Playback Designs MPD-8

[David]

Bro , I recently got my SPA8 amp and it is simply crazy and magical sounds ! you have to get one !

Wouaww ; that is very rare ... i think there are only few owners of SPA-8 amplifier in the world !

I have heard this big amplifier at Munich when Playback Designs have made a demo of this model for the first time ... it was in combination with Stenheim speakers (it was in 2018 if my memory is good) ; the sound was really great : very fluid ; not the typical sound from very big / very powerfull solid state amplifiers.

Could you tell us more about the sound & performance of this SPA-8 amplifier into your system ?

Do you have already created a post here on the subject of this amplifier ?

BR - David

 

[chuck]

It is really as good as Analog / LP when a LP is digitalized using with PINOT ... and then the file played with a MPD-8 Converter ?
Do you have tried in the same way with Reel To Reel / Tapes ?

Yes, I have done it with tapes, too.

OCD Mikey will have a room at Capital Audio Fest and he says he is bringing his MPD8. He has mentioned that he has a Pinot, and R2R. Maybe he will bring them for a fun demo. I think Andreas Koch did such a demo at AXPONA some years ago.

 

[Phantom-Audio]

A server connected directly to the MPT8 and using the PLink to the MPD is superior compared to connecting the server via USB to the MPD8. Through countless experiments with different servers, it has consistently been found that using PLink from MPT8 to MPD8 produces significantly better sound quality, regardless of the server being used.Any Server Conne

 

[jeromelang]

I travelled to Annapolis around the 4th July to listen to a former colleague's system centred around speakers that he designed and built. Upstream electronics include the MPT-8 tpt and MPD-8 dac, Pass Labs Aleph pre and Aleph 1.2 power.

He has the Aleph pre set to full volume and the MPD-8 doing the volume adjustment. He says this sounds better.

 

[Rumpole]

Hoping to get some advice on streaming using a Pixel 7 (Android). I have the MPS-X and MPS-8. I tried to stream from Qobuz using Mconnect Control, but Mconnect does not see the MPS-X on the network. So I installed BubbleUpnP, which works, but it seems very primitive - I can't figure out how to pause or adjust the volume, and I had to power off the amp when it started blasting at a very high sound level. I think it should be possible to use the Qobuz app to control the streaming, sending the stream to BubbleUPnP, but I can't figure how to set that up.

So, has anyone been able to get Mconnect to work, or should I stay with BubbleUPnP? And can I use the Qobuz app to control the music.

 

[matthias]

A server connected directly to the MPT8 and using the PLink to the MPD is superior compared to connecting the server via USB to the MPD8. Through countless experiments with different servers, it has consistently been found that using PLink from MPT8 to MPD8 produces significantly better sound quality, regardless of the server being used.Any Server Conne

What about the SQ of a server connected to USB-X4 and then to MPD-8 ?
Thx

Matt

 

[Rexp]

A server connected directly to the MPT8 and using the PLink to the MPD is superior compared to connecting the server via USB to the MPD8. Through countless experiments with different servers, it has consistently been found that using PLink from MPT8 to MPD8 produces significantly better sound quality, regardless of the server being used.Any Server Conne

Are you saying physical discs sound better? What about when Roon core is installed as an option into the MPT8?

 

[matthias]

Are you saying physical discs sound better? What about when Roon core is installed as an option into the MPT8?

I think the topic of the post was the PLINK. Isolation by PLINK sounds better than direct USB into the DAC.

Matt

 

[chuck]

Are you saying physical discs sound better? What about when Roon core is installed as an option into the MPT8?

It depends on the disc and the streamed files. The sound of a RBCD disc is different from a 16/44 streamed file using Roon, generally the CD sounds better played on the MPT8 but not always. Higher res files usually sound better than the CD, but not always. SACDs on the MPT8 often sound better than 24/192 streamed files of the same music. The differences in sound are very close and streaming Qobuz is 95% of what I listen to.

But sometimes I don't want to pick up a tablet and would rather just play discs.

PLink isolation works whether playing discs or streaming.

 

[Rumpole]

It depends on the disc and the streamed files. The sound of a RBCD disc is different from a 16/44 streamed file using Roon, generally the CD sounds better played on the MPT8 but not always. Higher res files usually sound better than the CD, but not always. SACDs on the MPT8 often sound better than 24/192 streamed files of the same music. The differences in sound are very close and streaming Qobuz is 95% of what I listen to.

Do you hear noise from the CD spinning? In my MPS-8 I can hear a quiet whirring sound from the transport. It is very quiet but I still notice it during quiet parts of the music and between tracks. I live in a remote area with very low ambient noise, so that might be why I notice it. I might try moving it farther away from the listening position.

 

[chuck]

Do you hear noise from the CD spinning? In my MPS-8 I can hear a quiet whirring sound from the transport. It is very quiet but I still notice it during quiet parts of the music and between tracks. I live in a remote area with very low ambient noise, so that might be why I notice it. I might try moving it farther away from the listening position.

No. I live in a very quiet neighborhood and the hifi is in the back of the house away from the street. From my listening chair, about 5 feet from the MPT-8, I can't hear the spinning disc at all, even with speakers not playing. Perhaps the MPT-8 has better sound proofing than the MPS-8.

 

[matthias]

Does someone know why Playback Designs was absent at Highend Munich in 2022 and 2023?
Thx

Matt

 

[allvinyl]

Does someone know why Playback Designs was absent at Highend Munich in 2022 and 2023?
Thx

Matt

Matt, I, too, am interested in feedback on your question.

Additionally, I am interested if anyone has feedback on Playback Designs reportedly offering an option adding analog inputs to the MPD-8.

 

[VerdantAudio]

Matt, I, too, am interested in feedback on your question.

Additionally, I am interested if anyone has feedback on Playback Designs reportedly offering an option adding analog inputs to the MPD-8.

I am one of the US Dealers for Playback. This is straightforward. At this time, demand for Playback products are so high that each production batch is sold out before it is produced. Based on parts availability, the brand is at max production. Going to Munich and other shows would create excess demand that can’t be met.

I am currently unaware of plans to add analog inputs to the MPD-8. That said, that is a question best directed to Andreas.

 

[David]

Guys I will most likely be upgrading from FM 801A to the PB SPA-8 , to make the synergy whole since i am 1/2 way there.

Hi Jackson,

Do you have received your PD SPA-8 amplifier ?
If yes, could you give us a little feedback about this unit ?
Very interested to read your report, if possible...

BR - David

 

[chuck]

Playback Designs used to have a room at AXPONA every year and I think they should again this year. There are only about 5 US dealers and even they don't all have units to hear. All the other major DAC makers will be there. As an MPT8/MPD8 owner, they don't sound like the others and they should let people hear that, even if the wait to get one is months.

 

[F208Frank]

I have the mpd8 and the mpd6 was my first playback product. Big fan. I love using the mps-x along with the playback dacs as well.

 

[Ampman]

I have the mpd8 and the mpd6 was my first playback product. Big fan. I love using the mps-x along with the playback dacs as well.

Hi, F208Frank
Did you listen to any other streamers with MPD-8 before purchasing the MPS-X?
I am trying to find out how much difference the PLINK interface and general synergy makes...
I have an N20 and Chord/MScaler currently but have heard MPD-8 with my other gear sounding really wonderful at a dealer and have an APL DSD-MR SE on loan.
I would be very grateful for any other DAC or streamer experiences or advice you can share.

 

[jeromelang]

Hi, F208Frank
Did you listen to any other streamers with MPD-8 before purchasing the MPS-X?
I am trying to find out how much difference the PLINK interface and general synergy makes...
I have an N20 and Chord/MScaler currently but have heard MPD-8 with my other gear sounding really wonderful at a dealer and have an APL DSD-MR SE on loan.
I would be very grateful for any other DAC or streamer experiences or advice you can share.

You can check the thread on EMM LABS DA2 where users posted their experiences regarding ST Optical cables connect with the NS1 streamer.

One think about the PLINK interface - it will tremendously matter which direction the cable is connected, and it will be necessary to clean both ferrule tips with alcohol before connection. The other shocking thing about this particular type of interface is that the use of optical gel is mandatory.

 

[brad225]

This is an honest question Jerome. What about the Plink interface makes the direction matter? I have never hears of optical gel.
Thanks