Meitner MA3i DAC Review

I have eero into trendnet 8 port unmanaged switch with wireworld starlight 10 twinax, then trendnet into Meitner with Audience Hidden Treasure Ethernet cable. 

Curious. I have 1Gbps internet, I have a TrueNAS server and I have 10Gig copper and single mode fiber (Juniper EX switch).

On my Tidal system when I start playback I have the entire track in about 1 to 1.5 seconds and then if I remove my cable the audio still plays.

At what point is the cable going to make a difference. 

My hand off from the modem to my Fortigate Firewall is copper, copper from the FW to Juniper, Single Mode Fiber from my TrueNAS server  to Juniper and my streamer is copper 1Gbe. 

I also have a desktop system with a Solar Flare 10Gbe NIC and get 600MB/s reads. That's also SMF.

All the transceivers are Juniper. SMF is FS.COM and they come with a validation report. 

Copper is Panduit CAT6 horizontal, keystones, patch. 

@charles007100  Congrats, the MA3i is an excellent DAC.

@audphile1 I wrote about it earlier. The DSD support on the SPDIF input is one big reason I am getting the MA3i. I can play my SACDs via my GeerFAB D.BOB transport into SPDIF and the sound is spectacular. I think better than streaming, but of course not as convenient with disks.

The D-1 only supports DSD on the USB input, and I need it on SPDIF to work with the D.BOB. I have not tested streaming of DSD content from online sources. I do not recall seeing DSD content for streaming on TIDAL or Qobuz.

The Meitner MA3i DAC and I think all other DACs at any price should not be compared to the D-1. The D-1 is a new type of DAC (or design) which results in such realism that I always will pick the D-1. In a blind test I will pick the D-1 100/100 times, it is so easy for me to hear the difference. 

The D-1 is a PITA to use unlike the MA3i which is a pleasure to use and sounds exceptional. I could buy a second D-1 for the same cost as the MA3i, but I am getting the MA3i even though I like the D-1 more sonically. My friend who sells both the D-1 and MA3i likes the MA3i more and he has exceptional hearing. He is a musician, speaker builder, and studio gear builder. Not everyone will take the D-1 over the MA3i but just on sonics alone I like the D-1 more.

On the D-1 web site there are a lot of comments on the D-1 by studio users.

User Comments - Imersiv

BTW - I tried to get Qobuz to work outside of ROON, but I do not have a direct computer connection to my DAC. Even if I did set that up, the streaming would not be as good my fibre streaming and likely even the Ethernet streaming.

Well, I better figure out a way to play some DSD files.

My most dramatic ‘Wow’ moment was listening to the first DSD track. It’s a very simple song with two sops and two altos, a male voice joining for the chorus. Again, it’s in the stark realism and depth of attack. My “big3” = G**, C** and M** all sound slightly foggy in comparison.

@yyzsantabarbara sorry if i missed it, but what filter are you using on the D1?

@yyzsantabarbara I’m sure you know but to use qobuz connect with Meitner you just open the qobuz app on your phone, start the song and click on the bottom left  icon to select the source. Choose MA3i. That’s all there is to it.