That Maverick looks interesting ... I'm currently using a Behringer UCA202 that's does a respectable job of pulling digital out of the computer and feeding it to my old school quad, but ALSO has analog in so I can do vinyl rips easy as pie. Looks like the Maverick would be a step up from that and still have the convenience? Have you tried doing vinyl rips with it?
D1 vs D2
One feature I like on the D1 is it uses socketed op amps so you can roll em if ya got em ... I see the D2 upgrades to Burr-Brown components - slap a couple of those in the D1 and see what happens ... hopefully not pOOf! <G> Probably best to check first for any bogus pin assignments. I'm fairly certain they've pretty much standardized by now.
PS ... is the Maverick pricing also a closeout deal seeing as how they're rolling out the D2? Nice feature list, but in my case, I'm thinking I'd miss the analog in, which seems to have disappeared in the New! Improved! model.
Here's my two cents on the Maverick D1 and D2 (I have had both, and am currently listening to the D2).
First, the D1: this was a very nice improvement over the stock MacBook Pro sound card. Very, very nice improvement- in fact, it made me realize how badly I needed an external DAC. However, the real potential of the D1 was unleashed when I started rolling the op-amps. There are quite a few options out there, and the op-amps are typically extremely affordable (if not free if you get a sample from distributor). Upgrading the two opamps turned the D1 into something even better- for those who have a D1, I DEFINITELY recommend looking into this. It took the DAC to a whole other level.
Now, I had the D1 for some time, and decided to upgrade to the D2. The D2, as you mentioned, has several advantages over the D1, as long as you are willing to give up the headphone output (I never use headphones) and the volume control (which I also never used anyways).
Here's what stood out to me as the major advantages of the D2 over the D1:
-Burr-Brown op-amp's (3 in the new one. D1 had 2, and IMO they left a lot to be desired, hence the op-amp rolling).
-A better DAC chip. New DAC has >117db S/N ratio vs. the old DAC w/ >96db S/N ratio...so lower noise, for one thing.
-A Tenor 7022L chip for bit-perfect output via USB (up to 24bit/96Khz)- this is huge, as the D1 did not have bit perfect output via USB, IIRC.
-Better components: Elna, WIMA, and Rubycon capacitors, etc.
-Better build quality: For example, the case of the D1 was always tricky to slide off for op-amp and tube rolling. the D2's case (same sheet-metal design) seems to fit better and comes off/goes back on with ease. The knob on the D2 is nicer. Only complaint would be the piercingly-bright blue LED lights! I feel like the terminator is staring at me if I have the lights off. Overall build quality of both units was great though, especially for the price.
My impressions of the D2:
For me, I definitely notice an improvement in the D2 vs. the D1. I haven't even begun to explore different op-amps yet either. I'm terrible at describing HOW things sound sometimes; but to me, the D2 sounds more detailed, but in a good way- not sterile by any means. Cleaner. The high and low notes extend effortlessly, aren't harsh, and I feel like I'm really getting a sense of how the music was intended to be heard (or how it was recorded). Imaging was good on the D1- it's even better on the D2, with better localization of instruments, a better presentation of a '3D' soundstage, etc. (Keep in mind, as well, that this is simply using the SS output- I'm not currently using the tube buffer). Finally, I notice more of a difference in the tube vs. SS output in the D2- this is good. In the D1, the tube vs. SS output was often very similar. In the D2, I can roll in a different tube, and really notice that particular tube's impact on the music. This wasn't quite as easy in the D1.
As for tube rolling in these DAC's- I think I've rolled quite a few tubes in the D1 and D2, including: Western Electric JW 2C51, Western Electric 396A, Tung Sol 2C51, the stock GE(? I thinkmilitary tube, Bendix JAN-CEA 2C51). If you would like my opinions on tube rolling in these DAC's, I'd be more than happy to do that in another post.
Long story short: the D1 was a good starter DAC for me, especially fun to roll op-amps in. However, my components got better, and the D2 was DEFINITELY worth the upgrade. I don't even feel the urge to change the op-amps in the D2- so that should say something in itself. The difference in the D2 is wonderful, and worth it, so long as you don't need a headphone amp- and given that most of us have receivers- you could just use the headphone jack on your receiver anyways. A+ for the Maverick D2. :thmbsp:.
Here is some background on my current setup, if anyone is curious:
MacBook Pro, 2.4 Ghz Intel Core 2 Duo, 8 GB RAM. Running audio out via optical using only lossless audio files, through iTunes with BitPerfect running in the background to control the bit rate automatically and put the system in memory hog mode, etc. Current receiver is a fully restored Fisher 500-b, paired with Allison Four speakers. As with most people on here, the setup changes every so often, but you get the idea.
EDIT: Added some pictures of the D2 if anyone is interested: