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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
yyzsantabarbara
4,532 posts
 

I was wondering if the Denafrips DDC GAIA would work via I2S on the Musetec 005. I have great connectivity right now with my Sonore Optical Rendu and the EtherRegen via USB. However, I have a computer that is also going direct into my 005 via Toslink and the GAIA could improve this along with giving me other connectivity options for streaming to my 005 (such as AES and I2S). Though the other connections would not be ROON READY.

GAIA | denafrips

 

sns
3,003 posts
 

@yyzsantabarbara I can't tell from your link if you can change pin outs on I2S with GAIA. My Singxer SU-6 has this capability via dip switches.

melm OP
1,057 posts
 

@yyzsantabarbara

The search for better SQ never ends, My own guess is that going in through USB on this DAC is as good as it gets. But that’s only a guess and additional data points are always welcome. We’ll be following your progress.

As for compatibility, it used to be that devices with an I²S output (mainly from China, like the Singxers) all had dip switches making them adaptable to the non-uniform I²S inputs in the various DACs. There eventually came to be an informal standard IIUC around the PS Audio DACs. But it is not really a standard. And some devices (like the Pro-Ject CD transport) won’t even disclose their pin configuration.

As for the GAIA, Denafips says, "Hermes/Gaia DDC shipped after 25th March 2021 is equipped with I²S pinout configuration capability." So you're covered.  But be careful if you buy used. Otherwise you’d have to reconfigure your cables.

sns
3,003 posts
 

I can see possible scenario where I2S could outperform usb with 005 in system. Lets say you have inferior usb out of server, and take top flight I2S reclocker/DDC like Denafrips, I2S may be superior. One has to understand usb outs of many servers  NOT optimized, come straight out of noisy motherboards.

 

Baring inferior usb feeds into 005, I presume optimized usb input on 005 will always outperform any other input.

yyzsantabarbara
4,532 posts
 

Thanks for the responses. I am very happy with the USB input that I am using. I was just curious about the direct toslink I am  that I am using from my computer that could be improved with a GAIA. That would also give me the option of hearing AES and I2S for curiosity's sake.

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