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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
 

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
5,318 posts
 

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

 

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

melm OP
1,082 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.

jc4659
551 posts
 

It's too bad someone from Shenzhen doesn't respond to the issues which were raised as other dealers have at times in the past when wrongfully accused of poor customer service or unethical practices. The Musetec DA-005 DAC is excellent and I have no relationship with Shenzhen Audio or Musetec except as a consumer. For those who have drawn some comparison, I personally am not, nor will I ever be, interested in Tekton.

fl_guy
33 posts
 

Thanks @melm. That's kind of what I expected, but it was worth asking :-). Thanks for taking the time to share your experience. Out of curiosity, how would you compare the SQ result with the RP-7 vs the Freya+?

A new DAC at this time would already be an unplanned upgrade for me in the first place, so I'm trying to understand the likely actual cost (whether either initially or over time, its much the same for me).

The rest of the chain is a Chord Hugo 2, A&S Mogwai SE and Susvara. 

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