I agree. How good it would be if we could get back to the old Absolute Sound reviewing philosophy. Audiophile terms such as "layered", "seperation", etc. are less useful in the abstract. The baseline ideally should be a real musical event.
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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@jjss49 I am looking into a DAC upgrade and saw this thread. Your comparisons are really outstanding, even though the Weiss and Bricasti are above my pay grade so to speak but your care in how you did what you did sets a high standard for how people should contribute here. It is very helpful indeed. I get how folks can get damned defensive and pouty when they learn that something they bought and think is just the cats meow isn’t the best, its lame but just human nature I think. I spent money to buy this so now it is the best. So you mentioned you got some new speakers? Im curious to know which ones,
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All of these comparisons and reviews on this thread are subjective. People have different ears, specific system needs, and financial comfort spending on DACs. The Musetec 005 is great in 1 of my systems and not good in another (my headphones). Saying all of that, I am expecting to buy my second 005 in 3 or 4 weeks from a fellow A'goner.
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@troidelover1499 Yes I totally agree with you it's very difficult to eat your own words when you find out that your darling DAC, which you have sung the praises of all over this forum, takes a knockout punch from an unknown $3k contender. There are many reviews of the Weiss DACs on the internet and despite Daniel Weiss' white paper regarding his digital volume control being as good or better than the best pre-amps, it has been proven to be grossly inaccurate. I have compared the Musetec 005 extensively in very high end systems, with pre-amps, against the MEDUS (I incorrectly stated MEDEA in my previous post). The Medus is a $20k plus DAC and barely keeps up with the 005. The 005 buries it with it's massive soundstage and fabulous reproduction of percussion. So if I'd paid $10k for a Weiss and $11k for a Bricasti (no comment, I've not heard it) I'd be shooting myself in the foot financially to say the 005 is better, at least in the value stakes. So maybe you think I'm a tosser but most people who have heard the 005 will unanimously echo my remarks. So if you are genuinely looking for a DAC check out the 005, you'd be a fool not to 😀 |
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