[jmsaxon69]

  No, I already tried that, no change in the mids with other gain settings.
I hope it's really just because of the burn-in period, we will see in a few weeks.
 
Btw, what's about the EL-8? Is it good with this DAC? Can you compare to the HE-400i maybe?

Don't have my HiFiMan stuff yet, but listening to the EL-8 on the HD-DAC1 right now and it's a very nice match, mids are fantastic on female vocals.  Nice tight bass with decent extension and now that the EL-8 have settled in the highs are pretty smooth and revealing.  Great $1,500 system

 

[birno]

 
Don't have my HiFiMan stuff yet, but listening to the EL-8 on the HD-DAC1 right now and it's a very nice match, mids are fantastic on female vocals.  Nice tight bass with decent extension and now that the EL-8 have settled in the highs are pretty smooth and revealing.  Great $1,500 system

Yet? 

Good for you man, I can't wait to hear those nice female vocals.
I think I will set my playlist to repeat and leave the system switched on, in the next 2 week, while I'll be in work to burn-in as fast as possible.

 

[Sam Quentin]

 I think I will set my playlist to repeat and leave the system switched on, in the next 2 week, while I'll be in work to burn-in as fast as possible.

Thats what i did on my previous system.
But this time i enjoyed to hear the progress while listening.
 
It takes a few days to get familiar with the sound.
Your brain needs some burn-in, too

 

 

[birno]

  Thats what i did on my previous system.
But this time i enjoyed to hear the progress while listening.
 
It takes a few days to get familiar with the sound.
Your brain needs some burn-in, too

 

Don't worry, I will enjoy the summary of the daily progress. 

 

[2leftears]

  Hi all,
 
I got mine last week and it has a beautiful, emotional sound, really like it.
I'm using it with a Hifiman HE-400i.
Only one thing I noticed, the middle range, the voices, sounds like they would be in the background, blunt a little bit.
Anybody else experienced this with any headphone?

 
Pleased to hear you like it.  I had no issues with the mids on mine though (with Sennheiser HD800 / HD540).
 

  I noticed changes after burning in the Headphones, the Amp and the Cables.
It's not like the whole Soundsignature changes, but it's there.
It opens up. Cannot explain it better with my bad english, sorry

 
When i received the Amp i first was kind of disappointed about the middle range, like you are.
Brass and percussion didn't sound very natural.
After a few weeks of normal play it was gone.

 
I can understand (and experienced) the need for "burning in" electrolytic capacitors and perhaps some semiconductor junctions, and also for speakers and headphones (although I think the term suspension relaxation would be more appropriate for the latter), but personally I would draw the line at the idea of "burning in" cables. The engineer in me doesn't buy into that last one, unless maybe for a coaxial that had been stored in seriously humid conditions, so the dielectric has a chance to dry out.
 

  Thats what i did on my previous system.
But this time i enjoyed to hear the progress while listening.
 
It takes a few days to get familiar with the sound.
Your brain needs some burn-in, too

 
I indeed believe the "burn in" phenomenon is mostly (though not exclusively) a matter of the brain adapting to the sound signature.  However, this in no way invalidates the notion that a few days listening are required to form a balanced (and nevertheless subjective) judgment on the sound signature.

 

[birno]

  I indeed believe the "burn in" phenomenon is mostly (though not exclusively) a matter of the brain adapting to the sound signature.  However, this in no way invalidates the notion that a few days listening are required to form a balanced (and nevertheless subjective) judgment on the sound signature.

My friend heard it at the first day, and noticed the mid problem too.
He's living in an other city, so don't using the DAC day by day.
If I will hear some changes after a few week, I will call him out again.
If he will hear the changes too, then it not just a brain adapting thing.
I think it will be a good test.

 

[musicmac]

 
Don't have my HiFiMan stuff yet, but listening to the EL-8 on the HD-DAC1 right now and it's a very nice match, mids are fantastic on female vocals.  Nice tight bass with decent extension and now that the EL-8 have settled in the highs are pretty smooth and revealing.  Great $1,500 system

Just got the EL-8 and really liking it with the Marantz.  Yes, Mids are fantastic - Norah Jones sounds phenomenal in the DSD64 format.

 

[bretemm]

Does anyone know if the Marantz CD5005 Optical Audio out will also play a marantz receiver radio through it? I'm wanting to use it with a headphone Amp and Dac by Schiit Audio but my sr5009 dosnt have optical audio out

 

[seethelight]

Regarding burn-in - I haven't noticed any long term improvement with burn-in for the HD-DAC1.
 
However, from the first day I had it, the difference in sound quality between right after turning it on and after it has had time to "warm up" is quite noticeable. The problems I had with random noise with my first (faulty) unit didn't show up until it had warmed up. With my new unit, the sound quality definitely improves with warm-up!

 

[mmoraw]

Got Mine today,
I'm glad I can report no issues with locking / hum / or any other not pleasant oddities ...
Sounds fantastic paired with AKG7xx, soon will have my HD800 back, which I borrowed, but can't wait already ...
After lecture of this thread I have to admit I was bit sceptical about reliability of the unit, however, got absolutely no problems with mine. (UK version)
Will play music through over next two days then report on burning in, not much to tell about sonic signature so far, simply it require bit of A/B in my case.
I will be comparing against my sabre9018/head-amp diy combo, as well as PM11S1 more details soon, if I find a minute or two
Oh... one more aspect, this thing  is build like a tank, heavy, feels solid, feels quality, all the way, well done Marantz

 

[jamescodway]

As I use this repaired unit more and with different music & cans, I will update with further impressions.

Hello all. I just enjoyed a late night session with HD DAC1 (high gain) with stock HD800 (16xxx serial range) fed by TIDAL/iPad 3 and a £30 30 pin to usb into the idevice port.

The unit ran hot after 2-3 hours but all aspects of presentation were satisfying on good quality recordings. Not much mercy for poor quality mastering/recording though! Instinctively high gain sounds the most authorative but another person earlier wrote would have higher distortion. The next session will be at mid gain.

Overall I am 'enjoying the music' more and 'listening to gear' less.

Would appreciate reading others' views.

Best

James

 

[crafft]

Overall I am 'enjoying the music' more and 'listening to gear' less.

Would appreciate reading others' views.

Best

James

 
That's what it's all about in the end
 
My preferred gain setting on the HD DAC1 is MID. My source is mostly a MBP (13" retina with SSD) with Audirvana plus or Fidelia software. Headphones mostly used are HD650, DT880 and Focal Spirit Pro.
 
Try some music from Quadro Nuevo for example their Antakya album. 

 

[sparkofinsanity]

I just ordered one of these. It says that they've had it in storage since February 4th, 2015 (not sure if it means that they've been selling the product since then or if those units they had have been there since then). Anyhow, surely this can't be a unit from the first batch (that seems to have been hit or miss)? It should be from one of the later batches I hope. 

 

[Jodet]

I just bought a 2Qute and it is far and away the best dac I've heard.   I just put my Marantz on the 'for sale amplification' forum. 

 

[JamieMcC]

  I just bought a 2Qute and it is far and away the best dac I've heard.   I just put my Marantz on the 'for sale amplification' forum. 

What are the stand out differences for you between the 2Qute and Marantz?