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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
lordmelton's avatar
lordmelton
877 posts
 

My 005 is just about broken in but I'll give it another week before I give a full review.

The infuriating part is that there is very little difference between AES/EBU and USB. I say infuriating because I would like to be able to choose one so that I can buy a really expensive cable and be done, but it looks like I'll need two cables.

In the meantime I've ordered an Audio GD DI-20HE which is also equipped with an Amanero Board that will give me USB to I2s conversion which should finally put the what's best input to rest.

The Audio GD and Singxer SU-6 were both favorably reviewed by Golden Sound with the Singxer coming in at No.1, but I can't resist the massive power supply of the Audio GD.

These are exciting times.

melm OP
1,057 posts
 

@lordmelton 

Of course, the Musetec already provides an Amanaro board providing USB to I²S conversion.  It may even have better clocks and a better power supply.  But if you come up with a superior SQ, we'll all be watching.

lordmelton's avatar
lordmelton
877 posts
 

@melm I don't understand what you mean. Are you saying that the Amanero board in the 005 converts USB to I2s internally? Because the specs for I2s are much higher.

melm OP
1,057 posts
 

@lordmelton

"Are you saying that the Amanero board in the 005 converts USB to I2s internally?"

Absolutely. That’s what Amanero boards do. I²S is how all DACs communicate internally.

I realize this thread is getting very long, but we’ve covered this before.

One of the things that distinguishes the Musetec is its advanced power supply for the digital side, The super-capacitors provide battery-like power. For the low voltage needs of the digital side, you can’t do better. And the Musetec clocks have higher specs than the norm. I don’t know what clocks are in the DI-20HE. But the clocks in the Musetec outperform Crystek clocks used in some of the very best DACs, and cost more. These are some of the reasons this DAC is out-performing some very big names.

There are those who favor devices that go from ethernet directly to I²S, bypassing USB entirely. It’s arguable whether that’s worthwhile. But a device that goes USB to I²S? I say save your money; it’s already happening.

melm OP
1,057 posts
 

@lordmelton

I saw your post in the "Emm Labs DV2 versus Tambaqui" thread before it was removed. Go easy on these guys.

It’s very hard for them to get away from two of their fundamentals: (1) There is a strong correlation in DACs between price and sound quality, and (2) You can’t build a truly outstanding DAC around a pair of ESS chips. Then there is the "chifi" stuff. This nonsense has been pounded into everyone by the audio press and multiplied in the forums. So do you think they’re going to easily believe that a $3000 Chinese DAC using ESS chips can outperform a $13,000 European DAC based on an FPGA?

I don’t think so.

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