[Topspin70]

The guys at Mcintosh should certainly give an official comment on this. I'm considering removing the dac from my shortlist. As @orkney rightly pointed out, it isn't exactly chump change. It's an end game dac for many people and hate to think it comes with a sound issue that people got to live with.

 

[Xcalibur255]

There is a prevailing theory that only people using the pre-amp functionality are experiencing it, but I'm not sure if I buy that myself.  The noise comes from the component that provides muting for the headphone output.  The headphone output is functional regardless of whether the user is using the fixed or variable main out so the need for that muting function is there regardless.  But, it seems like users who don't use the D100's volume control are the ones that aren't complaining about the noise.
 
If you plan to only use the unit for music playback then honestly the issue is nothing to worry about.  The D100 gives a very brief little chirp when music stops, such as changing a track, and it's not bothersome when used in this way.  It's only for mixed use people like me, who are using it under a TV and watching movies and TV through it, that the intermittent chirping during any and all moments of silence suddenly becomes very annoying.

 

[HiFiGuy528]

My review unit and personally own unit has zero issues.  I've used preamp out and fixed out to Woo Audio WA7 and hps port on D100.  No noise from the unit or through the outputs.  I recommend to reach out to your dealer to have them test the unit.

 

[Gibalok]

Gents, i have an option to grab wadia 122 for 1.5k, d100 for 2k and wadia 321 for 3k. Im willing to pair that with Bryston power 4bsst2 and pmc 22 speakers. im sure that any of them a good dacs so the only concern for me is the good preamp section. So i must not be wrong with that. Im seeking for punchy airy and detailed sound. Im pretty ok with Matrix x-sabre sound but it doesnt have an preamp section..

What would be your recomendation?

 

[sweetsdream]

Sorry to post on an older thread. I'm considering this or the D150. I have a question about the two sets of outputs. My plan is to use the variable for my powered monitors and control volume on the Mcintosh and fixed output to my Wa22. Are both sets active at the same time or do you switch between them?

 

[HiFiGuy528]

Sorry to post on an older thread. I'm considering this or the D150. I have a question about the two sets of outputs. My plan is to use the variable for my powered monitors and control volume on the Mcintosh and fixed output to my Wa22. Are both sets active at the same time or do you switch between them?

 
both are live on my D100 so I think D150 would not be any different.

 

[sweetsdream]

   
both are live on my D100 so I think D150 would not be any different.

Thank You, I pulled the trigger on the D150 and it does exactly what I was hoping it would do. I now have my Airmotivs and sub connected to the variable (XLR) out and my WA22 connected to the fixed (XLR) out. I am very impressed with this setup and it's sounding great so far. I did get to demo the MHA100 feeding some Sonus Faber bookshelf and was very impressed.

 

[sweetsdream]

I figured I should post a photo. I actually found a free DSD sample to try as well.
 

 

[Xcalibur255]

Sorry to post on an older thread. I'm considering this or the D150. I have a question about the two sets of outputs. My plan is to use the variable for my powered monitors and control volume on the Mcintosh and fixed output to my Wa22. Are both sets active at the same time or do you switch between them?

 
Both are live and independently buffered.  I operate mine using both simultaneously.  I feel like there might be a very tiny loss of fidelity on the variable out while using both, but it was just a gut feeling and nothing I can substantiate.  Tube amps often load an output stage more severely than a SS amp, I am running a tube amp off my fixed outputs much like how you are planning to do with your WA22 so I thought I should mention it.

 

[ahsu7]

Hi Guys, I've been a big lurker on this forum and specific thread...so much so that I also have the D100 and Studio Six driving LCD-3's.

I have always ran the D100 as fixed into the Studio Six, and used the Studio Six's volume control.

After about a year of ownership, I decided to use the d100's variable section and fix the Studio Six's volume at 3 o'clock.

I'm only a few songs in, and I think I hear more depth and more pop in the bass.

What can I expect by using the d100 as a pre instead of just dac?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Xcalibur255]

Aside from the change in which device controls volume I'm not sure what you would expect to be different.  The volume control in the D100 puts additional parts in the signal path so you take a small hit to resolution and transparency vs. just using the unit as a line DAC.  Everything else should be the same.
 
You'll have to let me know if your unit chirps once you are using the internal volume control.  Most owners who hear this seem to be using the unit as a pre.  I honestly wish I had never bought my D100, it's that annoying.  McIntosh basically told me to go fly a kite when I inquired about getting it corrected, despite the fact that multiple people experience it and it's reproducible under fixed circumstances.  Their rep wanted me to *prove* to him that the sound is annoying by submitting SPL measurements.  How obnoxious.

 

[ahsu7]

Thats annoying about the sub-par customer service.  Fortunately, I do not have the chirping problem, but I will look out for it. 
 
I was thinking that by using the D100 as a pre-amp, I'd somehow be hitting the Studio Six differently somehow and thus causing some difference in sound.
 
When reading the review from the OP, he said he used the D100 as both Pre and pure DAC - was there a favorite (and if so, then why), or was he indifferent?

 

[Xcalibur255]

The difference should be pretty small, in the form of a very small loss of low level detail.  It's possible that the volume control in the Studio Six is a bit less transparent than the one in the D100.  If this is the case my advice would be to run the volume control on the Studio Six at maximum/wide open while using the D100's internal volume controls.  This gets the Six's volume pot out of the signal path as much as possible.  If the Six uses a stepped potentiometer then turning it up to max will actually get it completely out of the signal since there would be no resistor on that step and the control would basically be functioning as a straight wire in the signal path.