Those were my thoughts exactly about the MKI, but I plunged ahead with the MKII, which arrived exactly a week ago (Jan 26). While out of the box it was better than the MKI, if truth be told, I was a little underwhelmed. However after 5 days of constant run time, the sound had improved dramatically. I put the MKI back in for a bit to compare and there was no question that the MKII was noticeably better in every way.
Wow I think this is the first post I’ve seen which wasn’t impressed with the MKII from the very start. I don’t have my MKI any more to compare with when my MKII arrives in a couple of weeks.
I too am thinking the exact same thing (and my wife is hoping that I don’t see a big difference too so that I will send it back). So, what are some of you playing to compare the MK1 with the MK2? It’s impossible to quickly A/B the two, so how do you make the comparison? I don’t think I can play something on the MK1 and then 20min later when I get the MK2 hooked up I can make a real comparison? Guess I just don’t know how to do that. 
My plan (once my MkII arrives sometime in early March 
) is to put a USB stick full of music into my PST, hook it up via I2S to the MkII, and put it on repeat 24/7. In the meantime I’ll keep listening to my MkI via the second I2S from my streamer. Both inputs on the MkI are well burned in, and I don’t need to do the whole several hundred hour “wow it was great, but now it’s fantastic - and now it’s even better!” thing on the MkII like I did on the MkI. I don’t need to do that again. After 3 weeks I’ll put the now pretty well burned in MkII into the system. Figure at that point it’ll be pretty clear whether it’ll stay.
Im coming from the Jr. Im expecting to hear a massive difference right out the get go like others have discussed. Gotta be worth the upgrade cost.
I suggest playing a few things you know exceedingly well, taking notes as to what you hear. Pay explicit attention to those aspects of musical reproduction which you value, be it imaging, timbre, microdynamics, separation of instrument lines, ability to hear the room in which the instruments are placed, etc.
After a few rounds you will know how the two DACs differ.
nice suggestion.
My favorite aspects are instrumental separation, black backgrounds, holographic imaging, and depth.
Regarding hearing something you know well. I just came across a Jimmy Smith LP, Midnight Special that was hidden for quite some time, and my Strain Gauge phono cart was at Sound-smith for half a year getting updated and new styli made. So all I had been listening to for over a year was an SACD ISO of Midnight Special. The LP was a revelation of texture and intimacy that really shocked me. It had been over a month since I heard the SACD, and I don’t have MKI any longer to compare. I’m hoping the MKII provides that kind of sound.
I’m about 400 hours into my Mk2. It sounds fantastic and better every day. Today I did the ground lift on all inputs.
The Mk2 sounded better than Mk1 cold out of the box–that soundstage!–but right now it’s just crazy good.
Blasting the remastered Led Zep II right now (sorry neighbors that I like). While you can’t do better than the master tape, I believe that I’m getting pretty much all that this okd chestnut has to give.
I can’t imagine anyone not preferring the Mk2 to the Ml1. In my system and to my (67 year old) ears, it, and my system overall has never sounded better.
And to think Ted has more real estate in the first FPGA and a whole other one to do even more math. I suggest getting in on the ground floor if you can!
Thanks for your insights. Really looking forward to getting mine. Ted talked about some potential uses for the second FPGA in the video. As an early adopter of the MKI and hearing its progress, I can only imagine what the MKII will sound like in the next few years.
I also have a Mk II on order with my unmodified DSJ up for trade. I plan on sharing some of my impressions as I go through break-in and looking forward to see how much the new DAC opens things up. Unfortunately, I’ve never heard the DSD Mk I, so I have no idea what additional delta in sound I’d be dealing with.
I’m pretty sure your expectations will be satisfied right out of the box and you’ll be surprised even more after a few weeks with the MK II.
At some point I lost any interest in critical listening, just feeling the pure joy coming from the music. Maybe the best quality of the MK II is right the emotional contact with the music it can create. Enjoy your new toy!
Mmm… I guess you’ll find superlative also the width of the soundstage, let me know.
Having one of the first MK2’s, I also have morphed from a gear listener to a music listener. The ride has been splendid. Only yesterday I lifted the ground on all un-used inputs as well as outputs, plus the shell lift. Another gain. Cleaner, quieter, better separation. I haven’t tried other ground combos. Don’t think I need to but you all can consult. Noise reduction might be the final frontier to getting digital “right”.
what does this mean
All grounds are lifted with exception of HDMI input, which is my only source.
“Lifted”
unknown term to me
The MKII in the menu options has the ability to individually life the ground of each input.
All of the inputs and outputs are galvanically isolated - if their grounds are not connected. The isolation can be defeated by connecting the grounds. Many units over time have had a “ground lift” feature of one kind or another so we use that terminology. If the ground is lifted that input is galvanically isolated. If the ground isn’t lifted, that input is not galvanically isolated.
But, in truth, it’s just an option that you can test both ways. If you don’t hear a difference, don’t worry about it. You might lift the grounds on all inputs, then try the input you are using both ways.
I found the opposite to be best and quietest. But my other inputs I2s2 and USB have shorting plugs. All outputs grounded was quietest. But since you’re not streaming from internet only CDs it may work well for you.
I wonder if we want to start a thread tracking this? What are the sources, cables, and what sounded best? I have not yet tried. Still at the 250 hour mark. I shut it off, should have kept it streaming for more burn in time. Not sure why I did that.