Okay all of you happy DA-005 owners, who has owned their DAC the longest and can comment on reliability? Maybe it's too soon to know but it's the only question I still have about this wonderful DAC and hope I never have to find out.
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 $$ by research, and by satisfaction with the MH-DA004. Frankly, I have been overwhelmed by the improvement; just didn't think it was possible. Fluidity, clarity, bass extension. A post to another board summed it up better than I can after listening to piano trios: "I have probably attended hundreds of classical concerts (both orchestral and chamber) in my life. I know what live sounds like in a good and bad seat and in a good and mediocre hall. All I can say is HOLY CRAP, this sounds like the real thing from a good seat in a good hall. Not an approximation of reality, but reality."
Meanwhile, during the 4 years after release of the MH-DA004, LKS (now Musetec) worked on the new MH-DA005 design, also with a pair of ES9038pro chips. This time he used more of the best components available. One torroidal transformer has silver plated copper. Also banks of super capacitors that act like batteries, solid silver hookup wire, 4 femtoclocks each costing multiples of the Crysteks, a revised Amanero board, more of the best European caps and a new partitioned case. I can't say cost NO object, but costs well beyond. A higher price, of course. Details at http://www.mu-sound.com/DA005-detail.html
The question, surely, is: How does it sound? I'm only going to answer indirectly for the moment. I thought that the MH-DA004 was to be my last DAC, or at least for a very long time. I was persuaded to part with my $$ 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."
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- 1537 posts total
I don't know about the 005 reliability (melm can comment better here), but my DA-004 is probably the best quality circuit board I have worked on. Very thick board with thick excellent quality tracings and high quality very durable solder holes (through hole barrels). All parts are definitely not cheap parts. |
Thanks @auxinput . That's encouraging! |
I have a EtherRegen that I believe was designed by John Swenson. I am not too happy with the ER purchase because it does not seem to improve my RJ45 streaming on my KRELL K-300i integrated amp's internal DAC. Now that DAC is my lowest quality DAC (pretty good) so that may have something to do with it. After reading the linked thread, which contained thoughts as to why Fibre Optical is not enough. John Swenson lays out his argument for using another convertor before the OpticalRendu. I happen to have the EtherRegen to do exactly what he suggests. My original setup: -Ubiquiti Networks Switch with 2 SFP cages using Fibre to Sonore OpticaRendu to Musetec 005 via USB My John Swenson setup -Ubiquiti Networks Switch using Ethernet (RJ45) to EtherRegen Side B (RJ45) - Fibre Optical from EtherRegen Side A to Sonore OpticalRendu to Musetec 005 via USB I did my comparisons using my headphones in the office. This setup has my most revealing gear and is better components than my 2-channel speaker system. A very revealing setup and ideal to hear gear: CODA 07x preamp + Musetec 005 + CODA #8 amp + Audience FrontRow speaker cable + RAAL SR1a headphones (Audience AU24 SE XLR preamp | DAC | amp). I have been using Moving Picture by Rush in hi-res local FLAC files as my go to evaluation tool since I know this music so well. It also sounds really good sonically. The Original Setup sounded great as usual. A very big powerful sound with clarity, detail, and great enjoyment of the performance. The John Swenson setup sounded a little different. This was rather surprising since I was a flat earther on the Fibre streaming being all that was needed. The sound did not seem as big as with the original setup. However, the sound seemed more focused. Like a lens on a camera. The picture (or sound) seemed to be clearer. Now this was not as big as going from my microRendu to the OpticalRendu, but it was a noticeable improvement. I think I am convinced to keep the EtherRegen in this position in the streaming chain. I have an orphaned LPS that I used to use with my old microRendu. I think I will look into using that LPS with a new OpticalModule for my downstairs OpticalRenud streaming. This is some very good streaming sound I am getting. Thanks for the link posted above.
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This is all about getting full potential of 005, for us streamers so many avenues, worthwhile to explore the many available.
I've owned the 005 for almost year and a half, not a single issue. Dac's in general are one of the most reliable audio components. Heat is greatest enemy of audio equipment, 005 doesn't generate much. I'd be surprised that any 005 will suffer failure in coming years. While I've not opened mine up, photos show quality in all components and circuit boards. Updating usb board is likely the only routine maintenance ever required. |
- 1537 posts total