@benzman, Maybe the Lumin P-1 would be a good replacement for the Cary? It even has Ethernet optical input standard.
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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I agree with @klh007 Lumin P1 or the X1 is very good alternative to Cary dms series but they are also lot more expensive. I think P1 runs around $10k, unless you get a substantial discount :-) ? |
The very best implementation of the ESS DAC chips that I had heard prior to the Musetec 005 was the RESONESSENCE LABS INVICTA MIRUS DAC - Headphone Guru The owners of that company demoed the DAC at a show with purposefully crappy speakers. I was blown away. So, I knew that the ESS chip can be made to sound incredible. These guys used to work at ESS so they knew the chip. A shame the Resonessence Labs is no longer around. If they had priced the Mirrus DAC at the same price as the Musetec 005 they would have sold a ton more.
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@steakster The voltage problem is in the summer mos during the day. Right now at 118-120 so all is good. The electric co is actually bringing in more power into the corridor. Couple year project. Not sure how long shipping takes to get the 005, the Bricasti M3 should be here early next week. It’s a demo so already broken in. I will give the 005 plenty of break in. I will be using an Audience AU 24se MP for power and Townshend pods for vibration I usually upgrade the fuse but might not make much of a difference with 005 power design. If anybody is squeezing any more sq with a fuse please post. The Cary will stream Qobuz,Tidal and serve 24/192 flac and wav files from attached USB drive and integrated SD card Only have SPDIF to test but if I keep it will get a USB streamer/server. |
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