Monica 3 DAC Initial Impressions

[Packgrog]

Initial Impressions:

Prior to some extended burn-in, and the acquisition of a double-conversion UPS, it seemed like a weird combination of slightly bright and slightly muddy, without much interesting depth. After a couple days of intermittent listening, it seemed to settle into being simply a louder version of Monica 2. That changed after a few more days of burn-in...

Compared to Monica 2:

Louder. Much louder. But also more controlled and confident. Keeps the smoothness of it's younger sibling while amping up the detail and soundstage considerably. It just has more impact in every regard than Monica 2 did. It's also more revealing, and as such, it seems more sensitive to jitter than Monica 2 was. I had noticed a slight difference in quality between my HP DV9000 laptop's toslink output and that of my iRiver H120, but with Monica 3 it's MUCH more noticeable. The H120 is easily the superior source. I can hardly imagine what this would sound like with either a genuinely high-quality optical source, or with a good electrical SPDIF source like most Monica's are meant to use (mine uses TOSLINK since that's what all of my sources provide).

Now, if my Monica 2 were sturdier, it would still be a good choice as a portable/transportable option, since it can be powered effectively with 12V. Monica 3 needs 18V-24V with the recent JFET mods (included on all new Monicas), so that's not so workable as a transportable, especially in the sizable (though nice) hardwood case it comes with. For now, I've relegated my Monica 2 to source duty for my home computer speakers, where it does make a pleasant difference. For transportable, I'm sticking with my iBasso D1...

Compared with iBasso D1 (v2 opamps):

It's worth noting that all the DACs I'm comparing with here using the iBasso D1's amp. The amp stage is nicely neutral enough that it pairs well with my Future Sonics Atrio m5 in-ear monitors, the only ear/headphones I use at the moment. But I digress...

The D1's DAC is very detailed; far more detailed than Monica 2. That comes with the difference in DAC chip (Cirrus chip that can handle 24bit/192kHz vs. the Philips chip both Monica's are based on, which only handles 16/48). That said, this detail can be pretty sterile. Sure, you can pick out more little details, and each instrument has more distinct separation, but if you just want the music to wash over you, it's not the world's best choice. Both Monicas are better for that, as would likely any Non-Oversampling DAC.

Monica 3 is no slouch in detailing, however. The improvement of impact and confidence over Monica 2 brings it to a point where it nicely competes with the detail of the D1's DAC, while allowing for a more natural feel. Think of it as the audio equivalent of 8x anti-aliasing, without the speed hit such a thing usually incurs. Yeah, nice.

Song Impressions:

Dragonforce - Disciples of Babylon: Doesn't seem quite fast enough to keep up with this madness, but it may be more of a factor of the 192kbps MP3 being the limiting factor. That said, it's passably listenable, and more pleasant with Monica 3 than I've heard it before.

Mindless Self Indulgence - Bomb This Track: Another MP3 (320kbps), so take with a grain of salt. That said, I have NO complaints. Bass is the most prominent aspect of this, and Monica 3 provides massive, controlled impact. Even paired with the Atrio it doesn't sound flabby, but there's no question you FEEL this more than hear it. A wonderful testament to Monica 3, the Atrio, AND the D1's amp.

Chroma Key - Salvation: Ahh... One of my favorite listening test albums, Graveyard Mountain Home. And on to FLAC now. Feels like I'm sitting directly in front of the drum set, with my back to it (IEMs are weird like that), with the band playing right around me, facing a not very busy street. Nice, very nice.

Cannonball Adderley - Dancing In The Dark (MFSL version): Just gorgeous. Feels like Cannonball is playing on my right, the drums on my left, and the piano off in the distance somewhere behind me. No harshness at all (not that one would expect less from an MFSL release). Love the echo from the sax. Lush and alive. The D1's DAC sounds nice and detailed, but artificial in comparison.

More impressions to come as time allows...

 

[hmalbrt]

I've just started to use a Monica 3 Dac as well (the USB version) and have had similar impressions. It replaced an inexpensive Lite Dac (un-modded) and I've thus far found the sound to have more bass, but to be muddy and unfocused. I've only used it a few hours and decided that it needs to be burned in before making any broad generalizations about the sound. How many hours have you used your Monica 3 and how many hours do you suppose it will need to be properly burned in?

Harold Albert
Bangkok, Thailand

 

[Packgrog]

I would guess that it needs at LEAST 100 hours. Probably more. I don't recall what Yeo quoted me as an expected burn-in time, nor have I been able to make any kind of estimate of how much time I've had with it (it stays on my desk in my office, and is only on intermittently).

Bass is certainly quite present with the Monica 3, as with the Monica 2. This is part of why I use the iBasso D1 as an amp: both my DAC and earphones tend to have powerful bass, so with a less neutral amp section (like my Tomahawk) the bass gets flabby.

But yes, Monica 3's bass does tighten up a bit. It won't ever be as tight or fast as an oversampling DAC, but that's the price of having the more "analog-like" sound.

 

[Packgrog]

Peter Gabriel - So (remastered, SACD redbook layer): This recording definitely shows the differences between Monica 3 and the iBasso D1's DAC. Monica 3 has a much greater sense of space. The iBasso's DAC images nicely, but it's just "kinda there". Monica makes you feel like you're being engulfed by the music. Bass is still VERY noticeable, especially with the already bass-heavy Atrio. It doesn't feel uncontrolled, it's just feels like Tony Levin moved his amp up in front of everyone else's. The mids are a bit overpowered with this, but again, that may be more of the fault of the Atrio. I'll need to try this again with my bass-anemic Beyers.

EDIT: One not-so pleasant thing about this, however, is that the recording seems to be particularly sibilant. This gave me a bit of a scare, and had me running back to the DIY Paradise forum to see if anyone else was experiencing this. After some hardware concerns turned out to not be the issue, and noticing similar sibilance with the D1's DAC, I've come to the conclusion that the problem lies with the recording itself. A shame, since it's a fantastic album. On the upside, it's a testament to the revealing nature of the Monica 3, but she's also less forgiving of flawed recordings than her younger sister.

 

[Packgrog]

Juno Reactor - Swamp Thing: One great thing about Bible of Dreams is the mix of sampled and synthetic percussion and bass. It's kind of an organic electronic album. This particular album shows off the impact and control of the low end. Again, it feels more organic than the D1's DAC, with each bit of bass reverberating comfortably. Very nice.

Dire Straits - On Every Street: Always a nice album for testing. Wonderful sense of space. The vocals and instruments are placed naturally. No harshness at all.