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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
sns
3,244 posts
 

With your list of mods! Only reinforces my sense stock mac mini is your weak link, server quality does make a difference. If you were to keep mini, Uptone mods, for off the self, Roon Nucleus, any NUC or can go way upscale. I'm planning on diy solution, $2.5K in parts alone, yes, my experience is server is one of the most important components in streaming chain. With your total setup, I'd think upgrade in server would be easily heard.

 

My take on even 004 modded to your level, can't replicate 005 ultimate sound quality. I mentioned power supply in previous post as I presume this is fundamental to 005 performance. One of the highlights of 005 performance is it's simply magical micro dynamics, this single aspect gives 005 breath of life, the very essence of this dac for me, unique power supply of 005 delivers this.

fmzip's avatar
fmzip
12 posts
 

@sns

Thanks for your input

I see an LPS and Teradak are available for the latest M1 mini, could you point me in the direction of what does Uptone offer for this?Why do you feel the M1 is inferior to a Nucleus or NUC? I tried both , neither could process DSD512 without dropouts.

 

http://www.teradak.com/products/72.html

 

sns
3,244 posts
 

@fmzip  Uptone doesn't offer upgrades for M1 mini's.  That Teradak should be worthwhile upgrade for your M1, I use Teradak LPS on some of my equipment, very reliable over many years.

 

Only the Nucleus plus would be able to process DSD512 without dropouts. The regular Nucleus or whatever NUC you tried didn't have enough processor capability, generally you're going to need Intel I7 to process higher rate DSD. The M1 has plenty of processing power.

 

I didn't know or perhaps didn't see you were running high rate DSD. For people running these high rate DSD via Roon, HQplayer, etc. low level Nucleus, NUC's and even some of the higher priced off the shelf solutions won't do the job.

 

fmzip, Do the Teradak along with some optimization, therefore, shutting down unneeded apps, should give you server that would require substantial expenditure to beat. If you go with Teradak, please report back your impressions.

fmzip's avatar
fmzip
12 posts
 

@sns

I’m going to confirm the Teradak will work.

Just an FYI, I built a NUC8i7BEH with ROCK installed. It stuttered like mad  upscaling practically everything to DSD512. That was the reason I tried the Mac M1 mini, pleased with the results to say the least

sns
3,244 posts
 

With I7 processor that NUC theoretically should have functioned properly, however, Roon has list of known NUC's that work with ROCK, that particular NUC not on list.

 

The Teradak will work, requires installation of internal filter. While I presume this superior to stock mini, I wouldn't expect its comparable to earlier minis with Uptone MMK and JS-2 LPS. We're talking $300 for M1 vs. $1100 for earlier/my mini, still worth a try. LPS on mini easily best streaming upgrade I've experienced, fiber media conversion is another no brainer upgrade.

 

005 will expose every single flaw and upgrade in streaming solution, have plans for major upgrades in order to extract full potential of this dac.

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