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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
1,078 posts
 

@jc4659

When I contemplated buying the LKS 004 in the Spring of 2017 I felt like a pioneer to be importing an almost unknown Chinese DAC without any North American presence. It had been recommended for its SQ and as a great bargain by someone I trusted. I did my due diligence reading all I could about the 004 and even the 003 going back to about 2014. And there was a lot to read as each of these became the subject of serious modifications so that there were plenty of folks who knew the quality of these DACs from the insides. Everything I read confirmed its quality of build and quality of parts. In all I read there was, IIRC, not a single reported case of failure. Moreover, the modular way all of these are built, and including the 005, were there to be a problem it is relatively easy to lift out a board and send it for repair. In the 005 it is 4 boards, each plugging in to the next. It is probably cheaper to send a board to China than to send an entire DAC across the US. But given the full history you’ll likely never have to do that. All of which is to say that was enough to allay any reservations I may have had.

As for the 005, I think of those contributing here it is @sns who has had the 005 the longest going back to a Black Friday purchase in 2020. It seems to be working fine. As for what @sns wrote about updating, he is, I’m certain, talking about USB software updates that Musetec has made easier on the 005 than on earlier DACs. It is the USB section that interacts with the computer. The ability to upgrade means that it can keep up with OS changes and not become obsolete.

One more random thought since there has been so much discussion the last few days about improving the digital/audio environment for the 005. I recall in the vinyl days (and I am still there) if we had a really good turntable, which is where the music begins, giving it a better power supply, a better cartridge, better interconnects and/or a better phono pre we would discover that the TT could find more and more music in those grooves. Similarly, we may not yet know how good the Musetec really is. The same may be said for other fine DACs. Each time I have improved my DAC’s digital environment--with a DLNA bridge, a network switch, etc., I got more out of it. Others on this thread have done so much more and have found the DAC to respond. The DAC has not yet been found to be the limiting factor.

 

jc4659
551 posts
 

@melm thanks for sharing your thoughts and experiences regarding the anticipated reliability of LKS / Musetec DACs. I am still shocked and amazed at how good redbook cd sounds coming from an old Meridian CD player used as a transport and limping along the way into the DA-005. I can only imagine the step up in sound using a contemporary dedicated transport which I am likely to purchase later this year. The big challenge at the moment is getting commensurate sound quality from streaming. I currently use a MacBook Pro running Audirvana into an Uptone IsoRegen. Files stored on the Mac sound very good but streaming can be a bit disappointing so I'm watching what others are doing in this regard i.e. bridge, switch, etc. A dedicated streamer is priority unless the Meridian takes a nose dive.  Your point that the DA-005 is yet to be found as a limiting factor is also very encouraging!

melm OP
1,078 posts
 

@jc4659  As for what others are doing, here’s my own streaming set-up. I have made a relatively inexpensive (compared to others I read of) system providing vey good SQ. Music files are on a 4TB NAS running to an SOtM sMS-200ultra neo (used) as a digital bridge to the DAC. I have a small laptop running Jriver and one of its remote apps used either on my phone or on an Android pad. The beauty (to me) of the bridge is that the computer directs the music from the server to the bridge to the DAC without going through the computer. So no computer noise, I think. I don’t use a decrapifier, though some with a system like mine do. Jriver brings a lot of conveniences. The NAS and Jriver are accessible to a desk top and by wifi anywhere else in the house.

melm OP
1,078 posts
 

I neglected to say that the "digital bridge" in my description is a DNLA bridge.

blang
3 posts
 

For those interested in a possible purchase of this dac, there is now a US dealer-Midwest Audio in Mishawaka, Indiana.  Midwestaudiophile.com.   I became aware of them from an add at USaudiomart.com  I ordered a dac from them a couple of weeks ago for $3199.  The dac was shipped from Shanghai and received by me in 9 days.  I believe when I ordered they had a silver unit in Indiana inventory, but I wanted a black unit so it was shipped from China.  I have no affiliation with the seller.  
 

I am currently burning in the dac, so I will defer comments about its performance until it is fully burned in.  The sound is changing considerably as it burns in.  
 

I do have a few questions: How long will full burn in take?  After it is fully burned in, should standby mode be used when not in use, or should it be powered down?  Is the USB input the best choice vs aes or something else?   Do most find the slow filter preferable?  I can upsample with my streamer, a Lumin U1.  Have you found that upsampling produced improved quality, or is native resolution the way to go?  

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