Musetec (LKS) MH-DA005 DAC

Hey @yyzsantabarbara , can you please provide more details, etc, you did find better in 005 vs X26, sound/feels/measurements/blind-sound-check?

thanks

I am at about 100 hours into owning and playing my 005. I’ve been running my Aurender server non-stop since setting up the 005. There is a definite improvement in the sound. Staging, depth of sound, the highs and lows are all opening up and naturalizing, so to speak.

Prior to this DAC, I’ve owned a Spring 1 KTE for 4 years and liked the sound very much. The 005 has the qualities I liked in the KTE-dark background, fluidity, and then has much more to enjoy. The clarity is just awesome. When considering the 005, I was concerned about upper register digital glare. None, unless it’s in the recording. Another thing I like about the 005 is its resolution and clarity of micro details. At lower volume I can hear a lot of detail.

At the moment the music server is feeding the DAC via USB, and my Cambridge CD CXC transport is hooked up via TOSLINK and for comparison coax. At the moment, USB has better sound. If I could demo a CD transport with a USB out it would be interesting to A/B it with my current DAC.

I’m going to continue streaming, and by Friday night, when I have my next best chance to listen closely, I will have over 200 hours playing time.

I’m really glad I purchased this DAC, and the responses I’ve gotten on this thread have been very helpful.

I'm experiencing my own burn in issues with two Psvane Acme 300B in amps,and two Linlai Elite 101D tubes in  Coincident Statement pre. Big boost in resolving powers with Acme vs former Shuguang 300B.

This is as much a test of 005 as amp and pre. Since getting 005 I've been on quest to maximize overall system resolving powers in order to determine if 005 has some defect or defects I can illuminate with increasing resolution. At this point only 25 hours on Psvane, 15 on Linlai, so far two four hour listening sessions, first listening session very fatigued by end, second listening session fatigue lessened, but still there. With last session I heard a bit more bloom about two hours in. Someone less experienced with power tube burn in may describe what I'm hearing as digititus, blame dac. I can only say sheer resolving powers of 005 and upgraded system are such that the fatigue I'm experiencing by end of session is as much due to overwhelming sense of immersion, density of sound waves throughout room. I've long had sense of performers in room in my setup, this has been greatly heightened since 005, and recent tubes. I now feel as though I can reach out and touch performers, very surreal.

All this makes me wonder about resolving limits of 16/44 and 005. How deeply can  005 plunge the depths of resolution available with cd quality recordings? For anyone contemplating purchase of 005, sheer resolution and micro dynamic realism are it's calling cards. Still determining whether this is accompanied by  quality of timbre, tonality. It must have natural color  for long term enjoyment. Some tricks are easier to accomplish than others, we shall see.

@wharfy 

It's so nice to read your impressions of the DAC.  There's always a bit of anxiety for some of us recommending an audio product.  When writing of the LKS 004 I was never so secure in a recommendation though I thought it was, and is, a fine DAC for the money.  But the Musetec is the real deal.  We keep saying that it's "implementation."  To me that means mostly power supply and analog section.  Those are places where this DAC excels.  But they're not the only places.

Glad you could get it at the Black Friday price which is ending today.

As for CDs, everyone will have their own solution.  My CD player is an Oppo 105, likely not as good as your player.  I doubt that you will find a quality disk player that will output USB.  I determined easily that ripped CDs even played simply from a USB hard disk to laptop (using Jriver) to DAC provided better SQ than playing from the disk player.  Plus the convenience.  So I ripped my CDs and now have a more sophisticated set-up.  It took a while, but a few each day . . .  Can you rip to your server?

My last great cd transport was Mark Levinson #37, when it died never found equal trans., motivated me to try streaming. Never looked back, cd rips were better than cd's over my last transport. Having said that, look at the new ProJect CD Box RS2 if keeping with cd transport. This designed by same guys who developed Phillips Pro transport in ML #37, lots of rave reviews for this. I give great credence to those reviews.