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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
 

While testing the I2s inputs I got to thinking about the USB cable, which I'm very happy with, but I thought should I get a USB cable without a powerline?

Here ya go cheapest upgrade in the universe:

https://community.octoprint.org/t/put-tape-on-the-5v-pin-why-and-how/13574

It talks about printers but it's exactly the same. I used ordinary sticky tape...thinking about upgrading to black electrical tape...lol!

sns
3,340 posts
 

@lordmelton That's exactly what I've been doing for many years. Gives one access to all usb cables rather than the more unusual usb sans power line.

 

@debjit_g  I would tend to agree, yes the design and the connectors are changed, the metallurgy and dialectic shouldn't change if it goes by same model name.

 

As for burn in, it continues for me as well, I need to get around 100 hours more on various parts and components until I'm done with this round of system upgrades. Per usual, 005 continues to expose every single change. 005 is high performance piece, needs highest quality octane. There remains a single aspect of sound that continues to intrigue me about 005, and that is ultimate refinement or lack thereof. With the many rounds of burn in I've experienced, still testing for this. Just when I hear a recording lacking in this, along comes another that really blows me away! It doesn't have to be audiophile quality, so many mediocre recordings continue to impress. So then, I have to ask myself, is this question of burn in, lack of refinement with 005, or are some recordings just not up to 005 challenge? I only know one thing, I'd not change one iota of resolution or transparency for a more refined presentation, if that is indeed fault of 005. Any potential dac I'd want to audition or purchase has a pretty high bar to reach. Based on reviews and gut feelings I'm thinking well over $10k.

 

As it is, I'm staying up way too late and loosing sleep, always wanting to hear another track, another artist. Zero fatigue. Haven't been at this plateau for many a year.

lordmelton's avatar
lordmelton
877 posts
 

@melm and everyone else that disputed the I2s vs USB comparison. Well you were rght and wrong, well sort of, at the same time.

The reason I now believe why I2s is giving me such a great sound, better than USB, is because of the DC LPS I’m using.

@debjit_g got me thinking about the huge power supply he’d made to his JCAT USB card and his comments about the importance of USB power.

Well, I’m using a Plixir 5v DC 4A LPS which weighs 3.7kgs about 8lbs and has a massive custom made Noratel single winding torrodial transformer made in the UK.

So this setup with the AC power cable is over half the price of the 005 and half the weight!

There are many posts on the net about disconnecting the power supply from the Amanero board and creating a separate, individual power supply. This is what has essentially happened with the L.K.S.100 DDC.

Melm you got me wondering why the L.K.S. sounded better when the internal Amanero board had 3 custom oscillators as opposed to the L.K.S.’s 2 Crystek oscillators.

So short or drilling, cutting and soldering the 005’s Amanero board, it’s a solution.

So Voila, there you have it!

https://www.plixirpower.com/products/plixir-elite-bdc-2a-4a-6a

sns
3,340 posts
 

@lordmelton I think you have this the wrong way around. When one is optimizing usb its not the Amanero board you're supplying external PS to. What you're doing is isolating the USB OUT of server and applying dc power to it, In debjit case that JCAT card is mounted on motherboard inside server. In my case I use separate streamer (Sonore OpticalRendu) which is also usb renderer/Roon endpoint. In my case this is galvanically isolated from server by FMC which then goes to OR. My OR is dc powered by $1k Uptone JS2 and $1k power cord into my DIY modified BPT power conditioner with Oyaide R1 outlets and Mundorf caps.

 

So, keys are getting whatever port out of server galvanically isolated and quality power. Servers are noisy devices, usb direct off motherboard powered by motherboard power supply is second rate. One has to optimize all ports auditioned to create fair test. The Amanero usb board within 005 is already galvanically isolated.

sns
3,340 posts
 

I feel the need to repeat myself here. The vast majority of off the shelf servers out there DO NOT optimize usb, usb port simply comes off motherboard, motherboards are extremely noisy devices, especially the all in one type, those with cd rippers and on board storage. To get optimized usb one must then also purchase a usb renderer or I can call it improver, this galvanically isolates usb from motherboard, some have built in lps, others have dc port for external power. This will cost anywhere from lets say $400 at low end,  multiples of $1k at top end. One must budget for both the server and the usb improvement to get top notch usb.

 

The only usb ports on servers that both galvanically isolate AND provide for external power supply are ATX board servers, these take the JCAT and Pink Faun usb cards and have provision for external dc  power. One can also NOT use the usb port out of the second rate usb port servers, and use network switch and separate streamer. There's also option of optical output servers, very few of these in market. The other option is what lordmelton did.

 

To finalize, if one's dac has top notch usb board, usb is most likely best route to take, but one must optimize to reach full potential of that board. Big payoff in optimizing the usb out of server. Lower noise floor provided by galvanic isolation and clean power results in higher resolution and more natural presentation. The improvement is well worth the money spent!

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