Mutec MC-3+

[afrancois]

An old thread on which I stumbled upon.

https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/battle-of-s-pdif-vs-usb-which-is-better.1943/

 

It always amuses me that someone is able to draw conclusions with a 600$ scope against people with 30000$ Audio precision equipment, not to mention other sophisticated equipment. 

 

I's like saying: I can do the aerodynamics an F1 car with a fan instead of using a million $ wind tunnel and extremely powerful computer modelling.

[Beolab]

Can anyone confirm if this is the correct way to connect , or do i get high gitter this way? 

From the Streamer ( Auralic Aries without any W.clk input) i am using SPDIF to Mutec MC-3+ to SPDIF input and then SPDIF out + W.Clk out from MC-3+ to my dCS Paganini DAC with spdif input and word.clock input. 

I am using Re-Clocking mode on the MC-3+ that is the only way of getting sound and lock. I am using SPDIF as Reference 

See attached picture and please confirm if this is the best way of loweribg the gitter level for best SQ or should i skip the Word.clock cable?

 

 

 

looking forward for your answers 

[m5sime]

Hi Beolab. Looks right. SPDIF into and out of the Mutec will reclock that digital audio feed before your DAC. On my Mytek DAC (I use AES Digital) but that’s not so important, when I feed the DAC also with the word clock and toggle between internal clock and ext clock I hear almost no difference. A lot will depend on how good your DAC clock is 

[hellrider77]

Hi Beolab,

If your Mutec is the MC3+ USB version, i would give a try to the USB connection between the Aries and the Mutec. 

[Beolab]

I can't make it to sound using internal clock setting in MC3+ because it is using SPDIF in as Reference clock signal i think. 
 

can you guys connect like i have on the picture and use the internal master clock mode instead of Re-Clock mode in the MC-3+ and do youbthink Internal mode is superior to Re-Clock l. 
 

i am a little clued about that the MC-3+ using the SPDIF w.clk signal and use this as Reference, but mmi hope the re-clocking take care if this higher incoming jitter signal from the Auralic Aries Femto 
 

 

 

 

[Beolab]

So i do not think i get the full potential of the fine internal clock of the MC3+ because of the Auralic Aries does not have Word.clock input. 
 

i read in the manual that if the audio source does not have a Word.clock input, you can use a T - BNC adapter to get benefit of word.clock synchronisation between all units in the setup and use the Internal Clock in the Mutec. 
 

have i miss read this or do these product need a Word.clock I/O interface? 
 

 

[Beolab]

3 hours ago, m5sime said:

Hi Beolab. Looks right. SPDIF into and out of the Mutec will reclock that digital audio feed before your DAC. On my Mytek DAC (I use AES Digital) but that’s not so important, when I feed the DAC also with the word clock and toggle between internal clock and ext clock I hear almost no difference. A lot will depend on how good your DAC clock is 

how can you make the Internal send out sound when you do not have an source with word.clk input , i can not get any sound from that setting, just the Reclocking setting and set the Reference to SPDIF in otherwise it is dead with the internal setting and SPDIF in as Reference. 
 

 

[m5sime]

10 minutes ago, Beolab said:

how can you make the Internal send out sound when you do not have an source with word.clk input , i can not get any sound from that setting, just the Reclocking setting and set the Reference to SPDIF in otherwise it is dead with the internal setting and SPDIF in as Reference. 
 

 

you want re clocking. The mutec will get a time source from the frequency of the audio in. It regenerates that entirely from its internal high quality clock. 
 

The only time you want a clock in reference used with the Mutec is when you use their even higher quality clock source or are cascading Mutecs as some do.

[Beolab]

3 hours ago, m5sime said:

you want re clocking. The mutec will get a time source from the frequency of the audio in. It regenerates that entirely from its internal high quality clock. 
 

The only time you want a clock in reference used with the Mutec is when you use their even higher quality clock source or are cascading Mutecs as some do.

you most have a source with a Word.clk input because you can go with the internal clock mode on your MC-3+ or what streamer / source / Dac are you using? 
 

 

[dstubked]

Hey everyone, I just got a mutec mc3+ usb and I was wondering if other users leave it on indefinitely? Do you turn it off after usage? I am clocking it with the ref10, according to the ref10 manual, it is fine to turn it off when not using. However, an industry expert in another thread I was in recommend not turning off the ref10 and it should be left on always to ensure stability and to make sure the OXCO clock last a long time.

 

I am wondering if this is the case with the mc3+ usb. Thoughts anyone?

 

Thanks!

[LowMidHigh]

9 minutes ago, dstubked said:

Hey everyone, I just got a mutec mc3+ usb and I was wondering if other users leave it on indefinitely? Do you turn it off after usage? I am clocking it with the ref10, according to the ref10 manual, it is fine to turn it off when not using. However, an industry expert in another thread I was in recommend not turning off the ref10 and it should be left on always to ensure stability and to make sure the OXCO clock last a long time.

 

I am wondering if this is the case with the mc3+ usb. Thoughts anyone?

 

Thanks!

 

Oh my...Are you certain the manual sanctions turning the REF10 off? 

 

Perhaps for a long disuse, but not on a daily basis. For stabile performance, the internal oven has to reach a certain temperature and stayed that way for many days. I've been told that fact many a time on this site, and that was confirmed by Mutec itself via an email exchange.

 

Bottom line: leave it on, unless not using it for a prolonged period of time.

 

As for the MC3+, since you bypass the internal clock, you could theoretically turn it off.  However, some people believe its other chips benefit from being in a stable environment and keep their unit on at all times.

[dstubked]

48 minutes ago, LowMidHigh said:

 

Oh my...Are you certain the manual sanctions turning the REF10 off? 

 

Perhaps for a long disuse, but not on a daily basis. For stabile performance, the internal oven has to reach a certain temperature and stayed that way for many days. I've been told that fact many a time on this site, and that was confirmed by Mutec itself via an email exchange.

 

Bottom line: leave it on, unless not using it for a prolonged period of time.

 

As for the MC3+, since you bypass the internal clock, you could theoretically turn it off.  However, some people believe its other chips benefit from being in a stable environment and keep their unit on at all times.

 

Hey man, thanks for the advice. 

 

As for turning the ref10 on, here is the section in the manual:

 

 

Here is the link to the manual. If this is not the case the manual should really be updated. 

[soundlogic]

Leave em both on, the clocks need thermal stability...

[Ben B]

I leave my MC 3+ USB on all the time - partly because I have an external LPS for it and would have to unplug.

[mourip]

I have been using an MC3USB for several years in my main system. USB in and AES out to my DAC. Mutec REF10 as master.

 

I am trying out a new pair of KEF LS50W-ll's and want to feed their coax input from the Mutec. I thought that it would be as simple as disconnecting the AES cable from the Mutec and then hooking up the coax but I am getting no audio output. I have not changed any settings on the Mutec. I have chosen coax as the KEF input and switched the Roon app to point to my Roon Endpoint which feeds the Mutec.

 

Any ideas?

[Ben B]

I think all of the Mutec outputs are live all the time.  I have two DACs with one being coax from Mutec and one AES from Mutec.  I can switch back and forth with no issues.  That might point toward the KEFs or the Roon setting.  Or perhaps my Mutec settings are different but I don’t think you can select the output.  

[One and a half]

3 hours ago, mourip said:

I have been using an MC3USB for several years in my main system. USB in and AES out to my DAC. Mutec REF10 as master.

 

I am trying out a new pair of KEF LS50W-ll's and want to feed their coax input from the Mutec. I thought that it would be as simple as disconnecting the AES cable from the Mutec and then hooking up the coax but I am getting no audio output. I have not changed any settings on the Mutec. I have chosen coax as the KEF input and switched the Roon app to point to my Roon Endpoint which feeds the Mutec.

 

Any ideas?

I wonder if the AES3 was the reference? I would guess at the Lock LED being off too?

[mourip]

4 hours ago, One and a half said:

I wonder if the AES3 was the reference? I would guess at the Lock LED being off too?

Thanks for the reply.

The Lock LED MAIN REF is on, as is the LOCK RE-CLK REF and Audio LED.

The top three REFERENCE lights are on.

For MODE I have EXTERN and Re-CLK

[mourip]

Ok. It turned out to be an ID10T error.

 

The LS50s have an RCA subwoofer out jack also. I had the coax cable plugged into the wrong jack!

 

[Ben B]

Easier to fix than trying to figure out all the lights on the Mutec...  and how does it sound?

[mourip]

It sound very good. The speakers have only a few hours on them so I will have a better idea later on.

 

Lets put it into perspective. I am seriously considering selling off everything downstream from my Mutec.

$3K for the KEFs with stands vs $18K for the DAC/Preamp/Amp and speakers. Not to mention cords and cables.

 

Using these with Roon/Qobuz is pretty great.

[Nikhil]

I have a Mutec MC-3+ USB on loan this week and have it setup as below;

Win10 AudioPC > USB Cable > Mutec MC-3+ USB > Optical Cable > DAC Integrated

 

Using the Mutec INTERN Clock + RE-CLK

with »USB-PCM and »USB-DSD/DoP« as clock reference

»CLOCK MULTIPLIERS« set to reference clock x 1 (as per the image)

 

 

I am getting great sound for all sample rates upto 24/96 including DSD 64/128.

However the MUTEC craps out whenever I send a 24/176.4 or 24/192 file.

Any suggestions on what I need to do to accommodate these sample rates?

 

I would also like to know if the »CLOCK OUT« can be set or does this get derived from the input when using USB?

Any help on this would be appreciated.

 

Regards

 

 

.

[m5sime]

37 minutes ago, Nikhil said:

I have a Mutec MC-3+ USB on loan this week and have it setup as below;

 

 

I am getting great sound for all sample rates upto 24/96 including DSD 64/128.

However the MUTEC craps out whenever I send a 24/176.4 or 24/192 file.

Any suggestions on what I need to do to accommodate these sample rates?

 

I would also like to know if the »CLOCK OUT« can be set or does this get derived from the input when using USB?

Any help on this would be appreciated.

 

Regards

 

 

.

Are you using SPDIF out on Optical (which I recall does not support those sample rates?). I use mine USB in and AES Balanced out...

[Nikhil]

8 minutes ago, m5sime said:

Are you using SPDIF out on Optical (which I recall does not support those sample rates?). I use mine USB in and AES Balanced out...

 

Thanks but I checked the manual. SPDIF Optical supports up to 192

DSD 64/128 for example gets converted to 24/176.4 and plays without a problem. 

 

 

 

 

 

.

[m5sime]

4 minutes ago, Nikhil said:

 

Thanks but I checked the manual. SPDIF Optical supports up to 192

DSD 64/128 for example gets converted to 24/176.4 and plays without a problem. 

 

 

 

.

Clutching at straws - but has the optical cable worked for you before at those rates? I have not used my Mutec for a long time, so cannot recall what I got mine to in testing..