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MF V-DAC and power supply

I know this is a very elementary question for most of you buy I'm hoping you will help. I have a pretty good basic system with:

1. Cary SLP-94 Preamp
2. Balanced Audio Technology VK200 Amplifier (SS)
3. Tube Audio Design 60 Amplifier (tube)
4. Rega P3-24 with TTPSU, upgrade subplatter (Groovetracer) and counterweight (Mitchell), Herbie's mat, Clearaudio Virtuoso cartridge
5. Cambridge Audio 650 CD player

I want to get into PC audio, so.......I ripped all my CDs into Itunes Apple Lossless. And now am at a loss (less)

I am thinking about buying a Musical Fidelity V-DAC with a power supply upgrade and using it to to play the files through my system. My questions:

1. Is the MF V-DAC good enough? That is, will I be satisfied with the sound through the system that I have or do I need something better?
2. Do I need to do anything other than hook the V-DAC through the usb port on my laptop and hit play? Or, do I need to do more in relation to lossless or to playing the damn thing?

Thanks for any help you are willing to give.
6. Acoustic Zen Adagio Speakers
gmsasso
johnss
599 posts
 
The VDAC is really good, but is even better with the new power supply and PCB cap upgrades, I have done three of the VDACs, everyone is amazed at the sonic improvements; sounds like a much more expensive DAC
gmsasso OP
33 posts
 
Ok, I ordered the v-dac, wireworld usb, and pyramid power supply. V-dac got here first with wireworld so I hooked it up using just the wall wart. Sound was thin, especially using my BAT transistor amp. A little better with the tube amp. So I kept playing to break the whole thing in. Pyramid came and the sound is better, all the sounds are there but you guys know what I mean. Lacks a bit of depth, sustain, etc.

I also connected it to my Cambridge 640c cd player (several years old) with an optial cable. Comparing the Cambridge DAC to the V-dac and the old Cambridge DAC sounds better.

As it breaks in, apple lossless files sound a bit better, but not quite as good as I had hoped.
hotmailjbc
571 posts
 
sorry to hear that. i guess this is the first negative comment i have read about this product in 2 years. can you return it and try something else?
stanwal's avatar
stanwal
3,147 posts
 
I think you will find that the Mac is not nearly as good as higher priced gear designed from the ground up for audio use. From everything I hear from sources I trust getting good sound from downloads is a fairly difficult and expensive proposition. As to the sound of the V-DAC, I recently had a chance to do an A-B with my back up dac, an Audio Synthesis DAX with a Ayon CD-5. All 4 of us agreed that the DAX was better although the owner of the CD-5 later recanted after rereading all the glowing reviews the CD-5 had received. The current CD-5 is in the area of $10,000 so price isn't everything. The DAX and V-DAC are close in sound but I usually listen to the V-DAC.
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