Meitner MA3i DAC Review

@audphile1 I have owned the CODA # and it was a very good amp. I like the #11 and #16 more. I found the Schitt Wotan at $2k to be about the same as the #8. I sold it after I got the #11.

If I can find another #11, I would take that over the Wotan.  I am going to order for a home demo the Class D GANFet amp at $1000. A lot of people on A'gon seem to recommend that amp. Cannot hurt trying it.

My office system is a $2k Magnepan Mini speaker setup on stands. It sounds great in a room where it should not. A nightmare room but Maggies are kind of easy to minimize reflections. Using a $16k amp was sonically mind bendingly good but not a smart allocation of funds.

I moved the #16 from my best speakers, Yamaha NS5000, to the Maggies because the 20-year-old #11 was so good with the NS5000, and imersiv D-1 DAC. The #11 is actually at CODA today getting recapped and whatever else to keep it going for the next 20 to 30 years.

@yyzsantabarbara awesome! I’m a fan of Coda amps. The 11 should be as good as new after the recap.

I am doing some uber level headphone tests with some gear that I will have for 1 more week.

- imersiv D-1 DAC (I own)

- Meitner MA3i DAC (will buy)

- Allnic HPA 15000 OTL/OCL headphone amp ($15k, I do not need it)

- RAAL 1995 Magna headphones (demo)

- RAAL TI-1b amp adapter box

- Sonore OpticalRendu fibre streaming

- Ethernet streaming for the Meitner but just regular CAT5 cables.

I am adding some hours on the Allnic as a favor to a friend who is taking it to NYC CanJam. The Allnic has direct RAAL support along with regular XLR headphone output. I am using the regular output with the RAAL TI-1b adapter because that is how I use RAAL phones with my other gear and I want an apples-2-apples comparison.

The imersiv D-1 has more resolution than the Meitner MA3i, likely more than ALL other DACs. On headphones that can be tricky to deal with. You hear more of everything with the D-1. With tube amps, like the Allnic and also my now sold RAAL VM-1a tube headphone amp the D-1 generates some hints of fatigue. It is not much but I notice that little bit of stress. I think what is happening is that the D-1 has so much data coining out (a firehose of data) that the 2 tube amps cannot handle it perfectly. Maybe most people would not notice and just appreciate the increased resolution. I was streaming via ROON and my Sonore OpticalRendu (fibre). I did not test this today, but I know that my $400 used Schiit Aegir v1 amp used as a headphone amp can handle the D-1 great. All my Class A amps, like the CODA #16, #11, Aegir v1 handle the D-1 with perfection.

I then tried the Meitner via Ethernet streaming using the same tracks. Resolution is less than the D-1, but a very nice listen nevertheless. No fatigue at all. I just noticed that the ROON endpoint for Meitner streaming has a volume adjustment. Very nice and super useful to lower or increase volume from an iPhone when not close to the gear. My old KRELL k300i integrated had this feature too and I love it. My Sonore OpticalRendu does not support this.

I then tried the Metner with the Sonore OpticalRendu. It was a cleaner sound than with the Ethernet on the Meitner. 

- Best sounding imersiv D-1 + Sonore OpticalRendu fibre optic streaming.

- Most relaxing for headphones, but not as resolving, Meitner MA3i Ethernet

- Best of both worlds, Meitner MA3i + Sonore OpticalRendu fibre optic streaming.

In all likelihood I will use the Ethernet streaming in the Metner for headphones. I like to relax with headphones and do not want to change Sonore USB cables between the 2 DACs. I need to shut down the D-1 to safely do this.

I need to figure out a good Ethernet cable and maybe try an Ethernet-to-fibre-to-Ethernet conversion. That conversion may better the sound on my Ethernet.

BTW - I have heard some of the most expensive headphones in the world but the best one for me is the RAAL SR1a which is now discontinued but available to buy remaining stock. I see these on USAM for around $2K with the Schiit jR amp. I am a 2-channel guy so my love of the SR1a over the more expensive phones is understandable.

This looks interesting for my fibre to Ethernet conversion idea. My network switch has 2 fibre outputs.

Gigabit Fiber to RJ45 Ethernet Media Converter Dongle, Optical Singlemode 10km/Multimode 800m, PoE P

Edit:

You can get fiber into a Meitner MA3i indirectly, because the MA3/MA3i has a network/Ethernet (RJ45) input for its built-in streamer.

But the PoE part is the problem:

• A PoE-powered fiber→RJ45 dongle needs a PoE source (a PoE switch or PoE injector) to supply it power.

• The MA3i’s RJ45 jack is a network client/endpoint port, not a PoE switch port, so it won’t provide PoE to power the dongle.

What this means in practice

• If you plug that PoE-powered dongle directly into the MA3i, the dongle will not power on (unless it has some other power input like USB/DC—which many “PoE-powered micro” ones do not).

• Also, you generally don’t want PoE voltage anywhere near non-PoE gear unless the device is explicitly designed for that scenario.

Better ways to do “fiber to MA3i”

1. Use a non-PoE media converter (fiber→RJ45) that has its own AC/DC power adapter, then run copper Ethernet from it into the MA3i.

2. Put a small switch with an SFP fiber port near the MA3i (powered normally), then copper RJ45 from that switch to the MA3i.

@yyzsantabarbara I mentioned the streamer card in MA3i is sensitive and needs isolation. A good switch or if you want copper to fiber should do the trick. It needs the hash snd noise gone before it receives a feed. 
You’ll be in good shape. 
Try top of the line wireworld Ethernet cable. It has integrated filter but you will still need to clean up the signal before that connection link into Meitner. 
 

Also - if you get a chance please try Qobuz or Tidal Connect instead of Roon especially with headphones. Let me know what you think.