@turcoda
@kairosman
I've had my 005 for a year now and have followed the very busy 004 forum on head-fi (4353 posts) for over 5 years before that. I've read about a lot of interaction with Jinbo and have had some myself. He is proud of his products and will want to help. IMO he doesn't need to be "incentivized" in the manner kairosman is suggesting. I have said earlier here, in response to another question, that he's not Paul McGowan. He will likely not advise, for example, on which cable or streamer to use. But when it comes to the operation of his products, there's no reason to be concerned. The time difference, though, may stretch out the communication.
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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@melm sorry I meant no disrespect towards Jinbo, I was just trying to say (and apparently badly) that a little extra incentive might help move things along, as mentioned all my dealings with him have been entirely satisfactory. |
Ok so how is the USB being sent from your computer? Galvanic isolation starts at source not receiver. If the USB is being output from your mainboard then that’s a huge ball of noise. You still haven’t said if you tried Spdif or Toslink connections or plugging another USB device into the 005. My thoughts are that the other DACs you have don’t have Amanero Boards and your Super Duper Computer is incompatible with Amanero and you know this but you still think it should work. SO YOU COMPLAIN - WORK IT OUT OLD SCHOOL
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Very rational assessment. Charles
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Having been an owner of the lks 004 since 2018 and the owner of a Holo Spring kte3 dac also I’ve decided to get the 005. Mine is on order from Jason at midwestern audio and I will have it in about 3 weeks I hope. I traded in my holo for the 005. So that should tell you that I’m a bigger fan of the lks/musetec sound. I had the spring connected to an aurender x100 in my main system an the lks in my headphone rig. About 6 weeks ago I put the lks in my main rig and was immediately impressed with the improvement in overall sound quality. This peaked my interest in the musetec especially with all the positive feedback here and on head fi. So I jumped in. I know some of u guys are gonna go nuts when you read this but I’m having it sent to Amir at ASR for review. Let the bashing begin 😂. He was very much interested in this dac. Gonna keep my fingers crossed that it measures well which Im pretty confident it will. So keep your eyes open for his review.. looking forward to putting it in my system.
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