M2Tech 'Young' , Model 5 first listen!

[Purite Audio]

Just received the first of the M2Tech 'Young' dacs, quickly comparing it to my long time reference the MH/Amarra model 5 , the model 5 directly through FireWire the Young via a Hiface ( as the OSX drivers are still being compiled) ,and I think I prefer the M2Tech!

I would be interested to hear others opinions ,but perhaps dacs like the 'young' Mark a new era, where extremely high quality is no longer associated with high price?

Happy New Year everyone.

Keith.

 

[spacey]

Happy new year Keith,

 

So, its good then. Will there be a DAC/Pre in the near future and one with a proper builtin PSU? or is there a planned PSU option etc....

 

[Purite Audio]

Raj Hi, it is as good as reported, it might even be a little bit better when the drivers re ready and you can connect it directly to the Mac/PC!

There are more dacs in the pipeline, which will have properly dithered digital attenuation, the big one has 8 converter chips and external power supply.

It seems to me that over the last couple of years the process of getting good sound from a computer has become more widely understood,and as a result there are going to be better and better dacs appearing at reasonable cost.If you don't need the extra facilities I cant see why anyone would need to spend more .

All good IMHO.

Keith.

 

[spacey]

Sounds interesting, when will the product list be finalised?

 

[sq225917]

I was lucky enough to get one of the first batch from Keith and he's not wrong with what he says- if you just need a dac with no other frills then I can see this taking some beating, certainly at this price.

 

I was hoping it wasn't going to make an appreciable difference over my current dac, they are both after all 24/192 capable and share similar treatment of up-sampling and de-jittering through ASRC. I like not having to upgrade, then I can spend the money on music instead.

 

Of course the Young sounded significantly better even from cold, the treble was slightly better resolved, the mid-range noticeably less congested and to top it all off the bass simply went deeper with more texture- I expected that though the 840c was never brilliant in the bass, being easily surpassed by my vinyl from end.

 

I think they still have a little work to complete on the drivers and I'm hoping they can field update the FLPGA if needed as well to add new filters etc- we'll see.

 

So far though it's a keeper, even with the wall wart supply, hopefully one day i'll have some material of greater than 196khz sampling rate to tax its USB 2.0 interface.

 

I'll rustle up a decent linear supply for it next week and also a battery power set-up to see what difference they make.

 

[uglymusic]

I also have one of Keith's first batch of Young DACs, and love what it's doing right, but have a distinct lack of bass!

 

Are you using your HiFace as an interface between the MacBook and Young? And if so, is it an S/PDIF or BNC(?) model?

 

In the absence of a Mac USB driver, I'm trying to work out where my low frequencies are disappearing to!

 

[agentsmith]

Chris I noticed that you uncharacteristically question the credibility and professionalism of a fellow audio journalist in another thread for self promotion.

 

Curiously you never criticize vendors blatantly "reviewing" their own products here, what gives? What are your guildelines?

 

[Audio_ELF]

@agentsmith

 

I was just thinking similar... Though Chris does tell vendors off for self promotion usually. Maybe he's hung over from New Year Eve still!

 

Eloise

 

[Purite Audio]

David Hi, yes in the absence of the OSX drivers I have been using a hiface, bass is fine here,comparable to the MH box, how are you using yours.

Keith.

Sorry if I have offended anyone, It just occurs to me that dacs are getting better and better and relatively cheaper, I thought it might be worth discussing.

 

[uglymusic]

Hi Keith

 

I know you're using a HiFace and haven't been experiencing a lack of bass. I was just wondering about your other customer.

 

As I said on AudioChews.com, the jury is out at the moment, but because the Young does everything else so outstandingly well, I'm willing to believe something is up at my end.

 

I have two other Macs around (a white MacBook and a MacBook Air (the system is headed up by a Mac mini G4 currently)), plus a TOSLINK cable somewhere, so there's still some fiddling to do.

 

However, like most people, I'm awaiting the OS X drivers from Marco. I can then compare like with like.

 

 

 

[Purite Audio]

David Hi, I only managed to dispatch a handful of Youngs before the holidays, so you and Alan are the vanguard, Simon hasn't mentioned anything about a lack of bass, he is also using a hiface,I will harang Marco until the drivers are finished, thanks for your patience.

Keith.

 

[uglymusic]

Thanks Keith

 

Happy Haranging! :-)

 

[ted_b]

so i can break it in while I'm gone.

 

[sq225917]

No issue with any lack of bass at my end with the Young, quite the contrary in fact, it shows my current dac a clean pair of heels in this area bettering it for depth of bass, tonal shading and dynamics. In fact its as good in that area as my vinyl front end is and the Benz LP cart is particularly well regarded in this area so that's no mean feat.

 

[uglymusic]

Bizarre! It's lacking in dynamics (eg kick drums are being prodded gently), weight and tonal balance here.

 

Strangely, I do seem to have extension, but so quiet you feel it rather than hear it.

 

[Alan Brown]

I'll have to bring mine over then! And the LDR passive. And the USB cables. And a decent Coax I/C. Anything else?? Kitchen sink?

Seriously though, it is a strange one. I too want to compare DACs properly, so I'm also awaiting the drivers, but I have bass. And the same speakers as you...

 

[uglymusic]

Is that the S/PDIF kitchen sink or the Firewire one? :-)

 

If anything, I should have more bass as my monoblocks should have a bit more heft. But the problem doesn't lie with the amps/speakers because lack of bass is not a problem I have had before. It's something in/around the Young.

 

As we've discussed on Audio Chews, it may be due to power supply problems, specifically to the vagaries of connecting European 2-pin plugs to UK 3-pin sockets. I'm just about to go out and buy some bits and pieces to see if that's the problem.

 

[sq225917]

Tis weird, have had no issue with mine, my spdif cables is a Canare £15 jobby.

 

 

 

[matthias]

Keith,

 

what about a Paul Hynes PS for the Young ?

 

KR

 

matthias

 

[uglymusic]

It took a travel adapter that locks the European 2-pin plug in place, replacing the G4 Mac mini with my current-generation MacBook Air and using AyreWave instead of iTunes.

 

I can now do some listening!

 

[Alan Brown]

I'll plumb the sink back in...

 

[ted_b]

the original power supply/wall wart was both a European plug and even with a US plug converter was problematic/dead, but my great dealer is sending me a new 18V ps that arrives today. In the meantime I sauntered down to Radio Shack and bought a cheap one. Voila, the DAC works, and the newly released MAC drivers work up to...yes, 32/384 (except 352k which is being fixed). I played some 24/384 files (downrez'd from 2L DSD) and some 32/192 files...it sounds good, especially given that it's dead cold, not broken in, uses a Rat Shack $20 power supply, and until I get my buddy's borrowed Liveline RCA's, uses cheap Guitar Center XLR-to-RCA adapters for my XLR Livelines. IOW, it has four strikes against it currently (all easily rectified) and still sounds ok so far. PS and cables arrive today, and I'm breaking it in as I type.

 

I've had a couple of quirks with my Mac driver so far, the worst being that when I powered the DAC off, then back on, I lost the driver and had to reinstall it. And as I mentioned above, in the MAC world the driver shows up to 384k, but skips 352k, which is a popular sample rate for DXD files from 2L, etc. You can set Audio Midi for 384k and the songs will play, but since I use PM or Amarra, who do this change themselves, the auto sample rate changer blows up on 352k. M2Tech already said they are aware and readying a new driver soon.

 

[Alan Brown]

Though I agree the power supply is a bit disappointing for a 'High-end' product. I hear a couple of chaps will be building linear supplies over the next few weeks so I will be interested in their findings.

 

Incidentally, there are three YOUNG users trialling their DACs on AudioChews.com right now if anyone wants to join in & share views...

 

Can I ask you where you got the 32bit audio files? Also, having looked at the 2L site it seems certain records are recorded in 352.8kHz/24bit but the download options are for 96 or 192kHz? I would love to test mine above 192kHz (where it is admittedly excellent).

 

[ted_b]

took my DSD (dff) files from 2L and converted them to 24/384, and tried one at 32/192. You can download free 24/352 (called DXD) wav files at 2L too, not just 24/192.

 

[Alan Brown]

In the absence of friends with that kind of gear I'll have another look at 2L, maybe get a download going overnight.

 

Thanks again.