[TnTMaN]

How do we get in contact with Gary? I tried his contact page on his online store but no one replied, tried Facebook page but it seems he's abandoned it too

 

[rajacat]

I've had no problem emailing him. You might have to wait a few days but he's always responded.

 

[kopi.teh.o]

It looks like the external clock board is the culprit and not the dac boards. Reverting to internal clocks works flawlessly. Waiting for Gary to confirm.

Did you hear any difference between external and internal clock?

 

[Psilonaught]

Yes, definitely. Turns out the cable t-splitter had failed, phew.

I have the clock plugged into a timmer so it charges when I'm not using my system and then in the evening it is running on the battery.

 

[TnTMaN]

I'm about to order one, what is the best dac chip to get? I'm torn between the 4497 or the ess9038. I was hoping the 4499 would be out by now..

 

[Psilonaught]

From Gary

Hi James,
We are working on AK4499 modules. I don't think it can be better than 9038PRO, could be neck by neck and sounds differently.

Thanks,
Garry

 

[TnTMaN]

Would you get 9038 pro over the AK4497 then? What differences would you expect to hear? Thank you in advance

 

[Psilonaught]

So i have finally bitten the bullet and ordered some grown up caps, after messing about with various russian stuff.

I have ordered x4 matched 400vdc Vcap ODAM.

The are new so not a huge amount of reviews, but from what i have read they are even better than Miflex or Jupiter, in a friendly size (17mm x 40mm). I'll be bypassing with Dueland once the silver bypass caps come back into stock on hificollective.

 

[Psilonaught]

So I received the vcaps this morning and obviously i had to immediately try them.

With the whole system cold, and the caps in for literally 5 min I can safely report that the Odams are utterly stunning.

They are slightly smaller than the stock obbligato with is a bonus.

I highly recommend trying them. I've been reading that a 0.01 v-cap copper teflon bypass takes these to another level. That also makes the price around £600 sterling which is the same as the frankly overpriced Jupiter copper foil.

I've done modding the dac now, case screws back in place, time to sit back and enjoy this sublime dac. Short of a top end Lampizator I seriously doubt there is anything out there to beat this machine. Especially with the external clock.

 

[TnTMaN]

The external clock seems like it's not compatible with the latest MK3 with the Crystek upgrade? Correct me if I'm wrong?

 

[Psilonaught]

That is completely the opposite, it is only compatible with MK3 and the Crystek upgrade, which is what I have.

 

[m-i-c-k-e-y]

A little help needed...(decisions...decisions)

If I am to order with ESS9038Pro modules, to have DSD512 support, I need to order also MP-CLK.

DAC's product page says "DSD512 (ES9038Pro with external 60-100Mhz 3.3V clock)". So I assume MP-CLK w/ CCHD-950 100Mhz.
But then again MP-CLK's product page says "MP-D2 MK3 Deluxe version with ES9038Pro uses 49.152Mhz frequency"....So what gives??

So if I have the Crystek upgrade, MP-CLK is kind of redundant right? Or assuming at above post that it complements, thus upping SQ a bit more...

Thank you. Much appreciated!

 

[Psilonaught]

MP-D2 MK3 Deluxe version with ES9038Pro uses 49.152Mhz frequency.

That is the clock setting I selected when ordering the external clock, and I'm using ES and the Crystek upgraded usb board.

Check with Gary if you want to be 100% certain before ordering.

 

[rajacat]

@Psilonaught
Did you get the 2.2uf or the 1.5uf ODAMS?

 

[Psilonaught]

2.2, 400v. I listened to my system for two hours last night and I'm really delighted with these caps. The don't sound "warm", "clinical" or "organic". They just make voices and instruments sound as they should. Zero colouration.

I'm using Mundorf upgraded Magnepan 1.7s and a Plinius power amp and the micro details coming through, and holographic soundstage are really excellent.

I need to start saving up for a Supratek Cabernet preamp to accompany this world class dac now. I have a YS Audio balanced A2 which is ok but definitely holding back the system overall.