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Musetec (LKS) MH-DA005 DAC

Some history: I was the OP on a four year old thread about the Chinese LKS MH-DA004 DAC. It achieved an underground buzz. The open architecture of its predecessor MH-DA003 made it the object of a lot of user mods, usually to its analog section, rolling op amps or replacing with discrete. The MH-DA004 with its new ESS chips and JFET analog section was called better then the modified older units. It has two ES9038pro DAC chips deliberately run warm, massive power supply, powered Amanero USB board, JFET section, 3 Crystek femtosecond clocks, Mundorf caps, Cardas connectors, etc., for about $1500. For this vinyl guy any reservation about ESS chips was resolved by the LKS implimentaion, but their revelation of detail was preserved, something that a listener to classic music especially appreciated. I made a list of DACs (many far more expensive) it was compared favorably to in forums. Modifications continued, now to clocks and caps. Components built to a price can be improved by costlier parts and the modifiers wrote glowingly of the SQ they achieved.

Meanwhile, during the 4 years after release of the MH-DA004, LKS (now Musetec) worked on the new MH-DA005 design, also with a pair of ES9038pro chips. This time he used more of the best components available. One torroidal transformer has silver plated copper. Also banks of super capacitors that act like batteries, solid silver hookup wire, 4 femtoclocks each costing multiples of the Crysteks, a revised Amanero board, more of the best European caps and a new partitioned case. I can't say cost NO object, but costs well beyond. A higher price, of course. Details at http://www.mu-sound.com/DA005-detail.html

The question, surely, is: How does it sound? I'm only going to answer indirectly for the moment. I thought that the MH-DA004 was to be my last DAC, or at least for a very long time. I was persuaded to part with my $$ by research, and by satisfaction with the MH-DA004. Frankly, I have been overwhelmed by the improvement; just didn't think it was possible. Fluidity, clarity, bass extension. A post to another board summed it up better than I can after listening to piano trios: "I have probably attended hundreds of classical concerts (both orchestral and chamber) in my life. I know what live sounds like in a good and bad seat and in a good and mediocre hall. All I can say is HOLY CRAP, this sounds like the real thing from a good seat in a good hall. Not an approximation of reality, but reality."

melm
sns
3,244 posts
 

@fmzip I have hard time believing one could get 005 level of performance with any 004, no matter level of mods. 005 excellent power supply is just one section of dac that can't be replicated wtih 004.

 

Still, you're not getting everything 004 can offer. Using stock mac mini may be weakest link in your setup. I've had four mac mini setups over the years. 2009 stock mini, 2014 stock, 2014 with Core Audio (no longer in business) internal and external power supply, 2014 with Uptone Audio MMK and JS-2 lps. All modified minis also optimized as music sever, therefore, only essential apps operable. Modded minis  far surpass stock minis. I'd likely go for better server prior to possible purchase of 005.

 

LPS on your Kitsune would also be nice upgrade. My take is reaching 005 potential requires first class network, clean AC.  I also suspect 005 with usb feed preferable to I2S input. I have Kitsune SU-6, yet to try since purchase at same time as 005. Great sound quality with usb input, don't feel the need to even experiment with this. I presume great amount of engineering effort for 005 usb input make it the preferable input. Also,  with usb  one can run Roon endpoint/steamer discreetly. Divorcing streaming function from Roon core is optimum setup, usb allows this.

fmzip's avatar
fmzip
12 posts
 

@sns @melm 

 

LKS-004 mods are::

1) Replaced the metal oxide trimpots for the IBV section with metal foil Vishay VFR 1240W pots
2) Swapped crystals to Crystek 957X on both the Singxer SU-2 and LKS-004
3) Had I/V resistors custom made by Texas Components 2 Watt Vishay TX2575 0.1% .
4) Analog section power filter cap replaced with Mundorf 10,000uF 63V MLGO Mlytic AG
5) Swapped to low leakage Schottky barrier diodes Vishay MBRF10H100 100V 10A
6) Vcom bypass capacitors replaced with Wet Film capacitors
7) Replacement of 0.1uF WIMA polyester caps with 0.15 uF WIMA MKP Polypropylene caps
8) Metallized mylar/polyester caps on the analog final/post filter replaced with polyproplyene caps

I am using a Sonore Ultra Digital with LPS after the MAC M1 Mini. I believe I can only do DSD512 via I2s with it, DoP is limited to DSD256 via USB I thought? The difference between DSD256/512 is simply night and day, amazing. The LKS really shines with DSD512 which is why I was curious if any of the 005 users were using it.

I don't believe they offer an LPS mod for the KItsune SU-2?

https://www.kitsunehifi.com/product/ktesu2/

 

The Mac M1 Mini is dedicated for HQ Player and Roon only. It's been working flawlessly thus far

The company I work for assembles printed circuit boards. I would have to agree, what I see inside the -005 looks very impressive, just wondering if I should put my dollars elsewhere

 

sns
3,244 posts
 

With your list of mods! Only reinforces my sense stock mac mini is your weak link, server quality does make a difference. If you were to keep mini, Uptone mods, for off the self, Roon Nucleus, any NUC or can go way upscale. I'm planning on diy solution, $2.5K in parts alone, yes, my experience is server is one of the most important components in streaming chain. With your total setup, I'd think upgrade in server would be easily heard.

 

My take on even 004 modded to your level, can't replicate 005 ultimate sound quality. I mentioned power supply in previous post as I presume this is fundamental to 005 performance. One of the highlights of 005 performance is it's simply magical micro dynamics, this single aspect gives 005 breath of life, the very essence of this dac for me, unique power supply of 005 delivers this.

fmzip's avatar
fmzip
12 posts
 

@sns

Thanks for your input

I see an LPS and Teradak are available for the latest M1 mini, could you point me in the direction of what does Uptone offer for this?Why do you feel the M1 is inferior to a Nucleus or NUC? I tried both , neither could process DSD512 without dropouts.

 

http://www.teradak.com/products/72.html

 

sns
3,244 posts
 

@fmzip  Uptone doesn't offer upgrades for M1 mini's.  That Teradak should be worthwhile upgrade for your M1, I use Teradak LPS on some of my equipment, very reliable over many years.

 

Only the Nucleus plus would be able to process DSD512 without dropouts. The regular Nucleus or whatever NUC you tried didn't have enough processor capability, generally you're going to need Intel I7 to process higher rate DSD. The M1 has plenty of processing power.

 

I didn't know or perhaps didn't see you were running high rate DSD. For people running these high rate DSD via Roon, HQplayer, etc. low level Nucleus, NUC's and even some of the higher priced off the shelf solutions won't do the job.

 

fmzip, Do the Teradak along with some optimization, therefore, shutting down unneeded apps, should give you server that would require substantial expenditure to beat. If you go with Teradak, please report back your impressions.

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