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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
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?

 

 

bill_k
912 posts
 

@kishan - http://www.mu-sound.com/DA005-detail.html

melm OP
1,081 posts
 

@kishan 

Contact the company if you wish, but you may find that the designer/manufacturer runs a very small operation and marketing is not its strength. 

I suggest that here on this thread there are many users, some with considerable technical expertise, who would be happy to discuss and/or explain about the DAC.  Members here have all sorts of set-ups and seem to cover almost any possible use of the DAC.

Another possibility might be speaking with the US distributer, Midwest Audio at 574-329-1850.

yyzsantabarbara
4,825 posts
 

@kishan What gear are you going to use with the next DAC you buy?

I had some interesting gear combos with the 005. I tended to like it best with some gear that was a bit on the warm side of neutral. These included the following:

  • CODA 07x preamp
  • CODA #8 amp
  • CODA #16 amp (have this now)
  • KRELL Duo 175XD amp

I hated it with my RAAL VM-1a tube headphone amp which was surprising. Even the RAAL VM-1a manufacturer did not like it. I lent him my 005 for a month because it sounded so good with the gear I listed above. The caveat being that my fav DAC with the VM-1a is the bright Benchmark DAC3B. The DAC3B is not as good as the 005 with the gear listed above.

I also have a Lumin X1 DAC and I prefer it to the Musetec 005 with my Benchmark LA4 preamp and AHB2 monos. This is an amazing combo. I thought the Musetec 005 was also very good with the Benchmark gear, but for my ears, the Lumin X1 matches better with the neutral Benchmark gear.

I need to get a DAC in September timeframe since I sold my 2 Musetec DACs last week to pay some audio bills. I need a new DAC to pair with the CODA #16 and the KEF Blade 2 Meta. At the moment, it is a coin toss between the Musetec 005 and another X1. 

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