and a ps audio HDMI cable also a ps audio P5 powering it all. The dac is a little warm but this is for some hesdphones and is fine overall. But the bass is too heaven and not tight it's slightly blurred .
Al

 

[blitzxgene]

Coming here to say that I prefer the m7 with the empirical audio short block over the ps audio mk1 to mk2 dac (on firmware 2.0.3) when using usb. While the mk2 has very good timing in the flow of music (and sounds less congested most of the time), it does not sound as natural or transparent as the m7 does. I've yet to have a moment where I forgot what I was doing because something in the music distracted me. Might just be my preferences in the end, but the m7 is more enjoyable.

 

[Articnoise]

The bass is a little blurry on M7 when using the USB input. With Offramp it gets clearly better IMO. I believe my Hegel HD 20 and AP+PP where hitting harder and faster in the bass when the M7 and Offramp do. I will buy a PSU for the Offramp to improve on overall clarity and dynamic.

 

[ciphercomplete]

 
The bass is a little blurry on M7 when using the USB input. With Offramp it gets clearly better IMO. I believe my Hegel HD 20 and AP+PP where hitting harder and faster in the bass when the M7 and Offramp do. I will buy a PSU for the Offramp to improve on overall clarity and dynamic.

I don't know about that.  I used to use the AP+PP the M7 and to my ears the bass sounded the same as it did when I used the last usb firmware update.  Also ALRAINBOW owns a souped up Offramp and is saying the same thing about the bass character.  The bass is not "bad" but I think its a preference thing.  I can hear plucks on a bass or bass guitar and things like that but it does have a rounder sound.  If you like sharp attacking bass detail that reveals absolutely everything on the recording than this may not be your dac but if you like musical bass or bass that mimics what you might hear at a live venue you'll love it.

 

[ALRAINBOW]

Cipher is correct. The M7 has many good qualities especially with headphones. But it's bass detail is the week point. It's not bad , but even with all I have I could not fix it. It's just not ripped like the rest of the dacs performance.
Al

 

[DACLadder]

  For those who have analysed the bass performance of the M7 - just wondering, would you be able to do some listening with Daft Punk's track "Giorgia by Moroder"? From my own listening sessions with the M7, I noticed that the bass in this track could (possibly) be clearer but I have nothing to compare with which makes assessment difficult.

This track definitely has bloated, congested bass with M7 + OffRamp HDMI I2S.  Source 88.2kHz/24 bit release.  Seems perhaps a case of too much of a good thing here.

 

[Clemmaster]

The NFB-27 has tighter and punchier bass than the SA-2. The M7 has more bass quantity than the SA-2 (from A/B test) but I think the bass is similar in presentation.
Bottom-line: the NFB-7 is for the punchy and tight bass lovers. You loose the magical midrange and gets more bite in the treble, too. A different sound but similar tonality (from memory).

 

[seaice]

I believe that this DAC is ideal for Senn HD800. Pair it with a good preamp and headp-amp (+ cables) and you will get great bass punch and unbelievable level of naturalness and musicality with HD800.
 
And the bass detail: I do not have any DACs on the same level at the moment but a good preamp and head-amp can help and show that the bass detail is not bad. I do not not know if the M7 generally lacks in the bass detail area but the overall naturalness and musicality of my setup is so good that I do not complaint of the M7 bass detail at all

 

[Articnoise]

  I don't know about that.  I used to use the AP+PP the M7 and to my ears the bass sounded the same as it did when I used the last usb firmware update.  Also ALRAINBOW owns a souped up Offramp and is saying the same thing about the bass character.  The bass is not "bad" but I think its a preference thing.  I can hear plucks on a bass or bass guitar and things like that but it does have a rounder sound.  If you like sharp attacking bass detail that reveals absolutely everything on the recording than this may not be your dac but if you like musical bass or bass that mimics what you might hear at a live venue you'll love it.

To my ear the clarity in all register gets a lot better, including less blurry bass, when I use I2s Offramp 5. I have already stated that my Hegel HD 20 and AP+PP where hitting harder and faster in the bass than the M7 + Offramp. This is off cause my impressions and other my come to other conclusions.

 

[Articnoise]

Are you pleased with the Short bloc DACLadder?

 

[ALRAINBOW]

I have the hd800 hdvd800 and ap1/pp and offramp.
It's is really good until I use a DAC that gets the details
Better then it seems excessive. I still live the DAC and will not sell it.
I have other dacs even a hugo
It's better in some ways but not all. Gotta love the M7
Only the DS DAC beats it completely
Al

 

[Articnoise]

Yes it seems that Hugo is very good, some one say it’s better when his EMM lab. Is the Hugo overall better when Master 7 and Offramp 5 in your opinion?