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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
balja
5 posts
 

After the publication of information that some of the parameters stated by the manufacturer for the MH DA005 do not match the measurements, there was talk of possible compensation from the manufacturer. It pleased me at the time, is there anything new? Was this information true? Alternatively, what is the manufacturer's current official position on this inconvenience?

melm OP
1,082 posts
 

@balja 
I do not recall any such talk.  It was the position of the maker that if a component improved the sound it would be incorporated into the DAC even at the expense of measurements.  This was followed by a good deal of discussion here about sound vs. measurements. The consensus IIRC was that the only thing that mattered was the sound.  This was the same with tubes and vinyl, for example that could sound better notwithstanding better measurements from solid state and digital.  There are many examples of components that measure very well but have sound that is sterile and uninvolving.  The only adjustment, I think, was a refund from the American retailer to the customer who, by the way, never took possession of the DAC or listened to it.

In any event you wrote of your pleasure with the DAC over several months.  Eventually you came to replace the Furutech IEC with a Schaffner FN 9260-1-06 IEC which includes a filter.  You wrote that it added some holographic effect.  Some of us use tubes in the other parts of our systems to get that.  I assume you're on 220 volts; is that right?  Are you still using the filter?  Any other tips?

americanspirit's avatar
americanspirit
64 posts
 

From the experience gained with the Audio GD dacs we have developed a very special USB cable that does not carry the 5 Volt power supply so as not to disturb the internal power supply of the Amanero USB acquisition module.

has anyone experimented with this solution on the MUSETEC?

lordmelton's avatar
lordmelton
877 posts
 

Tape up both ends of the +5v line with electrical tape. If you only tape one end it can act as an antenna and attract RFI/EMI.

Don't tape the -ve because it'll be earth.

melm OP
1,082 posts
 

I have used several different USB cables. Most contain all four wires but one was made without No.1, carrying the 5 Volts. On occasion I have blocked the 5 Volt wire. Blocked or not there is no current in the wire when connected to the Musetec. I have never noticed any difference by blocking the wire. As always YMMV. I agree that wire No. 4, the ground should be connected. It is necessary for the "handshake." There are purists that have a switch to disconnect No. 4 after the connection is made for it is no longer necessary. Some others put a resistor on No. 4.

It is, I think, always preferable as here for the USB function within the DAC to have its own internal source of good power. Besides its dependable power source, it can give the user an extra degree of freedom in selecting a USB cable, in that the cable is freed of the powering function which is sometimes thought to compromise digital performance. Hence all the workarounds keeping the 5V line separate from the others.

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