Musical Fidelity V-Dac

AsSiMiLaTeD
AsSiMiLaTeD Posts: 11,728
edited September 2011 in Electronics
Anyone used one of these, have any opinions of it? The question is halt moot as I've already ordered one and will be receiving it today, but curious if there are any other owners out there, have not seen it discussed much.

I read good reviews online, but those were mostly from retarded Amazon shoppers who can barely write an intelligible sentence sometimes.

One thing I will say, its ugly as well. It'll likely be the ugliest piece of gear I've ever owned. I have to wonder if that's on purpose, if you want something from them that looks decent you'll need to spend more money.

I guess that's it, I'll share my thoughts when I've had some time with it, but wanted to see if anyone else has any comments.
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  • Erik Tracy
    Erik Tracy Posts: 4,673
    edited August 2011
    AsSiMiLaTeD wrote: »
    Anyone used one of these, have any opinions of it? The question is halt moot as I've already ordered one and will be receiving it today, but curious if there are any other owners out there, have not seen it discussed much.

    I read good reviews online, but those were mostly from retarded Amazon shoppers who can barely write an intelligible sentence sometimes.

    One thing I will say, its ugly as well. It'll likely be the ugliest piece of gear I've ever owned. I have to wonder if that's on purpose, if you want something from them that looks decent you'll need to spend more money.

    I guess that's it, I'll share my thoughts when I've had some time with it, but wanted to see if anyone else has any comments.

    I'd be interested in your review.

    It is kinda fugly looking - maybe it should be outta sight outta mind?

    Get some zip ties and secure down in the back of the rack. :smile:

    H9: If you don't trust what you are hearing, then maybe you need to be less invested in a hobby which all the pleasure comes from listening to music.
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  • AsSiMiLaTeD
    AsSiMiLaTeD Posts: 11,728
    edited August 2011
    Oh it's not 'kinda' fugly, like I said it'll be the ugliest piece of gear I've ever owned. It's not even the enclosure, it's the hidious writing and makings on the case, they could have just left it all black and it would have been just fine, maybe a project in the making if I like it enough.
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  • falconcry72
    falconcry72 Posts: 3,580
    edited August 2011
    Everything in Musical Fidelity's V-series looks like that; it keeps things cheap.:wink:

    I have not used the V-DAC, but I am currently using a M1-DAC, which should be sonically very similar to the V-DAC. The M1 has a few upgraded parts and features like a balanced digital input, balanced outputs, a better power supply and some indicator lights on the front. I think it sounds great! I'm going back and forth between it and a Bennchmark DAC-1 right now, and I don't think either sounds better. The M1 is a little smoother, and I would expect the same from the V-DAC.

    I am also using a V-Link, which is an asynchronous USB to SPDIF converter. It is a great little piece, and it would be a good match for your V-DAC if you want an asynchronous PC-based solution.

    I think you'll be happy with your purchase; great bang for the buck.:cool:
    2-Channel: PC > Schiit Eitr > Audio Research DAC-8 > Audio Research LS-26 > Pass Labs X-250.5 > Magnepan 3.7's

    Living Room: PC > Marantz AV-7703 > Emotiva XPA-5 > Sonus Faber Liuto Towers, Sonus Faber Liuto Center, Sonus Faber Liuto Bookshelves > Dual SVS PC12-Pluses

    Office: Phone/Tablet > AudioEngine B1 > McIntosh D100 > Bryston 4B-ST > Polk Audio LSiM-703's
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  • Erik Tracy
    Erik Tracy Posts: 4,673
    edited August 2011
    AsSiMiLaTeD wrote: »
    Oh it's not 'kinda' fugly, like I said it'll be the ugliest piece of gear I've ever owned. It's not even the enclosure, it's the hidious writing and makings on the case, they could have just left it all black and it would have been just fine, maybe a project in the making if I like it enough.

    Were you wearing 'beer goggles' then when you let her into the house? :biggrin:

    H9: If you don't trust what you are hearing, then maybe you need to be less invested in a hobby which all the pleasure comes from listening to music.
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  • falconcry72
    falconcry72 Posts: 3,580
    edited August 2011
    AsSiMiLaTeD wrote: »
    ...it's the hidious writing and markings on the case, they could have just left it all black and it would have been just fine....

    yea, no ****! All the V-series stuff has that writing. Most of the writing of on my vlink is fine, in a normal font, and then you get the huge V-LINK text that makes it look like it came from Party City USA. wtf.:confused:
    2-Channel: PC > Schiit Eitr > Audio Research DAC-8 > Audio Research LS-26 > Pass Labs X-250.5 > Magnepan 3.7's

    Living Room: PC > Marantz AV-7703 > Emotiva XPA-5 > Sonus Faber Liuto Towers, Sonus Faber Liuto Center, Sonus Faber Liuto Bookshelves > Dual SVS PC12-Pluses

    Office: Phone/Tablet > AudioEngine B1 > McIntosh D100 > Bryston 4B-ST > Polk Audio LSiM-703's
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  • Big Dawg
    Big Dawg Posts: 2,005
    edited August 2011
    There are lots of very positive reviews online, not just on Amazon. I've never owned one myself, but I've never read of anyone who found it to perform below its price point.

    Here's Stereophile's review: http://www.stereophile.com/digitalprocessors/musical_fidelity_v-dac_da_processor/index.html

    Please let us know what you think after you've had it for a while.
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  • punk-roc
    punk-roc Posts: 1,150
    edited August 2011
    I nearly got one myself a while back.. but need amplification too.. I've never heard a negative review of it.. its obviously not supposed to be competing with the more expensive USB DACs, but should work for a PC or secondary rig just fine

    Jason
    2-Channel - So far...
    Pre: Dodd ELP
    DAC: W4S-Dac2
    Source(s): Computer and Denon 2910
    Amp: Parasound HCA-1200II
    Speakers: LSi9s - Vr3 Fortress Mod
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  • unc2701
    unc2701 Posts: 3,587
    edited August 2011
    IIRC, it's got pretty much the same guts as the X-Dac, but without the nice chassis. Not bad at all for the price- but you're going to want some cable ties.
    Gallo Ref 3.1 : Bryston 4b SST : Musical fidelity CD Pre : VPI HW-19
    Gallo Ref AV, Frankengallo Ref 3, LC60i : Bryston 9b SST : Meridian 565
    Jordan JX92s : MF X-T100 : Xray v8
    Backburner:Krell KAV-300i
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  • AsSiMiLaTeD
    AsSiMiLaTeD Posts: 11,728
    edited August 2011
    I've read something about the performance or upsampling being diferent on the USB port than the other digital inputs, but don't really know what that means
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  • Big Dawg
    Big Dawg Posts: 2,005
    edited August 2011
    AsSiMiLaTeD wrote: »
    I've read something about the performance or upsampling being diferent on the USB port than the other digital inputs, but don't really know what that means

    I hadn't heard that about the VDAC, although I have about the DACMagic.
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  • AsSiMiLaTeD
    AsSiMiLaTeD Posts: 11,728
    edited August 2011
    I think there's something about the DAC not doing the Hi Rez formats over USB or something to that effect, can't find it now. Information on this thing is hard to find...
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  • PSOVLSK
    PSOVLSK Posts: 5,376
    edited August 2011
    I run one between my PS3 and pre- in the game room. I'm happy with it, but I would think you'd see better results using it in a computer system rather than in the setup I'm using.
    Things work out best for those who make the best of the way things work out.-John Wooden
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  • AsSiMiLaTeD
    AsSiMiLaTeD Posts: 11,728
    edited August 2011
    Now I'm looking at the V-Link, which is something about asynchronous USB, wonder if putting that in the chain would improve performance or if whatever technology that's in that is already incorporated into the V-Dac.

    Look at me, I'm already trying to figure out how to increase performance before I get the damn thing.
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  • falconcry72
    falconcry72 Posts: 3,580
    edited August 2011
    AsSiMiLaTeD wrote: »
    I think there's something about the DAC not doing the Hi Rez formats over USB or something to that effect, can't find it now. Information on this thing is hard to find...

    The USB input probably only supports up to 24bit 96khz, which is true of most USB DACs, whereas as the SPDIF inputs will support up to 24/192.

    Also, the fact that it's not asynchronous may give the USB input an inherently lower level of performance than the SPDIF inputs.

    Whether your ear can hear the difference or not is another story...:wink:

    I did read one review on the M1; however, where the reviewer noted a performance increase when usinng the V-Link to the M1 instead of going directly to the M1's USB input.
    2-Channel: PC > Schiit Eitr > Audio Research DAC-8 > Audio Research LS-26 > Pass Labs X-250.5 > Magnepan 3.7's

    Living Room: PC > Marantz AV-7703 > Emotiva XPA-5 > Sonus Faber Liuto Towers, Sonus Faber Liuto Center, Sonus Faber Liuto Bookshelves > Dual SVS PC12-Pluses

    Office: Phone/Tablet > AudioEngine B1 > McIntosh D100 > Bryston 4B-ST > Polk Audio LSiM-703's
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  • AsSiMiLaTeD
    AsSiMiLaTeD Posts: 11,728
    edited August 2011
    Actually what I'm reading says I only get regular 16bit/44 performance when using the USB port...but again none of this is discussed in the manual so I don't know.
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  • falconcry72
    falconcry72 Posts: 3,580
    edited August 2011
    AsSiMiLaTeD wrote: »
    Now I'm looking at the V-Link, which is something about asynchronous USB, wonder if putting that in the chain would improve performance or if whatever technology that's in that is already incorporated into the V-Dac....

    Neither the V-DAC or M1 incorporate asynchronous USB, so the V-LINK is an upgrade to both of them.

    I may be selling my v-link soon. It works great, but I have my eye on a more expensive USB to SPDIF converter from Audio GD. :smile:
    2-Channel: PC > Schiit Eitr > Audio Research DAC-8 > Audio Research LS-26 > Pass Labs X-250.5 > Magnepan 3.7's

    Living Room: PC > Marantz AV-7703 > Emotiva XPA-5 > Sonus Faber Liuto Towers, Sonus Faber Liuto Center, Sonus Faber Liuto Bookshelves > Dual SVS PC12-Pluses

    Office: Phone/Tablet > AudioEngine B1 > McIntosh D100 > Bryston 4B-ST > Polk Audio LSiM-703's
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  • AsSiMiLaTeD
    AsSiMiLaTeD Posts: 11,728
    edited August 2011
    If you decide to part with it let me know, if I haven't already bought one by then I'll probably take it off your hands.
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  • falconcry72
    falconcry72 Posts: 3,580
    edited August 2011
    AsSiMiLaTeD wrote: »
    Actually what I'm reading says I only get regular 16bit/44 performance when using the USB port...but again none of this is discussed in the manual so I don't know.

    Well you won't have to worry about it if you get a V-LINK. The V-Link lets up to 24/96 files pass through natively so your DAC can do whatever it wants with them.
    2-Channel: PC > Schiit Eitr > Audio Research DAC-8 > Audio Research LS-26 > Pass Labs X-250.5 > Magnepan 3.7's

    Living Room: PC > Marantz AV-7703 > Emotiva XPA-5 > Sonus Faber Liuto Towers, Sonus Faber Liuto Center, Sonus Faber Liuto Bookshelves > Dual SVS PC12-Pluses

    Office: Phone/Tablet > AudioEngine B1 > McIntosh D100 > Bryston 4B-ST > Polk Audio LSiM-703's
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  • falconcry72
    falconcry72 Posts: 3,580
    edited August 2011
    AsSiMiLaTeD wrote: »
    If you decide to part with it let me know, if I haven't already bought one by then I'll probably take it off your hands.

    Will do. I should make a decision within the next week or two.
    2-Channel: PC > Schiit Eitr > Audio Research DAC-8 > Audio Research LS-26 > Pass Labs X-250.5 > Magnepan 3.7's

    Living Room: PC > Marantz AV-7703 > Emotiva XPA-5 > Sonus Faber Liuto Towers, Sonus Faber Liuto Center, Sonus Faber Liuto Bookshelves > Dual SVS PC12-Pluses

    Office: Phone/Tablet > AudioEngine B1 > McIntosh D100 > Bryston 4B-ST > Polk Audio LSiM-703's
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  • AsSiMiLaTeD
    AsSiMiLaTeD Posts: 11,728
    edited August 2011
    So are 'asynchronous USB' and the ability to handle higher resolution files like 24/96 the same thing, or are they different the the V-Link just happens to have both?
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  • falconcry72
    falconcry72 Posts: 3,580
    edited August 2011
    AsSiMiLaTeD wrote: »
    So are 'asynchronous USB' and the ability to handle higher resolution files like 24/96 the same thing, or are they different the the V-Link just happens to have both?

    Different and vlink has both.

    Asynchronous has to do with not letting the computer control the outputting data rate via its own clock, and thus eliminating, or at least significantly reducing, jitter.
    2-Channel: PC > Schiit Eitr > Audio Research DAC-8 > Audio Research LS-26 > Pass Labs X-250.5 > Magnepan 3.7's

    Living Room: PC > Marantz AV-7703 > Emotiva XPA-5 > Sonus Faber Liuto Towers, Sonus Faber Liuto Center, Sonus Faber Liuto Bookshelves > Dual SVS PC12-Pluses

    Office: Phone/Tablet > AudioEngine B1 > McIntosh D100 > Bryston 4B-ST > Polk Audio LSiM-703's
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  • AsSiMiLaTeD
    AsSiMiLaTeD Posts: 11,728
    edited August 2011
    Got the V-Dac today, sounds good out of the box, should be better after a day or two of burn in.

    I'm running AudioNirvana on the Mac, and I can see it downsampling the hi rez files to the 16/48 rate when outputting to the DAC. I want my hi rez files, so I believe the v-link will definitely be in order.
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  • falconcry72
    falconcry72 Posts: 3,580
    edited August 2011
    AsSiMiLaTeD wrote: »
    ...I'm running AudioNirvana on the Mac, and I can see it downsampling the hi rez files to the 16/48 rate when outputting to the DAC. ...

    How do you see it down sampling? I would think that if you were outputting a resloution that the DAC couldn't handle it just wouldn't lock on and no sound would come out, but it wouldn't force your Mac to change its sampling rate.
    2-Channel: PC > Schiit Eitr > Audio Research DAC-8 > Audio Research LS-26 > Pass Labs X-250.5 > Magnepan 3.7's

    Living Room: PC > Marantz AV-7703 > Emotiva XPA-5 > Sonus Faber Liuto Towers, Sonus Faber Liuto Center, Sonus Faber Liuto Bookshelves > Dual SVS PC12-Pluses

    Office: Phone/Tablet > AudioEngine B1 > McIntosh D100 > Bryston 4B-ST > Polk Audio LSiM-703's
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  • falconcry72
    falconcry72 Posts: 3,580
    edited August 2011
    Just found this in the measurements section of the Stereophile review:

    "The USB input feeds the ubiquitous Burr-Brown PCM2706 receiver chip, which is limited to 16-bit data and sample rates of up to 48kHz. The USB receiver operates in "adaptive" mode, where control of the data flow is subcontracted to the PC; it feeds the recovered audio data to a Burr-Brown SRC4392 sample-rate-converter chip, which also handles data up to 24-bit resolution and sample rates up to 96kHz from the TosLink and coaxial S/PDIF ports. Using this chip to upsample incoming data to 192kHz reduces the effect of datastream jitter."

    http://www.stereophile.com/content/musical-fidelity-v-dac-da-processor-measurements
    2-Channel: PC > Schiit Eitr > Audio Research DAC-8 > Audio Research LS-26 > Pass Labs X-250.5 > Magnepan 3.7's

    Living Room: PC > Marantz AV-7703 > Emotiva XPA-5 > Sonus Faber Liuto Towers, Sonus Faber Liuto Center, Sonus Faber Liuto Bookshelves > Dual SVS PC12-Pluses

    Office: Phone/Tablet > AudioEngine B1 > McIntosh D100 > Bryston 4B-ST > Polk Audio LSiM-703's
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  • AsSiMiLaTeD
    AsSiMiLaTeD Posts: 11,728
    edited August 2011
    I'm using Audio Nirvana on OSX, and I believe the info at the bottom is telling me what's actually happening.

    I was confused at first because I was expecting no sound when I played a 24/96 file, but there's definitely sound.

    I'm attaching two screenshots, one playing a redbook CD and one playing a hi rez file. On the audio player, you can see at the bottom of the application window where the hi rez file says something like 16/48 downsampling converter.

    I don't know if the downsampling is being done by the software or the DAC. So, I have no idea what's happening with my music...
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  • falconcry72
    falconcry72 Posts: 3,580
    edited August 2011
    That Gaucho SACD or HDtracks is great! Love that album, and it's a great mix to boot.

    Maybe Audio Nirvana is helping you out by down sampling? I have no idea.

    I use a PC and foobar 2000. When I play hi res files to a DAC that can't take'em no sound comes out.
    2-Channel: PC > Schiit Eitr > Audio Research DAC-8 > Audio Research LS-26 > Pass Labs X-250.5 > Magnepan 3.7's

    Living Room: PC > Marantz AV-7703 > Emotiva XPA-5 > Sonus Faber Liuto Towers, Sonus Faber Liuto Center, Sonus Faber Liuto Bookshelves > Dual SVS PC12-Pluses

    Office: Phone/Tablet > AudioEngine B1 > McIntosh D100 > Bryston 4B-ST > Polk Audio LSiM-703's
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  • dhart86
    dhart86 Posts: 1,594
    edited August 2011
    The v-dac was my 1st dac. Great for the $$$$$$$. sounds better after 50-100hrs break in. If you want a PC rig w/ hi rez playback, get the v-link from falconcry. The regular usb on v-dac to computer connection doesn't sound very good. I liked the v-dac but am now loving my w4s dac2,
    Main Rig:
    Antipodes DX > Roon > PS Audio Directstream Jr.>deHavilland Ultraverve 3 >Belles Reference 150a >Harbeth C7 ES3


    Second Rig:
    Roon> PS Audio Directstream Jr Bridge II > EE Minimax pre (Tutay mods) >Belles 150A Ref >Monitor 5 (Westmassguy-modded)


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  • AsSiMiLaTeD
    AsSiMiLaTeD Posts: 11,728
    edited August 2011
    I have it on both sacd and hi rez from hdtracks and I agree it's great.

    I can tell you for sure something is downsampling, because I know what the hi rez version sounds like and this isn't.

    I guess my question is what's downsampling, the DAC or the software? I assume it's the software, but don't know for sure. What's weird is that Songbird, another application entirely, had the same result.
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  • falconcry72
    falconcry72 Posts: 3,580
    edited August 2011
    AsSiMiLaTeD wrote: »
    ..my question is what's downsampling, the DAC or the software? ...

    Good question. I'm not sure, but I would imagine that the DAC wouldn't have the ability to.
    2-Channel: PC > Schiit Eitr > Audio Research DAC-8 > Audio Research LS-26 > Pass Labs X-250.5 > Magnepan 3.7's

    Living Room: PC > Marantz AV-7703 > Emotiva XPA-5 > Sonus Faber Liuto Towers, Sonus Faber Liuto Center, Sonus Faber Liuto Bookshelves > Dual SVS PC12-Pluses

    Office: Phone/Tablet > AudioEngine B1 > McIntosh D100 > Bryston 4B-ST > Polk Audio LSiM-703's
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  • unc2701
    unc2701 Posts: 3,587
    edited August 2011
    falconcry72 wrote: »
    Good question. I'm not sure, but I would imagine that the DAC wouldn't have the ability to.

    I agree- it's the software. With the USB connection, the software basically sees a soundcard that can only handle 16/48 and kicks in the down-sampler.
    Gallo Ref 3.1 : Bryston 4b SST : Musical fidelity CD Pre : VPI HW-19
    Gallo Ref AV, Frankengallo Ref 3, LC60i : Bryston 9b SST : Meridian 565
    Jordan JX92s : MF X-T100 : Xray v8
    Backburner:Krell KAV-300i
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