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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
yyzsantabarbara
4,526 posts
 

@jc4659 I used to own 2 Musetec 005’s and I currently own the Holo Serene preamp. I never put the 005 and Serene together. I used the Benchmark LA4 preamp and the CODA 07x with the Musetec. The 005 worked great with the straight wire with gain LA4. The Serene is almost identical to the LA4 except for a miniscule bit of warmth. I think the 005 and Serene would work great together.

With my 07x preamp, which is the warmest preamp of the 3, I think I found it too warm for my more neutral tastes. I sold the 07x some time ago to get the Serene and LA4. Both are exactly what I want in a preamp,

I wish I had the 005 today during a test I was doing with the Benchmark AHB2 amp + Holo Serene + Yamaha NS5000 speakers. I think the 005 would have been a better match over the Schitt Yggi+ LIM DAC.

sirnui
81 posts
 

The best sounding headphone system I've built some time ago included the Ferrum Oor headphone amp with hypsos power supply, Holo Serene L1 preamp, and Musetec 005.  The Oor was configured to bypass its volume control and the volume was set to 0.0 on the 005. The Serene was used to control volume. I can say in my experience, the Serene is the best sounding preamp I've tried and it mated very well in the system I described above.  Other pieces of gear played their roles in that system but I want to say the Serene and 005 played their parts very well. 

I sold off most of that system but I've recently repurchased the 005 (black this time) and the Ferrum Oor. I now use a Lumin streamer for digital volume control which in some systems can obviate the need of a dedicated preamp.  I would love to try the Serene again with the Oor and 005 but the Lumin LEEDH digital volume control is keeping me satisfied for now. 

jc4659
524 posts
 

@yyzsantabarbara If the LA4 was a good match for the DA-005 then I would think the Serene would be as well. As long as the gain in transparency doesn’t sacrifice natural, meat on the bones imaging then I’d be happy. I don’t want my soundstage to look like an x-ray no matter how it may sound.  I’m still torn between the Serene KTE and a really good tubed preamp.  For now it would be paired downstream with a Pass labs amp and Verity Audio speakers.

@sirnui That you would try the Serene again says a lot.

yyzsantabarbara
4,526 posts
 

@sirnui I had the Lumin X1 after the Musetc 005. The Leedh volume control is almost as good as the LA4’s. The Serene’s volume is not as fancy as the LA4’s but great nevertheless. The only deficiency in the Leedh is at extremely low volume when the volume does not increase in a linear fashion as in theLA4. Splitting hairs and not a concern for 999 out of a 1000 people.

@jc4659 The reason I have the Serene and the LA4 is that I can interchange them in my 2 systems without a concern. There is a review on the web comparing the 2 preamps. The Serene was preferred by the reviewer. I am more inclined to choose the LA4 but love both.

gryphongryph
352 posts
 

@jc4659 the pre I am using is the Supratek Cabernet, it has two outputs, 300B and 6SN7. Supratek has cheaper models and also more expensive ones to choose from.

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