[renren234]

Yeah, its all about the journey putting pieces together to get the best sound you personally enjoy most.

If there's no need to match the tubes it definitely is much easier to source for the them tubes and for cheaper as well, probable downside would be shorter live span i guess. I would love to have a quiet noise floor tho, but good amps with xlr inputs mostly aren't that cheap either. Looking at getting Atoll AM200 but i won't have the chance to try out balanced in the future unless i swap it out.. For now i'm planning to run Jupiter copper foil 3.3uf with Siemens E88CC and try balanced out with Mundorf SGO next. Found the Jupiter on sale for $150 each on sonic craft.

I still have so much to read up on matching the systems and planning ahead so i don't spend on something id regret later on but that's the fun of it i guess!

 

[petersch]

Hi All, Just thought I'd pop in to say Hello. I've been meaning to register here for years and thought that today is the day. A few might know me from CAM as an MP fan and along with Brooster have meddled with amps and stuff for a while. I also am anxiously am awaiting the new version of the MP-D2-MK3/4 with Bluetooth from Garry shortly. My D2-MK3 doesn't get much love but my daily driver is the MK2 with the AK4497. I have all the chipsets and USB boards to play with and it's a great DAC to play with.

Lots to see here and I'll have a poke around.

Cheers,

_________________
Pete

¿lɐɯɹou ǝq ʎɥʍ

_________________

Beyerdynamic T90 Cans
KEF M500 32 Ohm
BOSE QC 25 for Flying

MP-301 MK3 modified by myself
Audio Space Mini Galaxy EL84 - Re-biased and tweaked.
MP-D1 MK1 Severely modified by myself.
MP-D2 MK3 Severely modified by myself.

Plus many more pieces in the main system.

 

[darcman]

Hi All, Just thought I'd pop in to say Hello. I've been meaning to register here for years and thought that today is the day. A few might know me from CAM as an MP fan and along with Brooster have meddled with amps and stuff for a while. I also am anxiously am awaiting the new version of the MP-D2-MK3/4 with Bluetooth from Garry shortly. My D2-MK3 doesn't get much love but my daily driver is the MK2 with the AK4497. I have all the chipsets and USB boards to play with and it's a great DAC to play with.

Lots to see here and I'll have a poke around.

Cheers,

_________________
Pete

¿lɐɯɹou ǝq ʎɥʍ

_________________

Beyerdynamic T90 Cans
KEF M500 32 Ohm
BOSE QC 25 for Flying

MP-301 MK3 modified by myself
Audio Space Mini Galaxy EL84 - Re-biased and tweaked.
MP-D1 MK1 Severely modified by myself.
MP-D2 MK3 Severely modified by myself.

Plus many more pieces in the main system.

Hey Pete,

I love my MP-D2 MKII ES9038. I haven't had lots of money to throw into the audio abyss lately. You comparison with the different USB boards has me chomping at the bit for another upgrade. I think I am going to have to order up the new USB board with the crystek clocks and I also might have to try the AK4497 chips.

 

[petersch]

There's also a new AK4499 chipset coming along shortly. I'll have to have a set since I really prefer the AKM chips over the Sabre in my system.

Pete

 

[darcman]

There's also a new AK4499 chipset coming along shortly. I'll have to have a set since I really prefer the AKM chips over the Sabre in my system.

Pete

I was just checking out the AK4499 chip. If you scroll down the page AKM does a comparison of the 4499 and the 4497

https://velvetsound.akm.com/global/en/products/home-audio/ak4499eq/

So what is the eta for the AK4499 for our MP-D2s

 

[honeyjjack]

I was pretty set on buying the r8he from audio-gd to match my master 9 before i saw these. Anyone heared both this and r2r dacs from audio-gd? Thanks.

 

[stuart1927]

I'm the originator of this thread and am circling back after quite a while. I just purchased the update package for this DAC that replaces the board with the mk 3 deluxe. Anyone done the upgrade from a mk 1?

 

[darcman]

I just installed my MK3 deluxe board in my MK2 on Friday and all I can say is wow. The MK3 deluxe brings out more of everything, definitely more refined. If you haven't done so, order the USB board upgrade with the Crystek clocks. I installed the Crystek USB upgrade in my MK2 a couple weeks ago and it is amazing what it did for the MK2. The 2 upgrades really compliment each other. On CAM a MK3 owner running ES9038 chips did the upgrade to the MK3 deluxe and he had some issues with 6922 tubes, he had to install 10K resisters by the output tubes and it resolved the problem.

My swap over went smoothly and I didn't have any issues with tubes. The MK3 deluxe board and the Crystek clock USB upgrades sound absolutely fantastic together, highly recommended and well worth it. I run the 9038 chips, GZ34, PC88, and Mundorf SGO caps and this DAC sounds awesome.

 

[gkr7007]

I just installed my MK3 deluxe board in my MK2 on Friday and all I can say is wow. The MK3 deluxe brings out more of everything, definitely more refined. If you haven't done so, order the USB board upgrade with the Crystek clocks. I installed the Crystek USB upgrade in my MK2 a couple weeks ago and it is amazing what it did for the MK2. The 2 upgrades really compliment each other. On CAM a MK3 owner running ES9038 chips did the upgrade to the MK3 deluxe and he had some issues with 6922 tubes, he had to install 10K resisters by the output tubes and it resolved the problem.

My swap over went smoothly and I didn't have any issues with tubes. The MK3 deluxe board and the Crystek clock USB upgrades sound absolutely fantastic together, highly recommended and well worth it. I run the 9038 chips, GZ34, PC88, and Mundorf SGO caps and this DAC sounds awesome.

I just hooked up my new mk III with Chrystek Femco clocks, e88cc NOS tubes, 5u4g rectifier, and AKM 4497 chips (I prefer the sound of the AKM) and the output is stunning. I recently installed Miflex caps in my older Mk2 and they are a beautiful sounding cap that is supposed to be a Jupiter clone. Made in Poland. It beat the Mundorf SO. I pulled them from the mk2 and put them on the Mk3. I also bought a Cambridge CXC transport and I have never heard my CD's sound like this after being routed thru the MP. I cannot tell you how smooth they have become. All the things that give CD's a bad name are gone. It is just like streaming hi def. Very pleased with this set up. I find myself listening to music 4 and 5 nights a week.

 

[petersch]

When upgrading from a MK1 you have a lot more work to do since you'll need to replace the micro controller on the front panel, this also goes for the MK2 owners. When doing the upgrade if you have the 2 green wires hooked to the main board you will need to move them to the power switch board where the MK1 has them. Don't unhook them and leave them floating or hook them to the main board or you will have noise issues. Some owners have problems with the MK3 and certain tube and combos, either move your 10K resistors from your old board or purchase some new ones to put in the vacant holes beside the small tube sockets. I use a different value but the effect is essentially the same. Make sure you update the new Microcontroller to the latest firmware (Dec 3, 2019 as of this post) and enjoy your "new" DAC. The New board means you give up Optical to add Bluetooth capability. The BT is just OK and does not sound anywhere near as good as a direct connection to the DAC.

It's probably the best $2-300 upgrade you will ever do to this DAC, simply off the charts value. Grab it before Garry decides to quit offering it!

Pete

 

[darcman]

Hey Pete I put the 2 green wires on the main board when I did the MK3 deluxe upgrade and didn't have any noise issues, mine was a MK2. I wonder if the noise issue is unique when upgrading a MK3 to MK3 deluxe. Swapping the MK2 to the new PCM wasn't too bad, luckily I had a hex/allen key to fit it. It is probably a metric size, but I think I used a 1/16" hex key. I believe it was the same size as the top hex screws, but I only had a folding set so it wouldn't fit.

 

[petersch]

Hey Pete I put the 2 green wires on the main board when I did the MK3 deluxe upgrade and didn't have any noise issues, mine was a MK2. I wonder if the noise issue is unique when upgrading a MK3 to MK3 deluxe. Swapping the MK2 to the new PCM wasn't too bad, luckily I had a hex/allen key to fit it. It is probably a metric size, but I think I used a 1/16" hex key. I believe it was the same size as the top hex screws, but I only had a folding set so it wouldn't fit.

If it's noise free your golden!

There's a few people I've had to help out with noise via PM and we've managed to cure them all
The MK3 has some serious issues and I cured them on many units and Garry also id a great job on the new MK3 DX. By the right side DAC module there is a big Bennic capacitor, please make sure you put a piece of tape over the bare lead as there's 450V on it. Don't ask me how I know ... Garry said he'll insulate the lead on any new production of the MK3 DX.

Pete

 

[darcman]

Ya no noise at all, maybe I just lucked out. Thanks for the heads up on your Bennic cap experience...put tape on it, will do.
The MK3 deluxe with Crystek USB sounds like a millions bucks now, I am so pleased with it.

Merry Christmas Everybody

 

[stuart1927]

Does anyone know if the mk 3 deluxe upgrade from he Mk 1 includes a new back plate to reflect the revised connections?

 

[darcman]

If I had to guess I would say NO. I believe the MK1 and MK2 back cover looked the same and I didn't get a new back cover for my MK2. If you use your original USB card nothing would be different. When you upgrade your USB card you lose a USB port and it has an external clock connection that uses the one USB port you lose and the optical port becomes the blue tooth antennae. The MK3 deluxe upgrade for the MK1 and MK2 is the same price so it stands to reason the MK1 would not get a new back plate.