2. digital
  3. 166933-4269

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
arafiq's avatar
arafiq
1,674 posts
 

BTW, I just want to make sure that my criticism was not directed toward the DAC itself. There are a few people whose opinions and feedback matters to me greatly, and @yyzsantabarbara is certainly one of them. If he is going to put his stamp of approval on the dac, I have no doubt it is a very good component for the money. He is one of the few members who actually buys these components before giving his feedback.

My issue was with the way pt999 was treated. As far as I know, he was doing a service to other members by highlighting issues with Shenzen’s practices. He simply shared his feedback and stated his preference. I always get uneasy when fanboys tend to shoot the messenger. And I’m sorry, claiming that he was ’feigning expertise’ is a loaded statement and the insinuation is not hard to miss.

Ordering when a return is really contemplated is not ethical IMO.

Let’s not get into ethical dilemmas. With the demise of brick and mortar dealer stores, this is the only way for people to audition gear. Lots of companies offer no-hassle return policies, and everyone understands that the reason they exist is to let people try out the products before forking thousands of dollars on something that might not work for them. This is not about ethics. It is simply another attempt to tarnish someone’s (pt999 in this case) character by bringing their ethics into the equation.

fl_guy
33 posts
 

On the subject of improved SQ when a preamp is used with the DA005, has anyone tried with a passive preamp?

This would of course only affect the output aspect presented at the interface to the amp, and would not provide any gain. Does any one know whether gain specifically has a beneficial effect?

The reason that I ask is that I don’t (yet?) own a DA005, and happen to have a passive preamp (Saga+) not currently in use which I understand provides an output impedance of 180 ohms in the tube mode. I’m wondering whether that would be helpful, or whether a preamp with gain is needed to get the SQ benefits some have mentioned?

Please, I suggest that we don’t get (further :-) into the ’just buy it and try it’ discussion for now :-). Has anyone tried the DA005 with a passive preamp, or is familiar enough with the DA005 interface to know whether the the improvements come from impedance matching, signal level, or a combination of both?

fl_guy
33 posts
 

Edit: The second para should read:

"This would of course only affect the output _impedance_ aspect presented at the interface to the amp, and would not provide any gain...."

melm OP
1,082 posts
 

@arafiq

You wrote, "Let’s not get into ethical dilemmas."

Why not? Taking advantage of return policies is a reasonable way to audition gear when you might actually buy the stuff. It’s not OK IMO when you just want to hear stuff that you have no intention of keeping. Especially when you’re talking about around the world shipping. What the motivation is for that, except building some sort of experience/expertise, is something you can ask those of who do it. If we abuse these relatively easy returns, they push prices up for everyone and will not continue on the same terms.

fl_guy
33 posts
 

And yeah, I realize that the Saga+ isn't strictly 'passive'...

I'm trying to get at whether changing the output impedance presented by the DAC and/or pre-amp to the amp provides most of the benefit, or whether additional gain is important for best SQ with the DA005.

Sorry for the multiple posts.

More to discover