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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
melm OP
1,082 posts
 

@kclone

As @lordmelton wrote, the break-in of your Musetec is usually not in a straight line. Just keep listening and it will get there. There are some very fine, and expensive, capacitors used inside and I think those are the components that take time to sound absolutely right. I would not use the Musetec straight in to your amplifier section. You have a great integrated and you should use it for all it’s sonic benefits. Especially at low volumes, you will be sacrificing too much SQ.

The Equi-Core "power conditioner," as you probably know, is not a power conditioner in the usual sense. It does not create new power, like the PS Audio units, nor does it "simply" filter the AC line as do virtually all the others. It changes the AC power lines in an unique way, supplying live power to the otherwise neutral line. Instead of the component receiving live, neutral and ground lines, it gets two live lines and a ground line.  So it is possible that a particular component may not take well to that--I don’t really know. My suggestion is that you consult with Equi-Core, perhaps referring them to the informational page at Musetec to see if there is anything there that might not look friendly upon a "live" neutral line. Given that the Equi-Core is such an odd bird, I’m not sure that Musetec could be of any help. However, given what you have written, I would keep the Musetec away from the Equi-Core.

kclone's avatar
kclone
689 posts
 

Thanks for your input guys.  I'll probably move on for the Equi-Core and look at getting something else.  Maybe a Puritan Labs.  

sns
3,371 posts
 

@kclone @melm  I doubt its the balanced operation of Equi-Core as I use BPT 3.5 Signature balanced transformer based pc with my 005. I suspect you may be overloading Equi-core, likely quite a bit of inrush current when going from standby to on with 005, recall these are supercapacitors and charge up at each start. If Equi-Core continues to operate correctly without 005 connected your Equi-Core isn't failing. You could try disconnecting another component from EC and see if that solves issue, feeding clean power to 005 is beneficial.

kclone's avatar
kclone
689 posts
 

wait what, I don't want to unplug something just to get another unit started.up.  Forgive my ignorance, but I used to plug my power amp along with everything else into it an never had a problem but now it can't candle super capacitors out in a DAC?

jc4659
563 posts
 

FWIW, I fire up the DA005, my preamp, and Pass Labs x-350.5 amp all within 10 seconds of each other!  Those Pass caps are pulling lots of current no doubt.  No problems.  I'd work around the Equi-Core for the time being until you figure out what the problem is.  With all the changes that the new DAC will be going through you don't want to be throwing other variables into the mix just yet.

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