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RE: ML No.39 DAC capabilities?

Posted by cawson@onetel.com (A) on December 15, 2020 at 07:07:33

In Reply to: ML No.39 DAC capabilities? posted by Michael B. on December 15, 2020 at 01:47:11:

Your journey is rather similar to my own, although I've done mine while you are just starting on yours!

I had a ML 39 many years ago and the first thing I did was get it upgraded to 390S. This was done by the UK importer with ML's approved parts. The improvements included a new DAC because DACs were then in a rapid state of development. However neither the 39 nor the 390S had DACs that handled higher def music than red book - I believe.

At the time I ripped my CD collection, I had a Sonos streamer and I bought a RipNAS - a single box preloaded with the best software to rip CDs and check the rip for accuracy and store them on its hard drive - very similar to your Nain ripper. This left me using the Sonos and RipNAS for the vast majority of my listening with the ML used for occasionally playing non-ripped CDs, although I was still using the ML's DAC and preamp to process the streamed music.

I wanted to upgrade things several years ago and found that most brands of streamers (Naim, Linn, etc) offered a much inferior control app than Sonos, so it wasn't until I discovered BluOS / NAD that I changed my Sonos for a NAD M32 with BluOS streaming module. I also changed the RipNAS for a NAD M50.2 as it ripped (and simply played) CDs and stored the files more reliably (twin drives) on its hard drives.

These 2 new boxed made the ML totally redundant so I sold it. Since then I tried upgrading the amp element of the NAD with lots of alternatives bought or on demo loan. Many were considerably more costly (including the ML 5805 although I would have gone for the 5802), but I found that the NAD was overall the best solution. I was very pleased with it and only recently changed it for the new M33. This offers a subtly improved sound quality and I'm very happy with it although it has several very annoying control peculiarities compared with the M32.

That's the way I would go in your situation. Get the M33 and sell the 39. You've already got a ripper and store so all you'd lack is a player if you think that's important. If so, perhaps worth considering is the M50.2 because it (almost uniquely) offers the choice of Rip or Play when you slip in a CD. The M33's DAC is happy with high def files plus MQA if you choose to subscribe to Tidal. It should be certified for Roon very soon, but the M50.2 already is.

Hope that helps, although you'll get the usual culprits that will rubbish spending money on hi-fi for jobs they can do on their PCs!

Edits: 12/15/20

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