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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
3,003 posts
 
I also have the 005, extremely highly resolving dac capable of sounding wonderfully natural in sympathetic setup. I've also experienced less than stellar results with various silver components and cabling. In this case I hear no deleterious effects, ps is part of this dac's magic, extremely low noise, vanishing black background here.

I suspect price and origin of manufacture will bug some, too low priced to be competitive and product of perceived enemy. Naysayers should be ignored, valid comments from actual users and those interested welcomed.

Melm is an experienced audiophile, has valid and real world experience in audio. We've had difference of opinion on 004, totally agree on 005.
dbb
155 posts
 
I too have purchased the 005 and have been delighted. As I said on another forum: For the record I wanted to share my conclusions about the 005 after around 400 hours of break in. I am pretty much in agreement with what others have said. With a good recording and room lights turned low so you can listen without distraction this dac will re-create the reality of a live performance as experienced from a good seat in a good concert hall. A Steinway, with rich resonant bass, will sound like a Steinway, not just a piano. That kind of accuracy is, to me, amazing. I have never heard better. On the other hand, I have never had a more expensive dac in my system. I have heard more expensive dacs in an audio showroom in more expensive systems. They were not close to what I hear now from the 005 in casting a spell of reality.

I would love to read a review of this dac compared to other aclaimed and pricier dacs like the Holo May or Chord Dave.
rh67
307 posts
 
Thanks!
dbb
155 posts
 
I bought mine direct with free shipping and one year warranty for $2800. I think the retailers provide a longer warranty period for the higher price.
sns
3,003 posts
 
On presumption of bias by some toward Sabre chip dacs; I can understand that bias as I've heard what some characterize as digititus in particular Sabre dac setups. On the other hand, I've heard very nice presentations of previous Sabre chip dacs in sympathetic systems.
I can only say this particular dac is capable of very natural presentation.  First off, the sheer resolving power allows for extremely dimensional imaging and precise and properly proportioned soundstaging, giving illusion of live performers in room. Another standout aspect of this dac is really special micro and macro dynamic presentation. Macro presentation, just as with soundstage, is properly proportioned, the real magic is in micro presentation. Amazing ability to expose the smallest gradations of dynamic performance, singers and wind instrument breathe, different fingering techniques of non-wind instruments greatly exposed such that sense of live performers in room heightened. I presume excellent power supply responsible for this performance.
And now for the assumed bugaboo of Sabre chip dacs, namely timbre, and perhaps timing. I can only say in sympathetic setup 005 is capable of natural timbre. I grew up on analog, have been to tons of live performance, including non amplified, and I do have pretty nice analog setup. I can only say I don't feel deprived on this score with the 005. Add to this a neutral tonal balance in my system with choice of three amps and four preamps setups. If timing is perceived as function of dynamics than micro dynamic excellence solves that issue. I've yet to experience that feeling of irritation that long digital listening sessions can bring about, says good things about lack of digititus to my way of thinking.

Now, I'm not here to anoint 005 as a dac for all seasons. It is capable of sounding analytical in certain choices of setups available to me. I can't fathom anyone evaluating it as a warm or romantic device, I'd describe 005 as broadly neutral. By the same token, I'd find it difficult to believe one would evaluate it as ruthlessly revealing, I've found very few recordings sound worse than with previous less revealing dacs in my system.
Now, I'd really like to hear this dac comparatively reviewed against some of the higher price spread such as Holo May, Mola Mola, Briscati, Totaldac, etc. Devoid of such a review we are only left to speculate as to it's place in dac hierarchy.
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