Maverick Audio D1 DAC/Pre-amp

[greenmark59]

Hey Green. Glad you are digging your D1. If you go to Head-fi.com (I think that is it) there is a very long thread about the D1 and the guy running that thread also started a D1 FAQ thread. You can change chips in minutes and they don't cost much. The change in sound is supose to me a leap forward. Also, roll some differnt tubes and that makes a big diff as well.

Actually it was over at head-fi.org where I got a lot of "feedback" on the Maverick D1. My D1 now has been pumping out music for over 50 hours and the "gritty-ness" that was first there has now disappeared and there is a smoothness to the music that is very apparent.

I do plan on do some op amp changes and for the relatively low cost it can make a decent difference in the listening pleasure plus it's FUN!!!

I won't be doing some tube rolling for awhile unless I find some decent tubes for under $20.

I have to reorganize my system to get the D1 in as the active controller of the system. I will be using the D1 as a preamp to a Sure 100 watt Tripath amp board (sounds very good to my ears) and also a VOM tube amp and also a Mitsubishi SS amp. I want to see how the different amps sound within my system and I'll probably keep 2 of the best sound ones in my system.

One thing that I did notice that became apparent is the higher bitrates MP3's (say 256k-320K) sound way better and very enjoyable. I stream 256K from online radio provider sky.fm and di.fm and the music just sounds better overall.

I haven't really gotten the chance to listen really, really well to the DAC, but so far it has definitely been worth the money - definitely.

 

[djnagle]

I just bought a Yamaha 1800 cd/sacd/dvd player and was running it into the D1 through the RCA connects which means it was using the Yamaha DAC. About two weeks ago I got a coax cable and when from the Yamaha coax out to the D1 coax in. That way I was using the D1 DAC......WOW. I mean WOW. The Yamaha DAC just absolutly sucks compared to the D1 DAC.......night and day.

I just put out a call for friends to bring over all the different tubes so we can roll them this coming saturday. I have the GE in it now, but will have the WE and Raytheon this weekend. I still have not rolled the chips.

 

[Sir MLS]

I have put a piece of 12 guage copper romex wire in place of the fuse in the IEC plug and found it to provide a nice step up in sound quality. This is a try it at your own risk mod and I unplug mine when not in use. I have also put a LM4532 or something op amp in the DAC opamp socket and it also made a nice improvement in the sound quality.

Scott

 

[djnagle]

Hi Scott, I have not swapped the chips or the tubes yet. I want to do that soon. I'd also like to figure out a way to put a non-click Alps pot in it as well.

 

[greenmark59]

The thing I am most disappointed in is the volume pot. Direct mode (volume pot not being used) sounds drastically better. Would like to see where this could be upgraded or better yet have the direct mode ON and have the output go to a remote controlled volume device so I could be lazy and adjust volume without getting up off my fat arse. :yes:

 

[djnagle]

I'm with you Green. Not only does it sound worse than the direct mode, mine has no volume for the first three clicks then come on too strong. I've email back and forth with Ryan and he had no answer.

I wonder if the Direct mode takes the pre amp out of the loop?

 

[Sir MLS]

I use mine most of the time in direct mode.

 

[dowey]

i am really considering getting one of these, is this an upsampling dac? it says that on the website but i know how clever advertisements can be....

 

[djnagle]

Not sure dowey. Ryan, the owner, if very responsive to inquiries. I really like mine an have not done any of the mods....which are very inexpensive.

There is a huge thread on the D1 in the Head-fi site under full sized amps.

 

[greenmark59]

Got some time to "critically" listen to the Maverick DAC this weekend and I am very pleased with it especially for the price ($220). One thing that I have noticed is that if the album is a bad recording, the Mav DAC highlights this even more, but the opposite is also true. I have 44.1/24 bit FLAC recordings of Beatle albums and these sound GREAT!! and I also have some 24/96 albums from HDtracks.com and these also sound great (especially my recent jazz purchase of "Jimmy Cobb - New York Times"). Just thought I'd share.

 

[holysocks]

i love that this thread has spanned over a year and you are still impressed with such an affordable product. i've been looking into purchasing a <$250 DAC and this one seems to keep coming up during my research.

and the inexpensive mods that seem to greatly increase performance sounds like tons of geeky audio guy fun!

 

[greenmark59]

i love that this thread has spanned over a year and you are still impressed with such an affordable product. i've been looking into purchasing a <$250 DAC and this one seems to keep coming up during my research.

and the inexpensive mods that seem to greatly increase performance sounds like tons of geeky audio guy fun!

What a great lead in.....

The other day I was wondering if the DAC really made any difference and I went back to my "old" system without the DAC. All I can say is that the DAC is like going from sub-standard solid state amp to a very decent tube amp. You can definitely hear the difference. BUT please don't expect 128k MP3's to suddenly sound better, but FLAC and WAV files definitely sound better. I am MORE than pleased with my purchase.

I say go for it. This DAC is easily resold for the 95% of the amount you paid for it, so in essence you can buy and try.

 

[holysocks]

don't expect 128k MP3's to suddenly sound better, but FLAC and WAV files definitely sound better.

i'm sure the filetype/bitrate discussion has been beaten to death on this forum as well as many others. but i have done the A/B test with 320kbps mp3 vs an apple lossless file of the same song (both ripped from my CD) and can't tell the difference on my computer system [central station + mackie 824's].

however, i'm interested in using a DAC from my airport express and eventually iPod/iPhone, need to get a digital dock first for the ipod, for the McIntosh system. which is where my interest for this comes from.

thinking this would be a nice pairing with a DAC
http://store.pure.com/store/pure/en...=TXpfwQoBAlcAACznsHoAAABZ&rests=1299865536660

 

[djnagle]

I am not an MP3 iPod guy so I can't comment on your idea Holy, but I can tell you that I am still impressed with the D1 and I havent done the mods yet.