Six DAC Comparison

To answer some of your questions...

Our new Mystique Z will have three inputs: USB, coaxial AES/SPDIF, and TOSLINK. 

Aside from the upgraded DAC chips and upgraded power supplies, we are makings quite a few upgrades to our AES/SPDIF and TOSLINK inputs.

The AES/SPDIF and TOSLINK inputs on the Mystique Z will still use a 100% external clocking source, but we’re adding an active buffering input stage, more advanced hybrid star/plane grounding, and some more advanced filtering stages, to better clean up the digital signal. 

As for multiple DAC chips and "daisy chaining" DAC chips that is a good question. 

One of the big reasons for using multiple DAC chips has always been that it averages any inconsistencies in the individual DAC chips yielding a more linear digital-to-analog conversion. 

That is why it was very common with lower cost lower performance R-2R DAC chips such as the TDA1543 and the AD1865.

Other reasons for using multiple DAC chips have to do with output voltage and output impedance, which tends to be more important with tube than with solid-state DACs. By paralleling DAC chips, designers can often eliminate the need for an additional tube stage and often reduce noise and harmonic distortion. 

At Mojo Audio we take a different approach: rather than using multiple DAC chips we optimize the linearity of the DAC chips we are using. On the R-2R DAC chips we’ve used by Analog Devices and Burr-Brown they have the option of adding a fine-tune adjustment circuit.

Considering it requires a trained technician to adjust these circuits using sophisticated test equipment you can understand why most companies decided to put multiple DAC chips in their DACs to improve performance rather than requiring every DAC they manufactured be burned in and fine-tuned by a technician. 

Now for the really cool news...

The AD1865 and AD1862 DAC chips Mojo Audio has been using have provision for one fine-tune linearity adjustment circuit for the MSB. 

The PCM58 DAC chips we’ll be using in our new Mystique Z has FOUR independent fine-tune adjustments for the MSB, 2nd bit, 3rd bit, and 4th bit. 

No small difference. 

We actually had to invest in an extremely accurate distortion analyzer just to be able to make all of those fine tune adjustments.  

Of course we could have taken the easy way out and saved quite a bit of time and $$$ by using multiple DAC chips "daisy chained" in parallel.

Thankfully, like you, neither manufacturer is considering adding the I2S connection and raising the cost of the end products. It is worth mentioning that it was only last year Antipodes developed a USB output they considered worthy of using and sonically comparable to the AES input. 

Allow me to correct my mistake, Weiss's top end products do not have I2S, however the Antipodes streamers do offer the I2S output. 

@fuzzbutt17   So have you been trimming or adjusting the Mystique X series DAC's?  When reading your post you mentioned that you just purchased the correct equipment to do that, So do the people with a current DAC send them in to get them adjusted?   Do you have an ETA on the new Z DAC and an idea of the starting price point?

@brbrock - It is my understanding that Mojo Audio does indeed make the one MSB fine-tune adjustment on the AD1862/65 chips they use, but needed the more sophisticated equipment to make the four MSB adjustments on BB PCM58 and PCM63 chips.

@brbrock 

Yes, every Mystique DAC since our Mystique v1 had a similar MSB zero-crossing trim adjustment.

The single MSB adjustment on the AD1865 and AD1862 DAC chips we've been using did not require as sophisticated equipment to adjust them as the 4-bit adjustments on the PCM58 chips we'll be using in our new Mystique Z.

When we get DACs in for repair or traded in we always check the adjustments for MSB zero-crossing of the DAC chips and DC offset of the op amps.

Generally speaking we've seen no drift on the adjustments on the DAC chips and very minor drift on the adjustments on the op amps. So we would not recommend customers sending in their DACs to have us fine tune the trim pots.

The only times we've found that it has been required to readjust the trim pots in our DACs has been when the DAC chips or op amp modules have been replaced. 

We're just about to order the circuit boards for our new Mystique Z. About a week after we test the circuit boards we'll be ordering the chassis. Sad to say that historically it can take anywhere from 4-12 weeks to get chassis. 

That being said, we're hoping to have the first production run of our Mystique Z DACs ready to ship by the end of August.

As for price, we're hoping to have an entry-level version that will start at around $5K or $7K with normal resistors, less exotic capacitors, and Lundahl ferrous core chokes. Since historically we don't sell many of our entry-level DACs they will be special order only. 

The bang-for-the-buck version will have all the best component parts as our Mystique X SE and will come standard with Lundahl amorphous core chokes. We're expecting to sell them for $9K-$11K and we will inventory this version.

The top-of-the-line version will come standard with Lundahl nano crystal core chokes and ISO Acoustics footers. We're expecting to sell those for $11K-$13K and we will inventory this version as well.

I realize that the estimated pricing has a $2K range. Prices have gone up on all of our parts as well as the aluminum for our chassis. Not to mention any potential import duties. Until we confirm all of the component part prices in August we won't be able to provide a firm price. I hope you can understand. 

Our first production run will be reserved for existing customers who want to trade in their current DAC. We'll probably start accepting pre-production orders the end of July or beginning of August. Depending on the popularity of our Mystique Z we may not have DACs available for new customers until our second production run.

Historically speaking our first production runs usually sell out to existing customers before the production run is even finished.