Hi,
I've got the HD-Dac1 here and I'm listening to it.
The headphone quality is really good, but the signal that comes out of the line out is veiled. There is a French review (Test Marantz HD-DAC1 - the link seems to be offline right now) where they measured the frequency response of the line out, which was rolled off at 15khz! And I can hear a clear difference: the headphone sound is great, but through my speakers it sounds rolled off. I'm comparing it with an EE minimax with upgraded opamps.
So my question to the members of this forum is: is it possible to improve the line-out on the HD-Dac1, so that it gets the same high frequencies as the headphone amp?
Thanks,
Anton
I've got the HD-Dac1 here and I'm listening to it.
The headphone quality is really good, but the signal that comes out of the line out is veiled. There is a French review (Test Marantz HD-DAC1 - the link seems to be offline right now) where they measured the frequency response of the line out, which was rolled off at 15khz! And I can hear a clear difference: the headphone sound is great, but through my speakers it sounds rolled off. I'm comparing it with an EE minimax with upgraded opamps.
So my question to the members of this forum is: is it possible to improve the line-out on the HD-Dac1, so that it gets the same high frequencies as the headphone amp?
Thanks,
Anton
I own an HD-DAC1 and have to say I can hear no roll off at all via line out compared to headphones out. I haven't seen this mentioned anywhere either. Perhaps the tests were in error or they had a pre-production unit, or one that was just faulty? I'd have returned mine if it rolled off that early!
The first unit I owned had problems with a faint hum using headphones, and the chassis got too hot. But the replacement was fine. I'm delighted with it!
The first unit I owned had problems with a faint hum using headphones, and the chassis got too hot. But the replacement was fine. I'm delighted with it!
I've now had more time with the HD-Dac1 and I have to say that through the speaker amp it seems to have opened up and I do not hear it rolled-off anymore. So, yes JohnM, you are probably right that the measurement must have been faulty. Maybe I even heard it that way because I had read about it!
Mine took a few hours before it 'opened out' but this seems to be the case with a lot of new equipment. Glad yours is sounding better now. I think it's an amazing DAC and could easily sell for twice its price!
A thread on it here you might be interested in:
Fantastic New Budget DAC: The Marantz HD DAC1 | Steve Hoffman Music Forums
A thread on it here you might be interested in:
Fantastic New Budget DAC: The Marantz HD DAC1 | Steve Hoffman Music Forums
If you're interested in buying an HD-DAC1 but would like to get a better price, go vote on my MassDrop poll at https://www.massdrop.com/vote/dsd-headphone-dacamp/.
I bought one and planned to modify it. I have not had the time to do so but will get to it one day.
I would like to replace the output caps from electrolytic to MKP, and perhaps replace the power supply first stage substituting the C with CRLC or CRLCRLC or the sort. The latter seems to be difficult because there is little space to allow adding components.
Anybody has given it a try? Happy to share here?
I would like to replace the output caps from electrolytic to MKP, and perhaps replace the power supply first stage substituting the C with CRLC or CRLCRLC or the sort. The latter seems to be difficult because there is little space to allow adding components.
Anybody has given it a try? Happy to share here?
I bought one and the service manual too. I don't care about the caps, but what bothers me and IMHO gives some tweaking potential is the power supply:
The DAC chip is supplied by IC98, a generic LM7805 for analog and IC99, a generic LM1117 3.3V for digital.
There is very little space left in the enclosure, but enough to add a flat transformer, a rectifier and som caps as well as a Dexa regulator.
Parts are ordered, I will record my progress here.
The DAC chip is supplied by IC98, a generic LM7805 for analog and IC99, a generic LM1117 3.3V for digital.
There is very little space left in the enclosure, but enough to add a flat transformer, a rectifier and som caps as well as a Dexa regulator.
Parts are ordered, I will record my progress here.
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