• jlm70
  • ADAT user
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  • Registered: 2020-08-13
  • Posts: 19

Topic: Correct Ref Level paired with Musical Fidelity X-Can v3?

Hello,
just received this awesome DAC, and I'm now to pair it with my heavily modded hybrid-tube amplifier, a Musical Fidelity X-CAN V3 (upgraded caps, valves, PSU, etc.).
Currently in auto, but I'd like to set it up... at best.

At the moment... with my AKG-K701 phones, if I set the RME at 0dBr for line out I cannot sustain (my ears cannot, and I'm unluckily a bit used to high volumes) over 60% of the volume.

Is there a correct process to match the right settings?

Many thanks

2 Reply by ramses (edited by ramses 2020-09-21 10:10:00)

  • ramses
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  • Registered: 2012-10-14
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Re: Correct Ref Level paired with Musical Fidelity X-Can v3?

There are already quite a lot threads with the topic of "level matching" between ADI-2 Pro/DAC and a pre- or power-amp.

You could read perhaps a few of them and then ask remaining questions ?

BR Ramses - UFX III, 12Mic, XTC, ADI-2 Pro FS R BE, RayDAT, X10SRi-F, E5-1680v4, Win10Pro22H2, Cub13

3 Reply by KaiS (edited by KaiS 2020-09-21 10:20:01)

  • KaiS
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  • From: Germany
  • Registered: 2020-02-05
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Re: Correct Ref Level paired with Musical Fidelity X-Can v3?

The question is valid.
Tube devices can work input level dependent (not this one).
I had a look at the schematic.

There's no active stage, no tube to "drive" ahead of the volume control, so the sound is independent of the level you feed in.
Only the listening level determines how hard the tubes are driven.


Set the Musical Fidelity's volume control in a way that it's output is about the same as you get from ADI-2's headphones output.

Then use ADI-2 with Auto Reference Level on, to control the listening level.

This way you can use either without having to change volume, for two different flavours of sound.

KaiS's Website