An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
Any news? anyone? lol
(I'm not sure what that smilie is really meant to signify but it looks appropriate to me)Its a shame really, as Johns proposed dac was pretty much perfect spec for what i need (and a lot of what other people need too) A lot of dacs are popping up all over the place, but none seem to have quite the same care in the design that John would have put into his i expect.
I could see Johns dac being a direct competitor to the benchmark dac, only cheaper, made in china etc....Id have happily paid £500-£750 for the dac, functionality and or course performance are what count to me, im not fussed about a fancy case.
At the moment im seriously considering the benchmark usb dac, as im in the UK the price is the only sticking point (£1050), that and the hope that John will still make his dac!
I bought a Cambridge audio dac as a stop gap, the sound is good*
but its missing a volume control/preamp section and headphone out. Im guessing they didnt do this because they've got an expensive (and incredibly complicated preamp) to sell, i'll hazard a guess that the sales for this are very low in comparison to other equipment they make.
Jon.
*but not as good as then benchmark dac or Opus 21(hey but what do you expect given the price differences!) or at least it wasnt when i compared the two dacs in a friends system, although the dacmagic was new, i think it has improved a great deal, it seemed to take an age to come on song.
I could see Johns dac being a direct competitor to the benchmark dac, only cheaper, made in china etc....Id have happily paid £500-£750 for the dac, functionality and or course performance are what count to me, im not fussed about a fancy case.
At the moment im seriously considering the benchmark usb dac, as im in the UK the price is the only sticking point (£1050), that and the hope that John will still make his dac!
I bought a Cambridge audio dac as a stop gap, the sound is good*
but its missing a volume control/preamp section and headphone out. Im guessing they didnt do this because they've got an expensive (and incredibly complicated preamp) to sell, i'll hazard a guess that the sales for this are very low in comparison to other equipment they make.
Jon.
*but not as good as then benchmark dac or Opus 21(hey but what do you expect given the price differences!) or at least it wasnt when i compared the two dacs in a friends system, although the dacmagic was new, i think it has improved a great deal, it seemed to take an age to come on song.
People on Forums are saying that the AuzenTech PC sound cards sound better than the Benchmark DAC.
I only mention this as you (Muz) mentioned USB.
A pal has the, now discontinued, AuzenTech X-Meridian. It really does sound pretty good on his very revealing system. I modified it, of course
Deleted two DC blocking caps (after checking the DC level in all conditions was not a problem) Also we've been trying different OpAmps in it. Found last week that a very decent mains supply to the PC PSU was a sizeable improvement to the HiFi sound!
I just bought an X-Meridian 2nd hand, arrived today. I think there are some muting transistors that may be deletable. And maybe some copper track that could be changed to silver wire. The forums say it helps to stick a sheet of Stillpoints ERS cloth to the back on the soundcard, which I intend to try.
Of course, it's not practical to use as a preamp, or headphone driver. It's really just a source component. Though you can plug in both SPDIF and analogue signals.
The new Asus soundcards / multimedia cards are also supposed to be very good indeed, Asus bought the rights to the CMedia DSP that Auzentech used, hence the demise of the X-Meridian as it was based around a CMedia chip.
I only mention this as you (Muz) mentioned USB.
A pal has the, now discontinued, AuzenTech X-Meridian. It really does sound pretty good on his very revealing system. I modified it, of course
Deleted two DC blocking caps (after checking the DC level in all conditions was not a problem) Also we've been trying different OpAmps in it. Found last week that a very decent mains supply to the PC PSU was a sizeable improvement to the HiFi sound!I just bought an X-Meridian 2nd hand, arrived today. I think there are some muting transistors that may be deletable. And maybe some copper track that could be changed to silver wire. The forums say it helps to stick a sheet of Stillpoints ERS cloth to the back on the soundcard, which I intend to try.
Of course, it's not practical to use as a preamp, or headphone driver. It's really just a source component. Though you can plug in both SPDIF and analogue signals.
The new Asus soundcards / multimedia cards are also supposed to be very good indeed, Asus bought the rights to the CMedia DSP that Auzentech used, hence the demise of the X-Meridian as it was based around a CMedia chip.
Ian, I wish i knew what the hell i was doing then id make my own. Something like a buffalo dac with volume control, im sure it would end up in smoke! (literally) if i had a go at putting one together.
The sound card i had in my computer isnt to bad sound quality wise, but it is noisy. I have one of these USB to toslink/SPDIF converters(see pic below) ive been using with the dacmagic, instead of using its own USB input, the sound difference between the two is quite different, im not sure why it sounds so different.
Just thought id post, to see if there was any news on John and his designs. The dacmagic is still a stop gap.
USB to toslink converter im using with the dacmagic
The sound card i had in my computer isnt to bad sound quality wise, but it is noisy. I have one of these USB to toslink/SPDIF converters(see pic below) ive been using with the dacmagic, instead of using its own USB input, the sound difference between the two is quite different, im not sure why it sounds so different.
Just thought id post, to see if there was any news on John and his designs. The dacmagic is still a stop gap.
USB to toslink converter im using with the dacmagic
Well its sounds different, smoother with less bass, maybe a little less congested, maybe its got less jitter than the USB input of the Dacmagic, the difference in very noticeable. At the moment im using it from a PC, when i get my Macbook back tomorrow i'll be able to try it and see if there is a difference then (laptops running off battery power have less jitter according to Cambridge audio)
muz640 said:
Hi, interesting point about laptops running from battery having less jitter. I found that using a UPS (uninteruptable power supply) powering my Powermac G4's made a difference to the general performance and the fans seemed quieter.
I had thought that they might help the sound coming from the CD/DVD drive but I do not have a PCI soundcard so look forward to trying one, any recommendations for the Mac?
Regards
Jagtar
Just a little update, then although this really has nothing to to do with the original thread i suppose, other than being it sort of being about dacs and stuff.
Anyway for the cambridge dacmagic, The pc via teralink x is has a different sound to the cambridge USB on its own, even though on paper they are supposed to be the same component. I prefer the sound coming from the PC to USB Teralink x box, into the Dacmagic via optical or SPDIF, via the Macbook optical the sound is slightly different maybe a bit more open (but maybe im imagining it!)
I also have a Benchmark Dac 1 here as well, which sounds very different compared to the dacmagic, more fluid, open, relaxed, refined and leaner, the Benchmark im using as a the preamp strait into the active crossover bypassing my Valve preamp.
The funny thing is using Benchmark Dac1 as the preamp sounds more valve like than the Dacmagic and Minimax Valve preamp!
Jon
Anyway for the cambridge dacmagic, The pc via teralink x is has a different sound to the cambridge USB on its own, even though on paper they are supposed to be the same component. I prefer the sound coming from the PC to USB Teralink x box, into the Dacmagic via optical or SPDIF, via the Macbook optical the sound is slightly different maybe a bit more open (but maybe im imagining it!)
I also have a Benchmark Dac 1 here as well, which sounds very different compared to the dacmagic, more fluid, open, relaxed, refined and leaner, the Benchmark im using as a the preamp strait into the active crossover bypassing my Valve preamp.
The funny thing is using Benchmark Dac1 as the preamp sounds more valve like than the Dacmagic and Minimax Valve preamp!
Jon
Hi Simon, no im outputting 44.1( the light on the front of the dac lights up) ive the ASIO4 all thing.
When i use the PC its only has a USB out no SPDIF or toslink output, really im not comparing SPDIF to USB, just the built in USB in the dacmagic to the Teralink X USB converter feeding the dacmagic via SPDIF or toslink.
Using the teralink X converter with the PC USB output is an improvement over using the USB from the PC strait to the Dacmagic USB (does any of this make any sense, lol!)
Like you say the best way is via toslink from my mac strait into the Dacmagic, it seems to give a slightly more open sound, more relaxed less grunge. Thats with Mac outputting 16bits 44.1, ive not tried changing the MIDI in the Mac to output 96/24 bits into the dacmagic yet, and im wondering what difference this will make.
How do you find the Dacmagic in comparison to your 840? is it better your using the Macbook as a transport? have you tried the Macbook feeding the dacs with different sampling rates?
Regards Jon
When i use the PC its only has a USB out no SPDIF or toslink output, really im not comparing SPDIF to USB, just the built in USB in the dacmagic to the Teralink X USB converter feeding the dacmagic via SPDIF or toslink.
Using the teralink X converter with the PC USB output is an improvement over using the USB from the PC strait to the Dacmagic USB (does any of this make any sense, lol!)
Like you say the best way is via toslink from my mac strait into the Dacmagic, it seems to give a slightly more open sound, more relaxed less grunge. Thats with Mac outputting 16bits 44.1, ive not tried changing the MIDI in the Mac to output 96/24 bits into the dacmagic yet, and im wondering what difference this will make.
How do you find the Dacmagic in comparison to your 840? is it better your using the Macbook as a transport? have you tried the Macbook feeding the dacs with different sampling rates?
Regards Jon
Well you made be laugh
You have to be joking well thanks for making me laugh - I can assure you that the "Gentleman" in the picture is not me!!!
For a start he has a better haircut - and thats no joke these days!!!
Well - I've been REALLY busy - and in a few months (yes I know you have all heard this before) - you will be able to buy a DAC designed by Domonik.P and myself - under the Brand of Axxxxxxb.
Electronically, it’s based upon the same design as for my own brand - which I just have not had the time to get moving (although I keep spending more monies on toolings etc).
Can't say much ATM - once it’s on the market I can fill you in more - and give you all the juicy details.
RRP should be GBP399 - and it’s a Dacapo beater,
JohnW
You have to be joking
well thanks for making me laugh - I can assure you that the "Gentleman" in the picture is not me!!!For a start he has a better haircut
- and thats no joke these days!!!Well - I've been REALLY busy - and in a few months (yes I know you have all heard this before) - you will be able to buy a DAC designed by Domonik.P and myself - under the Brand of Axxxxxxb.
Electronically, it’s based upon the same design as for my own brand - which I just have not had the time to get moving (although I keep spending more monies on toolings etc).
Can't say much ATM - once it’s on the market I can fill you in more - and give you all the juicy details.
RRP should be GBP399 - and it’s a Dacapo beater,
JohnW
Hi Dan,
Sorry to hear about your CD transport - What DAC do you use it with? - I'm guessing IsoMagic?
As I Email this, I'm just building up a CD player for the same company as the DAC - that also has digital inputs. While it has Digital Output (but no Clock Lock), the players internal DAC's are much better then the IsoMagic (which is still one of my own personal favourites).
There will be a transport for the DAC (the DAC also has Clock Lock Feature), but no time scales yet – early next year at a guess.
If you want to replace your IsoMagic / DiscMagic I recommend the coming CD player which can also function as a DAC.
Its not to hard to modify most CD player to accept an external Clock – so you can still Clock Lock your IsoMagic – do you have a donor CD player? I can maybe draw you a circuit if I can find enough data on the CD player.
John
Sorry to hear about your CD transport - What DAC do you use it with? - I'm guessing IsoMagic?
As I Email this, I'm just building up a CD player for the same company as the DAC - that also has digital inputs. While it has Digital Output (but no Clock Lock), the players internal DAC's are much better then the IsoMagic (which is still one of my own personal favourites).
There will be a transport for the DAC (the DAC also has Clock Lock Feature), but no time scales yet – early next year at a guess.
If you want to replace your IsoMagic / DiscMagic I recommend the coming CD player which can also function as a DAC.
Its not to hard to modify most CD player to accept an external Clock – so you can still Clock Lock your IsoMagic – do you have a donor CD player? I can maybe draw you a circuit if I can find enough data on the CD player.
John
I for one am glad to see youve stopped touring with your organ, as much as them tea dances and old peoples homes must have been exciting (not to mention the groupies) I think your better at designing electronics!
Good to know your busy, i still hold out hope that youll bring out your own dac with the feature set of a Benchmark Dac1 (only better performing!)
Im guessing then if its under manufacturer A* it wont be balanced or have a preamp or headphone amp?
Best, Jon
) I think your better at designing electronics! Good to know your busy, i still hold out hope that youll bring out your own dac with the feature set of a Benchmark Dac1 (only better performing!)
Im guessing then if its under manufacturer A* it wont be balanced or have a preamp or headphone amp?
Best, Jon