The engineer admits to choosing parts based on SQ, not measurements.
Yes, so simply and openly acknowledged by the builder. Why so difficult for some to comprehend?
Charles
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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@batvac2 The difference, though, is that while the SQ of all of these has been said to be at least comparable, the Musetec costs but a fraction of what the others cost. Where I come from, THAT is what is called fine engineering. PS: In the early solid state days popular tube amps had about 2% IM and HD at rated outputs; solid state under 1%. Do some research and you’ll find it. |
the more I read the Topping enthusiasts the more I wonder what system they use and if they have compared their products with other brands. what I want to bring to the attention of true Hi Fi fans is that most likely some Chinese manufacturers (Topping, SMSL, Gusrtard, ...) produce DACs that respond perfectly to poor Amir's tests but are scarce in everyday listening. to obviate my statement just test the top of the poor Amir's list with the MUSETEC, obviously you need a system that allows you to appreciate the differences ... (who has a Topping in his audio chain is probably a person who only pays attention savings so I don't expect it to have a high-end system alas ...) |
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from one point of view, all this asr stuff is fine not everyone cares about sonic excellence and are willing to pay for it, but people still want to feel good about themselves, their decisions... this asr stuff provides handy rationalization, especially for those who have a quantitative/science-oriented bent (never mind that what asr delves into is more ’pseudo-science’ actually but we will leave that be...) i think it is fine because these people spend what little they want, feel good about it, and presumably enjoy the music - this can be looked at as an entry path into broader musical enjoyment, better quality of life as a result, which is positive then if there is a subset of these folks who are more passionate, more discriminating, and over time, put forth the thought, effort and expense to test the ’wisdom’ that asr espouses, those folks will then undoubtedly discover its limitations and obtain much better sounding music to enjoy silly analogy, i sometimes enjoy a little wine with dinner, but i am not a wine connoisseur, don’t care to be -- so i buy relatively inexpensive $10-20/bottles of wine marketed by some popular websites, with their claims about point-ratings, reviewer blurbs, i then enjoy that wine with everyday meals - i don’t care enough to be an expert, don’t want to invest the effort to deep dive into the topic, don't want to pay more, don't care to appreciate some minute differences, it’s just average/above average wine to sip, to accompany the good food which i consider the real centerpiece of meals - life for me goes on just fine... |
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