New Audiolab DAC

[Blurpapa]

Quote:

Well, I made a balanced cable (2 x female 3 pin XLR to Hirose) this evening and I'm pleased to say the results for my HE-6 and LCD-2 are fantastic.
 
Anyone wondering, I terminated my cables recently with Hirose Connectors for my DB-2/PB-2 iBasso set up....
 
Only problem with this scenario is I want more time listening

 and there just isn't enough hours in the day.

Hi SpudHarris. 
 
Would you say we can do without a desktop headlphone amp wile using the MDAC? Is it good enough to by pass using an amp altogether?
 
also, if you have some comments vs the other DACs you've heard, I would really appreciate it. I see you are selling you DACMagic already? 

 
 

 

[SpudHarris]

As I have only just had it this week, I am trying to get used to one part at a time. I am using it balanced with my HE-6 at the moment and will compare to the EF-5 later. I know the EF-5 isn't an overly expensive amp but i have found it to be very, very good with planar's  due to the power output.
 
I can tell you that using the headphone amp section with the HE-6 just about gets to my listening level, the LCD-2's are fine with volume to spare. I will use only the headphone amp this evening and will hopefully be able to give more detail in comparison to the EF-5.

 

[Blurpapa]

 
Quote:

As I have only just had it this week, I am trying to get used to one part at a time. I am using it balanced with my HE-6 at the moment and will compare to the EF-5 later. I know the EF-5 isn't an overly expensive amp but i have found it to be very, very good with planar's  due to the power output.
 
I can tell you that using the headphone amp section with the HE-6 just about gets to my listening level, the LCD-2's are fine with volume to spare. I will use only the headphone amp this evening and will hopefully be able to give more detail in comparison to the EF-5.

Thanks Spudharris. Really appreciate it. 
Cheers. 
 
 
 

 

[soberspine]

is the power cable from the psu replaceable? I ask this because of the UK socket. Some pictures please. 

 

[SpudHarris]

Not sure what you mean? There is a UK plug (coz I'm in the UK). This leads to the PSU and there is a lead to the M-Dac with something like an 8 pin din. I'll try and take some pics later, everything is hard wired in my listening area so not quite as simple as you migh think.

 

[soberspine]

What I was asking: Can the cable that comes from the wall to the PSU be removed and replaced?, I am asking this because if I order this dac from UK it will come with the UK socket, obvious, and I need European socket.
I was asking for some pictures because there are only 2 pictures all over the internet.
Sorry for the bad English
 

 

[SpudHarris]

Ah, understood.
 
Does this help? I don't think it was the answer you were after though....
 

 
I really love the M-Dac. It has been my best purchase this year, unbelievably good with the HE-6 in balanced mode. The LCD-2 has also taken on a whole new lease of life, just sublime
 

 
 

 

[elnero]

Quote:

I really love the M-Dac. It has been my best purchase this year, unbelievably good with the HE-6 in balanced mode. The LCD-2 has also taken on a whole new lease of life, just sublime
 

 
 

Maybe you've answered this elsewhere, if so I apologize. Are you using the MDAC's headamp or balanced outputs to power the LCD-2's or are you using a separate amplifier?
 
Also, would it be possible to get a less compressed version of the photo I quoted?
 

 

[SpudHarris]

I've used the LCD-2 both balanced via M-Dac and via the M-Dac Headphone amp. However, the LCD-2 has great synergy with my HifiMan EF-5 Headphone amp so I generally use them with this.
 
If you click the photo it shows a larger version....

 

[elnero]

Quote:

I've used the LCD-2 both balanced via M-Dac and via the M-Dac Headphone amp. However, the LCD-2 has great synergy with my HifiMan EF-5 Headphone amp so I generally use them with this.
 
If yo click the photo it shows a larger version....

I did click the pic to see the larger version but there seems to be a lot of artifacting, look at the labels and you'll see what I mean. I'm guessing that the artifacting is also affecting the look of the finish.
 
I'll be curious to see how the MDAC performs as a headamp on it's own, I guess actually I'd be more curious how it the it's headphone amp deals with more sensitive IEM's like my Westone 4's.
 

 

[SpudHarris]

I've not tried my IEM's (Westone 4 or ES5's) with the M-Dac.
 
The photo is my rubbish skills, it's not a strong point of mine and to be truthful they were just very quick point and click and no effort made to be artistic. I'm sure I could do better if I tried (or bought that Sony A200 I've been hankering after)

 

[elnero]

Quote:

I've not tried my IEM's (Westone 4 or ES5's) with the M-Dac.
 
The photo is my rubbish skills, it's not a strong point of mine and to be truthful they were just very quick point and click and no effort made to be artistic. I'm sure I could do better if I tried (or bought that Sony A200 I've been hankering after)

No problem, thought it would be worth a try, no one seems to be posting much in the line of pics over at Pink Fish and I've been curious to see what the black finish looks like in real life, not product shots.

 

[Blurpapa]

Hi SpudHarris. 
 
Have you tried feeding music to the MDAC with a PC or a Mac. I see from the pics that you are running at iPod source setup. Just that I have experienced graininess while feeding the same music file with an iPod as compared to when it comes from my PC. 
 
Am waiting anxiously for the MDAC to reach Singapore shores but that might take a while
 

 

[SpudHarris]

I've been using two sources. Mainly my PC to a squeezebox into the M-Dac controlled wirelessly via i-peng on an ipod Touch (very, very slick). Then sometimes I just feed into and out of my CLAS. I can't tell much difference but there is no graininess with either. The beauty of the i-peng + Squeezebox is that I have access to ALL my music and no wires apart from the headphone of course.

 

[Blurpapa]

Quote:

I've been using two sources. Mainly my PC to a squeezebox into the M-Dac controlled wirelessly via i-peng on an ipod Touch (very, very slick). Then sometimes I just feed into and out of my CLAS. I can't tell much difference but there is no graininess with either. The beauty of the i-peng + Squeezebox is that I have access to ALL my music and no wires apart from the headphone of course.

Cool. Thanks for the tip on the squeezebox. I will read up more on it.