@benzman I am very curious what did you lack in the Cary dms700 which prompted you to buy the 005 ? The Cary seems to be a very good DAC along with the streamer. Perhaps you wanted different sound ?
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 $$ by research, and by satisfaction with the MH-DA004. Frankly, I have been overwhelmed by the improvement; just didn't think it was possible. Fluidity, clarity, bass extension. A post to another board summed it up better than I can after listening to piano trios: "I have probably attended hundreds of classical concerts (both orchestral and chamber) in my life. I know what live sounds like in a good and bad seat and in a good and mediocre hall. All I can say is HOLY CRAP, this sounds like the real thing from a good seat in a good hall. Not an approximation of reality, but reality."
Meanwhile, during the 4 years after release of the MH-DA004, LKS (now Musetec) worked on the new MH-DA005 design, also with a pair of ES9038pro chips. This time he used more of the best components available. One torroidal transformer has silver plated copper. Also banks of super capacitors that act like batteries, solid silver hookup wire, 4 femtoclocks each costing multiples of the Crysteks, a revised Amanero board, more of the best European caps and a new partitioned case. I can't say cost NO object, but costs well beyond. A higher price, of course. Details at http://www.mu-sound.com/DA005-detail.html
The question, surely, is: How does it sound? I'm only going to answer indirectly for the moment. I thought that the MH-DA004 was to be my last DAC, or at least for a very long time. I was persuaded to part with my $$ 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."
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Oops. No USB out on the Cary. Only SPDIF and Toslink. The Cary will output all resolutions but it looks like the 005 decodes up to 192 thru those inputs That will be fine I guess to check it out. Is anybody using coax? I wouldn’t think so. I will see if my buddy will bring his streamer over. I am pretty sure usb is a step up from the coax input. |
@car123 @benzman |
@benzman For usb cables with power leg, simply tape over power leg within connector with tape. Having said that I've not really heard any perceptible difference doing that versus leaving it connected. I use AQ Diamond usb, but then this not latest and/or may not be greatest, I've never noticed what are thought of as stereotypical coloration using silver clad copper in either ethernet or usb cables, YMMV.
I've always presumed usb input on 005 superior to others as great efforts have gone into optimizing it, don't see anything special about other inputs. At one time I had ability to use I2S, sold off Singxer SU-6 and I2S cable without ever attempting to use it, wonderful sound quality of usb gave me no cause for further experimentation.
I may be interested in the Merlin Black Magic if VSM and master bam. I've not yet tried my modded VSM with 005, Klipschorns are sort of like permanent fixtures with size and exact placement being obstacles for moving around speakers. PM me with particulars, don't want to hijack thread. |
I’ve had the 005 for about 6 weeks or so and I am looking to possibly upgrade my streamer. I run Roon and have a Nucleus as the core. I use a DCS network bridge and I was looking at replacing it with an Aqua Linq, Rockna Wavedream net, Antipodes K30 or the Grimm. Any other suggestions to pair with the 005. I’ve had Innuos, Lumin mini, Aries G2.1 along with the current DCS. The Innuos was my least favorite. |
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