Hey Guys, the Monarchy 22B I picked up on EBay is shorting, the fuse blows immediately. The Seller claims it was working when he mailed it, if that is true any chance one or both of the transformers were damaged in shipping? Help!!!!
Well, anything is possible and damage due to transit could happen, especially if the packaging was insufficient. But bottom line is if you bought on Ebay and used PayPal, then you are protected and if the seller will not make it right for you, file a claim with PayPal.
Well, anything is possible and damage due to transit could happen, especially if the packaging was insufficient. But bottom line is if you bought on Ebay and used PayPal, then you are protected and if the seller will not make it right for you, file a claim with PayPal.
Thanks, yes on both counts, Ebay and PayPal. Mr. Poon (he is a great Guy BTW) sent me the schematics and he is talking me through a couple of things. Need to get a new battery for my multimeter so I will find out this PM.
It was packed very well, the Seller says he is a Tech with an electrical background and the unit was working when he sent it to me. He only insured it for $100.00 with Canada Post. Here's a pic of the transformers, any idea on the replacement costs?
It is HIGHLY unlikely for a transformer to be damaged due to shipping. It takes heat and power to damage transformers, normally. Much more likely to have been caused by shipping would be something coming loose or for the motherboard to get knocked off its mounting and perhaps shorting to ground. I would be very surprised if a transformer was good when shipped and then bad when delivered. You might look under the main board and see if a screw or something is wedged underneath... or look for a loose connection somewhere...
It is HIGHLY unlikely for a transformer to be damaged due to shipping. It takes heat and power to damage transformers, normally. Much more likely to have been caused by shipping would be something coming loose or for the motherboard to get knocked off its mounting and perhaps shorting to ground. I would be very surprised if a transformer was good when shipped and then bad when delivered. You might look under the main board and see if a screw or something is wedged underneath... or look for a loose connection somewhere...
Thanks, will take a look when I get home. If it is a transformer I will have to negotiate for the cost of replacement or just ship it back for a refund.
Why do you think it was a transformer? It's more likely a dislodged screw or loose contact as Ableza has pointed out. Look for cracks in the tracks on the printed circuit boards, loose connectors, a loose wire at the power plug, etc.
I would just go for the refund and hit reboot. You could be pulling your hair out trying to find the fault if it isn't very obvious. You have other DACs right, or is this DAC supposed to be so good that it is worth the effort? Good luck there buddy.
I recently compared dacs costing $35, $175, $500, and $1500. There was a clear difference between all of them I think all of this "all dacs sound the same" talk has only been around a couple years and probably comes frm the younger generation who has less cash to spend and therefore wants to justify a lo-fi or mid-fi setup as endgame.
And other people compared $2, $200 and $2000 DACs and found that they cannot tell the difference http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/high-end-pc-audio,3733-19.html. That was a pretty professional test, performed 100% by the book.
Could you tell us more about the devices you tested and how did you do it?
In this interst of keeping this thread on topic I made my reply to prot's post on "Testing claims about the sound of different DACs" thread in Sound Science
And other people compared $2, $200 and $2000 DACs and found that they cannot tell the difference http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/high-end-pc-audio,3733-19.html. That was a pretty professional test, performed 100% by the book.
Could you tell us more about the devices you tested and how did you do it?
LOL, that article has been mentioned several times already. I too could line up several craptastic DACs from $100 to $4000 and probably have the $100 one sound the best. Those guys were using the builtin headouts of some of those DACs too. The findings in that article aren't that much out of whack if you've actually heard the combinations they've tested.
Why do you think it was a transformer? It's more likely a dislodged screw or loose contact as Ableza has pointed out. Look for cracks in the tracks on the printed circuit boards, loose connectors, a loose wire at the power plug, etc.
OK, update....checked the ohms across the 230V point on the board, no idea what it's actually called but Mr. Poon said anything over 20 was fine and I am getting 21.3. No visible cracks on the board, loose connections, etc., stil blowing fuses. Guess I'll be sending it back.
Before I do I'll check with Mr. Poon one more time to see if he has any ideas. Those PCM63 P-K's are beautiful though....
LOL, that article has been mentioned several times already. I too could line up several craptastic DACs from $100 to $4000 and probably have the $100 one sound the best. Those guys were using the builtin headouts of some of those DACs too. The findings in that article aren't that much out of whack if you've actually heard the combinations they've tested.
Actually in the resolution, detail department, I found Dell XPS 9100 desktop PC is the best (integrated realtek chip, probably the whole audio section on the motherboard is only $2).
I use it as a reference to compare with DACs, it beats all DACs I have tried from few hundred to $1xxx.
I know this sounds crazy, all DACs are not as detailed, as transparent as a $2 audio system. Until I got Hilo.
Note that I am not talking about sound quality, XPS 9100 internal sound chip is NOT musical, NOT smooth, frequency response is not flat, .... Only talking about details and clarity.
Thanks, yes on both counts, Ebay and PayPal. Mr. Poon (he is a great Guy BTW) sent me the schematics and he is talking me through a couple of things. Need to get a new battery for my multimeter so I will find out this PM.
It was packed very well, the Seller says he is a Tech with an electrical background and the unit was working when he sent it to me. He only insured it for $100.00 with Canada Post. Here's a pic of the transformers, any idea on the replacement costs?
The postal insurance should be the seller's responsibility; if he didn't insure enough, that's his problem.
If he seems helpful, he says he's a tech, maybe he'd like to have a look at it, see if he can fix it and return, or refund you, depending on what he can do or how you feel.
It depends on how much of a bargain you feel you got, what comparable alternatives there are and do you trust the seller?
LOL, that article has been mentioned several times already. I too could line up several craptastic DACs from $100 to $4000 and probably have the $100 one sound the best. Those guys were using the builtin headouts of some of those DACs too. The findings in that article aren't that much out of whack if you've actually heard the combinations they've tested.
You and I may or may not agree with the conclusion but I doubt that any audio-joe will hear anything different. That means over 99% of the people .. and since we are discussing the SQ as a subjective matter of oppinion, that percentage is very relevant.
I have no reason to doubt the people who wrote that article. Tom's is a well known PC hardware-test site.. one of the oldest and most respected. Also, it is not the only report to say that the $2 MB sounchips are really good nowadays.
I do however have every possible doubt about empty statements like the above "I tested 3 DACs and they did sound very different" .. that is not even information ... and probably wouldve been a much better idea to just ignore it.
I have no reason to doubt the people who wrote that article. Tom's is a well known PC hardware-test site.. one of the oldest and most respected. Also, it is not the only report to say that the $2 MB sounchips are really good nowadays.
I do however have every possible doubt about empty statements like the above "I tested 3 DACs and they did sound very different" .. that is not even information ... and probably wouldve been a much better idea to just ignore it.
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