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 I haven't tried it yet but I think reversing the rca outputs at the dac end would fix the channel reversal.

@dbb I will have to do some more listening to comment. My room is not ideal (too small but dialed in sound) so I think I lose out on things like depth preception. The soundstage does extend outside the speakers on stuff that is recorded that way.

 

 

@milpai -Thanks! Definitely looking forward, and happy to share my impressions. And yes, I saw the comparison to the Holo May Level 2. I have a Holo Spring 1KTE and I am looking forward hearing the similarities and differences.

I read and re-read that thread with gret interest. As I did this one. What was the wait time for delivery of your 005? After reading about the supply chain bottle necks, and ships lining up outside ports waiting to unload, I'm wondering if this will be a longer than normal wait.

I have Singxer SU6, usb to I2S converter, supercapacitor power supply, configurable pins so works with all dacs. I've had this thing from beginning of my ownership of 005, still yet to try as usb in on 005 sounds great so no motivation.

 

I see much effort in optimization of usb input on 005, I've also optimized my usb solution out of server, all serving to minimize noise and jitter.  I2S input on 005 afterthought in comparison.  Moving to I2S adds another box and all it's circuitry and another cable, logic dictates  added noise.