I’m a bit late to comment, but in answer to your question about digital outputs. I dusted off my M-DAC, which I bought in 2012, but rarely used. Now, 11 years later, I connect a CD or MD Recorder and burn my TIDAL playlists for use in the car. Yes, I’m a 70+ dinosaur! Even have tape decks. Well done with your superb video reviews. I’ve been subscribed for a while. 😊
@@garrymiller1657 the old Chinese negative bias. I don’t see anyone questioning the exquisite build quality of Apple products and other prestige electronics coming out of China!
Cool review. I know its an old video my friend! But it was very interesting. I myself purchased the Audiolab m-dac +, last week! All I can say is, WOW!! I really love it. It goes well with my setup. The original price was £800, from Richersounds. I got an open box one in Black! for a crazy price of £500. Everything inside was completely new! If you know what I mean? It was all sealed & ready to go. When it got delivered to my home, I opened it & wow! There wasn't ANY marks or scratches on it. It even still had that protective sticker you get on the front of the menu screen. Anyways, I'm really happy with it. It works awesome with my Audiolab 6000CDT, & my Yamaha AS-1100, plus a pair of Dali Rubicon 2s. I'm replaying all my CDs once again. Plus I've been buying new music. Now my system can handle any type of music!! Anyways, stay safe & well. 👍
Thanks for the review, I lived with the Q-Dac and the M-PWR setup for a couple of years. I had the Mojo previously and I fully agree with you, weightier and more organic sounding but what a pain to use as a desktop solution. Keep up the down to earth advice, and all the best in growing your channel.
Christian Dockendorff can you please elaborate on the Mojo being a pain to use as a desktop dac? I was toying with the idea of doing just that, since the Mojo is so highly regarded and can be bought regularly for $400 (used) where I live, but have had reservations since it’s meant for mobile. Looking at a q-dac now for $600 since I discovered it on sale.
I dont mean to be so off topic but does someone know a trick to get back into an instagram account..? I was stupid lost the account password. I love any help you can give me
@Samson Omar thanks for your reply. I got to the site through google and I'm in the hacking process now. Looks like it's gonna take a while so I will reply here later when my account password hopefully is recovered.
The optical out is for example using the q dac as an usb to coaxial converter. That's why I bought it, I found it real cheap and I also use it as a headphone amp/dac instead of using the computers headphone jack. Nice channel, keep it up!
the coax output connector is good for connecting the genelec dsp digital and analog to the speakers in order to get a better sound reproduction from that connector than in the traditional analog way. It's a shame that the possibility of the connector in question is not already standard in every single device, but these possibilities should be avoided in advance in purchasing situations. and jeah genelec is perfectly suited for home use thanks to its fruitful sound reproduction and high-level built-in room correction.
Thanks for review Tarun. You are very good at explaining things in an easy to understand way. Yeah the dojo, ha, that would be a good idea if the price was competitive.
@@abritishaudiophile7314 I'm impressed dude, seeing you so early on wondering if you'll ever grow the channel to the point you can get manufacturers etc on side, and look at you now... And I get to be a hipster with the old "Ah, Tarun? Yeah I've liked his channel since way before it was big". Good on ya:D
Good review. The optical out is to connect to a CD player and use the DAC to process the information. Effectively then, the CD will become a transport only. 👍🏼
Hello Tarun I think a video on your Exposure preamp and monoblocks would be interesting. I know you reviewed the Hegel 90 and I was wondering what kind of value that presents vs the 160 which should be comparable to the 190.
Hi Danny, I am planning to post a video on the Exposure amps and my Proac Response 1SCs for that matter. I had the H90 in my system a few weeks prior to getting my H160 so didn’t do a direct AB comparison. My general impression was that both amps have a very similar sonic character - fast, clean bass, slightly recessed midrange and smooth, extended highs. The main, obvious difference was that the H160 had much more grip and authority leading to a much bigger soundstage with better dynamics. I also felt that the separation between instruments was better on the H160. Check my review of the H160 for more information. The H160 is definitely a better amplifier than the H90. Of course, as you correctly point out, the H190 has replaced the H160 and the price here in the UK has risen from £2,450 to £3,200. That is a big increase and, in my opinion, not entirely justifiable. There is also the H120 to through into the mix which is a replacement for the Rost. Which one to go for? Well, that depends on the rest of your system, set up and whether it is capable of fully exploiting the differences. Good luck and thank you for watching and commenting on the video.
Late to the party, but nice to see your earlier content. I'm wondering if this power amplifier is inferior/superior in terms of sonic quality to the Audiolab 6000a? Edit: Ok you have mentioned that you guess this is superior but you may have had some direct aural experience by now.
@ a British audiophile: if I don’t care about inconvenience mojo is still the best dac one can buy under 500? Planning to use it for my audioquest nightowl headphones and in a hifi with Gold Note amp and b and w speakers.
Hi Tarun, I have watched with interest your YT videos relating to DACs. I have a modest system based around 8000c/8000p and Ruark Prologue One's to which I have added a TEAC VRDS-10. I had been reading about the m-dac that you mentioned when talking about your q-dac and was keeping a lookout for one of these, but then started reading about the high number of them developing CAP failure issues as they get older. I've tried in vain to find out if the replacement the M-DAC+ has addressed this issue by using better components and was wondering if you might have any experience of these. I'm considering buying the m-dac+ and would welcome your advice around this as a possible partner for my TEAC. Thanks Karl
Hi Billy, it’s a Rel Strata III sub which has high level inputs so you just connect it to the speaker terminals at the back of your amplifier in parallel to the speaker cables. Thank you for watching and commenting.
@ A British Audiophile - thanks for all the excellent informative videos! HiFi definitely has come in useful in these strange times.. Anyway, I'm considering an m-dac nano as a wireless solution for my domestic set-up (literally AVI Lab series S21 MI and AVI monitor speakers). I wanted to know any thoughts on this, and whether 'wired' is ALWAYS better than 'wireless'. Thanks again for the content!
Thank you Amar. That will be a nice system. Wired is not always better than wireless. Ask Auralic. It is all about the quality of the implementation 😊👍
the coax output connector is good for connecting the genelec dsp digital and analog to the speakers in order to get a better sound reproduction from that connector than in the traditional analog way. It's a shame that the possibility of the connector in question is not already standard in every single device, but these possibilities should be avoided in advance in purchasing situations. and jeah genelec is perfectly suited for home use thanks to its fruitful sound reproduction and high-level built-in room correction.
I’ve been a professional sound engineer for 20+ years. Primarily studio work, but some live work. With that ADC and DAC makes total sense to me. I’m new to the HiFi world. The money people are willing to spend on things in the HiFi world baffles me (just a side thought). My question is, other than ripping a CD, most people buy MP3 audio files. I’m sure we can both go in to details about what MP3s do to the sound quality. Buying a better DAC to play an MP3 makes no sense to me. Where do people go (for a decent price) to get CD (or better) digital audio sources? If playing an MP3, running my phone on Bluetooth in to a sound system vs my very expensive studio-grade DAC playing the same file, there’s little difference in quality. I’d like to know a good (and reputable) place to download .WAV or .AIFF files.
it should be the chord moho with mqa ,ipower and the old qute hd box which looked much better than the generic uninspiring qutest or the mojo that looks like a toy .it can be like one of those drop products which are better than the original versions since actual humans have complained about the problems .
I can see why you think so but the internal DAC in the Hegel H160 is better. Greater resolution and timing. Hegel has a long pedigree in making DACs and the H160 has essentially what was the Hegel HD11 DAC in it which retailed for about £1,000. Thank you for watching and commenting 😉
Hello Mr T an Audiophile Gentleman! I need to run something by you. It’s a decision I need to make between 2 Amps for my new speakers . I feel my explanation could be lengthy. Your call please advise Thanks and I certainly respect the wonderful job you are doing. David from Canada
Hi David, it is tricky to give specific advice as it all comes down to taste. I am happy to give you a steer but I need to know... 1. The size of your room. 2. Is your room carpeted with lots of soft furnishings or with lots of hard reflective surfaces? 3. What is the rest of your system? 4. What kind of sound are going for, warm, neutral or brighter?
Hi Mike, hmm... headphones. I am not the most experienced headphone listener. I can never get over the stereo image being in my head. I would rather leave headphone reviews to people who have more experience than me at this stage. But never say never, maybe in the future.
Hi beeb666, I would love to review the Audiolab 8300xp stereo power amp. It’s a dual mono design from one of the few companies committed to producing sensibly priced Hifi equipment. Hopefully, this channel will grow to the point where I can start to approach dealers and manufacturers to audition gear. I am not there yet. Thank you for watching and commenting.
why do you want digital passthrough - recording to a digital device IE minidisk recorder or similar. be worth testing if the digital out is pure passthrough or volume controlled
Is there any reliability concerns with AudioLab amplifiers? Specifically the 8300A? I've got my next purchase narrowed down to this AudioLab, the Marantz PM8006 or the Yamaha AS 801.
Couldn't you add English subtitles in your videos please? It'd be really good for people like me whose command of English isn't good enough. Thanks in advance and a greeting from Spain...
@@abritishaudiophile7314 I can't tell you how to do it. I know it's possible but I don't know... The only thing I know it's you who'd have to do it.... And thank you but it's to try to understand better what you say cause my command of English isn't good enough. THX anyway!
you have one in your cd player it converts digital signal to analog but you shoudn't worry about it,arcams and b&w match really nice i'm using a delta 120 power amp and dm 580 speakers from 1987. arcam was actually one of the first brands ever to offer an outboard seperate dac called the "black box"
Why oh why do you not show the inside of these devices you dont listen to the boxes its whats inside! so rather important, too many reviews do this, does not take a couple of minutes to unscrew the cover and i find it rather lazy to skip this and havin worked on hi fi equipment you would be surprised at some of the shocking sights i have seen and potential purchasers need to be informed please bear this in mind in future reviews.
Hi Brian, these Audiolab components have some quirky fasteners, not flathead, Philips or Allen Key type. I did not have a screw head that would remove them without damaging them. I do take off the covers off on equipment when possible as you will see in some of my other reviews. I agree that it is useful to see inside. Thank you for watching 😉
Hi Michael, I agree perhaps one cost cutting measure too far. I would also have liked a remote control as it usually lives on top of a wardrobe in my bedroom and I have to get up each time I need to change volume or input. Thank you for watching and sharing.
I’m a bit late to comment, but in answer to your question about digital outputs. I dusted off my M-DAC, which I bought in 2012, but rarely used. Now, 11 years later, I connect a CD or MD Recorder and burn my TIDAL playlists for use in the car. Yes, I’m a 70+ dinosaur! Even have tape decks. Well done with your superb video reviews. I’ve been subscribed for a while. 😊
Thank you. I appreciate your support 😊👍
I’ve had the pleasure of owning various Audiolab components. Honestly, for the price their hard to challenge.
Thank you Howard 😊
@@garrymiller1657 the old Chinese negative bias. I don’t see anyone questioning the exquisite build quality of Apple products and other prestige electronics coming out of China!
Cool review. I know its an old video my friend! But it was very interesting. I myself purchased the Audiolab m-dac +, last week! All I can say is, WOW!! I really love it. It goes well with my setup. The original price was £800, from Richersounds. I got an open box one in Black! for a crazy price of £500. Everything inside was completely new! If you know what I mean? It was all sealed & ready to go. When it got delivered to my home, I opened it & wow! There wasn't ANY marks or scratches on it. It even still had that protective sticker you get on the front of the menu screen. Anyways, I'm really happy with it. It works awesome with my Audiolab 6000CDT, & my Yamaha AS-1100, plus a pair of Dali Rubicon 2s. I'm replaying all my CDs once again. Plus I've been buying new music. Now my system can handle any type of music!! Anyways, stay safe & well. 👍
That is a very nice system. Thank you for watching and sharing Andy 😊👍
Thanks for the review, I lived with the Q-Dac and the M-PWR setup for a couple of years. I had the Mojo previously and I fully agree with you, weightier and more organic sounding but what a pain to use as a desktop solution.
Keep up the down to earth advice, and all the best in growing your channel.
Thank you Christian, very well put. That is exactly what I think as well.
Christian Dockendorff can you please elaborate on the Mojo being a pain to use as a desktop dac? I was toying with the idea of doing just that, since the Mojo is so highly regarded and can be bought regularly for $400 (used) where I live, but have had reservations since it’s meant for mobile. Looking at a q-dac now for $600 since I discovered it on sale.
I dont mean to be so off topic but does someone know a trick to get back into an instagram account..?
I was stupid lost the account password. I love any help you can give me
@Finn Reyansh Instablaster :)
@Samson Omar thanks for your reply. I got to the site through google and I'm in the hacking process now.
Looks like it's gonna take a while so I will reply here later when my account password hopefully is recovered.
The optical out is for example using the q dac as an usb to coaxial converter. That's why I bought it, I found it real cheap and I also use it as a headphone amp/dac instead of using the computers headphone jack. Nice channel, keep it up!
Great, that makes sense. I have been scratching my head for ages. When I started, I had a full head of hair 🤪 👌
the coax output connector is good for connecting the genelec dsp digital and analog to the speakers in order to get a better sound reproduction from that connector than in the traditional analog way. It's a shame that the possibility of the connector in question is not already standard in every single device, but these possibilities should be avoided in advance in purchasing situations. and jeah genelec is perfectly suited for home use thanks to its fruitful sound reproduction and high-level built-in room correction.
Thanks for review Tarun.
You are very good at explaining things in an easy to understand way.
Yeah the dojo, ha, that would be a good idea if the price was competitive.
Thanks Mike. I think we should definitely get on to Chord about the Dojo!
Hi Tarun. power to you and the channel. enjoyed the video. love from India. thanks
Thank you Sushant. Your support is very much appreciated 😉👍
How did I get this far back 😅 M Dac still a good piece today . I've just been offered this for £100 it's a no brainer .
Was that a little music demo ?
That is a great purchase 😊
Ahhh - remember the good old days when Ted ruled the sofa and your camera was a potato:D
You've come so far! Good work dude..
Picard out.
Thank you. It has been quite a journey. I miss Ted 🐻 👍
@@abritishaudiophile7314 I'm impressed dude, seeing you so early on wondering if you'll ever grow the channel to the point you can get manufacturers etc on side, and look at you now...
And I get to be a hipster with the old "Ah, Tarun? Yeah I've liked his channel since way before it was big".
Good on ya:D
@@yyams thank you Mr James. Your support over the years has not gone unnoticed 😊👍
Great review! I have M-DAC and I love it
Thanks Raymondey
Cool bro! I've got the Audiolab m-dac +. Fantastic DAC!! Best DAC I've owned so far. 👍
Good review. The optical out is to connect to a CD player and use the DAC to process the information. Effectively then, the CD will become a transport only. 👍🏼
Hi Gary, I can understand that with an optical input but not with an optical output. Thank you for watching 😉
Hello Tarun
I think a video on your Exposure preamp and monoblocks would be interesting.
I know you reviewed the Hegel 90 and I was wondering what kind of value that presents vs the 160 which should be comparable to the 190.
Hi Danny, I am planning to post a video on the Exposure amps and my Proac Response 1SCs for that matter.
I had the H90 in my system a few weeks prior to getting my H160 so didn’t do a direct AB comparison. My general impression was that both amps have a very similar sonic character - fast, clean bass, slightly recessed midrange and smooth, extended highs. The main, obvious difference was that the H160 had much more grip and authority leading to a much bigger soundstage with better dynamics. I also felt that the separation between instruments was better on the H160. Check my review of the H160 for more information.
The H160 is definitely a better amplifier than the H90. Of course, as you correctly point out, the H190 has replaced the H160 and the price here in the UK has risen from £2,450 to £3,200. That is a big increase and, in my opinion, not entirely justifiable. There is also the H120 to through into the mix which is a replacement for the Rost. Which one to go for? Well, that depends on the rest of your system, set up and whether it is capable of fully exploiting the differences.
Good luck and thank you for watching and commenting on the video.
Late to the party, but nice to see your earlier content. I'm wondering if this power amplifier is inferior/superior in terms of sonic quality to the Audiolab 6000a? Edit: Ok you have mentioned that you guess this is superior but you may have had some direct aural experience by now.
They are very close but yes I think the QDAC/MPWR combo is a little better 😊
@ a British audiophile: if I don’t care about inconvenience mojo is still the best dac one can buy under 500? Planning to use it for my audioquest nightowl headphones and in a hifi with Gold Note amp and b and w speakers.
I agree as I can’t think of a better performing one at the same money. Thank you for watching 😊👍
Hi Tarun, I have watched with interest your YT videos relating to DACs. I have a modest system based around 8000c/8000p and Ruark Prologue One's to which I have added a TEAC VRDS-10. I had been reading about the m-dac that you mentioned when talking about your q-dac and was keeping a lookout for one of these, but then started reading about the high number of them developing CAP failure issues as they get older. I've tried in vain to find out if the replacement the M-DAC+ has addressed this issue by using better components and was wondering if you might have any experience of these. I'm considering buying the m-dac+ and would welcome your advice around this as a possible partner for my TEAC. Thanks Karl
I think the M-DAC or Q-DAC would be a good choice. Should naturally partnering well with your amps 😊
I would love you to go through how you have hooked up your own speakers and sub that we see in your home if possible
Hi Billy, it’s a Rel Strata III sub which has high level inputs so you just connect it to the speaker terminals at the back of your amplifier in parallel to the speaker cables. Thank you for watching and commenting.
There is a device (looks like a HARD Disk) ; Is this connected to.the QDAC ? I see it at the start of the Video
All my high res music is on a USB drive. It is now connected to my Auralic Aries streamer, previously a Toshiba Notebook running JRiver 😊
@ A British Audiophile - thanks for all the excellent informative videos! HiFi definitely has come in useful in these strange times.. Anyway, I'm considering an m-dac nano as a wireless solution for my domestic set-up (literally AVI Lab series S21 MI and AVI monitor speakers). I wanted to know any thoughts on this, and whether 'wired' is ALWAYS better than 'wireless'. Thanks again for the content!
Thank you Amar. That will be a nice system. Wired is not always better than wireless. Ask Auralic. It is all about the quality of the implementation 😊👍
🤙🤙🤙 I like your channel very much! Guten Morgen aus Deutschland.
Guten tag herr Hu Ko. Thank you for watching and commenting on the video.
Tarun A British Audiophile 🤗🤗🤗
For anyone who still owns a CD Recorder or Minidisc player those digital outs could potentially be a useful extra :)
Thank you Nick 😉
the coax output connector is good for connecting the genelec dsp digital and analog to the speakers in order to get a better sound reproduction from that connector than in the traditional analog way. It's a shame that the possibility of the connector in question is not already standard in every single device, but these possibilities should be avoided in advance in purchasing situations. and jeah genelec is perfectly suited for home use thanks to its fruitful sound reproduction and high-level built-in room correction.
I’ve been a professional sound engineer for 20+ years. Primarily studio work, but some live work. With that ADC and DAC makes total sense to me. I’m new to the HiFi world. The money people are willing to spend on things in the HiFi world baffles me (just a side thought). My question is, other than ripping a CD, most people buy MP3 audio files. I’m sure we can both go in to details about what MP3s do to the sound quality. Buying a better DAC to play an MP3 makes no sense to me. Where do people go (for a decent price) to get CD (or better) digital audio sources? If playing an MP3, running my phone on Bluetooth in to a sound system vs my very expensive studio-grade DAC playing the same file, there’s little difference in quality. I’d like to know a good (and reputable) place to download .WAV or .AIFF files.
Hi Kevin, thank you for watching and sharing your experiences. Have you tried HD Tracks for downloads...
www.hdtracks.com
it should be the chord moho with mqa ,ipower and the old qute hd box which looked much better than the generic uninspiring qutest or the mojo that looks like a toy .it can be like one of those drop products which are better than the original versions since actual humans have complained about the problems .
I expect the Q-DAC to outperform the DAC inside the Hegel H160. Am I right?
I can see why you think so but the internal DAC in the Hegel H160 is better. Greater resolution and timing. Hegel has a long pedigree in making DACs and the H160 has essentially what was the Hegel HD11 DAC in it which retailed for about £1,000. Thank you for watching and commenting 😉
Hello Mr T an
Audiophile Gentleman! I need to run something by you. It’s a decision I need to make between 2 Amps for my new speakers . I feel my explanation could be lengthy. Your call please advise
Thanks and I certainly respect the wonderful job you are doing. David from Canada
Hi David, it is tricky to give specific advice as it all comes down to taste. I am happy to give you a steer but I need to know...
1. The size of your room.
2. Is your room carpeted with lots of soft furnishings or with lots of hard reflective surfaces?
3. What is the rest of your system?
4. What kind of sound are going for, warm, neutral or brighter?
Is qdac still good or should
I get mdac plus
Both good at the price points 😊
@@abritishaudiophile7314 mdac plus is 900 euros here
@@rajendrabiswas what about the Denafrips Ares II?
@@abritishaudiophile7314 I don’t want my first DAC to be Chinese . Maybe mdac plus , qutest or budget one rega r DAC
Have you any plans for headphone reviews.
Hi Mike, hmm... headphones. I am not the most experienced headphone listener. I can never get over the stereo image being in my head. I would rather leave headphone reviews to people who have more experience than me at this stage. But never say never, maybe in the future.
When you got a chance please review audiolab 8300xp stereo amplifier. Like your video
Hi beeb666, I would love to review the Audiolab 8300xp stereo power amp. It’s a dual mono design from one of the few companies committed to producing sensibly priced Hifi equipment. Hopefully, this channel will grow to the point where I can start to approach dealers and manufacturers to audition gear. I am not there yet. Thank you for watching and commenting.
You should try the Gato CDD-1 cd with top class DACwhich i have plus the gato dia 250 npm aniversary int amp streamer gorgeous
Thanks Matthew Todd
why do you want digital passthrough - recording to a digital device IE minidisk recorder or similar. be worth testing if the digital out is pure passthrough or volume controlled
Thank you 😉
@@abritishaudiophile7314 no problem mate, good luck with the channel
Is there any reliability concerns with AudioLab amplifiers? Specifically the 8300A? I've got my next purchase narrowed down to this AudioLab, the Marantz PM8006 or the Yamaha AS 801.
None that I am aware of through the industry grapevine. Thank you for watching 😉
Nice unit. I use a marantz hd amp which is an amp-dac that came out in 2016. Check one out.
I am familiar with it. That is a good DAC/preamp 😊
Couldn't you add English subtitles in your videos please? It'd be really good for people like me whose command of English isn't good enough. Thanks in advance and a greeting from Spain...
Hi FFF, I am unaware of how to do that. If you have a specific question, I would be happy to try to answer it. Thank you for watching 😉
@@abritishaudiophile7314 I can't tell you how to do it. I know it's possible but I don't know... The only thing I know it's you who'd have to do it.... And thank you but it's to try to understand better what you say cause my command of English isn't good enough. THX anyway!
Love my hifi...but not sure what Dac does, I have a Arcam system with BW speakers .
Hi Andrew, what do you use to actually play the music, a CD player, turntable or something else?
@@abritishaudiophile7314
Play cd mainly, but also use Rega turntable, and pioneer music streamer.
you have one in your cd player it converts digital signal to analog but you shoudn't worry about it,arcams and b&w match really nice i'm using a delta 120 power amp and dm 580 speakers from 1987. arcam was actually one of the first brands ever to offer an outboard seperate dac called the "black box"
Thanks yaniv, your advise is spot on. Sorry Andrew, I didn’t pick up on your reply earlier.
Lol, thats such a nightmare with how you use the mojo. 😂. I just plugged it permanently to the desktop with two usb’s. Battery be damned...
You are right. It is a pain 😢
a lot of amps come with built in DACs today. what ever happen to no frills amps? waste of money
There are still some out there 😊
Why oh why do you not show the inside of these devices you dont listen to the boxes its whats inside! so rather important, too many reviews do this, does not take a couple of minutes to unscrew the cover and i find it rather lazy to skip this and havin worked on hi fi equipment you would be surprised at some of the shocking sights i have seen and potential purchasers need to be informed please bear this in mind in future reviews.
Hi Brian, these Audiolab components have some quirky fasteners, not flathead, Philips or Allen Key type. I did not have a screw head that would remove them without damaging them. I do take off the covers off on equipment when possible as you will see in some of my other reviews. I agree that it is useful to see inside. Thank you for watching 😉
Hate it when theres not physichal volume knob
Hi Michael, I agree perhaps one cost cutting measure too far. I would also have liked a remote control as it usually lives on top of a wardrobe in my bedroom and I have to get up each time I need to change volume or input. Thank you for watching and sharing.
And you're _sure_ there is no one hiding inside the teddy?
Hi Rennie, not sure, shall I check ?😂😂😂