Bricasti DAC owners

I also installed the Bricasti MDx upgrade board on my Bricasti M21. My system sounds clearer, smoother, more engaging with more musical details. 

I like it very much and also recommend the $1,000 MDx board upgrade.

Another vote for the MDx upgrade!  They shipped the board to me and I installed it in a Bricasti M3.  VERY NICE UPGRADE!

For those who did the MDx upgrade, any issue with one of the channel(in my case left channel) has either no sound or distorted sound after first turning on from stand by mode?  I have M1se with MDx and it happens a few times, the symptom can be cured by turn it off and on again.  And I am connecting to the aes input.  Any feedback on this would be appreciated!

Call Joe at Bricasti...he’ll get you squared away.

I've let him know about this.  I am just wondering if someone else is also experiencing this.  My friend who also had the upgrade is experiencing the same.

Which firmware version are you on?

@rogerhifi, I also installed the MDx upgrade board in my M21 DAC and it plays perfectly. Based on your sound and distortion issue, I wonder if one of the cables that was removed and replaced are not tight or connected correctly.

When I installed the MXd board, we checked, and DOUBLE checked again, to ensure all cables and wires were removed and re-connected correctly. If possible, please remove the top and check that all cables and wires are correctly connected and tight.

The MDx board install requires the USB and AES/EBU connection devices (on the back of the unit) to be removed and re-connected. It is possible one of these is loose or not tight. Cables in this area also need to be checked.

I also do not understand that the symptom can be cured by turning the unit off and on again. I am guessing it could be a lose connection but I do not know.

And, yes, please call Joe at Bricasti for help. Please keep us posted.

@strojo  - It's MDx 1.02
@hgeifman The fact that the right channel still plays sound fine while only left channel is silent or distorted rules out the cable issue or loose connector.  If the issue is caused by those two there would be either no sound or distorted sound, from both channel at the same time.  I didn't install the board my unit was sent back to them for installation.  I will keep you guys posted when I hear back.

Interesting- however- I agree- Joe will get this squared away 

@rogerhifi, Thanks for explaining this and I agree.  Now, we need Joe from Bricasti to determine what is wrong and fix it.  

@hgeifman/@zavato yes will keep everyone posted if I hear anything.

I have had my left channel drop out twice.  Each time I blamed it on the Gigafoil v4 filter I have installed right before the M1se with MDx.
each time I removed the v4 and plugged in my AQ Ethernet cable directly to the Dac and no problem.  I will play it for a while and see if any problem arises.

This from Brian at Bricasti:

You can write that we are aware of it and are looking into it.  it's a hard
thing to track down though, so it will take some time to find it and correct
it but we are trying to find it now.  meanwhile if it occurs you can go in
and out of standby, this resets the DACs.   Of course anything you can bring
to us on the events leading up to it would be helpful, and it will be easy
to update the MDx with the upgrade flash chip we used in the past.

Thanks @jglacken . Both my friend and I brought up this issue as well but we are experiencing it without any other device in between the transport and dac. Thanks for sharing.  I just hope the fix is something that can be done either via usb software download(if one doesn't have network option) or over the internet if one has Ethernet option.  Instead of having to send the unit back to them.  But this is of course a wishful thinking.

This from Brian from Bricasti again
I am trying to track this one down, its not easy.  If it happens to you
again let me know more about the circumstances.

Is everyone who is experiencing operational anomalies on the new Mdx board finding it's on the left channel only? 

I have no issues with my Bricasti M21 DAC with the MDx board. My source is the Aurender N10.

I wonder if the sound and distortion issues are caused by an ‘interface issue’ between your source and the Bricasti DAC. This is just a guess.

Please disconnect all components from the wall plug, wait 2 minutes and then re-start?

This process might reset the interface. Does this help?

Please keep us posted. Thanks. Howard.

@zavato the other day my friend reported his right channel went out and took him twice to reset and were back to normal afterwards.  He's using Oppo player as transport while I am using Cocktail x50D as transport for your reference.

Thanks Rogerhifi 

Just curious is this issue occurring in units that have been upgraded or also new units? Also in which products is this being seen? M1? M3? M12? M21?

I have the M3 and installed the MDx board myself.  I haven't had any issues.

I installed the MDx upgrade board in my Bricasti M21 DAC on July 14 and have no issues. Everything is working fine.  

@rsf507 so far all the issues occurs in M1/M1se unit.

No issues here on an M21 where the board was already installed when built in March 2021.

I have relatively new M12 with MDX board installed and no problems. In addition, Damon from Bricasti who lives near me came by and installed some additional new updates. Now there are labels you can add to input name eg. input 2 RCA be omes

I have relatively new M12 with MDX board installed and no problems. In addition, Damon from Bricasti who lives near me came by and installed some additional new updates. Now there are labels you can add to input name eg. input 2 RCA becomes “phono”. Also, they were able to change the HT. Bypass so it is automatically selected rather than mess with the reference button. Finally, they changed the three-push balance On remote to turn on/off so now it is one push. Can’t say enough good things about Damon and all the Bricasti staff. Occasionally Roon can’t find the Bricasti so I have to reset the Unit which seems to fix it.

Per @lxgreen  on turning on/off from remote.  Does anyone know how to do it on the M1 to turn on/off through remote?

I installed my board early July.  The improvements are recommended.  I have some latency issues with DSD.  It seems to have latency when I switch between tracks in DSD.  I am using a laptop with Jriver and a SOtM trifecta over USB.  DoP seems to work better than Direct DSD.

“Per @lxgreen  on turning on/off from remote. Does anyone know how to do it on the M1 to turn on/off through remote?”

I don’t think you can 

thanks @zavato aww that's too bad.

If I had to choose between the MDx board and new footers for my Bricasti M12, what would you recommend?
for $1000, an mdx board or 3-4ish Critical mass footers, what would you choose? Related Q: what isolation footers work best for your Bricasti?

@essrand I would go with MDx upgrade.  In terms of footer my version is an SE so i came with the still point feet which works great.

@essrand, I recommend the Bricasti MDx upgrade board be installed.  I installed the MDx in my Bricasti M21 DAC and the sound quality substantially improved.  The sound quality was smoother, clearer and more musical.   I had someone help me install the MDx board and it took about 30 minutes plus another 20 minutes to test. It worked perfectly.  The alternative is to ship your DAC to the Bricasti Factory.  

BTW, the Bricasti M1 Special Edition incorporates Still-points feet that are engineered and optimized exclusively for the design.  My M21 DAC has similar footers on but I do not know the brand.    

@essrand, I found a reviewer of the Bricasti iM3 DAC who reports "the level of liquidity and an overall silky smoothness that allowed the music to float into my listening space went to a higher level when I used three of the Krolo Design Enhancers underneath the M3.   The stock footers that Bricasti Design provides seem well constructed.  However, using these aftermarket devices made a noticeable improvement. I know that Bricasti Design’s more expensive DACs use Stillpoints as the standard footers.  They might consider bringing the Still-points down to the M3’s price point to get the maximum performance out of it, even if they have to charge a bit more to use them on this model".

I still recommend you install the MDx Upgrade Board.  

MDx or Footers? 
Ask me 10x; 10x I’ll say MDx 

Since installing the MDx board has anyone changed their filter settings? 

@zavato  I changed to M2.

Interesting- I too changed. With the original board I was at Minimum 2 mostly, now I am at Minimum 4

@zavato my original setting was M0

@jglacken ... any updates on getting your issue sorted out?

Hi Strojo,

only happens intermittently.  The last time on turn on.  Left channel again.  Back to standby and back on and all is normal.  I let Brian know when it happens and what it was doing.  He says they cannot make it happen but are still working on it.

@jglacken have you tried disconnect everything between your trnsport and dac and reconnect?  I tried that and haven't had issue since.

@jglacken, Based on what @rogerhifi posted above, I am going to repeat what I said above.

"I wonder if the sound and distortion issues are caused by an ‘interface issue’ between your source and the Bricasti DAC.  Please disconnect ALL components from the wall plug, wait 2 minutes and then re-start.   This process might reset the interface".

Does this help?   Please keep us posted. Thanks. 

Update: Joe from Bricasti got back to us and will be sending a new flash update to fix the issue.

Joe and the BRICASTI Team rock!! 

@zavato indeed!

A flash update? How will that work will you have to send your unit back to the factory?

@ rogerhifi, How does the flash drive update work?   Do you insert the drive into your Bricasti and it updates the unit?  Please explain.   Thanks. 

I’ve done an update via a flash drive on my M1 a couple years ago. It’s easy.

The digital board has a socket already there to accept the flash update. 
The hardest part is unscrewing and removing the lid then reinstalling the lid when done

I expect to receive the flash drive today!