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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
melm OP
1,082 posts
 

Well, the Musetec DAC must be reaching an unanticipated level of acceptance so that its name is now being used to shill for a competitive, virtually unknown, product.

As for the competitive product, it seems actually to be aimed at the Holo Audio Spring level of DAC and their customers rather than anything more advanced. However, based upon what I see inside it should not attain the SQ of the Spring.

If we bypass the laudatory review and actually look inside, what do we see. Or rather what do we NOT see. We do not see a totally separate power supply for its digital side. That is a feature usually found on DACs that aspire to a higher level of SQ. Rather, the two sides are powered through the same transformer. That alone should be sufficient to distinguish it from the Spring.  

But I’ll take this effort to be complimentary to the Musetec. Now perhaps @high-amp should go on to one of the Holo Audio threads and interrupt over there. I’m certain they’d appreciate his effort.

navyachts's avatar
navyachts
590 posts
 

melm - just saying. 
 

Happy New Year 🥳 

sns
3,244 posts
 

Based on melm's investigation that dac may be overpriced. With more acceptance of Chinese forays into higher end audio we may see more new Chinese products come onto market at inflated prices in order to maximize profit margins. Price doesn't always reflect actual value, this holds true for equipment manufactured in all countries.

jc4659
551 posts
 

Now that my new DA005 is selling down and the sound is somewhat stable after about 40 hours of playing time, I decided to ask my wife if she would be interested in listening to the system with the new DAC. Normally she has little interest and claims that she can't hear the subtle differences that I listen for but has placated me in the past and despite her denial she has very acute hearing.  I played two songs from Alison Krauss and Union Station "New Favorite" CD that she has heard many times before without my saying a word.  Afterwards I asked her opinion and half expected her to say it sounded good but couldn't really tell if it was better.  Without hesitation she replied "it sounds much clearer."  Leaving well enough alone, I didn't press her for opinion on soundstage depth, width, well defined and fleshed out images, tonality, etc. which I feel are also improved with this DAC.  What stood out for her was the clarity which also struck me on day 1.  I am very pleased with the performance of the Musetec DA005 and can now turn my attention to streaming and discovering new artists!  Thank you to those who posted here and turned me on to this great DAC!

melm OP
1,082 posts
 

@jc4659
Nice post. You’re not the first to write of a WAF for this DAC, though we might have to redefine WAF. As you have only 40 hours on the DAC you have a lot to look forward to. With a CD player that might not be operating at its best, you may not be running on all 4 cylinders for CD playback. Eventually you may want to go to a better CD player as @wharfy has done (See Pro-Ject thread), or rip your CDs and go to streaming as others of us have done. It’s a fork in the road that deserves a lot of consideration.

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