Da-capo issue (John W?)

[loris.p]

Hi John, I'm happy at last your baby is born....
Now that HE's born, will it be any chance that my board will be repaired?
Loris

[loris.p]

Originally Posted by JohnW

the units are approaching Pre-production – to be released before the end of the new year…

?????????????????

[JohnW]

HI Loris,

I will get you a New DAC (send it to you when I comeback to Europe for Xmas) - have a listen - then decide if you still want your Dacapo repaired... I suspect not...

John

[JohnW]

Ops...

I ment before the end of THIS year - sorry...

[loris.p]

I' like to have ir repaired because I bought it broken ( I knew it) along with a Cardinal so I've never heard it. Then I sent the board to a friend in Paris who made new tracks ( You said it was a very good job) And the caps. Then I sent it to you in Chzeck Republic and you brought it to China under your arm.....
After this couple of Years with the dacapo going back and forth it's a matter of affect......
I'm not in a hurry for the repair because I have an Ordinal ( but with 1307 filter and without the clock lock dic ( I sent it to you in china with the hdcd filter))


Anyway I'll do what you're saying, I'll listen the new creature before

[muz640]

Thanks John for taking time to post with news of the new Dac, it sounds very exciting indeed!

Best, Jon

Oh and sq225917, if your nipping down the shops pick up some of them humble pies will ya?

[Betto]

That's really goood news, John!
Can we also expect a matching power amp ( obviously designed by you) from Audiolab, maybe a current damping class A amp like the one originally projected for the Mephisto range?
Thank you John
All the best, Betto

[sq225917]

i forgive you John, expect many more desenters and lost hopers to form an orderly queue..(Including me ).

[Studley]

John
can you just clarify, is this new DAC the cheaper version you planned to bring out or is it the super new DaCapo with 1000 DACs per channel?

If its the former, might the latter still see the light of day?

Ian

[JohnW]

Hi Ian,

What was originally the Mephisto DAC design for my own brand has been repackaged into the AudioLab MDAC. The major difference over the Mephisto design is that the AudioLab has an external PSU for size reasons (it was internal within the Mephisto Casework), LCD instead of VFD display and redesigned output buffers. I’ve kept a unique and more advanced Output buffer design for “Mephisto” should it ever be released.

The AudioLab MDAC really came about because I came across a suitable Die-cast Front panel and extrusion sitting about and no longer used - with a few simple modifications could house the Mephisto DAC (without internal PSU) – thus the AudioLab MDAC was born.

It’s a fun little design, which I believe will allow AudioLab to enter new territory. It’s housed in a smaller form factor then traditional AudioLab “Hi-Fi” – in keeping with the intention of being used with PC/ Mac’s etc. But don’t let its size fool you:-

MDAC highlights:-

• MultiBit 78MHz 256 “1Bit” DAC Array Per Channel.
• USB Input with 96 KHz 24 Bit support. Driverless Remote Control of PC / MAC Media Player.
• x2 192KHz 24Bits Coax SPDIF Inputs.
• x2 96KHz Optical Inputs.
• x2 Line level Analog Inputs – Class A Line level Relay Switched Preamplifier with Balance XLR outputs (With Digital Direct Mode).
• External PSU, with future upgrade path & MCU interface.
• Clock-Lock interface – User selectable output clock rate.
• Custom LCD display
• Full remote control & External Remote I/O Loop.
• Fully Balanced Discrete OPS Class A design
• 29 Regulated supply rails.
• Organic Ultra Low ESR capacitors, High Tolerance Ppolypropylene film / Foil capacitors, Ultra Stable Very Low VCR MELF SMD resistors, 4 Layer PCB.
• User Selectable Digital Filters – Software upgradeable Via USB Port.
• Greater then 132dB Awtd Dynamic Range (Balanced outputs, 6V RMS 0.0008%THD 1KHz 100 Ohm load)
• Greater then 128dB Non Awtd (Measurement limited)
• 0.0004% THD @ 1KHz 2Vrms (50 Ohm Load)
• High Current Single Ended & Balanced Discrete Class A outputs.
• Very Simple 2nd order Fully Balanced Discrete Class A Analogue signal Path (Direct Mode)
• Selectable 117dB DR Class A Fully Balanced Analogue Line Level Pre Amplifier. 0.0015 THD @ 2Vrms (50 Ohm load).
• Digital Direct Mode, Selectable “Digital Only” Preamplifier Mode (bypassing fully Balanced Analogue Gain control stage).
• Class A Discrete Headphone Amplifier

• Master Clock Jitter Less then 3pS Short Term. Measured at DAC “XOut” Pin
• 0.6pS Total “Discrete” Jitter Components
• 1.8pS Random Jitter Component
• Discrete Low LF noise 5th Overtone highly stable Oscillator design – long term drift about 1ppm over 24 hours – less then 3pS short term.

It’s a DAC that will take no prisoners....

Historically, AudioLab has not featured Balanced outputs. I’m a very big fan of Balanced outputs (Controlled – Clean signal returns); as such the MDAC Balanced outputs are a legacy of its “Mephisto” roots. Any designs I develop for AudioLab in the future will all feature Balanced I/O.

Again, the matching “Mephisto” Power amplifier design (an advanced development of Current Dumping Class A) will also be lunched under the AudioLab brand – however in AudioLab’s more conventional form factor… But I cannot say too much at this time, I’ve already said WAY TOO MUCH… suffices to say, that AudioLab to going to be very much in the spotlight once again in the coming year…

My design work for AudioLab and Peachtree Audio (Nova & Decco2???) has left me no time to continue with my own brand – still the “designs” are filtering into production – just under a different brand… Such is life…

John