[TheR0v3r]

Interesting - I haven't auditioned either your #1 or #3 dacs (and, having just checked their prices, I know why!). The MMT does appear to hold up well against ANY competition, which is good to see. My own rating (against not inexpensive, but more peer-priced and lower) currently goes something like:

1. Mola Mola Tambaqui
2. DcS Bartok (when coupled with a decent streamer such as the Auralic Aries)
3. Chord DAVE (streamer as above)
4. Teac UD701N (cheaper but a remarkably good DAC - I auditioned this and the Gustard A26 to see how spendy I needed to get to meet my perceptions)

One thing I've noticed is just how resistant the MMT is to being 'improved' with external streamers, resamplers etc. That to me is the mark of good engineering.

Yeah, being resistant to ”tweaking” is a really good sign of solid engineering.

I’ve auditioned, owned and used too many DAC’s. After a while there is a sense of many DAC’s being slightly different rather than better or worse. Also reviewers, having to make a living, focus on minor differences rather than obvious similarities (IMHO).

To me the MMT is a better DAC. It just has qualities that lesser DAC’s don’t have. (Just to clear, lesser DAC’s isn’t about being more or less expensive.)

 

[technomagus]

Yeah, being resistant to ”tweaking” is a really good sign of solid engineering.

I’ve auditioned, owned and used too many DAC’s. After a while there is a sense of many DAC’s being slightly different rather than better or worse. Also reviewers, having to make a living, focus on minor differences rather than obvious similarities (IMHO).

To me the MMT is a better DAC. It just has qualities that lesser DAC’s don’t have. (Just to clear, lesser DAC’s isn’t about being more or less expensive.)

Very much my experience. What made the MMT a standout was just the engagement and - for want of a better word - musicality it offered, rather than any tiny detail relative to another. And this was to the extent of, on my firing it up in my system for the first time (it was on audition loan from the dealer), my musician partner rushing into the room after 30 seconds with a cry of, "that's the one!".

 

[TheR0v3r]

Today I had the opportunity to audition the MMT (connected to a Grimm MU1) in my seemingly never-ending quest for the ”perfect” DAC.

The MMT is an easy top three for me - what a brilliant piece of engineering. Usually able to point at some strengths and weaknesses but the only issue was that the built-in streamer wasn’t nearly as good as the MU1. Otherwise excellent technicalities AND musicality. It has this wonderful directness/presence that’s so rare below the super expensive stuff.

My top three:

1. MSB Reference
2. Mola Mola Tambaqui
3. Ideon Absolute Epsilon

For the first time in years I’m unsure about the number 1 spot... Congrats to all of you owning the wonderful MMT!

P.S. Didn’t try the headphone out.

Just wanted to add som more impressions from my audition:

• The bass is spectacular. Holy crap! The best thing about the Ideon Absolute Epsilon was the bass and the MMT is at least as good. IMHO.
• Voices so real that it’s unreal. That cliché about ”being in the room with you”. Yup, standing right there.
• Fatigue free listening.
• The built-in streamer is not on par with other input options.
• The Grimm MU1 was a (much) better option than the built-in streamer but unsure if the MMT actually needs the tech in the MU1. My feeling is that you connect almost anything to the MMT and it will sound great no matter what. As long as you don’t use that built-in streamer...
• Going from memory I think that the MMT has less enveloping soundstage than the MSB Reference. Unable to find a better word than ”enveloping”. It’s not that the soundstage is small in any way it’s just that the MSB had ”more”. This is with speakers, don’t know how this translates to headphones.

Apart from the MSB Reference nothing has impressed like the MMT and that list includes:

• Aqua La Scala Optologic II
• Aqua xHD Formula
• Chord DAVE w/ M Scaler
• Chord TT2 w/ M Scaler
• Ideon Absolute Epsilon
• MSB Premier w/ Digital Director

BTW, these are ALL great DAC’s.

Edit: Spelling.

 

[plumpudding2]

Just wanted to add som more impressions from my audition:

• The bass is spectacular. Holy crap! The best thing about the Ideon Absolute Epsilon was the bass and the MMT is at least as good. IMHO.
• Voices so real that it’s unreal. That cliché about ”being in the room with you”. Yup, standing right there.
• Fatigue free listening.
• The built-in streamer is not on par with other input options.
• The Grimm MU1 was a (much) better option than the built-in streamer but unsure if the MMT actually needs the tech in the MU1. My feeling is that you connect almost anything to the MMT and it will sound great no matter what. As long as you don’t use that built-in streamer...
• Going from memory I think that the MMT has less enveloping soundstage than the MSB Reference. Unable to find a better word than ”enveloping”. It’s not that the soundstage is small in any way it’s just that the MSB had ”more”. This is with speakers, don’t know how this translates to headphones.

Apart from the MSB Reference nothing has impressed like the MMT and that list includes:

• Aqua La Scala Optologic II
• Aqua xHD Formula
• Chord DAVE w/ M Scaler
• Chord TT2 w/ M Scaler
• Ideon Absolute Epsilon
• MSB Premier w/ Digital Director

BTW, these are ALL great DAC’s.

Edit: Spelling.

Did you use the MU1 with its upsampling filters? I'm quite curious since I've read several reports that the MMT does not really improve by feeding it HQPlayer upsampled material but quite a few people have also reported the MU1 makes quite the improvement.

 

[TheR0v3r]

Did you use the MU1 with its upsampling filters? I'm quite curious since I've read several reports that the MMT does not really improve by feeding it HQPlayer upsampled material but quite a few people have also reported the MU1 makes quite the improvement.

Don’t know how the MU1 was setup, only that it was configured ”optimally”. The MU1 was at hand and we just used it to move away from the built-in streamer.

 

[briantrinh86]

Just wanted to add som more impressions from my audition:

• The bass is spectacular. Holy crap! The best thing about the Ideon Absolute Epsilon was the bass and the MMT is at least as good. IMHO.
• Voices so real that it’s unreal. That cliché about ”being in the room with you”. Yup, standing right there.
• Fatigue free listening.
• The built-in streamer is not on par with other input options.
• The Grimm MU1 was a (much) better option than the built-in streamer but unsure if the MMT actually needs the tech in the MU1. My feeling is that you connect almost anything to the MMT and it will sound great no matter what. As long as you don’t use that built-in streamer...
• Going from memory I think that the MMT has less enveloping soundstage than the MSB Reference. Unable to find a better word than ”enveloping”. It’s not that the soundstage is small in any way it’s just that the MSB had ”more”. This is with speakers, don’t know how this translates to headphones.

Apart from the MSB Reference nothing has impressed like the MMT and that list includes:

• Aqua La Scala Optologic II
• Aqua xHD Formula
• Chord DAVE w/ M Scaler
• Chord TT2 w/ M Scaler
• Ideon Absolute Epsilon
• MSB Premier w/ Digital Director

BTW, these are ALL great DAC’s.

Edit: Spelling.

how about the rockna wavedream sig? did u try it?

 

[TheR0v3r]

how about the rockna wavedream sig? did u try it?

Nope, sorry.

 

[RustyGates]

Just wanted to add som more impressions from my audition:

• The bass is spectacular. Holy crap! The best thing about the Ideon Absolute Epsilon was the bass and the MMT is at least as good. IMHO.
• Voices so real that it’s unreal. That cliché about ”being in the room with you”. Yup, standing right there.
• Fatigue free listening.
• The built-in streamer is not on par with other input options.
• The Grimm MU1 was a (much) better option than the built-in streamer but unsure if the MMT actually needs the tech in the MU1. My feeling is that you connect almost anything to the MMT and it will sound great no matter what. As long as you don’t use that built-in streamer...
• Going from memory I think that the MMT has less enveloping soundstage than the MSB Reference. Unable to find a better word than ”enveloping”. It’s not that the soundstage is small in any way it’s just that the MSB had ”more”. This is with speakers, don’t know how this translates to headphones.

Apart from the MSB Reference nothing has impressed like the MMT and that list includes:

• Aqua La Scala Optologic II
• Aqua xHD Formula
• Chord DAVE w/ M Scaler
• Chord TT2 w/ M Scaler
• Ideon Absolute Epsilon
• MSB Premier w/ Digital Director

BTW, these are ALL great DAC’s.

Edit: Spelling.

Whats wrong with the streamer? There was no audible difference between inputs in my experience. Roon RAAT works incredibly well.

 

[ardbeg1975]

Whats wrong with the streamer? There was no audible difference between inputs in my experience. Roon RAAT works incredibly well.

I previously ran the MMT off of an AES feed from a Lumin U2 mini. Was it better than going directly into the streaming interface, MAYBE YES, but if so it was very subtle and could have been placebo. As the MMT is itself feeding a tube amp I figured that subtle improvement was likely getting washed out at the “tube sound bending” stage so I ultimately sold the Lumin and went direct. No regrets. If I were to pair it with a streamer again it would be something like a Holo Red as going higher tier (for me) produced minimal gains.

 

[RustyGates]

I previously ran the MMT off of an AES feed from a Lumin U2 mini. Was it better than going directly into the streaming interface, MAYBE YES, but if so it was very subtle and could have been placebo. As the MMT is itself feeding a tube amp I figured that subtle improvement was likely getting washed out at the “tube sound bending” stage so I ultimately sold the Lumin and went direct. No regrets. If I were to pair it with a streamer again it would be something like a Holo Red as going higher tier (for me) produced minimal gains.

I didn't end up going with the Red, because using an input such as e.g. I2S does not change how the MMT operates.

I spoke to Jos from Mola Mola and he told me even I2S data goes through the Async. Sample Rate Converter, in the same way that SPIDF data does. I2S with MMT does not operate in the traditional sense like how it'd operate with say the Holo May - typically the DACs clock would be slaved to the I2S source, but the MMT doesn't slave to nobody. Due to the MMTs ASRC, its incredible jitter immune. Also, can't use Roon RAAT with I2S. FYI this is how RAAT works: https://community.roonlabs.com/t/raat-and-clock-ownership/6915/2

The only, and very minimal, technical improvement would be a slightly lower noise digital data source due to the Reds PSU. But, Ethernet and USB are galvanically isolated so... is the price of the Red worth it...?

 

[technomagus]

I didn't end up going with the Red, because using an input such as e.g. I2S does not change how the MMT operates.

I spoke to Jos from Mola Mola and he told me even I2S data goes through the Async. Sample Rate Converter, in the same way that SPIDF data does. I2S with MMT does not operate in the traditional sense like how it'd operate with say the Holo May - typically the DACs clock would be slaved to the I2S source, but the MMT doesn't slave to nobody. Due to the MMTs ASRC, its incredible jitter immune. Also, can't use Roon RAAT with I2S. FYI this is how RAAT works: https://community.roonlabs.com/t/raat-and-clock-ownership/6915/2

The only, and very minimal, technical improvement would be a slightly lower noise digital data source due to the Reds PSU. But, Ethernet and USB are galvanically isolated so... is the price of the Red worth it...?

I also run my MMT through a tube/valve amp (Octave v110SE) and find that I do prefer the sound via the Octave preamp section rather than running the MMT in preamp mode into the Octave’s power amp section. As I and others have noted, the MMT is remarkably consistent in its handling of different inputs. The only thing that I’ve found to make a difference (despite the galvanic isolation) is to isolate either just the DAC or the whole rack using fibre media converters. I tried that as an experiment, out of pure curiosity, and was surprised to (apparently) hear a difference. Obviously not a blind test, but the fibre is staying in my rig.

 

[TheR0v3r]

Whats wrong with the streamer? There was no audible difference between inputs in my experience. Roon RAAT works incredibly well.

To me it sounded better with the other inputs. May have been placebo etc.

Didn’t hear any difference between the other inputs.

 

[coldbru]

I didn't end up going with the Red, because using an input such as e.g. I2S does not change how the MMT operates.

I spoke to Jos from Mola Mola and he told me even I2S data goes through the Async. Sample Rate Converter, in the same way that SPIDF data does. I2S with MMT does not operate in the traditional sense like how it'd operate with say the Holo May - typically the DACs clock would be slaved to the I2S source, but the MMT doesn't slave to nobody. Due to the MMTs ASRC, its incredible jitter immune. Also, can't use Roon RAAT with I2S. FYI this is how RAAT works: https://community.roonlabs.com/t/raat-and-clock-ownership/6915/2

The only, and very minimal, technical improvement would be a slightly lower noise digital data source due to the Reds PSU. But, Ethernet and USB are galvanically isolated so... is the price of the Red worth it...?

I think I’ve said before on the thread, in my system (which right now is just DCA Stealths) there’s a clear improvement with Red > AQ Diamond > MMT USB in clarity and, say, flow? compared to the MMT Ethernet input.

Why? Dunno.

Is the Red worth it? In my case absolutely. I paid 750 used? I’d say the difference is bigger than those between the 6 or 7 power cables I’ve previously tried on MMT, ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand bucks. In that league, 1500 all in for Red + AQ is pretty good value.

It also *technically* gives me Airplay, HQP NAA, and whatever else although I don’t use any of that these days.

 

[technomagus]

I didn't end up going with the Red, because using an input such as e.g. I2S does not change how the MMT operates.

I spoke to Jos from Mola Mola and he told me even I2S data goes through the Async. Sample Rate Converter, in the same way that SPIDF data does. I2S with MMT does not operate in the traditional sense like how it'd operate with say the Holo May - typically the DACs clock would be slaved to the I2S source, but the MMT doesn't slave to nobody. Due to the MMTs ASRC, its incredible jitter immune. Also, can't use Roon RAAT with I2S. FYI this is how RAAT works: https://community.roonlabs.com/t/raat-and-clock-ownership/6915/2

The only, and very minimal, technical improvement would be a slightly lower noise digital data source due to the Reds PSU. But, Ethernet and USB are galvanically isolated so... is the price of the Red worth it...?

We've obviously had the same discussion with Mola Mola (they're very good at responding) and that also backs up my experience that - the one time I tried the i2s input, I couldn't hear any difference. I would though be interested in trying a Red or an Aries in the system, just to see if there is any difference. The big upside though of the MMT is that I spend more time just enjoying the music rather than wondering which HQP filter I should try next…

 

[TheR0v3r]

Whats wrong with the streamer? There was no audible difference between inputs in my experience. Roon RAAT works incredibly well.

This weekend I’ll be auditioning the MMT in my system. I’ll be sure to try it going directly from Roon with Ethernet and from streamer with SPDIF.