Playback mpd3

A couple of other things to check. Check with your amp/preamp what the maximum input voltage allowed for the input you are utilizing. While I have not measured the output of the MPD3, my Nagra has 3 inputs that allow up to 2v while the 4th input allows up to 4v. I am connected to input 4. In other words the MPD3 may be a bit hot for your input as I am almost certain that if your amp/pre have a hard 2v ceiling then you will clip often, unless you have the volume from the computer mitigating it. Unlikely but a possibility of your problem. Make sure you are getting good power and properly isolating your components from one another, where appropriate. Good cabling between the pc and the dac is important as well.

Bhobba - no offense intended but since the MPD3 has no volume control it comes as no surprise that when you connected it directly to an amplifier that it probably did sound bad. If you were using your computer as the volume control then I am further convinced that the noise you describe is elswhere in your system.

Grz you all for the answers.
So today Mr. Andreas Koch replied to me ... and was really very kind.

This and a part of the answer.

Buona sera Signor Scala,

My apologies for the poor response earlier on your question. Here is what is going on in our converters:
Every D/A converter requires an analog low-pass filter at its output. This is to get rid of high frequency noise that is not correlated with the music signal. There are many different ways for how to design this filter. Most manufacturer make this filter very steep or sharp to minimize the remaining noise and to achieve best measurements. However, there is a price to be paid: the steeper this filter is, the more the sonic performance (i.e. musicality) is impacted.
Since the noise is not correlated to the music signal, it is like listening to music with your window open when you might hear a little the wind outside. Uncorrelated noise does not distract from listening. Therefore, we have designed our filter not to minimize this noise, but rather to optimize the sonic performance with the lowest possible noise and without impacting the listening experience. So now if you stop playing music and turn the volume up you can hear more noise with our converter than with others. That is normal and was designed to optimize the sonic performance.

thank you again Mr. Andreas Koch me he replied in person.

Hi Chasely

No offense taken.

However it does come as a surprise to me direct connecting the DAC produces as much noise as it does. Every other DAC I have ever owned did not produce this level of noise - and I have owned a lot. And this is the only DAC that produced anywhere near this level of noise to the point where direct connecting and using the volume control in the computer was a degradation. Some DAC's sound better direct connected - others sound better with a pre-amp but this is the only DAC that sounded better with a pre-amp because of noise.

I am glad the OP got a reply. I was just chatting to a friend who owns an MPD5 yesterday and like me he had a lot of problems getting even a reply from Playback Designs - but did point out he finally managed to get a response by trying a different email.

Thanks
Bill

Bhobba,
I am a bit shocked to learn of this. But not entirely surprised because I read the legal proceedings between Jonathan Tinn and EMM on the Internet. The matter was decided in favor of EMM. You can Google the court documents if wish to read them. Let's put it this way -- I was not impressed by what I read about Jonathan Tinn.

Before I purchased my AMR DP-777 I was thinking seriously about the Playback Designs MPD-3. I'm glad I didn't make the move in that direction. I have had nothing but the very best relations with the folks at AMR. I can recommend their DP-77 very highly -- as well as their stellar service.

Sabai, I do not know Mr. Tinn nor do I have any affiliation other than as a customer of Playback Designs. I am aware of the lawsuit between Tinn and EMM from a number of years ago. For you to bring that up in this thread is patently unfair and has no relevance whatsoever in attempting to answer the original posters noise query. But since you brought it up, it is important to note that the matter was NOT resolved in EMM's favor. Each party to the lawsuit was granted relief....in other words, a functional tie.

Apparently, Tinn was distributing EMM in the US and was doing so on a handshake agreement. Koch left EMM to start Playback Designs and Tinn would be joining forces with Koch in the future. Evidently, EMM got mad and refused to pay Tinn, past, present or future. Some motions were granted in Tinn's favor, some in EMM's favor. If you hadn't recommended and AMR player (unsolicited I might add) I would think you to be an EMM fanboi!

Anyway back to the topic at hand, I do not believe that one can make a judgement on the noise/or lack thereof of a component given the above data in this thread. The MPD3 is a line level component NOT intended to be connected amp direct. To use the volume from your computer is the least effective qualitative means for volume control. Other dacs that have been metioned had on board volume controls. Did you test their noise level with their on board volumes set to maximum? Are you sure impedences were matched?

Not slamming anyone here but again, too many variables to make a judgement. Regards.