Review and Measurements of MARCH audio dac1

[Veri]

Now all we need is March's amp <3

 

[March Audio]

Amir, can you post a picture of the rear panel and terminals?

And for people considering driving power amplifiers directly from the DAC, maybe an output impedance measurement?

Very impressive performance (not just because Alan is a fellow Aussie)

Hi

Amir is spot on, its currently 100 ohms, although considering reducing this. This will work fine for directly driving power amps unless they have an unusually low input impedance. Considering that an amp should primarily have a resistive load worst effect would be a reduction of input voltage. This is exactly how I would recommend its used with my upcoming Hypex based power amps, works very well in my testing.

It will drive headphones but as I warned in another thread, certainly not ideal especially with non constant impedance loads. Magnetic planars should be OK as they have a primarily constant resistive load WRT frequency.

 

[AresHarvest]

'Im not entirely sure why some people are so up in arms over the cost? It's not astronomically priced.

It's twice (or more) the price of units that perform almost as well on paper. For a frame of reference, compare this to the D50 at less than half the price (was on massdrop for $200). Not to mention the gap in connectivity and user options.

If I'm buying, I want to know where that money went. I have an open mind, but let's do some comparison shopping here.

 

[March Audio]

It's twice (or more) the price of units that perform almost as well on paper. For a frame of reference, compare this to the D50 at less than half the price (was on massdrop for $200). Not to mention the gap in connectivity and user options.

If I'm buying, I want to know where that money went. I have an open mind, but let's do some comparison shopping here.

Topping D50 is $342 on Amazon. Massdrop is not a relevant supplier due to random and sporadic availability.

Almost as well............

In terms of features I see many as superfluous. Most people are moving over to controlling their music playback via tablets, phones or computer. Having a limited information on a 1" screen on a DAC halfway across the room is redundant when you have all the media, control and technical info in your hand on a high resolution touch screen.

Also, as many will be using computers or streamers with their dacs I dont see spdif as an important requirement, its an anachronism. Whilst there are obviously some that want these features (and cheaper price), its not the market I am interested in. Hope that helps.

 

[Wombat]

If you are happy buying something else that more suits your requirements then you are free to do so. @March Audio has been open re his design objective and with non-propriety information. Try getting that from other mfrs.

 

[AresHarvest]

https://imgur.com/9CCtFq6

It's definitely not $350. Even if I sort price high-to-low It's $250 on Amazon, $199.99 on massdrop.

But at any rate, you're missing the forest for the trees. Let's ignore massdrop. Why am I paying $200+ more for this?

If it was $50 more then it would make sense, provided I don't need an optical or coaxial input. Or attenuation.

 

[March Audio]

Massdrop is not a relevant comparison. You are at the mercy of their whim and consumer interest/commitment as to availability.

Why? Better fully published and tested performance, quality control where each unit is individually tested by someone with technical knowledge (who cares), accessible English speaking support, longer warranty (screen wont burn out and dim ), reduced product and operational complexity, and more sophisticated less obtrusive aesthetics with matching range of components (amps, with preamp and streamer to come).

Oh you have volume (attenuation) control in your music playing app.

 

[AresHarvest]

Now you're just being dishonest. AUd and USD are not the same thing.

Edit: to be clear, he posted a screenshot of a D50 on the Aussie Amazon site, selling for $342 UAD, which is... Approx $246 USD.

 

[Wombat]

Low volume, high quality and durability by design. Published performance results. Direct access to the designer(forum member) who understands English well and understands the product.

By the way, there is no compulsion to buy.

 

[Blumlein 88]

Massdrop is not a relevant comparison. You are at their whim and consumer interest/commitment as to availability.


View attachment 19090

In the USA Amazon it is available from several places for $250. So some difference in the Amazon US and Amazon Australia.

Sometimes simpler is better. That is how it struck me using the DAC 1. You don't even need to have the DAC in view if you wish.

 

[March Audio]

Now you're just being dishonest. AUS and USD are not the same thing.

Edit: oops, not "AUS," I mean AUD

Sorry that was a genuine mistake. Please dont call me dishonest. If my products are not for you, please buy a Chinese alternative.

 

[AresHarvest]

Asking about the price vs. competitors is a legitimate thing for me to do, and you're being combative on top of making a very selective mistake.

 

[Wombat]

So that excuses your indignance?

 

[March Audio]

Asking about the price vs. competitors is a legitimate thing for me to do, and you're being combative on top of making a very selective mistake.

Yes its a legitimate question which has been answered. However I think you need to appreciate that calling someone dishonest, as you are clearly repeating in this post, is offensive. Call my reaction combative if you wish but I think you need to consider your own behavior, and the effect of, first.

 

[graz_lag]

I have been reading several post from @March Audio in other threads in preparation of this review and he has always been declaring his goal is to serve a niche market not to compete with the Chinese mass production.

Attitude that's totally understandable.

 

[Graph Feppar]

I want to see what is inside. I think the argument that its ok to hide becose muh chinese thieves is not rational. They can buy it and look at it themselfs easily, reverse engineering electronic circuit from picture when they can just buy the thing, that makes no sense.

I dont understand why they would even bother to reverse engineer it since March Audio is so new that very little people know it and the performance while good is nothing groudbreaking, to hide what is inside for fear that evil chinese thieves would immediately copy it from picture on online forum seems silly.

 

[graz_lag]

It is not silly or unrational as you say but rather a certainty ... If you have ever dealt with the Chineses you know what I am talking about ... With all the respect for the Chineses ...

Ohh ... and that in every field of the industry

 

[Jimster480]

I am honestly disappointed with the performance.
I was hoping for March Audio to blow all the other designs out of the water and possibly take the performance crown.

Instead at 109 SINAD on the weaker side... this is the same performance as the D50.

Now if he brought both channels upto the same spec and went about +1.5sinad... he would basically be on top.
But to be objective here... the competition is stiff and he needs to be closer to the top to be able to charge more money.

While this could be a nice device in AU... if I order it then it will be over $500 which really doesn't stack up well vs something like a DX7S for $400.

Also where are these built?

 

[Graph Feppar]

It is not silly or unrational as you say but rather a certainty ... If you have ever dealt with the Chineses you know what I am talking about ... With all the respect for the Chineses ...

Ohh ... and that in every field of the industry

I am not arguing that chinese dont copy others designs, my point is to not post picture of internals becose evil chinese will immediately jump on the opportunity to reverse engineer the thing is silly. Chinese copy things that are either best performance for money or established brand, March Audio DAC is neither of these.

I argue that its very hard to reverse engineer complex circuit based on pictures and even if there was some evil chinese entity looking to steal the March Audio design, they would not do it by picture, they would just buy it and take it appart.

The connectors are in same place as Khadas board and it also measures just like Khadas board...
what a coincidence.
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...ents-of-wesiontek-khadas-tone-board-dac.4823/

 

[derp1n]

lol this forum lol