Monica 2 dac review
bikerboy
Posts: 1,211
Hi,
Thanks to daboyz for the Monica 2 dac. It is very different than the Adcom GDA-600. I can use the MA DIP and send a signal to both dacs at the same time and a-b them. I used the Monica though the MA DIP and without. It has better imaging, focus, and smoother in the vocals when the DIP is in play. It came with a 9v wall wart for the ps, so I used the ps from my Hagerman Bugle phono amp to see if a better ps would be that different. Diyparadise site has smps for sale and said up to 24v ps can be used. The Hagerman can be 15v so thats what I have been using. It has a lot more gain now with the 15v ps. It sounds very good, much better with the Hagerman ps. I have always felt my system is a little fatiguing if listening loud or for many hours. The Monica really smoothed the top out and is so easy to listen to. All the notes are there but is not as dynamic as the Adcom. So at first listen, the Monica sounds like there isnt as much range on the top or bottom. But if you give it a chance, listen for a couple of cds it really shines. Very nice, smooth and relaxing to hear. Then switch back to the Adcom and you feel like you are being sonically assaulted. The Adcom is punchier, is seems to have lower bass and more extended highs, but if you switch back to the Monica, it is playing the same notes but they are not as loud. It really has the midrange down, or up if you compare it to the Adcom. It seems the midrange is louder and as a result the bass and highs are quieter. A question to Gaara, Snow, or Daboyz (all previous owners of this Monica-she sure has been around the block): What power supplies did you use? Some people are using batteries. I need to return the Hagerman back to its phono amp someday and now know the wall wart is crap. Diyparadise has a smps but a sla battery might be the way to go. Any thoughts or ideas?
Thanks and happy listening.:D
Thanks to daboyz for the Monica 2 dac. It is very different than the Adcom GDA-600. I can use the MA DIP and send a signal to both dacs at the same time and a-b them. I used the Monica though the MA DIP and without. It has better imaging, focus, and smoother in the vocals when the DIP is in play. It came with a 9v wall wart for the ps, so I used the ps from my Hagerman Bugle phono amp to see if a better ps would be that different. Diyparadise site has smps for sale and said up to 24v ps can be used. The Hagerman can be 15v so thats what I have been using. It has a lot more gain now with the 15v ps. It sounds very good, much better with the Hagerman ps. I have always felt my system is a little fatiguing if listening loud or for many hours. The Monica really smoothed the top out and is so easy to listen to. All the notes are there but is not as dynamic as the Adcom. So at first listen, the Monica sounds like there isnt as much range on the top or bottom. But if you give it a chance, listen for a couple of cds it really shines. Very nice, smooth and relaxing to hear. Then switch back to the Adcom and you feel like you are being sonically assaulted. The Adcom is punchier, is seems to have lower bass and more extended highs, but if you switch back to the Monica, it is playing the same notes but they are not as loud. It really has the midrange down, or up if you compare it to the Adcom. It seems the midrange is louder and as a result the bass and highs are quieter. A question to Gaara, Snow, or Daboyz (all previous owners of this Monica-she sure has been around the block): What power supplies did you use? Some people are using batteries. I need to return the Hagerman back to its phono amp someday and now know the wall wart is crap. Diyparadise has a smps but a sla battery might be the way to go. Any thoughts or ideas?
Thanks and happy listening.:D
Main system: Lyngdorf TDAI 2170 w/ Pioneer 42" plazma-> Polk LSiM 703 w/Tivo, Marantz tuner, BRPTT: Nothingham Spacedeck-> Pioneer PL L1000 linear arm-> Soundsmith DL 103R-> SUT->Bottlehead ErosDigital: I3 PC w/ Jriver playing flac -> Sonore Ultrarendu -> Twisted Pair Audio ESS 9028 w/ Mercury IVY Vinyl rips: ESI Juli@24/192-> i3 PC server
Post edited by bikerboy on
Comments
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Glad you're enjoying!! I only had it two weeks and realized my "bonus" was gonna be zero so I had to sell to get the Fxi5's. I'm sure snow or gaara can help you out.
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Biker,
Can't help you to much in this regard, as I only used the Monica with the standard power supply. When I compared the USB Monica with SMPS to the Monica II with RadioShack wall wart I preferred the USB+SMPS. The problem is that I am not sure if the changes were due to the USB side of things or the power supply.
Either way I found the highs to be a little more detailed, and the bass to have improved alot. It seemed to be more forceful on bass heavy recordings, but when there isn't alot of bass it doesn't artificially increase it like some units. The soundstage seemed to improve slightly as well, a little wider and a little deeper, but only on really good recordings. -
From what I have read about it the best way seems to be to rig up a battery so you have a constant supply of power that isnt fluctating very much up or down. I also only used the wall wart on this DAC.
REGARDS SNOWWell, I just pulled off the impossible by doing a double-blind comparison all by myself, purely by virtue of the fact that I completely and stupidly forgot what I did last. I guess that getting old does have its advantages after all
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I've been looking at getting a Monica II usb dac to use with my audio server.
The gain stage is added on the same board as the dac and usb converter.
I will most likely order the SMPS at the same time.
I am happy to hear the Monica holds up well versus other dacs.
Everything I have read about any usb dac seems to support
the idea that it pays to use a quality power supply."The legitimate powers of government extend to such acts only as are injurious to others. But it does me no injury for my neighbour to say there are twenty gods, or no god. It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg." --Thomas Jefferson -
sucks2beme wrote: »I've been looking at getting a Monica II usb dac to use with my audio server.
The gain stage is added on the same board as the dac and usb converter.
I will most likely order the SMPS at the same time.
I am happy to hear the Monica holds up well versus other dacs.
Everything I have read about any usb dac seems to support
the idea that it pays to use a quality power supply.
Power supply section in a digital front end is extremely important. That is one of the main things that seperates the men from the boys. Discrete circuits are critical as well.
H9"Appreciation of audio is a completely subjective human experience. Measurements can provide a measure of insight, but are no substitute for human judgment. Why are we looking to reduce a subjective experience to objective criteria anyway? The subtleties of music and audio reproduction are for those who appreciate it. Differentiation by numbers is for those who do not".--Nelson Pass Pass Labs XA25 | EE Avant Pre | EE Mini Max Supreme DAC | MIT Shotgun S1 | Pangea AC14SE MKII | Legend L600 | BlueSound Node 3 - Tubes add soul! -
I hope to steal the battery from my wrx today and see if a car battery and a 6300 uf cap will sound any better than the ps I borrowed from the bugle phono pre amp. I sometimes hear very low level crackly sounds almost like clicks on an lp. It could be from something else but the car battery will help answer some questions. I just got a DH Labs Silver sonic digital cable to go between the MA DIP and the Monica2. It opened up the sound a lot, better imaging and bass. More to follow.Main system: Lyngdorf TDAI 2170 w/ Pioneer 42" plazma-> Polk LSiM 703 w/Tivo, Marantz tuner, BRPTT: Nothingham Spacedeck-> Pioneer PL L1000 linear arm-> Soundsmith DL 103R-> SUT->Bottlehead ErosDigital: I3 PC w/ Jriver playing flac -> Sonore Ultrarendu -> Twisted Pair Audio ESS 9028 w/ Mercury IVY Vinyl rips: ESI Juli@24/192-> i3 PC server
