[seaice]

And there is one more positive impact of the Off5 bass/mids balance: The deepest bases are better balanced too. It seems that the pronounced upper basses of 2014v2USB mask the deepest basses as well.
 
I still have no I2S cables but the Off 5 BNC is very enjoyable.

 

[DACLadder]

I've used a lot of input sources with the Master 7.   Audiophilleo, USB32 (with different FW), and Off Ramp 5 (all outputs).   Over the past year I have come to the conclusion that with ever lower jitter input sources the Master 7 displays better bass quality as the first thing I notice.   Plus the sound is more focused, better staging, and less edginess and fuzzy quality to the high frequencies (more clarity).  But these latter quality improvements are appreciated later.  When first started reading about the Master 7 there were complaints about bass being thin or weak.  Believe I now understand maybe why.

 

[Clemmaster]

  I've used a lot of input sources with the Master 7.   Audiophilleo, USB32 (with different FW), and Off Ramp 5 (all outputs).   Over the past year I have come to the conclusion that with ever lower jitter input sources the Master 7 displays better bass quality as the first thing I notice.   Plus the sound is more focused, better staging, and less edginess and fuzzy quality to the high frequencies (more clarity).  But these latter quality improvements are appreciated later.  When first started reading about the Master 7 there were complaints about bass being thin or weak.  Believe I now understand maybe why.

Exact same experience with the NFB-27.
 
When I "figured out" how to have the USB-32 work properly (which I never could repeat again), the sound was so much more focused it became almost real (holographic is the word) and the bass was the most noticeable improvement. No more edge, no more thinness, better separation.
 
I don't know about the USB-32 implementation on the M7 (I never used it on the SA-2) but I don't imagine things could have got any better than the result I had, on my NFB-27 (meaning I cannot imagine the Offramp would have improved further: it was THAT good).
Things just sound so much worse since then, even with the Ciunas DDC.
 
I'm hoping to try the Offramp and M7 at the show and check if the experience is reminiscent of, what is now, my best head-fi experience...

 

[seaice]

I am now experimenting with the Hiface Evo (powered by a DYI low-noise power supply) via the M7 BNC and it is really good. Do I prefer it over the built-in M7 USB? Absolutely yes! Very sweet and enjoyable sound, better balanced bass, mids and highs, great details, more analogue, less digital harshness.
 
Edit: I am still waiting for CAT7 cables. I2S test and Offramp 5 comparison are planned...

 

[bowtung]

Just wondering if the 1704 UK chips are running out.....It still says there are 100 more units of M7 on the webpage, which is the same as when I bought it 2/3 months ago

 

[seaice]

  Just wondering if the 1704 UK chips are running out.....It still says there are 100 more units of M7 on the webpage, which is the same as when I bought it 2/3 months ago

I believe that A-GD is reducing their 1704 lines because of the 1704UK chips situation. Their home page now says "less than 100 units" for M7 and there are two last 1704UK-based products in the product area of their web page: M7 and Ref. 10.32.

 

[Clemmaster]

 
I believe that A-GD is reducing their 1704 lines because of the 1704UK chips situation. Their home page now says "less than 100 units" for M7 and there are two last 1704UK-based products in the product area of their web page: M7 and Ref. 10.32.

 
They do that every year.
 
What generally ensue is a new DAC with better specs... and a higher price!

 

[seaice]

My CAT7 cable finally arrived and I am now on I2S. Unfortunately, the I2S does not work with my M2tech Evo. It should work with the Evo but the signal is noisy (weak music and strong noise). I am not the only one with this EVO-related I2S issue. I resigned to the EVO I2S and rewired the internal I2S connection for the Offramp. And this is finally the best sound I have ever heard from the M7. The BNC input was great with the Offramp but the I2S is better. The sound has opened, everything is more 3D, everything is better defined in space, very detailed but smooth and enjoyable at the same time. I will order the Dynamo power supply soon for the last bit of improvement.

 

[ALRAINBOW]

Question. I thought the RCA coax was 24/192. As opposed to bnc 24/96. Also did you try the aes imput .

Al

 

[mowglycdb]

I guess the upgrade is really worth it right?  *my wallet trembles* Seems the M7 is no longer "thick" in this configuration right?

 

[ALRAINBOW]

Has anyone contacted EVO and asked about the situation. .?

Al

 

[seaice]

M7 is not thick. Both Evo and Offramp were great improvements via BNC (in comparison with the USB input): Everything is more detailed, all frequencies better balanced and this reveals into better mix of sounds, instruments and voices, everything is better integrated, nothing is missing and nothing is excessive. I have not compared the Offramp and Evo via BNC in detail yet (this is one of my future plans).
 
+I2S improved space attributtes of the sound substantially. I still hope that I will force the Evo work via the I2S one day and compare it with the Offramp via I2S too. But I am now very happy with the Offramp. Offramp via I2S excels everything I have tried so far. And I am curious what more improvements I will get with the Dynamo power supply.

 

[seaice]

Has anyone contacted EVO and asked about the situation. .?

Al

I will eventually contact them because it should work: The Evo I2S is pin compatible with the M7 I2S and electrically compatible too. And Kingwa confirmed that I2S of the Evo should work with the M7 I2S. So I am confused why it does not work in my case. But I am not the only one with I2S nose issues of Evo. I found one Evo user with this comment: "If you got noisy signal as my case, you need M2Tech services." But this not a priority to me at the moment. I plan the Evo for my secondary setup that is BNC only.

 

[ALRAINBOW]

Ask dac ladder he has done more listening comparisons then I have. But it is well worth it. . It's a shame we have to spend all this money to improve someone else's product.

As the M7 is just lush with it the offramp and AP1/PP. IMOROVE ALMOST ANY DAC. I try them with. And given the improvements were very good with the PWDMKII from os audio and it's price at more than double compared to that of the M7. The offramp is just really cool to use once you get over how much it cost,s. One more point is the coax cable from empirical audio it's 250 but worth every dime unless you connect the device with a bnc to BNC connector with out a wire. Almost all coax wires just stink compared to it.
And it furthers proves the point of just how much do the DAC ,Akers know or care about the sound.

Al

 

[ALRAINBOW]

If all the EVO issues are audio gd related I would point the finger at kingwa as he seems to not make his products all the same. As dacladder pointed out to me.

Al