Nothing super expensive but I had good luck with the results with every DAC I’ve tried it with. Pangea AC-14 XL.
1 Like
I found where I got my pink noise file from. The download is free.
High Quality Pink Noise | wav mp3 Audio Files Download (audiocheck.net)
1 Like
I assumed this was more commonly known, but Focal provides their uncompressed test CD for free online, complete with album cover picture and everything. It has a good pink noise track and pretty decent bass test tracks in addition to all of the requisite sine tones and sweeps.
7 Likes
Not known here until today. Thanks for the info and the link.
1 Like
John,
I have a Roon server running Roon and Qobuz, the latter has a number of pink noise tracks; that’s how I’ve been doing the MK2 break in.
1 Like
@tedsmith I also have a tick or a static sounding pop when changing tracks. I received a DAC pre-loaded with latest massive. I hear it NUC —> AQ USB Carbon —> USB on Directstream. and Ethernet —? RaspPi with ROON Bridge —> AQ USB Carbon —> USB Directstream. I am just letting ROON radio go through songs as I break in the DAC. This tick/pop did NOT happen with my MKI
I have a volume issue. If I need to change the volume up or down in ROON several times during a listening session the volume will slide to maximum volume. If I slide it down it slides right back to full volume. Only way to get volume back is to reboot the DAC. This also happened on my MKI
FYI, mr Richards says he has 3 sets of mkii transformers left and when they’re gone, he won’t be making any more. If you’re on the fence…
A question: are you saying that the displayed volume on the Mk II changes as you do something up stream of the DAC? AFAIK there’s nothing in the Mk II that can affect the volume except the buttons on the front and the remote control. (The Bridge in the Mk I could change the volume, but the Mk II doesn’t support the bridge.) In any case if, indeed, the Mk II is showing a changing volume you probably need to contact PS Audio support - if there’s a Mk II bug there the bug is in the User Interface code that PS Audio wrote and supports.
If you have a tick when changing tracks when the two tracks have the same sample rate then something upstream is pausing the output and then restarting it. Often there’s a setting in the player to play gaplessly to keep it from doing this. If the sample rate changes between tracks then obviously it can’t be played gaplessly. There is a very quiet tick when music starts and stops in the Mk II that wasn’t there in the Mk I, but it’s not loud enough to be noticeable or to bother most people. It was much worse in the initial Antero release of the Mk II.
3 Likes
@tedsmith The volume I see changing is in ROON volume control not on the DAC. I use the DSP Volume setting in ROON so I can change the sound output. My DAC is in a different room from my speakers so I can not change the volume setting specifically on the DAC either on front panel or via the remote since I am not in the physical room. This issue did exist on my MKI using ROON and the Bridge card. I have to be careful setting volume limit so when this behavior happens I don’t have my speakers goto extreme volume.
I will pay attention to the sample rates of the songs to help identify when the tick happens. The tick is VERY noticeable.
I can’t help with the volume issues since the Mk II can’t communicate a volume change back upstream - i.e. the volume change issue has nothing to do with the DAC.
If your system has a lot of gain and you have to turn the volume down quite a bit (wherever that happens) then overall the lower output level from the DAC will cause a lower signal to noise ratio overall and will greatly exaggerate any noise and/or ticks/pops, etc. from the DAC. If you have a preamp between the Mk II and your amp, turn it down a little to get better signal to noise ratio (and hence quieter pops) from the Mk II.
2 Likes
@tedsmith My system is ROON on Intel NUC. Ethernet via CAT7 → RaspPi with ROON Bridge → AQ Carbon USB -->Directstream MKII → XLR to M700 Mono → Cardas Clear Speaker Cables → Polk Legend L200. So NO pre-amp in my system.
I understand your point about the volume going to max. Thank you, and I think I saw a mention in the early ROON release soon to be public mentioning something about volume going to max. I will spend time on the forums there.
I have the volume on the Directstream MKII set to 40. When I choose DSP Volume in ROON it defaults to -80dB to - 0dB. So when I listen (generally) I may be -10dB on the ROON DSP volume control. If I want just background sound I may be -25dB. I am trying to find the sweet spot. It is important that I can use my ROON app on Android phone, Win10 computer and Apple iPad to control volume.
Interesting note. When I rebooted (turn off via switch in back) the DAC the volume when back to 25. I had to turn it up via front panel to 40 again. I will try again and see if I can reproduce that.
2nd Interesting thing. I tried setting balance on the DAC via front panel and there didn’t seem to be any effect on volume from either speaker. My one speaker is near a corner and that effects the center stage so I was hoping to play with balance left-right to see if I could positively notice a better center.
Thank you for your time and direct replies. It really helps while I evaluate the DAC.
The Mk II can have a fixed output volume and in that mode it will always power up to that volume and will ignore the volume changes from the remote, etc. If the output volume isn’t fixed the Mk II always powers up at 25 to keep from blasting someone’s speakers, etc. if they aren’t using a preamp…
A typical volume of 40 is a little low for best sound quality on the Mk II. At that low of a volume (approx. -30dB) a preamp is recommended. The difference in sound quality will be substantial with a preamp. Some in your position have used inline attenuators in their interconnects between the Mk II and the amp instead of a preamp.
4 Likes
As an query what volume setting has the best sound in the MKII?
100 will give the best signal to noise ratio. The “feature” of the Mk I which caused the best sound to be at 94 (or 88 depending on the specific release) has been rectified in the Mk II. However, the sound of the Mk II won’t degrade significantly as the volume goes down a little. The analog noise floor stays the same so it’s just that when the volume is turned way down, the relative analog noise floor is much higher.
10 Likes
Good to know, Thanks Ted, I have one on the way
I’m strictly a 100 user. 
1 Like
A good number have found it worth experimenting with MK2 and preamp levels to discover what combination sounds the best in a given system.
3 Likes
pedal to the metal
I have thought about playing that game. Both the Mk2 and my c-j GAT preamp have granular volume controls and both go from 0 - 100. In my case the preamp is analog and each step is about 0.7 dB change. I need to find out what it is for the Mk2 and then I can try playing a noise track CD and see were the noise starts to rise as I decrease the Mk2 and increase the preamp and keep the volume level about the same. I not sure about the preamp noise. It is tubes and I am not sure if it has a fixed component and a variable component or just one or the other.
If anyone has advise on this business of trying to find the seat spot please let me know.
MK2 fixed on 100 all the way!
1 Like