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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
sns
3,238 posts
 

@sirnui I don't doubt you're getting fine quality sound, but I still believe the usb input on 005 is optimal setup, only input galvanically isolated with dedicated power supply. Much depends on usb feeding it however, streamer needs to treat it with same care as 005 treats the input.

 

My experiment with suspending 005 is simply matching or exceeding my expectations! As I discovered years ago, the best footer is no footer. I've used stock, softer footers in Herbies form, BDR cones, Finite Elemente and Aurios ball bearing devices, Ceraballs, and Stillpoint Ultra SS both with and without Ultra footers. I've tried various boxes filled with sand, maple, birch ply and aluminum top plates for these sand boxes, also tried various pneumatic devices over the years. This over many years with various cd transports, players and dacs, and all other components. 005 specifically used with best standing footer which have been the ceramic ball devices such as Ceraballs and Stillpoints, metal ball bearings meaning Aurios, also forgot the Nobsound spring devices (actually pretty nice low cost option).

 

005 suspended via HD monofilament fish line is without a doubt least colored most natural sound, every last bit of residual hardness or digital sound is eliminated via suspending. SQ of my new streaming setup remains revelatory with over 100 hours listening time, and things are continuing to improve with Coincident Statement pre now suspended and burn in of Duelund Cast capacitors in 300B amp, couple new power cords and JCAT Optimo S ATX power supply for streamer and Sonore OpticalModule. More upgrades coming via Finisar enterprise level transceiver modules for OpticalModule and OpticalRendu, lower jitter vs stock modules.

 

006 continues to amaze me, only become more convinced I have no need to spend $20k plus on dac. I've never had this relatively long term satisfaction with any so called 'budget' component in over thirty years now involvement in high end audio, 005 is the REAL DEAL, not out of place with any system at any price.

sns
3,238 posts
 

Forgot, but Coincident pre now also suspended same setup as 005, effective here as well, only slightly less than 005 suspended. 300B amps now on Stillpoints vs Aurios, more improvement here. I'll add Stillpoints Ultra SS are nice footers for 005 if staying with footers, more natural presentation, transparency, resolution, sound staging and imaging all improved, much more engaging overall sound quality with the Stillpoints! Stillpoints on 3" maple block in birch ply sandbox was very, very nice.

sirnui
82 posts
 

@sns I agree regarding the 005.  I am beyond satisfied with this DAC and it responds so well to tweaks done around it.

I no longer have my superb USB chain that included an Innuos Phoenix USB and an opticalRendu but I'm sure it would've been amazing with the 005.  That would've been a nice comparison between that USB chain and the current USB/I2S chain I'm using now.  Better yet, it would be even more interesting to test extending my old USB chain with the current I2S chain.  There are just so many possibilities and not enough time and money :)

For anyone with cash burning through their wallet and who wants to experiment with I2S, I highly recommend trying the LKS USB-100, the LKS LPS, and a short Wireworld Platinum Starlight 48 HDMI cable.  For me, they too are the real deal.

sirnui
82 posts
 

Going back to what I’m hearing with the LKS USB-100, for critical listening, I use my headphone system because it offers much more transparency than my 2-channel. It makes discerning differences and nuances easier. I use Sennheiser IE900 IEMs so the only "room acoustics" is inside my ear canal. Not even my outer ear is allowed to cause acoustic interference. I want to really stress that when I’m reporting hearing more nuances, I’m using these highly transparent IEMs that allow the tiniest of nuances to come through easily. The IE900s contain a single dynamic driver and they are able to play bass with force that would put some full sized headphones to shame. My current speakers are the Zu Audio Soul 6’s and they too display the same types of improvements with the LKS USB-100.

Amp for IEMs and speakers: Enleum AMP-23R

Ethernet/USB/I2S chain: Ediscreation Fiber Box II > Intel NUC > ISO Regen > LKS USB-100 (Fiberbox II and ISO Regen galvanically isolates the NUC from the system; NUC power is from the wall and not from the inverter/battery system)

Digital cables: Straightwire and Cardas Clear USB cables around ISO Regen, Wireworld Platinum Starlight 48 HDMI into 005

AC Conditioning: Giandel 5000W Inverter and LiFePO4 battery, Puritan PSM 136

Power cables: Furutech DPS4.1 with FI 52 NCF connector between inverter and PSM 136, Zavfino Silver Darts into LKS LPS/005/AMP-23R (all Silver Dart PCs powered by PSM 136), Shunyata V14 Digital into Fiberbox II and ISO Regen SMPS

Interconnects: Zavfino Silver Dart RCAs

Side Note: the 005 is a match with the Enleum AMP-23R and high sensitivity headphones ONLY if line level attenuators are used between the 005 and AMP-23R. Without the attenuators, the signal for the IEMs was too hot and the gain/volume selector on the AMP-23R was too sensitive.

 

 

kishan
8 posts
 

I need a high end DAC and I have been reading about the Musetec (LKS) MH-DA005 DAC.

Would anyone have a link to the manufacturer for a direct discussion on this unit?

 

 

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