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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
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
1,057 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.

twoleftears's avatar
twoleftears
5,313 posts
 

This makes interesting reading.  Pity they don't represent Musetec.

 

https://aoshida-audio.com/pages/aoshida-audio-50-day-return-policy

melm OP
1,057 posts
 

@fl_guy


Perhaps this can help. I have good news and bad news. When I had the 004 I bought a Freya+ and used it with 2 Sylvania chrome domes. I liked it a lot and it bested an excellent SS preamp. Different than the Saga+ I used it with the balanced ins. It worked well with any of the settings on the Freya+. The analog sections of the 004 and 005 are very similar in architecture, though quite different in parts selection. So I think there will be a similar result.

The bad news is that I gave up the Freya+ because I wanted more preamp flexibility and had to pay a lot for it. I went to a Rogue RP-7. Though I did it for the flexibility, the result in SQ was quite substantial--still with the 004. I was surprised. So I’m going to guess that while the 005 will work well with the Saga+, the Saga+ may prove to be quite a limitation on the SQ you will get. I don’t know what else you have in your chain. Gives you an excuse to spend more money on a preamp. I got mine used.

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