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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
wharfy's avatar
wharfy
300 posts
 

@sns -"After a little over a year with this dac, and being very attentive to other's impressions, still waiting to hear a single criticism.  I wonder how long this can remain the case?"

My Polish grandmother often said, "Don't call the wolf to the door." LOL

With that said, it's very hard to find fault with the 005. If there is a criticism, down the road, perhaps it's build quality, with parts failing or falling off. Though that is hard to imagine.

Of course, this being A'gon, someone will complain that while it sounds like a DAC 3 or 4x its price, it doesn't sound like a DAC 5 or 6x its price.

One more thing-you appear handy with upgrades and mods-impressive.

David

 

metaldetektor
148 posts
 

In this $3k price range, seems like folks are very happy with the Musetec, the Sonnet Morpheus (i2s) and the latest edition of the Holo Spring (which is v3 I believe). I’ve only heard the Sonnet. Based on listener impressions, seems like the Musetec is on the clean/resolute/detailed end, the Holo is on the organic end, and the Sonnet splits the difference.

When I first read about Musetec, I was keen to try it out of curiosity but I was pretty certain I’d send it back. So ultimately didn’t see the point (I really love my current DAC and I’ve compared it to many other things). This is a great time to be in the DAC market. Lots of wonderful choices out there. At one point I wanted to try everything, but the saner thing might be to find something you like at whatever price point makes sense to you, and then simply enjoy the music.

 

 

 

jc4659
525 posts
 

Anyone know why the sampling rate is 96k when I run optical out from a CD player?  Is this a default value, can it be changed?  Just wondering why it's not 44k. It sounds incredible already.  Female vocals to die for.  And I only have about 4 hours on this thing!

sns
3,003 posts
 

That 005 wouldn't compare favorably with dac at whatever price is what I'm waiting to see. I'd honestly like to understand what it's deficiency or deficiencies may be, I'd likely be interested in purchasing dac that outperforms it.

 

Having said that, I believe this dac not best for everyone. Per metaldetektor, there are dacs with flavoring others may prefer. Still, I'm really having a really hard time describing this dac as lacking warmth, it just may more easily found with inherently more forgiving, intentionally warmer dacs. I'd suggest that would be dac with less resolving capabilities.  Or could be one with equally high resolving capability, but rounder, more prominent bass or rolled off highs.

 

 

melm OP
1,057 posts
 

@wharfy 
Now that it is broken in somewhat, you're getting its full flavor.  I'm glad that you are enjoying the DAC.  As for the "DAC topology" it's all laid out in the pictures and descriptions on the Musetec home page.  No mysteries here.  That picture is a virtual map of the DAC (though the analog part, 8 FETs and associated stuff, is mostly hidden).  It's accomplished without any Supercalafragalistic FPGA chip, just a pair of chips that went through 3 generations and decades of development, an honest power supply and discrete analog stage, all with superior parts.  I don't care how long you have it; every so often there will be a recording that will surprise and astonish.

I spent most of today listening to my analog rig.  I've had enough of the: some DACs sound like analog.  Truth is a really good analog rig does NOT sound like analog.  It sounds, as does a good digital rig, like the instruments it's supposed to sound like.  When a DAC is called "analog sounding" it is, in reality, a coloration.  People are free to like it, or not.

Sorry you can't get the I2S pin-out configuration for the Pro-ject.  I think it's outrageous that they don't give it to you, unless it is something other than a true I2S out..

@jc4659 
I remember sending my money away (and without a return option).  Could it be as good as I was told?  Days of trepidation.  Well, it seems to have worked out for us. I'm happy it seems to please.  As for the 96K problem.  First question, is the DAC OK?  When you feed it files from your Mac and Audirvana is it correctly identifying the sampling rate?  If it is, and I hope so, then there is the issue of your CD player.  It is an old one.  Is it possible that it is signaling a spurious rate?  If everything else is OK you might have to live with it.  Perhaps better to get on with your CD ripping.

@metaldetektor 
Our wandering philosopher.  You haven't told us anything about your own DAC experience except you've heard the Sonnet, a DAC I never before heard of.  I don't know about the Sonnet, but one contributor here has told us that the Musetec is outperforming the Holo Spring, and a review here has compared the Musetec favorably to the Spring's big brother, the May.  And a respected audio engineer has told us it outperforms a Mola-Mola.  Truth is that the Musetec seems to play on the court with the bigger boys.  As for not on the "organic end."  I'm not certain what you mean by that, but if you mean that instruments and voices are large, and round and have body to them, the the Musetec is right there.  Why don't you write of your DAC experience rather than what you have read, for we've all read the same stuff.

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