Maverick Audio dac ??

[midlife]

Anyone using or have knowledge of Maverick Audio's Tube Magic D1 dac? Looks pretty nice and not expensive. Is this specific model sold under any other names. Anybody ? I will need a dac soon

[HCSGuy]

I received one a while ago, and haven't had time to listen to it until today. We listened both in Tube and standard mode, using it as a DAC/Preamp, and I wasn't thrilled. The system was a Pioneer PD-S95 transport feeding the Maverick DAC to a Bryston 3BST and JBL Ti2k speakers. In fairness, I did not compare it to anything, but I have definitely liked the sound better with other system; so far my favorite has been an old Sony DVP-S7000 feeding a Goldpoint passive volume control to the Bryston amp. I think the Maverick DAC is bright, but not really detailed, which clashes with the Ti2K's, which are also bright. In sum, the highs were bright but harsh. I will listen some more this weekend, especially to Tube mode and give you more opinion. One thing I hate, though, is the "Direct" button right on the front of the DAC - usually you think pressing a Direct button in is the way to get the clearest sound, so you instinctively press it. In this case, it bypasses the volume pot and sends the preamp output straight to the amplifier with no attenuation - LOUD! - While it only took me 1/2sec to press it again, I was afraid I blew some expensive tweeters making a stupid move - I think I'd rather see two sets of output jacks on the back; fixed and variable. Hope this helps!

[boputnam]

Bummer, for sure.

I never change any input w/o killing the output stage gain. Not at home; not on the road. Funny things happen - only a few of them are laughable... :(

[HCSGuy]

I've switched to the Tube output feeding the Bryston and 4343's - I'm not going to blow a bunch of smoke about imaging behind walls etc, but it continues to sound pretty good - great slam and I like the Tube output on the 2405's - they tend to be too much for me, even turned to -3 on the pots. However, my Bryston has no gain control, and the Maverick's volume pot is a stepped type with pretty big steps - probably 3 or 4db. It's a 30 step attenuator, and by step 6 I'm rockin'. As the first two steps are worthless (no volume then poor channel tracking), I can really only use steps 3,4,5,6, so there is no fine volume control as it currently stands. 7 and 8 are good from the next room - what do I do after that, leave the building and save up for recones?

[HCSGuy]

I've given up. I've got about 30hrs of listening on this and haven't been thrilled once. I guess it's pretty easy to design a decent sounding DAC - they're everywhere, but really hard to make something substantively better. Luckily, it's also really hard to make one that's really bad, though I had one of the early 1-bit Krells that sounded no better than any of the CD players on hand at the time, even the crappy ones; including an Onkyo DX-703 that was continuously disappointing (it was beautifully built, which is why I still have it, though I haven't plugged it in in 10yrs). Anyway, I'll keep the Maverick around as it makes an easy preamp, but I'm going to build another Goldpoint passive V.C. to use in the meantime. I used to have a PS audio preamp that would run fully passive with its noble pot, which sounded fabulous - loaned it (and the Krell DAC) to an acquaintance, who promptly vanished. I'm sure glad to have that Krell gone, though...

Anyone have a recommendation on a better sounding cheap DAC?

[HCSGuy]

It's back...Moved my office this week and my new temporary location doesn't have room for a real stereo, so I through the Maverick in using the USB input from my Mac running iTunes to run high bit rate MP3's, feeding a Bryston 3BST and a pair of XPL90's. I never heard MP3's sound better. I say this with the caveat that I have never played with the Wadia iPod dock or any of the really high end audio cards, but this blows away the other docks I've used (Escient & Denon) and kills the line level out from the computer.

Highs are still bright for my taste, even using the Tube output, but the detail is good enough I'm reconsidering re-ripping my library to ALC or FLAC...it may not be worth it.

Happy Listening!

[Ian Mackenzie]

Have a look at the HK990

http://www.harmankardon.com/EN-GB/Products/Pages/ProductDetails.aspx?PID=HD%20990/230&accT=1&tsT=0&ovT=1

Some of you views on dac pricing and quality are not really accurate.

Differences in quality become more readily apparent with high quality associate components.