Why I just have a Moon by Simaudio 680D. It's simple and works.
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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@sns and @melm thanks for the recommendation.
@sns Yes, I am very familiar with the helix config but I haven't tried the power cable yet. Good to hear the 005 has a great synergy. Maybe its worth exploring for me as well. My current thinking is the 005 will probably like occ copper based pc.
@melm I have used Viborg accessories, banana and spade lugs for DIY speaker cables in the past and they are extremely well made and solidly built. No doubt their power cords are up to the snuff. If you don't mind asking, what else have you compared to ?
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@debjit_g |
Last month I posted about lending a friend of mine the Musetec 005 to hear with his RAAL VM-1a headphone amp. Yesterday I picked up the DAC. The VM-1a is a tube headphone amp for both the RAAL-Requisite CA-1a and SR1a headphones. I also have all of this RAAL-Requisite gear, and when used with my Benchmark DAC3B, it was the very best sound I have had in my office, and maybe the best I have ever heard anywhere (no physical room to deal with). Stereophile will have a review on this combo soon (not sure which DAC). This setup is so good that I sold my Thiel CS3.7 floor standers a few weeks ago and bought the KEF LS50 Meta this week to try and recreate the resolution, speed, and clarity I am hearing on this amp and headphones. I also have KEF KC62 sub. When I first heard the Musetec 005 on the VM-1a and SR1a and CA-1a headphones I was very underwhelmed. It just sounded subdued and not exciting at all. My friend commented the same observation to me on the 005. It just does not work on this tube amp. I put in my Benchmark DAC3B, the same DAC that I heard when I demoed the amp, and the sound just opened up an became this reference level quality that I am raving about to everyone. I am not sure why the 005 sounds so boring on the VM-1a. However, on my old LS50 (waiting on delivery of LS50 Meta) the Musetec 005 | CODA 07x | Benchmark AHB2 mono are excellent. The Benchmark DAC3B does not sound as good as the 005 on this system. I am excited to see what the Meta will do to the sound. I do not expect to be as good as the VM-1a. I have a Livingroom system that I am building that may be able to scale the heights of the VM-1a. I will likely use the Musetec 005 with that system (may need a 2nd one). Luckily, I have 2 Sonore OpticalRendu’s setup in my office to have both DACs in play for the VM-1a and also my 2-channel system.
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- 1534 posts total