new DAC...

as some of youmay know I've just bought myself a Musical Fidelity X-ACT DAC, I was sure what to expect but I thought I'd give it a go and if didn't work then at least I'd get most of my cash back if I sold it on...

anyway, I've been slowly upgrading my kit for a while now - as funds allow and I was impressed with the DAC, a colleage said to me that he though that it's best if you spend the most amount of cash on the speakers, while I'm on really sure on what the ratio should be between the source, and and speakers, I would definately say that its the source..?

as my speakers do reveal a lot of whats being played, but surely if the weak spot is the source itself then this would limit what the speaker can output..?

the amount of stuff i can hear now is unreal at times, I did expect it (to an extent) on some Orb and other ambient stuff, but hearing extra 'strums' of the guitar on accoustic music etc...wow!

 

Umm, no offence Mr Cat, but the X-act is a steaming pile of poo imo. I had one for a while and sold it after realising my mistake. Adding it to my Pio 565 made no difference - detail or otherwise. Its very bright and lacks any real bass weight.

I'm *amazed* you can hear more detail over your pio 656 (whose digital stage is far more expensive than that of the x-act.) I assume you are running it off the 656?

The x-act's power transformer is also a pile of junk.

I'd sell it asap and put the proceeds towards something better. The X-24 is supposed to be pretty good. Why not give that a try instead?

Sorry if this seems rude, but I'm sure most x-act owners will agree with me on this.

DT

 

ermm...I'm not running it with my 656...but my yammy cd player!

 

DT,

If Mr Cat is happy with his DAC, that is all that matters.

Negative comments about someone else's happy purchase rarely go down well.

You might want to edit your post, it comes across as a bit strong IMO, possibly breaching forum protocols.

Thanks
Chris

 

Sorry for being a bit pedantic but if this toy made no audio differences then are you're saying that Prioneer disc spinner is a pile of poo sounding bright and lacks any real bass weight with or without this DAC right?

I'm on the look out for an additional lower cost disc spinner to try the few hybrid SACD I now have. I am happy with my CD transport. Just need a SACD player to hear what is all the fuss is about.

 

Well, the 565 is certainly not the last word in cd playback and would benefit from a quality offboard dac, which the x-act is not. Pretty good with SACD & DVDA though.

Anyway, Mr Cat said he's using it with a Yammy cdp - so the x-act is probably helping out there after all .

The only other budget SACD spinners I can think of are the Denon 2200, Sony XB-790, Philips 963SA and the Marantz 6500.

DT

 

talk about contradiction...I don't know if I should shake your hand, or give you a swift right hook...

 

DT,
Give the guy a break.

 

Don't waste your money on a cheap SACD player.... you'll only come back here and tell us SACD isn't worth it.

I wouldn't aim any lower than Denon 2900 - now replaced by inferior DSD->PCM converting 3910, or a Pioneer DV-868, but I've never seen one of those advertised 2nd hand.

 

If you can handle changing surface mount stuff those pioneer DV575 things are killer with some upgrades, about 100 notes new and another £100 or so on bits, including a clock and you've got a pretty serious player, makes a nice job of SACD and CD. At that price its a really nice road into it. And if you look at what alot of the manufacturers are up to, they're all doing exactly the same, sticking a new facia on and another 0 onto the price tag.

 

Technosound in Milton Keynes have a Musical Fidelity A3.24 upsampling DAC on offer. I noticed this when I was in there last week. They are asking £499 for it, looks like an ex-demo unit (RRP is marked at £800).

 

thats what I use(A3 24) with my Teac T1
works a treat

 

I must admit, I did go through a slight moment of MF envy and desire! I have a fully modified Teac VRDS-10 by Audiocom (clock, power supply, etc. etc), but would like to try it with the A3.24, especially as there is a bypass switch on the rear panel of the Teac for connecting direct to a DAC.

 

The Xdac which is a close relative to the x-act is a fine beast ....once you have done a couple or three things.
1 get rid of the wall wart ....use a 240 to 12v ac transformer of 300va ish its not an exact science. This was a big pluss and boosted every aspect of the x-dac's performance.
2 swap the diodes for Schottky types.....11DQ10's work like a dream.. For a few pence its like getting a new player.

3 fitt some decent opamps ....dead easy as the the x-dac has sockets waiting to accept a decent opamp op2604 or better.

4 can't count ...use a decent dac lead and ic's.

In my opinion the pioneer mentioned is only an ok player ! so even with the x-act in place its not going to light up the world ! [IMO]

 

great, where can I get more info about the first 3 tweaks..?

cheers

 

Me Me .....

Drop me an email and I can put something together for you

 

Wouldn't an X-dac V3 (£499 new) be a better buy? And will have full warrenty

 

cheers, I've sent you a PM with my e-mail addy...

 

zanash,

I would suggest a AD825 for the opamps, ok you need two per channel mounted on browndog boards and the cost is a little more but they are a better opamps.