[Mariusz]

The head-fi thread with the link to driver,PDF instr.,etc..

http://www.head-fi.org/forums/f5/maverick-audio-tubemagic-d1-condensed-faq-info-thread-470639/
 

To be more specific ...... is this what you are refering to?
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/464376/head-fi/mav_condensed/usb_driver/driver.html


Mariusz


PS

Can not say anything about PS or conditioning effect on Mav D1 since all is connected to Majik Buss and whatever is pluged to it, sounds better. 

[evan1]

Sound was comparable with my Zhaolu DAC using a WE tube(thanks Joe, got it here for you)...did a couple things mellower, just not enough better to make me wanna spent mulla...I thought the SS output was just as good as the tube output with slightly better micro details.
I was not able to recreate what I thought I heard one time on the tube output...a loss of detail, muffled/dull sound...who knows maybe my head was in another dimension that night, wouldn't be the first time for that.
Overall I think its a good value for the price, and I am sure it can benefit from inexpensive tweaks.
It does need some kind of conditioning on the power line to sound its best. Tried it direct into the wall and it was ...blah. This has been my experience with most Digital components.

thats cool, but remember most of us are just getting into dacs so into DACS so for the money this is again a no brainer. Not saying its the dac to end all but we all upgrade sooner or later for the ULTIMATE QUEST

[evan1]

To be more specific ...... is this what you are refering to?
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/464376/head-fi/mav_condensed/usb_driver/driver.html




Mariusz


PS

Can not say anything about PS or conditioning effect on Mav D1 since all is connected to Majik Buss and whatever is pluged to it, sounds better. 

Now you had to go there. I auditioned the Majik Buss also but had other xpenses at the time but it is on my list to purchase.

[evan1]

and now I'm busy breaking in my new Grover SX interconnects but we will save that for another topic

[Mariusz]

thats cool, but remember most of us are just getting into dacs so into DACS so for the money this is again a no brainer. Not saying its the dac to end all but we all upgrade sooner or later for the ULTIMATE QUEST

Even
I own 3K cdp, 2.5K DACs and top rated Oppo Bluray......, Squeezbox Touch, PC audio setup with Mac-Amarra player-pace car from EA re-clocker-RWA HPA DAC.
No......, Maverick can NOT compete with top notch digital source or PC setup but for $200 it gets you realy close.
I would certainly try to give it a listen if anyone is looking for full featured component like Maverick D-1.


P.S
yeah ........ that Majik Buss is the best power treatment component I have EVER own. Love it.  But that has been covered somewhere else.
If you have $$$  for improvements in this department, I would go for it.


Cheers
Mariusz
 

[eclein]

Quote from: Mariusz

Even
I own 3K cdp, 2.5K DACs and top rated Oppo Bluray......, Squeezbox Touch, PC audio setup with Mac-Amarra player-pace car from EA re-clocker-RWA HPA DAC.
No......, Maverick can NOT compete with top notch digital source or PC setup but for $200 it gets you realy close.
I would certainly try to give it a listen if anyone is looking for full featured component like Maverick D-1.


P.S
yeah ........ that Majik Buss is the best power treatment component I have EVER own. Love it.  But that has been covered somewhere else.
If you have $$$  for improvements in this department, I would go for it.


Cheers
Mariusz

Hey Mariusz what happened to cheap and cheerful?? LOL Play nice!!

Welcome to Cheap & Cheerful HiFi!
« on: 27 Aug 2009, 07:02 PM »
Quote
                   

                                    Dear fellow audiophiles


  First of all, I would like to thank you for your support and interest in "Cheap & Cheerful" Circle
 and hope we can enjoy our hobby from somewhat different perspective and a hair of humor.

  We plan to offer a wide variety of inexpensive products, whole systems, DIY experiences and other aspects of affordable music experience.

If there is enough interest and with your help, I will try to work with manufacturers in organizing Audio Circle group buys and tours.

 I would also like to encourage DIY crowd and those with well of information on projects which will be appropriate for this Circle to step forward and offer their knowledge. 

 Last but not least, I would like to welcome everyone in "Cheap & Cheerful" Circle and lets have some fun.........on the cheap side of cause.

Here are general guidelines:

- headphone system = $200 max (head-amp and cans)
- PC only system      = $400 max (including speakers or cans)
- analog only system = $650 (phono or pre/integrated amp with phono build-in +
  turntable/arm/cartridge
- maximum stereo system price = $1000 (I'll accept 20% overhead given variations in 2nd hand   
  market and currency difference)
- no brand cables in this circle except DIY. We can make some exception for true basement bargains tho.
  Components with humor factor and gadgets are acceptable as well.

Individual components shouldn't exceed  $350 however in cases of full featured components like integrated amps with DAC, phonostage or headphone amp - its value can be as much as $650.
DIY and kits are more then welcome.



Sincerely
Mariusz

[Mariusz]

Hey, I know & love cheap but do own components which I use as reference.

Or

You would like me to rave about something based on my experiance with Bose tabletop radio ????

I thought so. 


I also have other pricey components and numerous variations for my own comparison. (about 5 or 6 phonostages alone  )
New technology and vintage pieces. SS and tube.
5 different SD setups and Martin Logan speakers for back up/comparison.



But it doesn't stop me from discovering new, cheaper alternatives. 


Cheers
Mariusz 
 

[etcarroll]

Guys I want to hear your impressions. Most of you are just saying your using it but not posting anything about how you like the sound

Don't get your panties in a bunch, I'm working up to it.

My wife came home early last night, she's sick, so I had to curtail my session.

[wilbert-vanbakel]

The Maverick DAC seems very interesting to me, and I have been reading from their website.
I do have a question though, I hope that you listeners help me understand:

from http://www.mavaudio.com/base/product/tube_magic_d1/ I copied this:
"Do you want to listen to your iPod with brilliant clarity? Simple. The Tube Magic DAC comes complete with a cord and front panel line-in jack for your iPod or other MP3 player. Just plug it in and you’re ready to rock."

Now, I heard about iPod digital transport, but it seems that the Maverick is accepting analog line out?
How does the Maverick improve audio quality, if the DA conversion is done by iPod before line-out?
Did anyone of the tour attendees notice improvement?

[ltr317]

The Maverick DAC seems very interesting to me, and I have been reading from their website.
I do have a question though, I hope that you listeners help me understand:

from http://www.mavaudio.com/base/product/tube_magic_d1/ I copied this:
"Do you want to listen to your iPod with brilliant clarity? Simple. The Tube Magic DAC comes complete with a cord and front panel line-in jack for your iPod or other MP3 player. Just plug it in and you’re ready to rock."

Now, I heard about iPod digital transport, but it seems that the Maverick is accepting analog line out?
How does the Maverick improve audio quality, if the DA conversion is done by iPod before line-out?
Did anyone of the tour attendees notice improvement?

I tried the dac portion, preamp section, headphone amp, and volume bypass but didn't try the line-in.  Maybe one of the others did try it and can chime in. 

[Mariusz]

I thing that my iPhone and Touch share at least few albums.
 

[eclein]

Posted by: wilbert-vanbakel
Insert Quote
The Maverick DAC seems very interesting to me, and I have been reading from their website.
I do have a question though, I hope that you listeners help me understand:

from http://www.mavaudio.com/base/product/tube_magic_d1/ I copied this:
"Do you want to listen to your iPod with brilliant clarity? Simple. The Tube Magic DAC comes complete with a cord and front panel line-in jack for your iPod or other MP3 player. Just plug it in and you’re ready to rock."

Now, I heard about iPod digital transport, but it seems that the Maverick is accepting analog line out?
How does the Maverick improve audio quality, if the DA conversion is done by iPod before line-out?
Did anyone of the tour attendees notice improvement?

wilbert- I'm getting one of the units to try this weekend and will check it out for you. Its a good question and I have an itouch so I'll run the headphone out from the touch into the the Mav and check it out. It sounds like its gonna convert a signal thats already converted, it will be interesting to see how that setup sounds, I'll let ya know!!

[srb]

Now, I heard about iPod digital transport, but it seems that the Maverick is accepting analog line out?
How does the Maverick improve audio quality, if the DA conversion is done by iPod before line-out?

If the Maverick is talking about improving audio quality from an iPod or MP3 player, then it would only be in the sense that the tube output might smooth the rough edges of a jagged compressed file.
 
In fact, using their 3.5mm stereo line cord from the amplified headphone jack would be an inferior method to output audio from an iPod.  A better sounding method would be to extract a true non-amplified analog line out from the iPod's bottom dock connector with either an analog dock or a dock connector to 3.5mm stereo cable similar to this one:
 
http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=108&cp_id=10831&cs_id=1083101&p_id=6225&seq=1&format=2
 
Steve
 

[wilbert-vanbakel]

Its a good question and I have an itouch so I'll run the headphone out from the touch into the the Mav and check it out.

Eclein, I assumed that the connection is from the 30-pin bottom socket on the iTouch (line-out) to the line-in on the Maverick. You are able to tell when you get the order delivered this weekend.

But that still seems to me a fried air promise, even when the tubes are smoothing the sound (I don't have experience with tubes myself yet), if I plan to feed the signal through the DAC to a regular amp/speakers (as opposed to straight from DAC to headphones) it seems to me that corners are added in the path of the signal, would you not agree?

I mean, if the tubes are adding quality, then I might as well connect my iPod stragith to a decent tube amp? So, what is that promise on their website telling me?

Line-in cord lets you plug in your iPod
Do you want to listen to your iPod with brilliant clarity? Simple. The Tube Magic DAC comes complete with a cord and front panel line-in jack for your iPod or other MP3 player. Just plug it in and you’re ready to rock.

Seems to me that the DAC in the Maverick is bypassed?

[srb]

Eclein, I assumed that the connection is from the 30-pin bottom socket on the iTouch (line-out) to the line-in on the Maverick. You are able to tell when you get the order delivered this weekend.

The Maverick Audio website, under What's included says: "line-in cord for most iPod and other MP3 players with standard 3.5 mm jack".  That tells me it is a standard stereo line cord with 3.5mm phone plugs on each end to be used with headphone jacks, and not a dock connector cord for an iPod.

 

But that still seems to me a fried air promise, even when the tubes are smoothing the sound (I don't have experience with tubes myself yet), if I plan to feed the signal through the DAC to a regular amp/speakers (as opposed to straight from DAC to headphones) it seems to me that corners are added in the path of the signal, would you not agree?

Yes.

I mean, if the tubes are adding quality, then I might as well connect my iPod stragith to a decent tube amp? So, what is that promise on their website telling me?

Not much, except that they are not the first to say that a tube in the signal path may make highly compressed MP3 files sound more tolerable.

Seems to me that the DAC in the Maverick is bypassed?

Yes.  There are two analog inputs that bypass the DAC chip, the rear panel 'Analog In' and the front panel 'Line In', each selectable by the Source switch as 'Analog' and 'Line In'.  They are provided as a convenience feature to facilitate input selection and volume control for two analog sources if you are using the D1 as your only preamplifier.
 
Steve

[eclein]

wilbert-
 In my setup the AV receiver I have (Sony STR-DH800) has a setting Analog Directthat bypasses any further signal processing so in theory using an ipod as the source it would look like this:
 ipod-to->Maverick via supplied cable-then-Maverick Analog outs or Pre-outsto receivers analog inputs using Analog Direct settings and I should hear the signal as is being sent from the Maverick without any further signal manipulation.
 I'll also be trying these configurations/setups:
 1)USB from laptop-to->Maverick-Maverick Analog/Pre-Outs->to Event TR5 Biamplified nearfield monitors
 2)Squeezebox Duet Coax out-to->Maverick-Maverick Analog/Pre-Outs->to AV receiver
 3)Playstation 3(CD transport) Optical out-to->Maverick-Maverick Analog/Pre-Outs->to AV receiver
 4)BDP S360 BD player (CD transport)Coax Out-to-Maverick-Maverick Analog/Pre-Outs->to AV receiver
I'll be checking all kinds of variables out, it will be fun...Ed

[srb]

wilbert-
iPod-to->Maverick via supplied cable-then-Maverick Analog outs or Pre-outs to receivers analog inputs using Analog Direct settings and I should hear the signal as is being sent from the Maverick without any further signal manipulation.

Yes, the receiver won't be doing any signal manipulation (A/D and D/A conversion), but since you have input selection and volume control in the receiver, there would be no reason to send the signal through the Maverick's additional jacks, switches and cables, unless you want a little extra tube coloration for the iPod.
 
Otherwise go direct from the iPod into the receiver.
 
Steve

[eclein]

The nearfield setup and the SB setup are the two that interest me the most..we shall see

[BrassEar]

FWIW, I am using a 160 GB ipod with Apple lossless files. The iPod plugs into the Onkyo dock with digital out. This feeds the coax input of the Mav. This is easily one of the best front ends I have ever heard at any price.

If you are not going to use dock like the Onkyo or Wadia, use the analog out on the bottom connector as opposed to the headphone jack, this will bypass the headphone output stages. However, the Apple analog out is only about 1V so that is not a lot of gain - you need  a preamp.  I find the Mav to be a giant killer, no question about it. The only thing that separates this unit from 10K DACs and preamps is a slight hardening of dynamics and a slight blurring of image specificity at the rear corners of the soundstage.

I am also using a HLLY 90W tripath amp and I find that a tube pre with a tripath amp is a fantastic combo.

Oh, forgot to mention that I am using LT1364 opamps and a GE NOS tube in the MAV.

[Mariusz]

As if I was hearing myself. 

Same setup here:
iPod > Onkyo Transport ND-S1 > Maverick (same opamp & tube - will try WE later this week) via Coax.

DAC's performance is excellent for the money.
Preamplifier section is locking just a bit of resolution, spaciousness, air and body (90% out of 100) when compared to another great bargain - Nelson Pass buffer (basic version).

More to come.
(new opamps and tube - need more time)