Musical Paradise MP-DX DAC

[MrBurns84]

11 hours ago, douxreveur131 said:

I notice the magnificent Jupiter capacitors that are so successful even for transparency lovers, as well as the Duelund that I use myself with the Miflex.

 

Since the human being is weak, I have just ordered an Ian Canada clock.

 

So I intend to replace the Crystek clock that is currently in the DAC with the Accusilicon that I will take from the external clock and which will be replaced by the Ian Canada clock.

 

Thank you very much for the perfect photo !

 

 

Vcap Odam is a very transparent cap, but works well with the duelund silver cast bypass to give it that tonal colour that it lacks.

[douxreveur131]

7 hours ago, MrBurns84 said:

Vcap Odam is a very transparent cap, but works well with the duelund silver cast bypass to give it that tonal colour that it lacks.

 

Indeed, the slightest power surge will irreparably fry the DAC chips. 

 

My advice is to be very careful with tube tests and not to play too much with references that deviate from those listed by Musical paradise.

 

For those of us looking for SMA RG316 cables, Ian Canada offers a silver-plated copper model, either 6" or 10" long, for less than 10 euros (plus shipping, of course) :

 

https://iancanada.ca/products/coaxial-cables-and-connectors?variant=47560710979884

 

I ordered one to compare with the Hyperflex 5 cable.

If you're looking for a cable with a larger cross-section, Hyperflex exists in 5 but also in 10, the Hyperflex 10, which doubles the conductor cross-section :

 

Hyperflex 10 :

 

https://messi.it/fr/catalogue/câbles-coaxiaux-50-ohm/liste-des-câbles-standards/hyperflex-10-400.htm

 

https://messi.it/dati/layout/files/CartellaElementi/hyperflex10-full-datasheet-eng-min.pdf

 

Hyperflex 5 :

 

https://messi.it/dati/layout/files/CartellaElementi/Hyperflex 5 - Full Datasheet ENG.pdf

 

 

Edited August 6, 2024 by douxreveur131

[an-eagalach]

Here I am back again, after a month enjoying my MP-DX.  By the way, dealing with Funkenya was a great experience.  Very responsive to all my doubts and questions. I ordered on a Saturday, and had it in my house the following Thursday. Set up was easy, sounded fantastic right off the bat. I’m anxious to get through the burn-in period, so that it will really open up. 
 

And now the bad news.  Yesterday I plugged things in, turned on the music, and… nothing. No sound. No music, not even static. Dead silence.  I swapped in another DAC, with same everything else, and it worked fine me. I didn’t change any of the settings on the MP-DX, but I double checked, and it is correct. 
 

Any suggestions?  Shipping it back to China is last on my list of preferences. There are local guys who specialize in tube audio repair. 
 

Any thoughts or suggestions?  Thanks. 

[tata]

What is displayed in the LED when it's ON?

[an-eagalach]

9 minutes ago, tata said:

What is displayed in the LED when it's ON?

USB.     PCM

48.0 KHz

[••••••••••••••••••••] 100%
 

This is the same readout as when it was functioning correctly.  For what it’s worth, before I plug in the music input, the second line is 32.0 KHz; when there is a digital feed coming in, it changes to 48.0. 

[tata]

Are you using the stock tubes?

 

If you did, have you listened to the "new" tubes before turning it off?

[an-eagalach]

54 minutes ago, tata said:

Are you using the stock tubes?

 

If you did, have you listened to the "new" tubes before turning it off?

I’m not sure I understand what you mean by “new” tubes.  I just have the stock tubes, with the upgraded DAC module. 

[tata]

I had a similar issue before with mine.

 

I suggest you contact Garry Huang of MP.  He is very assistive, and took care of my DX to have it running again.

 

No need to send it back.

 

guangyaoca@hotmail.com

 

 

[an-eagalach]

54 minutes ago, tata said:

I had a similar issue before with mine.

 

I suggest you contact Garry Huang of MP.  He is very assistive, and took care of my DX to have it running again.

 

No need to send it back.

 

guangyaoca@hotmail.com

 

 

Thanks. I will do that. That would certainly be the easiest solution. 

[tata]

1 hour ago, an-eagalach said:

I’m not sure I understand what you mean by “new” tubes.  I just have the stock tubes, with the upgraded DAC module. 

Btw, do you mean by "upgraded" DAC module in the ES9039 instead of the ES9068?

[douxreveur131]

Hello Neil and all of you. 

 

Having experienced it too, I know that it can be panic-inducing to discover that the DAC no longer seems to work suddenly. But I can confirm that Garry is very responsive and knows his equipment inside out. He's usually very quick to guess the source of the problem. 

 

Does the DAC display ES9039MSPRO ? When my ES9039MSPRO modules had burned out due to a faulty tube, it incorrectly displayed ES9068AS and I couldn't change sources.

 

What you explain seems to confirm that the digital/analog conversion modules work well. IIf you can switch sources and the switching of musical tracks at different sampling frequencies is displayed normally (the frequency displayed on the DAC changes), this is very reassuring.

 

Do the tubes glow normally when the DAC is switched on ? 

 

Have you tried connecting your source to your DAC via fiber optics or SPDIF ? This is to check that your DAC's USB module is not at fault. 

 

 

Edited August 28, 2024 by douxreveur131

[an-eagalach]

On 27/8/2024 at 9:48 PM, tata said:

Btw, do you mean by "upgraded" DAC module in the ES9039 instead of the ES9068?

Exactly. I guess “upgraded” is a bad choice of words. 

[an-eagalach]

14 hours ago, douxreveur131 said:

Hello Neil and all of you. 

 

Having experienced it too, I know that it can be panic-inducing to discover that the DAC no longer seems to work suddenly. But I can confirm that Garry is very responsive and knows his equipment inside out. He's usually very quick to guess the source of the problem. 

 

Does the DAC display ES9039MSPRO ? When my ES9039MSPRO modules had burned out due to a faulty tube, it incorrectly displayed ES9068AS and I couldn't change sources.

 

What you explain seems to confirm that the digital/analog conversion modules work well. IIf you can switch sources and the switching of musical tracks at different sampling frequencies is displayed normally (the frequency displayed on the DAC changes), this is very reassuring.

 

Do the tubes glow normally when the DAC is switched on ? 

 

Have you tried connecting your source to your DAC via fiber optics or SPDIF ? This is to check that your DAC's USB module is not at fault. 

 

 

Haven’t heard back from Garry yet, but in the meantime, I will implement your suggestions to narrow the possibilities of what went wrong. It’s late now, so this will happen tomorrow morning after breakfast and coffee. I will confirm that it is disheartening to have the unit conk out after just three weeks. 

[tata]

29 minutes ago, an-eagalach said:

Exactly. I guess “upgraded” is a bad choice of words. 

Not really.

I am thinking about these modules too but I assume you have them first time out, so you cannot compare.

 

 

[Lazz]

The MP gear looks nice, but I hope this is not areflection on build quality. Good luck with getting it up and running.

[tata]

The first MP I owned was the DX...I am thoroughly impressed with it that I eventually acquired, when it came out, its newest preamp, the 701 Mk3.

 

As a new new-found hobby of mine which is tube-rolling, having the ability to choose various combinations of 12.6v and/or 6.3v in the pre-amp AND DAC, my initial belief that it will be much less expensive to experience new sound through the various tube combinations, turned out to be true, and much, much more.

 

Why?

 

If a buy other than the MP preamp (or DAC) , I will be almost stuck with its sonic signature for I will be limited to EITHER a 6.3v OR 12.6v tube.

 

Now I am convinced that tubes, expensive or not, have their own distinctive sonic performance and when you find the "right" combination to the preamp and DAC tube, its like buying a new preamp or DAC or amp at the price of the tube!

 

As to the concern about the quality of this brand, it is a subjective matter, criteria-wise.

 

Garry Huang's help when my DX's DAC module conked out due to bad tubes was taken cared of in several mailing days...something you cannot say to some brands currently out there....  Could you tell me what brand now  can you directly communicate with the designer/manufacturer and entertain you when problem arises?

 

 

Edited August 29, 2024 by tata

[an-eagalach]

On 28/8/2024 at 7:58 AM, douxreveur131 said:

Hello Neil and all of you. 

 

Having experienced it too, I know that it can be panic-inducing to discover that the DAC no longer seems to work suddenly. But I can confirm that Garry is very responsive and knows his equipment inside out. He's usually very quick to guess the source of the problem. 

 

Does the DAC display ES9039MSPRO ? When my ES9039MSPRO modules had burned out due to a faulty tube, it incorrectly displayed ES9068AS and I couldn't change sources.

 

What you explain seems to confirm that the digital/analog conversion modules work well. IIf you can switch sources and the switching of musical tracks at different sampling frequencies is displayed normally (the frequency displayed on the DAC changes), this is very reassuring.

 

Do the tubes glow normally when the DAC is switched on ? 

 

Have you tried connecting your source to your DAC via fiber optics or SPDIF ? This is to check that your DAC's USB module is not at fault. 

 

 

Still haven’t heard from Garry.  I’m open to switching inputs, but my audio source is my Dell laptop, so the only outputs are USB-A 3.0 and HDMI.  SPDIF and fiber optics are not an option.  Where does that leave me?
 

I did switch the DAC-to-amp connection from XLR to RCA, just in case the XLR port was at fault, but no change. The DAC does react when it receives a signal from my laptop via USB, so I’m going to assume that is one tiny piece of good news. 
 

Right now I’m in a well-lit cafe, so I can’t vouch for tube glow. I’ll need to find a darkened room at home later to be sure they’re all firing up. 
 

Lastly, how do you get the DAC module to display?  The only readout I get on the little LED screen is confirmation of which input is being used. 
 

Thanks again. 
 

UPDATE:  All four tubes glow nicely. 

Edited August 30, 2024 by an-eagalach

[the-chauffeur]

Rather than try to fault find, I'm gonna leave some observations here that might help current and future generations.  As you'll see, there are some blanks in my knowledge because I haven't tried everything but I'll update when I've got answers:

 

RCA vs XLR  (output) - make sure the Bal./Unbal switches on the rear of the DAC are set correctly depending on which connection type you're using (XLR = balanced / RCA = unbalanced).  You won't get any output if you select the wrong option for your connection type. 

 

RCA vs XLR (tubes) - if you're using RCA connections, you'll only need two valves - one each in positions 1 and 3 (with 1 being the far left when viewing the DAC from the front).  You need to use four valves when using XLRs with balanced connections.  If you're connecting to the MX-Pre, you'll need to do your own research because the XLR inputs on that device are unbalanced. 

 

Sound from one channel - could be caused by a variety of issues.  Assuming the amp and source have been ruled out, test by swapping the following items with each other:  RCA/XLR switch position settings, L/R channel connector (RCA/XLR) leads, L/R channel valves (see notes above re RCA v XLR), L/R channel DAC chips, L/R channel capacitors.    

Clock chips/options (internal) - if you've paid extra for an upgraded clock chip, you can choose which onboard clock the DAC will use in the menu.   Press and hold the control knob to enter the menu, then use the same knob to select the various menu options.  <what happens if you haven't fitted an upgraded clock - can you select both options and what happens if you set the one that isn't connected to the clock?>

 

Clock chips/options (external) - if you paid extra for an offboard clock when you ordered the DAC, you'll have an extra connection on the rear of your unit (standard back WITHOUT clock connection).  The unit will also be supplied with the clock jumper (black 3-pin block on the right in this image) set to EXT.  The clock chips either have four legs or are mounted to mini PCBs with four legs and can be swapped between the main and offboard units.  Just remember to set the jumper accordingly.

 

Display stuck on start-up screen (DAC chip type + "Musical Paradise" or similar) and no sound - chances are either you're running the off-board clock and the battery has run out/needs charging, or you've set the clock jumper (black 3-pin block on the right in this image) to EXT and not connected the external DAC. 

 

Unit has power but the screen goes blank after about five seconds - likely the screen saver is enabled.  Press and hold the control knob to enter the menu, use the same knob to select the Screen Saver option and change accordingly. 

Remote/IR compatibility - my DAC reacts to a variety of (non-MP) remotes in a variety of ways.  It's possible to trigger several different commands depending on the brand of remote I use and I have to be careful to shield the DAC when it's not the device I want to control.  Consequently I've kinda stopped using remotes altogether because I can't be sure how the DAC will respond.  Absolutely not an issue for my use case:  I just don't want to accidentally trigger any kind of mute or similar function on the DAC with another remote because of the troubleshooting headache it could present <I've never used my DAC remote so I don't know if it has a mute function - image of remote suggests it does>. 

 

Incorrect tube value setting (6.3v or 12.6v) - isn't a good idea.  Underpowering 12.6v tubes will result in a very quiet output and will damage the tubes over time.  Overpowering 6.3v tubes will sound strange immediately because the tube's being damaged by being run way too hot.

Edited August 30, 2024 by the-chauffeur

[an-eagalach]

I know there are a number of happy tube rollers in this group.  What are opinions on the Psvane CV181-T Mark II for the MP-DX? Garry Huang thinks highly of them. 
 

Or, is it a matter of “Yes, these are good, but you really ought give these a try: ____”. 

Edited August 30, 2024 by an-eagalach

[an-eagalach]

I seem to have reached an impasse with my non-functioning MP-DX. I have had no response from Garry Huang, except for my original contact with him through the website. I inquired about the changes in the MP-DX from its predecessor. He responded immediately. Since then I have made several attempts to contact Garry, including one using his direct e-mail address provided here in this thread, with no success. 
 

I recently contacted a local guy who designs and repairs tube audio equipment. He strongly suggested that I contact the manufacturer, and perhaps send it back for repair or exchange. When  I explained that this will not be possible — I don’t even have a shipping address — he reluctantly agreed to take a look at the unit. I may search for other “tube savants” in order to have additional options. 

[douxreveur131]

It's unlucky and I'm really sorry that your DAC no longer works and that it's so complicated to find the source of the fault. 

 

I'm also surprised by Garry's lack of response, it's really very frustrating. I hope that a local repairman will be able to intervene and identify the fault.

 

If I were you, I'd try a few things : 

 

- I'll order two ESS ES9068AS modules from the Aliexpress store (from memory, the price is modest, around 45 euros). Then I'll replace the ES9039MSPRO modules (DAC off) for a listening test. This is the most common failure on this DAC, as they are not protected from overvoltage, which can always arise from faulty or unsuitable tubes. This is what happened to me. If the fault lies elsewhere, it will be useful for you to know, and I advise you to use them with new or NOS tubes during a break-in period, for example. The ES9039MSPRO are considerably more expensive (around 250 euros on Aliexpress). This will tell you whether or not the source of the fault is here. 

 

- I'll try to find a solution so that I can connect this DAC to another device, on an input other than USB. This requires someone else (or a hifi store) to lend you a device compatible with any of the DAC's other inputs, such as a streamer. This allows you to check whether or not the USB card is the cause of the failure. 

 

In my opinion, these two possibilities are the most likely. You could then save yourself the trouble of having to send the DAC to China. If the source of the failure is elsewhere, a repairer will save a lot of time by eliminating these two potential sources of failure. 

 

Thank you for keeping us informed, and I hope that this period will find a favorable outcome and a solution so that you can soon get back your functional DAC and your musical pleasure.

 

Edited September 7, 2024 by douxreveur131

[douxreveur131]

 

I recently replaced the Accusilicon AS338 external MP precision clock with an Ian Canada SC-PURE clock. I also took the opportunity to install a Vapcell 4000 mAh battery and a short cable custom-made in Italy (Messi.it / Hyperflex 5 Crystal, excellent and modest cost). The external clock is placed inside the DAC and listening is taken to another level! If you haven't tried it yet, I urge you to give it a try, as the musical quality is so important. However, be careful which way you connect the Ian Canada when installing it 

 

Edited September 8, 2024 by douxreveur131

[an-eagalach]

On 6/9/2024 at 5:27 PM, douxreveur131 said:

It's unlucky and I'm really sorry that your DAC no longer works and that it's so complicated to find the source of the fault. 

 

I'm also surprised by Garry's lack of response, it's really very frustrating. I hope that a local repairman will be able to intervene and identify the fault.

 

If I were you, I'd try a few things : 

 

- I'll order two ESS ES9068AS modules from the Aliexpress store (from memory, the price is modest, around 45 euros). Then I'll replace the ES9039MSPRO modules (DAC off) for a listening test. This is the most common failure on this DAC, as they are not protected from overvoltage, which can always arise from faulty or unsuitable tubes. This is what happened to me. If the fault lies elsewhere, it will be useful for you to know, and I advise you to use them with new or NOS tubes during a break-in period, for example. The ES9039MSPRO are considerably more expensive (around 250 euros on Aliexpress). This will tell you whether or not the source of the fault is here. 

 

- I'll try to find a solution so that I can connect this DAC to another device, on an input other than USB. This requires someone else (or a hifi store) to lend you a device compatible with any of the DAC's other inputs, such as a streamer. This allows you to check whether or not the USB card is the cause of the failure. 

 

In my opinion, these two possibilities are the most likely. You could then save yourself the trouble of having to send the DAC to China. If the source of the failure is elsewhere, a repairer will save a lot of time by eliminating these two potential sources of failure. 

 

Thank you for keeping us informed, and I hope that this period will find a favorable outcome and a solution so that you can soon get back your functional DAC and your musical pleasure.

 

Well, I am happily surprised.  Stunned, actually.  I again connected the MP-DX DAC to my music player with a USB cable, and then to my amp with XLR cables, just as I had done several times over the past week — unsuccessfully.  I plugged in my headphones, and… everything works perfectly!  I don’t understand why the DAC stopped working for a week. I had used the same cables, source, amp and headphones that I used tonight. For one week, no signal came out of the DAC.  Tonight, suddenly, everything is fine. I will try it again tomorrow to be sure it still works.  It is always possible that there is some component inside that is loose or not making contact, so I’ll try it again tomorrow. 
 

I have to say it has been great to work with Kevin at Funkenya. He has been extremely helpful at every step in the process, and today even offered to contact Garry directly on my behalf. 

[douxreveur131]

This is excellent news, and I'm extremely happy for you !

 

When my own DAC had problems, I was able to get new ESS modules from the same vendor very quickly, always with great responsiveness and, when necessary, direct contact with Garry.

 

Just goes to show that it's possible to find serious people even among the various sellers on a platform like Aliexpress. 

 

It's most likely a contact problem somewhere, either in the DAC or in the cables connecting the DAC to other audio devices.

Edited September 8, 2024 by douxreveur131

[douxreveur131]

On 9/8/2024 at 7:01 AM, an-eagalach said:

Well, I am happily surprised.  Stunned, actually.  I again connected the MP-DX DAC to my music player with a USB cable, and then to my amp with XLR cables, just as I had done several times over the past week — unsuccessfully.  I plugged in my headphones, and… everything works perfectly!  I don’t understand why the DAC stopped working for a week. I had used the same cables, source, amp and headphones that I used tonight. For one week, no signal came out of the DAC.  Tonight, suddenly, everything is fine. I will try it again tomorrow to be sure it still works.  It is always possible that there is some component inside that is loose or not making contact, so I’ll try it again tomorrow. 
 

I have to say it has been great to work with Kevin at Funkenya. He has been extremely helpful at every step in the process, and today even offered to contact Garry directly on my behalf. 

 

Hello Neil.

 

Where are you today with your Musical paradise DAC ?

Is it working normally? Are you happy with it ?

 

At the moment, I'm renewing my power cables, with one more due in 10/15 days. Still waiting.

 

Have a great evening !