1.     Don't be a dotard!
    Read these "rules" AND introduce
    yourself     before your first post
  2. A healthy approach to understanding measurements
    Being true to what the artists intended
  3. After being asked for the 308th time, Merv lists top 5 headphones
    (opinion / entertainment piece)
    Dismiss Notice
  4. $1000 to the first to design a headamp using discrete components with better measurements than Magni 3+
    Dismiss Notice
IMPORTANT: New Members Read This Don't Be a Measurement Fascist Merv's Top 5 Headphones - 2023 Edition $1000 Challenge

Ec-Designs Multi-Bit DAC

Discussion in 'Digital: DACs, USB converters, decrapifiers' started by murphythecat, Dec 2, 2018.

Page 2 of 6
  1. Elnrik

    Elnrik Super Friendly

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Jan 10, 2017
    Likes Received:
    8,973
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Denver CO
    Home Page:
    Don't want to say anything because...

    A) ... it's average/good, but not average/good enough to warrant saying much/anything?

    Or

    B) ... it just dethroned the AGD S19 as king of the vomit covered dogshit pile, and my faith in mankind feels like it has been utterly destroyed from the depressed mood it caused?
     
    Last edited: Feb 8, 2019
    Elnrik, Feb 8, 2019
    #21
  2. DeDa

    DeDa New

    Joined:
    Apr 2, 2018
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    1
    Location:
    Calgary
    or

    C) It's so good he wants to grab himself one before the 21 viewers of this thread line up to buy theirs?
     
    DeDa, Feb 8, 2019
    #22
  3. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

    Staff Member Pyrate BWC
    Joined:
    Sep 24, 2015
    Likes Received:
    89,962
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Padre Island CC TX
    Cold it sounded like the S19. Fortunately, it gets much better after a half-hour. Not surprised as the Metrum, Holo, MD Airist DAC are similar in this regards.

    I'm bringing out the MD Airist to compare. I can't find Modi MB - probably lent it to somebody. Note that I am not sure of the status of the Airist.
     
    purr1n, Feb 8, 2019
    #23
  4. Elnrik

    Elnrik Super Friendly

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Jan 10, 2017
    Likes Received:
    8,973
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Denver CO
    Home Page:
    I guess that highlights an issue with battery powered DACs. How much time and battery needs to be consumed before it's stable?
     
    Elnrik, Feb 8, 2019
    #24
  5. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

    Staff Member Pyrate BWC
    Joined:
    Sep 24, 2015
    Likes Received:
    89,962
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Padre Island CC TX
    Well, the battery just died. Need to recharge again. Maybe more than the 6 hours I gave it.
     
    purr1n, Feb 8, 2019
    #25
  6. rlow

    rlow A happy woofer

    Pyrate Contributor
    Joined:
    Jul 18, 2017
    Likes Received:
    7,791
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Canada
    According to his fans, Rob Watts battery powered designs go from zero to god-like in 0.0067 seconds.

    Same as Rob himself when he wakes up from his “sleep” (disconnects from his alcove).
     
    rlow, Feb 8, 2019
    #26
  7. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

    Staff Member Pyrate BWC
    Joined:
    Sep 24, 2015
    Likes Received:
    89,962
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Padre Island CC TX
    It's more resolving than I expected. Has
    a lot of similarities to the MD Airist with the lush vocals. Like most NOS DACs, a bit rolled at the top compared to modern DACs. The Airist has sharper attacks and more incisive lines than the MOS16, but the difference is small.

    This setup (using the JLH 69 amp) isn't the most resolving nor does it have the best staging capabilities, so take the impressions for what they are for now... until the DAC recharges.
    IMG_20190208_174437.jpg
     
    purr1n, Feb 8, 2019
    #27
  8. rlow

    rlow A happy woofer

    Pyrate Contributor
    Joined:
    Jul 18, 2017
    Likes Received:
    7,791
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Canada
    Those JBLs should totally be in the next SOLO movie. Pretty sure The Falcon would be no match though...
     
    rlow, Feb 8, 2019
    #28
  9. jexby

    jexby Posole Prince

    Staff Member Pyrate Contributor
    Joined:
    Sep 28, 2015
    Likes Received:
    8,146
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Exit stage left....
    Like given for the Falcon and X wing. and EC Af.
     
    jexby, Feb 8, 2019
    #29
  10. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

    Staff Member Pyrate BWC
    Joined:
    Sep 24, 2015
    Likes Received:
    89,962
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Padre Island CC TX
    OK. I can say that I really do like this DAC. Very UltraAnalog sound per early 90s. Attacks are just slightly rounded, but good bass textures and definition. None of that one note PCM1704 bass. As I indicated before, resolution exceeded expectations. Better than Airist RDAC and possibly Modi MB.

    The only downside is that I can only let get a few minutes from the battery. What is the charging procedure? Do I need to wait a few days? I've used 1A and now 1.5A adapters for the USB charger.
     
    purr1n, Feb 12, 2019
    #30
  11. skem

    skem Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Nov 1, 2017
    Likes Received:
    1,911
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    Charles River
    I remain totally amazed that Marv can recall what DACs from the 80s sounded like. It’s friggn impressive.
     
    skem, Feb 12, 2019
    #31
  12. restrav3

    restrav3 Likes Audio-GD

    Contributor
    Joined:
    Jun 18, 2018
    Likes Received:
    101
    Trophy Points:
    43
    Location:
    PA
    you do realize that those DACs are still around, it is not like you have to rely on a distant memory to remember what MSB link sounds like.
     
    restrav3, Feb 12, 2019
    #32
  13. skem

    skem Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Nov 1, 2017
    Likes Received:
    1,911
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    Charles River
    True!
     
    skem, Feb 12, 2019
    #33
  14. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

    Staff Member Pyrate BWC
    Joined:
    Sep 24, 2015
    Likes Received:
    89,962
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Padre Island CC TX
    There was a short period of time a few years ago where folks brought UltraAnalog based DACs to mini-meets. All the vintage stuff, UltraAnalog, BB PCM56, 63, 1702, etc. There are two or three Moth DACs based on the UltraAnalog stuff too which I heard only a few years ago. I still have access to two of them and the SF DACs are UltraAnalog based.
     
    purr1n, Feb 12, 2019
    #34
  15. murphythecat

    murphythecat GRU-powered uniformed trumpkin

    Pyrate Banned
    Joined:
    Apr 4, 2016
    Likes Received:
    1,201
    Trophy Points:
    93
    when you charged the dac, did you turned off the dac?
    according to ec designs

    "The MOS16 consumes approx. 80 milliwatts so the battery lasts up to 100 hours without charging."

    the procedure for charging are as follows:
    "
    Charging:

    • Charge with any 5V/1A (phone) charger that has a USB A port for charging
    • MOS16 is only charged when ON/OFF switch is in the OFF position
    • MOS16 is completely disconnected from charger when ON/OFF switch is in the ON position
    • Single charger (not included) could be used to charge multiple devices by charging the devices one by one"
     
    Last edited: Feb 12, 2019
    murphythecat, Feb 12, 2019
    #35
  16. winterfog

    winterfog Facebook Friend

    Contributor
    Joined:
    Dec 5, 2018
    Likes Received:
    169
    Trophy Points:
    33
    Location:
    Hawaii
    One hopes that the electronics they're using with their nominal 3.7V LiPo pack implements a low-voltage cutoff at ~3.2V. That's a basic safety & usability feature. If there's no low-voltage cutoff implementation, then a full discharge could render the LiPo pack dead and unusable. Do you have any way to measure the voltage of the pack?
     
    winterfog, Feb 13, 2019
    #36
  17. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

    Staff Member Pyrate BWC
    Joined:
    Sep 24, 2015
    Likes Received:
    89,962
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Padre Island CC TX
    Changed charger and USB cable. Trying now.
     
    purr1n, Feb 13, 2019
    #37
  18. purr1n

    purr1n Desire for betterer is endless.

    Staff Member Pyrate BWC
    Joined:
    Sep 24, 2015
    Likes Received:
    89,962
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Padre Island CC TX
    I can do it but not without explicit permission.
     
    purr1n, Feb 13, 2019
    #38
  19. Hands

    Hands Overzealous Auto Flusher - Measurbator

    Staff Member Pyrate MZR
    Joined:
    Sep 27, 2015
    Likes Received:
    12,287
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Colorado
    Home Page:
    I would be curious to try this myself, if you wouldn't mind a third set of ears. I don't currently have any NOS DACs in house for comparison, but do have the Modi Multibit. No worries if you'd rather it come home after Marv's done, though.
     
    Hands, Feb 13, 2019
    #39
  20. murphythecat

    murphythecat GRU-powered uniformed trumpkin

    Pyrate Banned
    Joined:
    Apr 4, 2016
    Likes Received:
    1,201
    Trophy Points:
    93
    sure!
     
    murphythecat, Feb 13, 2019
    #40
Page 2 of 6

Share This Page