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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
debjit_g
280 posts
 

 

Taiko runs an optimized Windows 10 ltsc. There has been lots of proprietary optimization in it.

 

The best driver is no driver and Linux and Apple support this protocol.

 

Not really. Every OS has a driver for a chipset. The chipset cannot runs its own when its interacting with s/w components, for example when using a music s/w like Roon, the data stream is sent out the the USB chip for which you need a driver (mainly called device driver in the s/w world) that does some critical aspect of sent/receive data from the h/w. Its just that Linux and Apple OSX has UAC2 complaint driver that can work with any USB controller which is UAC2 complaint. Windows doesn’t have a UAC2 complaint driver and hence it needs the chip manufacturer to provide its own driver. There are pros and cons to this approach but its out of topic for this thread. Just know that there is always a driver running, irrespective of what OS you are using.

 

This is why Linux is used in critical applications.

 

Linux provides more control to its users since its Open Source. Windows and Mac OSX is not. Linux also provides a way to run it in a Real time manner. I have extensively used Linux for audio applications for years. I started with Windows server 2016 using Jplay, AO2.0, etc and then moved to Linux as it sounded better. After using Linux for several yrs, I tried experimenting with Windows 10 again since Microsoft has a come a long way re-writing many stuff in the OS. Currently I prefer an optimized Windows 10 Pro over Linux purely for sound quality reasons.

melm OP
1,082 posts
 

@ja_kub_sz

I'm looking forward to your report-comparison to the $13,400 Tambaqui.  They've already been compared on this thread by someone.  I love these David v. Goliath trials. 

lordmelton's avatar
lordmelton
877 posts
 

@debjit_g 

I started with Windows server 2016 using Jplay, AO2.0, etc and then moved to Linux as it sounded better.

Exactly the same as me, after my Wadia 781i shat the bed.

Many years with Jplay but I've had my Aurender N20 since about 6 months now and it truly is a different ball park from computer audio.

It is a great match for the 005 and it has a masterclock input which again gives a huge step up in SQ.

An N20 plus a 005 costs about the same a Tambaqui, what a deal. Why some people don't get it is beyond me.

 

lordmelton's avatar
lordmelton
877 posts
 

@melm I have no doubt that the 005 will take out the Tambaqui with extreme prejudice.

There is no way on earth that the Tambaqui would sound better than the 005 with $10k of cables attached.

When are Mola Mola bringing out the clown fish or suckerfish?

Maybe if Musetec named it's products after snakes or sharks they would get more press...lol.

debjit_g
280 posts
 

Exactly the same as me, after my Wadia 781i shat the bed.

Many years with Jplay but I've had my Aurender N20 since about 6 months now and it truly is a different ball park from computer audio.

No doubt that the Aurrender N20 is a great music server but computer audio has also taken into different heights in the last yr or so. I am not sure how you powered your server but it IS the MOST critical aspect of what you can get out of it. If you can't power it well enough, you are far better off buying a commercial server.

 

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