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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
lordmelton's avatar
lordmelton
877 posts
 

@melm Hi, Yes it's not possible to switch on the fly between USB and I2s but it's irrelevant anyway because you have heard me mention that the XLR and USB outputs from my N20 into the 005 were infuriatingly similar with slight differences between formats.

Honestly the I2s gives such a large boost it leaves XLR and USB in the dust.

It's as I said, front row center, or a singer performing before you in a club. It's not forward, everything else is in focus, a wonderful transformation.

lordmelton's avatar
lordmelton
877 posts
 

@sns Yes I would have really liked a comparison with the I2s from the SU6.

I think though that one reason the L.K.S. sounds so good is that it’s Musetec’s Amanero board with I2s out. So everything is connected in a straight line without dip switches or re-figured cable. I'm using a Furutech 1.2m 8K HDMI cable.

Still breaking in so I’ll keep everyone updated.

debjit_g
280 posts
 

@debjit_g Totally agree on the usb galvanic isolation. What amazes me is so many of these off the shelf servers/streamers use usb off motherboards! How do they have the nerve to charge these prices for crap usb outputs, this is what gives usb bad name.

 

@sns welcome to the world of high-end audio. You will probably know this as well but the truth is the product will not sell through dealer markup if you can’t charge a minimum of 10x the price of cogs. Its all driven by sales and marketing - if folks are willing to pay for crappy usb output, the product will sell and companies to keep charging premium for nothing. Just look at the audio cable business.

In my books, price to performance ratio will always win and that is why I personally like companies who are actually trying to bring excellent value at a reasonable cost. Though its not always a determinant factor but looking at the inside of some products and one will quickly realize its value, assuming one is somewhat knowledgeable. This is one of the reason I became interested in the Musetec - its not a ground breaking design but as far as I can see is a well thought out one with quality parts, execution and price to boot.

debjit_g
280 posts
 

@lordmelton if you really want to take the i2s over hdmi to its maximum level, take a look the Wireworld platinum series hdmi cables. Always have the shortest run possible from the DDC to the DAC. The i2s is the native interface to most dac chip (ESS and AKM) and what the USB board (Amanero or XMOS) inside the DAC does is to convert the async USB data stream to i2s signals.

willywonka
237 posts
 

At the Axpona show I just attended; Mojo Audio's owner was claiming I2S was never meant as an external input/output and that's why it isn't a standard. It was meant as an internal only connection not to exceed a few inches. This was heard by many people at the seminar he gave. Interesting how its evolving and how it's being used by some people.

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