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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
sns
3,003 posts
 

Coincidence or causation for 005 and ET? Isn't there protection circuit on ET? You'd think that would trip prior to house breaker. In any case looks like that pc malfunctioning. I've had my BPT for nearly twenty years without a single problem.

 

I prefer slow filter, I recall at least one person here preferring fast. In any case, doesn't make a huge difference, dpll setting more consequential.

 

My estimations of 005 sound quality continues to grow as latest tubes and  resistor and cap mods in pre burn in, and newly added OpticalRendu. SS, imaging continue  to bloom, timbre continues it's more natural evolution, and the ease OR added, just WOW!

 

005 capabilities to expose every single little change is sublime. question is, could this be double edged sword? I went in wrong direction with audiophile network switch, 005 easily exposed that.

wig's avatar
wig
1,203 posts
 

@ sns

Many Thanks,

ja_kub_sz's avatar
ja_kub_sz
254 posts
 

Any Musetec 005 owners have or heard in person the Mola Mola Tambaqui?

I have the Musetec (love it), but looking to complete my second system and curious how these two would compare?

I'll know this week if I'll be able to in home demo a Tambaqui. However I'm just a little skeptical that something could sound notably better then the 005 justifying its 4 times price difference.

But I'm curious.

lordmelton's avatar
lordmelton
877 posts
 

@ja_kub_sz I haven't heard the Tambaqui but even if it did sound better than the 005 it would be in a micro detail or two, which you wouldn't even be able to pinpoint unless you were doing side by side comparisons, or personal taste.

I've heard plenty of DACs more expensive than the Tambaqui and the 005 more than holds it's own.

For that imaginary factor I'm not going to buy a Tambaqui or anything else.

You can get a 005 and an Aurender N20 for the same price or a 005 plus over $10 grand of cables.

Lots of people here have spent months talking about the Tambaqui but no one has stumped up the cash yet. Dreamers with lemonade money.

teknorob23
18 posts
 

I stumped up for a mola mola before I heard the musetec, preferring the Tambaqui to anything else I’d heard. My business partner bought a musetec to try, so we set up the comparison. It didn’t take more than 2 or 3 tracks to hear the musetec outperform the MM in detail and clarity in general. You can just hear more of the music with the musetec. It also had better weight, and staging is better especially in front to back depth. I sold the Tambaqui and bought a musetec. The musetec versus the may, now that’s a much harder call.

 

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