[n4k33n]

Originally, I bought the monica 2, thinking I would put it together myself. It had excellent reviews everywhere I looked online, and seemed to be a real steal. The USB version had an already completed board and just needed to be cased. Seemed like a simple task, so I went ahead and ordered the Monica 2 USB from diyparadise.

It came in a few days, ready to go, sans power supply and rca connectors.

I ordered a hammond case and switching power supply and some rca connectors to put it together. However, I found out I couldn't solder worth a damn, and after nearly destroying a solder point, I figured I better send it off to someone who would do it for me. So I gave MisterX a PM, and with a lot of coaxing, he agreed to put it together for me.

A few weeks later, my DAC returned, with the usual excellent workmanship of Marshall.

Looking good. Heres what it looks like cased up

Hammond all the way, baby

Sound
The only DACs I have really had for comparison was my Headroom MicroDAC and AlienDAC. When I plugged it in for the first time, I was amazed how nice it sounded. Its difficult to explain it strengths, but I'm going to try.

Simply. Its a pleasure to listen to. When I'm laying in bed, I'm listening to the music flow instead of picking apart the details and layers. Thats not to say its not detailed or layered. It has all of that, but the presentation sounds more natural. Like every instrument is in the proportions that they were meant to be heard at. Its very musical and beautiful, and quick. Acoustic guitar sounds more "real" than the microdac.

Music that has multiple instruments simultaneously, everything sounds great together. I feel like I'm listening to the music the way it was meant to be heard, With the MicroDac I couldn't help but analyzing everything, which lead to fatigue. With the monica, I don;'t get tired of listening in any way.

Its a warm sound you can relax to. Its quite enjoyable.

However, I find myself switching between the monica and the microdac based on my mood and the music. I've found there is a lot of music I do enjoy just sitting around analyzing. I don't want you guys to get the wrong idea. Its wonderful to listen to, but for different reasons than my microdac.

And I think thats the moral to the story. Its not that NOS dacs are better or worse than oversampling ones, its that they each have their own strengths and uses, and should be used as such.

Anyway, I'll probably keep this guy for a long time to come, its so warm and gentle on my ears, and easily handles lower bitrate music/ genres like punk so well. Everyone

I'll add more to this when its fully broken in. Heres my monica next to my misterx ppav2. I'm using soloz silver *solid* interconnects.

 

[Killercrush]

Congrats ! Really clean setup. It must sounds wonderful !

I'm thinking of buying one too.

 

[JadeEast]

What kind of power supply do you have on the Monica2?

She is a nice sounding dac and remember that there are Black Gates
on board so burn in should make things sound better over time (if
you believe in it). Although it sound like you're already happy with
the sound. I like My monica2 but honestly have not got her in a case
yet.

 

[soloz2]

Quote:

Originally Posted by n4k33n /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'm using soloz silver stranded interconnects.

The cable is actually solid silver, Soloz Audio Reference series Ag8. 8 Conductor solid 99.999% pure solid silver.

 

[n4k33n]

Update: After a few more days with it, the monica really seems to be opening up. I had heard that the black gates take awhile to really show themselves, but I never really believed in burn in for dacs. I guess I was proven wrong. The monica is really showing itself to be a very solid performer.

 

[PhaedrusX]

Excellent review and pics n4k33n.

This dac has been on my radar for a long time, and I always wondered why it didn't get more recognition here.

My only concern with it is its low output voltage.
Is this an issue with you? Do you find that you have to use a lot more turn on the volume to reach your listening levels?

Also, I don't see the Rudolph Broertjes SS I/V gain stage in the pictures.
Was this an option for the USB Monica, or is this solely meant for use with the regular Monica II?

Great DIY setup all around!

 

[n4k33n]

^ The gain stage is actually built in with the usb version. Check out the first picture and diyparadise.

 

[n4k33n]

Update: Originally I had ordered a 2.5amp switching mode power supply from diyparadise with my monica. It came with a UK AC adapter, so I forgot about it, and used a 1amp 15v instead. Thats what this whole review has been based on.

Well, today I bought a international adapter. Just a simple shape changer, so no changing of voltages or anything like that.

Boy, did this change the dac. This power supply TOTALLY opened it up. This thing has a serious soundstage now. Not only is it musical, it has depth and detail. I can hear each independent layer in perfect detail, and they all sound great together. This goes to show power makes a huge difference in this dac. It seems to be very picky.

Its like a totally different animal now. This is a dac that I would consider using for a few years. Its damn nice. The monica now has a permanent place in my collection.

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

I wonder if the change with power is just a preview to what the blackgates will do when they've burned in, and that after that you can use the smaller power supply and still get that sound once the Minca 2 is burned in.

Just a theory. I have no background in this stuff, so don't make too much fun of me.

 

[JadeEast]

I've listened to the usb monica with a linear 12 volt supply, a 12 volt 3 amp smps, a pair of 9 volts connected to make 18 and a 12 volt sla battery. They all sound good.

The 12 volt sla sounds very very smooth but seems to suffer a bit from a loss of dynamic contrast on some pieces but very nice. The 2 9 volts sounded very good but the battery life was way too short. The 12 volt linear supply was alright and the 12 volt smps was good more dynamic than the batteries although I thought it sounded a bit too noisy for headphone use. I have a 15 volt 3 amp smps that I'm going to try next and hope that it is smooth and dynamic.

 

[elnero]

Quote:

Originally Posted by JadeEast /img/forum/go_quote.gif I've listened to the usb monica with a linear 12 volt supply, a 12 volt 3 amp smps, a pair of 9 volts connected to make 18 and a 12 volt sla battery. They all sound good. The 12 volt sla sounds very very smooth but seems to suffer a bit from a loss of dynamic contrast on some pieces but very nice. The 2 9 volts sounded very good but the battery life was way too short. The 12 volt linear supply was alright and the 12 volt smps was good more dynamic than the batteries although I thought it sounded a bit too noisy for headphone use. I have a 15 volt 3 amp smps that I'm going to try next and hope that it is smooth and dynamic.

What kind of battery life did you get with the two 9 volts? Would it be possible to use a Lithium Ion of some sort?

 

[fran]

There used to be a link to a very interesting article on diyparadise about some of the drawbacks of using battery (SLA) power. IIRC, the main idea was that yes, SLA did give vey clean power, but that it didn't deal well with sudden current draws - ie the battey couldn't respond quickly enough.

I think the solution was to add in some largish caps to act as a "buffer" for the sudden transient current draws.

that said, I never did it myself, although I have mine running now off a rather nice linear PS.

I totally agree with the OP - a very nice DAC with a different flavour, suits some music and maybe other types not as much.

I use mine at the PC through a little gizmo that converts USB to coax. Lovely sound.


Fran

 

[JadeEast]

I maybe got an evenings worth of listening out of the 2 batteries. Frans post echos my results with a SLA battery without a cap nice clean smooth but not much pop to the sound. A particular example would be that old chestnut the " Take 5 " drum solo the crack of the snare and the huge bounce off the wall were just softened. A kind of compression/ limiter effect on the sound pleasant but still just too nice for some things.

Maybe I'll try the SLA with a cap and see if it give the music some more pop and snap.

 

[YZHI]

Where did you order the hammond case? did you drill the holes by yourself, thanks for the review.

 

[MikoLayer]

I was originally planning on putting my monica 2 (coax ver) in a $5 wallmart wooden box + acrylic cover on top of it. When the USB version arrive, I noticed how physically smaller the USB version was. Today, I headed over to the local fry's store and found an aluminum project case that looked very good, and of just right size. Then I figured I probably lack proper tools to drill/cut holes for I/O needed for the DAC. Same was true for plastic ones akin to the hammond case you have there. I decided to go back to the (albeit bigger) cheap wooden case that I already have some holes drilled in. Things wont look as neat as I have once imagined, but still cool in their own light

As for powering the SS I/V stage, I am using a 19v HP laptop power adapter. Once I get my laptop fixed, I would probably need another one to replace it. Yeo recommends 15v-18v for it.