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new Meitner MA3 hit the rack today

Letting it warm up and run some playlists on repeat through it.  Gonna give it a few hundred hours of break-in before the first critical session.  Nice unit.  Roon 1.8 picked it up, but didn’t let me configure as an output since the certification is delayed by a few weeks.  Wasn’t really planning on switching the digital front end, as it’s more of a secondary source during the day, but I just couldn’t take the Aurender UI/UX anymore.  “A far more intuitive interface, Roon is” said Yoda.  The A10 sound was very livable long term but just got tired of that darn UI.  Roon could stream to it, but only over airplay, so what’s the point there.  Anyway, I’ll post up some thoughts when I get rolling with it for real.
73cuttysupreme
samgupta101
58 posts
 

Thanks @73cuttysupreme for your thoughts on the MA3...your comments carry a lot of weight given you've been using it for so long.  The DCS comparison is pretty eye opening!  

benzman's avatar
benzman
385 posts
 

How does the attached files sound thru the MA3?  I could get rid of a box with my Bricasti M3 and Melco Na combo. 

rossb
183 posts
 

How does the attached files sound thru the MA3?  I could get rid of a box with my Bricasti M3 and Melco Na combo. 

I spent a week with the MA3 but ended up buying the Bricasti M3. I felt it sounded better and more natural. Make sure you get a long demo of the MA3 before thinking of replacing your Bricasti.

 

benzman's avatar
benzman
385 posts
 

Thanks Ross

I listened to the MA3 at a dealer with the flagship B&W 804? The Mac 600 w amps. 
Sounded good and the idea of attaching  a portable SSD was pretty cool. 
I do like my current setup. Between the Melco’s filtering and the EtherRegen the system  really sounds good. 

ddafoe
238 posts
 

I've owned both the M3 and MA3.    I sold the M3 after a few months but still own the MA3.     Personally I find the MA3 another level up on the M3, it is also a lot more expensive too and I've experienced that the differences between DACs relative to cost isn't always worth it, at least to me and my ears.

I liked the M3 but found it too similar sounding to the RME ADI2 FS DAC I also owned at the time to justify its price, relatively speaking.   I will say its ability to drive an amp direct is the best I've tried at home (I've not tried the digital volume control yet on the MA3 but I will be surprised if it beats the Bricasti).

I replaced the M3 with a Mojo Audio R2R NOS DAC (and Bricasti M5) and thought it was a big improvement for the sound I was looking for, and now I've replaced the Mojo with the MA3 and think that offers another big improvement.   Unfortunately I find the M5 with AES sounds slightly better to me than with the built in streamer in the MA3 which is unfortunate since I was hoping to apply the M5 sale onto the cost of the MA3. 

I will say bang for buck the little RME is the best sounding DAC I've owned and I sometimes think what I could do with that difference in price if I swap the MA3 for the RME...   It's a crazy hobby for sometimes such small differences compared to price.

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