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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
 

@kclone The 005 will swing back and forth for a month or so while it's breaking in. Don't worry if you get some awful sound while the break in is going on.

Sounds like your power socket is overloaded or the power breaker may be old and needs replacing. Check what else you have connected to the same circuit and the power capacity of your power conditioner.

If your Aurender has an AES/EBU and/or COAX digital out set it to Professional Level in the Aurender App. You'll get a better sound.

jc4659
551 posts
 
That's odd. I'd avoid the Equi Core until you get that figured out. You have nice equipment. Leave the DA 005 on standby when not in use. The hardness that you hear will fluctuate and then disappear. The DAC allowed me to hear very subtle changes eventually so I used it as a tool to evaluate conditioners, cords and cables. I also have tinnitus which added to my frustration and I try not to listen critically when it's bad. My advice is to relax and be patient.
kclone's avatar
kclone
679 posts
 

thanks jc4659, yeah, I'll be patient, I know the deal on this as I have followed others break in notes.    

melm OP
1,082 posts
 

@kclone

As @lordmelton wrote, the break-in of your Musetec is usually not in a straight line. Just keep listening and it will get there. There are some very fine, and expensive, capacitors used inside and I think those are the components that take time to sound absolutely right. I would not use the Musetec straight in to your amplifier section. You have a great integrated and you should use it for all it’s sonic benefits. Especially at low volumes, you will be sacrificing too much SQ.

The Equi-Core "power conditioner," as you probably know, is not a power conditioner in the usual sense. It does not create new power, like the PS Audio units, nor does it "simply" filter the AC line as do virtually all the others. It changes the AC power lines in an unique way, supplying live power to the otherwise neutral line. Instead of the component receiving live, neutral and ground lines, it gets two live lines and a ground line.  So it is possible that a particular component may not take well to that--I don’t really know. My suggestion is that you consult with Equi-Core, perhaps referring them to the informational page at Musetec to see if there is anything there that might not look friendly upon a "live" neutral line. Given that the Equi-Core is such an odd bird, I’m not sure that Musetec could be of any help. However, given what you have written, I would keep the Musetec away from the Equi-Core.

kclone's avatar
kclone
679 posts
 

Thanks for your input guys.  I'll probably move on for the Equi-Core and look at getting something else.  Maybe a Puritan Labs.  

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