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

Chime in as suspicion grows ;-)

I had bought what I thought was my keeper DAC, the mola mola tambaqui. Space, detail and tonal clarity like I’d not heard before. Then my business partner mentioned someone on here had mentioned the musetec out performing a another dac I love the holo may. Slightly incredulous, I agreed to getting one to try.

Long story short, a back to back demo made the mola mola

sound compressed and veiled, very much sound stage moved back between  thet speakers. That was that and I know have an 005 and £5k in my pocket or back on my credit card ;-). The only downsides are you really need a pre amp to hear it at its best but apart from that I’m not sure how they’ve done this for such a low price.

I know it’s no simple feet but I can’t recommend more highly, getting a listen to one of these, it really is too good to be true.

 

Still enjoying my 005.  Last week I attached a Gutwire Ultimate grounding cable to the RCA input.  That was quite a change as front to back soundstage and bass clarity jumped up a significant amount.  I am still not used to hearing this type of 3 dimensional sound in my system.  This change is profound enough that I am going to have to revisit my HQP settings and bass woofer settings.  

I am sure the Gutwire will  have a similar effect on other DACs but thought it was worth mentioning in this thread in case anyone was considering adding it to their system.

@arafiq 

I don't know anything about a Tekton thread.  But please, no false analogies.  At one point I wrote to you, "Which you prefer is a matter of taste, and no one can substitute their judgment on that for your own."  Is that the sort of post on the Tekton thread?

Just a bit of context about this thread.   It's kind of old, had a short spurt and then died in favor of the much more important one that is @dbb's comparison review with the Holo May.   That one encouraged a couple of people to actually try the DAC and who chose to report that here, and this thread took off.  As the OP it is my email that rings with each post. So I try to help when I can. 

You write of how criticism of the brand is treated.  Fact is, there has been no criticism of the brand.  The worst thing said about it here is that a person prefers his broken-in Holo May to the not-yet-broken-in Musetec.    And the response to that was exactly, "I respect the fact that pt999 might prefer the May over the Musetec and would be willing to pay the difference. One cannot argue taste."

Next you write about @metaldetektor, agreeing completely with his assessment.  But there has been no assessment; he has only pontificated, BSd and insulted.   He has not written here of experience in audio, only that he had multi kilobuck DACs at his place to evaluate.  According to him he bought one DAC, but it was gone by the end of the month.  Oh yes, he wrote, "I'm happy to write about your Musetec vs. the various 10k DACs I've owned/home-auditioned. Send it to me . . "  Can you believe it?  So which of his "assessments" do you agree with?  I have not seen any.

Then you say, we have not addressed the "concerns (email) that pt999 raised."  Did you not see the suggestions of contacting his bank and seeking a credit card charge-back and even reporting this to the FTC?  I did express skepticism regarding his "purchase" for it seems odd.   If we expect ethics on the part of merchants we should act ethically ourselves.  Ordering when a return is really contemplated is not ethical IMO.  He didn't even let the Musetec break-in. I remain skeptical; though that has nothing to do with DACs.  BUT, he is still entitled to his refund.

Finally, no one here has taken Shenzhen's side so I don't understand your final rant on the issue.  In a day or two I may have something to say about alternative sources.

In any event you say you are no longer interested in the Musetec (even if you remain interested in this thread).  That's fine.  I'm not on commission.😉

The cable has an RCA termination on one end that goes into the DAC.  The other end is plugged into the wall.  Assuming that you have the rack space, it is extremely easy to set up.  My experience mirrored the reviews on it.