We set both units up side by side and powered both on before lunch. We didn’t do any serious listening until about 3:00. We used the same cables for both. He told us that he has had his unit powered on and streaming music for a week straight. Another issue with his was sometimes it would stutter and make a pop noise between song changes. The screen was also hard to see and navigate. He fumbled around to get the settings correct. Why did they change this? I don’t think he was used to the menu’s. I’m not sure I could live with it the way it was. I know I’m keeping my unit for a long time or until I hear something better.
Thank you for your thoughts. Did you use I2S via Matrix (or similar DDC) or USB? Same cables you already answered is referred to PC and/or ICs and which one exactly?
Last question: streaming and playing CDs from which server/streamer and transport?
I have a Denafrips Gaia DDC and used the Dragon HDMI cables at first and then a toslink to see if their was any difference in the sound when we heard his unit skipping. We did use the same for both when comparing. Neither the Terminator Plus or my DirectStream had any sound issues in the setup. I’ll see him tomorrow and ask if he has changed anything.
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The MKII requires speaker position to be re-optimized. The brightness can be tamed with power cord, fuses and not using digital sources with preemphasis. The preemphasis in the MKII UI has a bug if engaged
Wow. I never heard of changing speaker position when comparing sources before. I spent 6 months dialing in the speakers which sounds awesome on all my sources including my turntable. I did notice everyone was trying to move farther back when listening to his unit.
In my very first hours VMax I’m so surprised about the USB input of the MK II and most of all about how it is responding to the Pink Faun USB cable. I’m finding this cable is bringing a better balanced sounding: involving, silky, detailed but warm, transparent and not edged, presence is impressive. The difference between the AQ Diamond + AQ Dragon and the Pink Faun is like tube vs SS, analog vs digital. It’s so engaging! Too early to get conclusion, I need to continue listening… but… but… food for thoughts guys!
The only bad thing is that the Matrix seems all at once to not detect anymore the USB cable with the Pink Faun (no light, it stays off - after hours working well - I don’t use a LPS - mah?) while the MK II likes it so much.
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We did swap power cables also which did not change the sound.
This is popular here, but I also never experienced it before or would recommend 
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I would never purchase a DAC that I would have to change speakers position to listen.
Sounds like perhaps the 5v wire in Pink Faun is not feeding voltage. I have heard of Matrix issues with differing scheme 5V USB.
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The odd thing is that it was working and all at once stopped. While the AQ Diamond works flawlessly.
It makes sense to me that a DAC capable of extracting sonic information that a previous DAC could not (whether the differences were subtle or not), might impact the presentation enough that speaker positioning needed to be tweaked.
If the set up is good, I would not expect major adjustments to be necessary though.
FWIW.
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I have had many 10k and up DACs here for evaluation and none of them needed speaker position changing. My Terminator Plus is also no slouch and very revealing however I prefer the DirectStream. My system is revealing enough to hear the difference between all the DACs.
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Sounds like there may have been something off with his unit. The sound should not be in the speakers or restricted to the plane of the speakers. Nor should it require speaker movement, though some have always felt the desire/need to do that with various Mountaintop changes. It is very holographic in my experience of three of them in different systems. No hole in the middle.
I had a glitch with a load that seems to have caused something like that sort of sound - I found myself moving my chair forward. After a while I realized it wasn’t sounding at all right. This happened on occasion with the earlier DS DACs. Booting up with a different UI, and then back to the desired one cleared the issue.
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I have to agree with you about the sound of the mk 2. In no way is there any hole in the middle or sound tied to the speakers. There most definitely was something wrong going on. Instead a 3 D presentation with the most natural voices and instruments that bring the performance closer than ever before.
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It wasn’t really a hole. It just made it obvious the sound was coming from the speakers instead of a real performance in front of you. It was a little too bright for our liking.
I’m experiencing with the MK II the widest soundstage ever heard before in my system, really impressed! No holes at all in the center.
Maybe I need to move the side walls of the room rather than the speakers!
Just wondering if during the comparison you and your friend were both out of the sweetspot you usually seat in, this could also explain sound from speakers.
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You spent six months dialing in your speakers with the gear you had before the MKII. Why do you think you never need to do that process again?
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We took turns in the sweet spot chair. All of us liked my DirectStream best.
Because all other high end DACs we have evaluated sound awesome with the current setup including my vinyl playback system. Why would I ruin the sound for my other sources.