March Audio DAC1 now available

[March Audio]

Hi

March Audios first product is now available at www.marchaudio.net.au with an introductory discount on pricing.

Along with the forthcoming range of amplifier products, the DAC1 is perfect for the discerning audio enthusiast who is looking for exceptional technical performance, elegant minimalist looks and simplicity of operation.

With an elegant solid CNC milled aluminium anodized enclosure and the latest ES9038 DAC technology, DAC1 offers true high end technical and musical performance.

Amir has a unit and will be performing his usual technical review in the near future but prototype testing shown below has already demonstrated top tier performance.

Also coming soon is March Audios range of power amplifiers:

Four models will be available:

• P122 - Stereo 120 watts into 4 ohms
• P252 - Stereo 250 watts into 4 ohms
• P502 - Stereo 500 watts into 4 ohms
• P701 - Mono Block 700 watts into 4 ohms

Balanced XLR input design (compatible with single ended RCA)

and the exciting HPA1 headphone amplifier which has already demonstrated class leading levels of distortion and noise (119dB SINAD).

So come on over to www.marchaudio.net.au and have a look

 

[mi-fu]

Very nice. Congratulations!

 

[derp1n]

How's the IMD hump?

 

[March Audio]

Its there.

At the moment a "feature" of the chip unfortunately. Not getting any negative feedback subjectively however.

A higher performance DAC without this feature is in early stages of development, but it will be a while.

 

[wadec22]

congrats man. very cool.

 

[Wombat]

Best wishes.

 

[Wombat]

Something for your later consideration. An affordable front-end for conventional stereo integrated amps, with phono(lacking on modern IAs) and various digital inputs(optical, co-ax?) to RCA analogue line-outs for each.

 

[March Audio]

Its an interesting product concept, however when you start to consider what has to go into that, ie low noise input front end, selectable cartridge loading, ADC, DSP RIAA, input selection and then DAC, it really is not a simple product. In other words probably not very compatible with "affordable", especially when you consider it would be a niche low volume market.

 

[restorer-john]

Congratulations and best of luck with the new venture.

 

[Wombat]

Its an interesting product concept, however when you start to consider what has to go into that, ie low noise input front end, selectable cartridge loading, ADC, DSP RIAA, input selection and then DAC, it really is not a simple product. In other words probably not very compatible with "affordable", especially when you consider it would be a niche low volume market.

Phono can be analogue.

 

[March Audio]

Yes indeed it can . That would be a more likely product, a simple yet very high performance phono pre-amp.

 

[March Audio]

Phono can be analogue.

@Wombat what phono gear do you currently use?

 

[Purité Audio]

Look and I am sure sounds superb, I want some, I have written .
May I wish you every success in your new venture.
BW Keith

 

[Thomas savage]

Great stuff, congratulations on getting these excellent devices out and starting off the brand with such a well performing unit to boot.

 

[FrantzM]

Congratulations and best of luck with the new venture.

Same here..
Best wishes for this Holiday Season! May you find Success and fulfillment in your endeavor!

 

[Blumlein 88]

Hope things go well. I saw you had this up, and yesterday posted a link to your product over on a thread at CA. The question was less than $500 DACs that were of good quality and not effected by the USB connection. So yours fit the bill, measures excellent, sounds excellent, and I could say "yes, I've heard it with my own golden ears, it gets my stamp of approval".

 

[Wombat]

@Wombat what phono gear do you currently use?

I have a Pioneer PL L1000/Shure V15 IV and Technics SL10/ EPS-310MC. Currently not used.

My amp doesn't have a phono stage. I am looking to getting one but just haven't got around to it.

 

[restorer-john]

I have a Pioneer PL L1000

Have you fixed it yet Wombat?

There's a perfectly good phono stage in your Sony integrated you could use too- just send it out the tape out jacks.

 

[restorer-john]

...That would be a more likely product, a simple yet very high performance phono pre-amp...

Consider 'very high performance' in phono stages is relative these days to what else is being produced. We are a long way from the performance heights of the phono preamplifiers stages of old.

After the introduction of CD, phono stages essentially became 'legacy' stages with a massive downgrading of performance. A huge part of the cost of preamplifiers prior to CD was the high quality phono stages, due to the very lowest noise, carefully matched and expensive high gain, wide bandwidth devices they used.

This is the phono stage specs of one of my favourite preamplifiers. When did you last see a current manufacture phono stage even come remotely close to these numbers? And this preamplifier wasn't even that expensive back when new.

The phono stage is a beautiful discrete design (IC DC servo), fully DC coupled and runs on +/-32V rails with a very low output impedance. It would be a fantastic design to modify for a standalone product.

 

[Wombat]

Have you fixed it yet Wombat?

There's a perfectly good phono stage in your Sony integrated you could use too- just send it out the tape out jacks.

Short on space, unfortunately. I intend to dismantle the current arrangement and re-do it with an additional audio stand for the Pioneer TT. I have a NAD 3020e I could use.
A separate phono stage with USB-out would be convenient with the SL10 for ripping LPs at the computer desk.