Mutec MC-3+ USB

[ogs]

@chungjh

I have never used it, but I think the Tidal web player does not support any of the 'endpoints'. The desktop app might, but I do not know. I guess USB to the Mutec is a good way to improve sound quality. I have also seen at this forum that the Singxer SU-1 is a recommended device.

Devialet has a virtual sound card that streams AIR to the 220 over ethernet/wifi. This sounds very good and works with 'any' app on your computer. Problem is that for some this solution is unstable. It's free and the only way to find out is to try it.

[Confused]

@chungjh

I used to use a microRendu feeding a Mutec MC3+USB into my D800, and in this set up I found that the Mutec provided a very nice uplift with sound quality versus Devialet AIR. However, when moving to the Pro, things were a little different, see thread below. In summary, the nice uplift in SQ that the Mutec offered with an Expert amp pretty much vanishes with a Pro. My theory here is that the clocks in the Pro are probably just as good as in the MC3+USB, so as a delta, the Mutec has less to offer.

https://devialetchat.com/Thread-Is-AIR-g...ttle-steps

As a result of the above, I have moved on to using a Mutec REF 10 with my MC3+USB, and by doing this I do gain a performance that to my ears exceeds the performance of AIR or Roon AIR. Although it is not this simple, the performance of the MC3+USB does seem to depend on the quality of whatever you use to feed it. I have tried mine with a relatively cheap Bluray player, the results were OK, but not brilliant. I have tried it with a decent CD player, the results are much better, actually very good. I am currently running a SOtM sMS-200Ultra and tX-USBultra, and this is the best I have achieved with my system.

For more details of the above, see the link below, but be warned, it is a long and slightly troubled story......

https://devialetchat.com/Thread-A-Confus...SOtM-Ultra

In summary, this is not a simple issue. With the Pro it is not a simple case of add a Mutec and get better sound quality, but depending on the details and system, it can be done.

In the short term, I would go with the suggestion made earlier by @ogs , that is try Roon AIR or AIR via Ethernet. This is an excellent sounding solution and is relatively cheap and simple. I would give this a try first and see how you get on from there.

[chungjh]

@chungjh

I used to use a microRendu feeding a Mutec MC3+USB into my D800, and in this set up I found that the Mutec provided a very nice uplift with sound quality versus Devialet AIR.  However, when moving to the Pro, things were a little different, see thread below.  In summary, the nice uplift in SQ that the Mutec offered with an Expert amp pretty much vanishes with a Pro.  My theory here is that the clocks in the Pro are probably just as good as in the MC3+USB, so as a delta, the Mutec has less to offer.

https://devialetchat.com/Thread-Is-AIR-g...ttle-steps

As a result of the above, I have moved on to using a Mutec REF 10 with my MC3+USB, and by doing this I do gain a performance that to my ears exceeds the performance of AIR or Roon AIR.  Although it is not this simple, the performance of the MC3+USB does seem to depend on the quality of whatever you use to feed it.  I have tried mine with a relatively cheap Bluray player, the results were OK, but not brilliant.  I have tried it with a decent CD player, the results are much better, actually very good.  I am currently running a SOtM sMS-200Ultra and tX-USBultra, and this is the best I have achieved with my system.

For more details of the above, see the link below, but be warned, it is a long and slightly troubled story......

https://devialetchat.com/Thread-A-Confus...SOtM-Ultra

In summary, this is not a simple issue.  With the Pro it is not a simple case of add a Mutec and get better sound quality, but depending on the details and system, it can be done.

In the short term, I would go with the suggestion made earlier by @ogs , that is try Roon AIR or AIR via Ethernet.  This is an excellent sounding solution and is relatively cheap and simple.  I would give this a try first and see how you get on from there.

thanks.

[chungjh]

@chungjh

I used to use a microRendu feeding a Mutec MC3+USB into my D800, and in this set up I found that the Mutec provided a very nice uplift with sound quality versus Devialet AIR.  However, when moving to the Pro, things were a little different, see thread below.  In summary, the nice uplift in SQ that the Mutec offered with an Expert amp pretty much vanishes with a Pro.  My theory here is that the clocks in the Pro are probably just as good as in the MC3+USB, so as a delta, the Mutec has less to offer.

https://devialetchat.com/Thread-Is-AIR-g...ttle-steps

As a result of the above, I have moved on to using a Mutec REF 10 with my MC3+USB, and by doing this I do gain a performance that to my ears exceeds the performance of AIR or Roon AIR.  Although it is not this simple, the performance of the MC3+USB does seem to depend on the quality of whatever you use to feed it.  I have tried mine with a relatively cheap Bluray player, the results were OK, but not brilliant.  I have tried it with a decent CD player, the results are much better, actually very good.  I am currently running a SOtM sMS-200Ultra and tX-USBultra, and this is the best I have achieved with my system.

For more details of the above, see the link below, but be warned, it is a long and slightly troubled story......

https://devialetchat.com/Thread-A-Confus...SOtM-Ultra

In summary, this is not a simple issue.  With the Pro it is not a simple case of add a Mutec and get better sound quality, but depending on the details and system, it can be done.

In the short term, I would go with the suggestion made earlier by @ogs , that is try Roon AIR or AIR via Ethernet.  This is an excellent sounding solution and is relatively cheap and simple.  I would give this a try first and see how you get on from there.

thanks.

I thought AIR does not support 24bit/192kHZ? I listen to high resolution Tidal from my mac laptop.

[petrik]

@chungjh

I used to use a microRendu feeding a Mutec MC3+USB into my D800, and in this set up I found that the Mutec provided a very nice uplift with sound quality versus Devialet AIR.  However, when moving to the Pro, things were a little different, see thread below.  In summary, the nice uplift in SQ that the Mutec offered with an Expert amp pretty much vanishes with a Pro.  My theory here is that the clocks in the Pro are probably just as good as in the MC3+USB, so as a delta, the Mutec has less to offer.

https://devialetchat.com/Thread-Is-AIR-g...ttle-steps

As a result of the above, I have moved on to using a Mutec REF 10 with my MC3+USB, and by doing this I do gain a performance that to my ears exceeds the performance of AIR or Roon AIR.  Although it is not this simple, the performance of the MC3+USB does seem to depend on the quality of whatever you use to feed it.  I have tried mine with a relatively cheap Bluray player, the results were OK, but not brilliant.  I have tried it with a decent CD player, the results are much better, actually very good.  I am currently running a SOtM sMS-200Ultra and tX-USBultra, and this is the best I have achieved with my system.

For more details of the above, see the link below, but be warned, it is a long and slightly troubled story......

https://devialetchat.com/Thread-A-Confus...SOtM-Ultra

In summary, this is not a simple issue.  With the Pro it is not a simple case of add a Mutec and get better sound quality, but depending on the details and system, it can be done.

In the short term, I would go with the suggestion made earlier by @ogs , that is try Roon AIR or AIR via Ethernet.  This is an excellent sounding solution and is relatively cheap and simple.  I would give this a try first and see how you get on from there.

thanks.

I thought AIR does not support 24bit/192kHZ? I listen to high resolution Tidal from my mac laptop.

Devialet AIR supports 24/192 kHz lossless streaming when using Ethernet connection.

Please note that that Devialet AIR is different than Apple's Airplay. Airplay does not support high res streaming.

[chungjh]

thanks.

I thought AIR does not support 24bit/192kHZ? I listen to high resolution Tidal from my mac laptop.

Devialet AIR supports 24/192 kHz lossless streaming when using Ethernet connection.

Please note that that Devialet AIR is different than Apple's Airplay. Airplay does not support high res streaming.

oh, I see.

[bodhiFile]

For anyone owns Mutec 3+ USB, this is a tweak that you can try and it does not cost much.

After reading someone mentioned using 75ohms BNC termination plugs in t, i decide to take a try.
I ordered some termination plugs through my local electronic parts stockist, each plug not cost more than a few bucks. Other than the one I used for my 10MHz clock input from Mutec Ref10, I terminate all the rest of 7 BNC connections on Mutec 3+ USB.

After playing music from my hifi setup for 5min, I started to realise the music get slightly richer, the soundstage seems to expand and it is easier to locate the individual players compare to before. The improvement is not day and night, but substantial enough to get noticed.

This tweak does not cost me much and I guess anyone can try without breaking the bank.

Hi there Sharone,

Are you still using your Mutec usb with termination plugs successfully? I ask because last year I asked Mutec about this and this was the response I got:

"No, we not recommend to put terminator on the unused Word Clock outputs. A
terminator always strains an electrical system. I would recommend to use
simple BNC caps.

Best regards, Chris"

I'm considering trying it though anyways, as I have found that the Mutec sounds slightly better with any output unused disconnected. Perhaps Chris' response was warranty/function oriented, though I am not qualified to speculate how much electrical strain could affect the unit long term.

Thanks!

[ogs]

Chris talks about the Word Clock outputs, not BNC's carrying S/PDIF. Maybe caps on unused Word Clock connectors and terminators on S/PDIF?

[Sharone]

For anyone owns Mutec 3+ USB, this is a tweak that you can try and it does not cost much.

After reading someone mentioned using 75ohms BNC termination plugs in t, i decide to take a try.
I ordered some termination plugs through my local electronic parts stockist, each plug not cost more than a few bucks. Other than the one I used for my 10MHz clock input from Mutec Ref10, I terminate all the rest of 7 BNC connections on Mutec 3+ USB.

After playing music from my hifi setup for 5min, I started to realise the music get slightly richer, the soundstage seems to expand and it is easier to locate the individual players compare to before. The improvement is not day and night, but substantial enough to get noticed.

This tweak does not cost me much and I guess anyone can try without breaking the bank.

Hi there Sharone,

Are you still using your Mutec usb with termination plugs successfully? I ask because last year I asked Mutec about this and this was the response I got:

"No, we not recommend to put terminator on the unused Word Clock outputs. A
terminator always strains an electrical system. I would recommend to use
simple BNC caps.

Best regards, Chris"

I'm considering trying it though anyways, as I have found that the Mutec sounds slightly better with any output unused disconnected. Perhaps Chris' response was warranty/function oriented, though I am not qualified to speculate how much electrical strain could affect the unit long term.

Thanks!

Hi bodhiFile,

Yes, I still used the termination plugs on my Mutec since Dec 2017 till now. This may be straining the circuitry, nevertheless, fingers crossed, there is no issue or whatever to date. I think no harm to give them a try and see if there is an improvement. 

In fact, I had asked someone to remove the internal power supply of Mutec 3+ USB and now it is feeding with an external Linear Power Supply and the sound quality is improved by another notch.

For my Mutec Ref 10, I used bnc caps (not termination plugs) as the clock outputs can be isolated by switching them off.

[bodhiFile]

Hi bodhiFile,

Yes, I still used the termination plugs on my Mutec since Dec 2017 till now. This may be straining the circuitry, nevertheless, fingers crossed, there is no issue or whatever to date. I think no harm to give them a try and see if there is an improvement. 

In fact, I had asked someone to remove the internal power supply of Mutec 3+ USB and now it is feeding with an external Linear Power Supply and the sound quality is improved by another notch.

For my Mutec Ref 10, I used bnc caps (not termination plugs) as the clock outputs can be isolated by switching them off.

Thanks for the reply. What linear power supply are you using? I have seen this on ebay for a while now:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Mutec-MC-3-Smar...SwyhVcawgO

I wonder if it's legit. I'm going to go ahead and try the terminators at least. I do have a Cybershaft Ultimate 10M clock with only 1 output, so good there. Thanks again!