Hi MSB experts,
I’m new to the MSB world and could use some help figuring out what I’m doing wrong. I’ve had to upgrade my system amplification which started giving intermittent problems after only 27 years (!) While replacing my Classe pre-amp/monoblocks my dealer pointed out that a lot has changed in the digital world since I got my Classe DAC1 in 1998 and I might want to consider an upgrade there, as well. So I’m now the proud owner of an MSB Discrete with dual power supplies feeding a Pass Labs XP-22 into X260.8 amps and on to Martin Logan CLX speakers. While mine is a modest system by the standards I see on this forum, I hope these changes will provide an upgrade to what I’ve already been enjoying for years.
My problem is that the Discrete often fails to detect and decode signals coming in. I’ve tried all three input switching options (Manual, Smart, and Normal) and have left it on Normal as the problem shows up in all three modes. I’ll start playing a source (streamer, CD transport, or CD changer transport) and often the DAC will identify the correct input but the display shows - - K and no music plays despite the source showing a track is being played. In manual mode I can go to the correct input but, again, no sign of signal coming in or music playing. By accident I discovered that if I push the video mode button on the remote the signal will show up (e.g as 44Kv)and music will play. On hitting it again there’s a slight ‘pop’ but the display shows 44K (the v is gone) and music continues to play.
I’ve noticed this problem both upon starting up a source component and also if I come back to put a new CD into the component that’s played a complete CD and gone into standby at the end of the track. I’ve also had a couple of ‘drops’ while playing tracks through my streamer, but that’s really only two events over the two days I’ve had the unit. In those cases the display and music came back online when I hit the video button twice.
I’m sure I’m doing something obviously wrong but I’ve read the manual carefully and can’t spot my error. Can someone point me in the right direction?
Many thanks, Henry from Oregon
Hello Henry, It is most important to update the firmware. The file and instructions are Here: The Discrete DAC Support and Software - MSB Technology
The current version 27.14 released. I very much doubt there is anything wrong with the hardware. Please go in the DAC menu and look for the software rev number. If it is not 27.14 please update it before doing anything else. Please let us know your outcome. I can be reached at vince@msbtechnology.com
This may also be a clock calibration issue. Please reach out to our tech support with your serial number and we can get you squared away.
(Form at the bottom of the page)
Vince,
Thanks so much for the quick responses through the day. I did manage to update the firmware via the Roon Nucleus playing the WAV file through my Naim streamer. The DAC shows 27.14 per my text. Unfortunately I was still unable to make it all the way through a CD without multiple ‘drop outs’ where the music stops, the display reads - - k and yet the source indicates the selection is still playing. Hitting the video button returns the music and data display and hitting it again removes the ‘v’ from the display.
I did as you suggested and powered the system down for about 90 minutes. It still dropped off once and I’m continuing to burn in to see if that’s repeated (or if it gets worse as it warms up).
Thanks again, and I’ll give you an update Monday.
Happy Thanksgiving,
Henry
Daniel, thanks for the prompt response, especially during the holiday week.
As I mentioned to Vince (who has been right on top of the request through my dealer), the Discrete, its power supplies, and input boxes just arrived from Overture a week ago now. I installed it last Saturday and it ran flawlessly that afternoon and all day Sunday (I’ve only been running break-in during daytime). Then on Monday I started to have the first problems getting it to lock onto a new source when switching sources. But scrolling through the inputs eventually got me there and the auto feature always seemed to find the active source even if the system could not ‘lock on’ to the data stream. Unfortunately, by Tuesday the DAC was essentially inert to all sources. I only found the ‘video’ button ‘fix’ by accident. But it allowed the DAC to lock on the signal and play music when it otherwise wouldn’t. But then, as the day wore on, the Discrete started to drop music and signal during playing of a track - not just on changing sources or discs in a source. The display just showed - - k while the track continued to play on the source (I repeated this with all 3 of my sources). Hitting the ‘video’ button would bring back the music and data readout (e.g. 44kv) and hitting it one more time would remove the ‘v’ from the display. By last night I couldn’t make it through a CD without at least one failure.
As mentioned above, I did come up the learning curve to update the firmware and had hoped that might fix the problem. But, while not an expert, these symptoms sound more like some internal component is starting to fail more often through the break-in process. As I replied to Vince, the problem is still evident, even after the 90 minute ‘cool down’. We’ll see if the frequency of ‘drops’ changes over this weekend. But, for now, I sadly expect to need your service experts to fix it. At this point I’ve not yet registered it - will I need to do that first?
Thanks, and Happy Thanksgiving,
Henry