[Packgrog]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hadden /img/forum/go_quote.gif Well it has been awhile. Comparing it to the Benchmark usbDac1 on Vengerov/Rostropovich in Shosty Violin Concerto 1, the orchestra is more ill-defined/amorphous, with bloomy bass. It sounds like I am slagging it off. It's pretty good. Just euphonic, or something...BTW I wasn't all that crazy about the Dac1 -- but thats another subject.

You realize you're comparing a $150 NOS DAC with a professional $1200 OS DAC, right? It's like comparing a tasty bottle of cheap wine with a respected high-priced pinot noir. Not even in the same league.

That said, I've tried both as well. I own an old Monica 2 (no gain stage, not even upgraded caps), and I quite like it. There's things that could be improved, but I lack the skill to do it myself (had someone else build it for me). It's lucious, warm, and magical with the right power supply, though it might be a little "mushy" for pairing with my Atrio, as I've said in many other posts. It's a "musical" DAC, that lets you just kind of kick back and enjoy the music as a whole, without feeling an urge to pick apart every detail.

The Benchmark is an entirely different beast. This is used by professionals in the studio. The details this thing provides are incredible. But that's the thing: it's DETAILED. There's nothing relaxed about it. It will show off every flaw, and you'll be spending all of your time picking out the details in the music, rather than enjoying it as a whole composition.

Both are wonderful. The Monica can be rewarding if you have a DIY urge. It can be a bit fiddly if you don't though, and I'm starting to find that irritating. I want to make this thing a little less mushy, but I lack the skill (or the money to commission someone to upgrade it for me). I've read nice things about the Monica 3, which supposedly greatly improves on the design of the Monica 2. it's straight SPDIF only, though, and Yeo won't sell them as DIY modules anymore, nor does he seem to have much interest in producing a version with multiple inputs (ie: TOSLINK, which I need for my H120).

Hope that helps a little.

-Packgrog

 

[Packgrog]

Quote:

Originally Posted by PhaedrusX /img/forum/go_quote.gif

Good god! Beautiful design!

Here's my ghetto-tastic setup (note that this is the old Monica 2, not the USB version):

-Packgrog

 

[PhaedrusX]

yours is pretty impressive as well, Packgrog.

i recall reading a thread in which yeo states that he was unable to implement an optical input to his satisfaction. i'm wondering if yours or jamato8's Monica incorporates the TOSlink differently than what he had in mind.

and while the Monica continues to grow on me, i'm not crazy about yeo's decision to stop selling the modules. of course, he's free to take his company in whatever direction he wants but still, it seems to go against the whole spirit of what he set out to do.

but life goes on.

 

[Packgrog]

Well, as far as the optical input, I'm not sure Yeo was all that interested in trying to get it working. I know he did some experimenting, but he was so swamped with Monica orders that he didn't really have time to finish. I might well be one of the only people who has asked for optical, but that's because all of the sources I have with spdif use optical (my laptop, my H120, etc.).

Unfortunately, however, while Mazuki was able to get the mini-TOSLINK input working (and even make the same port work with electrical SPDIF thanks to an adapter he built, very nice), the input jack was designed to be mounted directly onto a PCB, and Monica doesn't have a spot for that. So, unfortunately, the jack has a tendency to wiggle and sometimes short out. This makes it not so useful as a portable. Jamato8 had been able to find a sturdier mini-TOSLINK jack that is no longer available. Doh. :/

Now, as far as any jitter being introduced by the conversion from optical to electrical, I really couldn't tell you. Again, though, it's a moot point for me since all of my sources are optical. If I'm ever able to spring for a Monica 3 (pfft, yeah right, I'm so broke it ain't funny), I'll still have to ask for TOSLINK, but would end up going for a full-sized jack. Uses more power, but it would be desk-bound anyway.

With all this said, and while my Monica is still probably the lowest lady on the totem pole, I still quite like the sound. There's MANY upgrades I'd love to do, but most of them are beyond my skill, so I make do, but even at this level it's still pretty nice.

-Packgrog

 

[cooperpwc]

Great review here:


Quote:

There is a pleasant musical wholeness to the USB Monica that is the antithesis of the hard, sterile sound some vinylphiles associate with digital reproduction. Bass is tight, controlled and deep, with punchy notes coming through with their verve fully intact. Percussion is snappy, tight and just plain delicious. On poorer recordings, cymbals and other residents of the upper treble can be a little fatiguing at times, which perhaps indicates that USB Monica neither adds to nor detracts from the script. In fact, this DAC occupies neutral territory better than any UN peacekeeper, and she’s as transparent as a cold winter sky. Detail retrieval is excellent and not at all analytical... USB Monica’s musical abilities aren’t quite on par with the much more expensive Audio Note DAC, but certainly comparable to those of DACs or CD players costing many multiples of the asking price. Having the Audio Note DAC on hand actually allowed an interesting experiment, pitting the USB Monica and laptop against the Audio Note using NAD C52li and Roksan Kandy CD players as transports. In all cases, USB Monica and the laptop smoked the opposition. There is definitely something to be said for doing away with the CD transport mechanism. When both the USB Monica and Audio Note DAC kit were fed by the computer, the difference between the two came down to the USB Monica being excellent and the Audio Note exceptional, which it should be at around ten times the price. Bear in mind USB Monica’s low price of $145 (figure around $250 with two power supplies and RCAs), and her performance is almost miraculous. USB Monica is a stellar bargain.

 

[fordgtlover]

Quote:

Originally Posted by PhaedrusX /img/forum/go_quote.gif thanks fordgtlover. your informative replies concerning the wiring and resistor values were greatly appreciated.

No problems - glad I could help.

 

[fordgtlover]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Packgrog /img/forum/go_quote.gif With all this said, and while my Monica is still probably the lowest lady on the totem pole, I still quite like the sound. There's MANY upgrades I'd love to do, but most of them are beyond my skill, so I make do, but even at this level it's still pretty nice. -Packgrog

Which upgrades?

 

[Packgrog]

Quote:

Originally Posted by fordgtlover /img/forum/go_quote.gif Which upgrades?

The caps could be upgraded to all black gates (Jamato8 said something about a super-e configuration, which Yeo actually uses on the Monica 3). Also, if I used a bigger (and thus less portable) case, I could potentially get the gain stage in there (which is built into the Monica 2 USB and the Monica 3). I haven't the skill to do any of this myself, nor the money to pay anyone to do it yet (I just bought a house, and will be paying over $1000 today for much overdue car service). Yeo probably won't do it since he'd rather sell the Monica 3, and Jamato8 doesn't have the time. So I'm S.O.L. for now. It still sounds quite good as-is, but I know it could be better, which makes me sad.

-Packgrog

 

[cooperpwc]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Packgrog /img/forum/go_quote.gif The caps could be upgraded to all black gates (Jamato8 said something about a super-e configuration, which Yeo actually uses on the Monica 3).

And in the wood case USB Monica also (and only the wood case so far). It's kind of a hybrid of the USB Monica and Monica 3 - some, not all of the benefits of the latter.

I don't know how the super-e configuration actually affects the sound (it will be my first black gates experience period.)

 

[Packgrog]

Quote:

Originally Posted by cooperpwc /img/forum/go_quote.gif And in the wood case USB Monica also (and only the wood case so far). It's kind of a hybrid of the USB Monica and Monica 3 - some, not all of the benefits of the latter. I don't know how the super-e configuration actually affects the sound (it will be my first black gates experience period.)

Dunno either, but I believe Jamato8 was one of if not THE first one to try the super-e config in his own Altoids Monica 2. He says it worked wonders on improving the quality of the sound. Sure, even with that the Monica 2 won't quite reach the level of the Monica 3, but improvement is possible. *sigh*

 

[PhaedrusX]

Quote:

Originally Posted by cooperpwc /img/forum/go_quote.gif And in the wood case USB Monica also (and only the wood case so far). It's kind of a hybrid of the USB Monica and Monica 3 - some, not all of the benefits of the latter. I don't know how the super-e configuration actually affects the sound (it will be my first black gates experience period.)

i believe the cased USB Monica now uses the same analog stage as the Monica 3 including, as you point out, the super-e configuration.

Packgrog, it looks like a hot glue gun was used to secure the toslink socket to the tin. if it's moving around on you, re-gluing it in place might solve that problem.

 

[PhaedrusX]

Quote:

Originally Posted by fordgtlover /img/forum/go_quote.gif Which upgrades?

if you go to yeo's forum, you can find most tweaks and mods there, many of which were eventually incorporated into the latest version.

performance also seems to depend a lot on the power supply. many feel that going up to 24v for the gain stage improves the sound.

 

[cooperpwc]

EDIT: She's evolving so quickly that I am going to hold off on detailed comments until she is burned in.
So far, I like her a lot.

 

[cooperpwc]

Why indeed!

Still burning in but this is a wonderful DAC.

 

[PhaedrusX]

i'm glad you're enjoying it.

i never left mine unattended during the burn-in, so i wasn't able to easily discern changes while i was listening. then again, i found the sound so inviting from the start, it didn't really make me want to analyze it too closely. i was simply involved in the music.

how about some pics?