sounds just like the Dave. Have you thought about hooking up a Blu2 to Dave? connection to the dac chip. Conversely, you could spend a lot more and not gain a great deal in real terms. This is a company that is All American and fiercely proud of that fact. 2 DAC | Audionet Pre G2 preamp | Audionet Max mono blocks | Vivid Audio Giya G2 Series 2 | 4 JL Audio Fathoms | Echole ICs /SCs / Siltech Classic 550L jumpers, Shunyata PCs / Eth. Anyway, the MSB Discrete is a machine that I consider to be highly resolving and a true HiFi product with regard to the definition I quoted above. The SQ is amazingly good. ), Chord Hugo 2 Review (Portable DAC & HP Amp), DAC Noise Modulation: Chord DAVE vs Topping DX7 Pro+, Digital To Analog (DAC) Reviews and Discussion, Amplifiers, Phono preamp, and Analog Audio Review. The DAC comes equipped with a single power supply, but can be augmented with a second discrete power supply to enable optimized power isolation between all major components. Its an interesting setup with everything from design through to milling the chassis to building the circuit boards being done in-house. Elevator Pitch Review: Built in America, the MSB Discrete is a modular DAC that also acts as a preamplfier, though, as supplied, it has no analogue inputs. He liked the Mola Mola Tambaqui over these others listed below. The Discrete DAC uses two of these modules per unit. Roon Endpoint a year ago I got the new Renderer V2 which was a step up over USB. Is this what passes for high end? I'll take a look, however I've heard they're on the warm side? As it stands, the Discrete offers a very good solution should you be a music lover that plays only digital files and you can go straight into a power amp. Astrostar here, said it completely blew away any dac he had before, and mind you, he has the entry level AC model. So true jr, the discrete R2R Multibit dacs like the Terminator the Holo, MSB, Total ect ect have a life and a boogie factor to the music that DS dacs lack, and yes they do show up bad recordings. Check out the awards + accolades. Chord Dave Replacement. Once complete there are measurements and functional tests before the final products are inspected, cleaned, and packed up ready to be shipped, but not before a white glove inspection by either Jonathan or Daniel. prefer to keep our test results among ourselves. The MSB simply sounded more real to my ears and offered a more convincing soundstage and tonality and all the tiny informations in the music where integrated in the musical flow whereas the DAVE simply sounded flat and not realistic to my ears and even lacked those tiny informations. The more observant of you will have read this and noticed that there is no mains inlet. The Discrete DAC, the successor and highly improved replacement to the now-famous Analog DAC is the MSB DAC that everyone has been waiting for. I called the distributor and we went through everything again. Only hifi shops and shows hear and there. The PSUs are available to match. Lots of time it This effect was evident on track after track but didnt feel like it was overly exaggerated. At MSB, we believe excellence is a promise worth keeping. About Chord Vs Dac Discrete Msb Dave . I was upgrading it in this order and still could not believe every time it sounded better. I've yet to see a system with direct connections eliminating the preamp which wasn't improved by a adding a good preamp back into the mix! "Im not sure if there are algorithms that can add high-frequency information that wasnt captured in the original sampled result". in this forum and they are all very good dacs. I would have loved if you heard them in the same system for a direct comparison. Like the rest of the DACs in the MSB range, the Select DAC is modular in its architecture with each of the modules being produced in house, as outlined above. more might come to mind and I will add them. There ain't no Coupe deVille hiding at the bottom of a Cracker Jack Box. "To be 100% honest we have A/B tested most of the dacs mentioned I suppose that the vast majority of people who listen for pleasure at home are looking for a balance between the two, and whilst I still maintain we are most likely to hear the biggest effect in a system by changing transducers, every element in the chain of sound will affect the final sound and, in a digital system, I think the DAC you choose can have a huge effect on the final sound. Digital: DACs, USB converters, decrapifiers, A healthy approach to understanding measurements, After being asked for the 308th time, Merv lists top 5 headphones, $1000 to the first to design a headamp using discrete components with better measurements than Magni 3+, http://www.computeraudiophile.com/f6-dac-digital-analog-conversion/chord-dave-29757/#post579518, (You must log in or sign up to reply here.). However, to get this level of separation and detail within the soundscape the DAC is clearly having a very important role to play. And the Jeff Rowland Aeris DAC with new PSU. Since this forum is mainly USA based and we are in the UK, I have very little to gain business wise here. Watts is avidly not reading this in anticipation of the video version he won't watch. Digital: Sonore opticalModule > Uptone EtherRegen > Shunyata Sigma Ethernet >Antipodes K30> Shunyata Omega USB> Gustard X26pro DAC < Mutec REF10 SE120, Amp& Speakers: Spectral DMA-150mk2 >Aerial 10T, Foundation: Stillpoints Ultra,ShunyataDenali v1 andTyphon power conditioners,Shunyata Delta v2 and QSA Lanedri Gamma power cords, QSA Lanedri GammaRevelationinterconnect,Shunyata SigmaEthernet,MIT Matrix HD60speaker cables, ASC isothermal tube traps, Stillpoints Aperture panels. More sharing . Since opening our doors in 1986, weve been driven by one goal: to craft an unrivaled listening experience for music lovers across the globe. And now that my system is much more resolving, it's possible that the differences could be larger and my preferences could change. In that time, weve pushed the industry forward with each product weve built, redefining whats possible. it just complimented my system better than those other two. Toggle signature. So I saw the DAC lighting up and it looked fully functional, right down displaying the bit rate etc of the file playing, but no music. Our digital testing has been done over the last 20 + years let me know when it's on, I'll make my way down if I can. I've tried it in my system and I don't like it. Didn't like it at all. I don't want to waste hifi shops time too much knowing I'll be going second hand either. so these are less preferred. I'm really anxious to hear more opinions about this DAC and noticed that DAVE hasn't got a thread of its own (only together with Mojo). I hope you understand. Tellurium Silver Diamond USB and Chord Blu. MSBs top-level DAC is 121K and there are other brands out there offering very expensive options, but the truth is that the vast majority of people will never feel the need to spend that kind of money (even if they could) to eek out that last-minute bit of detail. I just heard DAVE directly connected to MacBook Pro via USB without any expensive cables, headphone amplifier, power conditioner. Of course your opinion on sound quality is your own, and valid, but to suggest that the reason for the difference is because the Chord is an "FPGA DAC" is technically incorrect. To each their own, but I think Chord sounds cold and artificial. Thats not allthe CNC unibody aluminum chassis provides the discrete power supply with optimal thermal performance and an elegant design aesthetic. @shkong78 how good is the dave + mscaler vs msb? @ricred1, I would like to suggest you take a look at the Mola Mola Tambaqui when it arrives later this month I understand. The MSB Discrete, as I mentioned, came with two power supplies but you can operate it with just one with the supplied doodad. Search: Msb Discrete Dac Vs Chord Dave. Nothing was amiss. This is a review, detailed measurements and listening tests of CHORD DAVE combination DAC and headphone amplifier. Thirdly, having suggested that the brightness issue may lay elsewhere, I will shortly post a suggested tweak directly to both HMS and DAVE - that I have found to increase the "weight", "solidity" and "analogueness" of the resulting sound. One of the things I jotted down in my notes during this time was the sense of scale the Discrete brought to the music I was listening to big music sounded BIG and more intimate recordings had their own scale too. Wavedream only has a couple hours on it, but from the first note it Yes, you read that right, the Select DAC is the best part of 121,000! personal preference." I'm looking for suggestions between $10K - $12K. Is it too hot to touch? So take it for what it is. After a year of listening to various components I'm content. Pass Labs INT-60. Stay updated on Bloom Audio at their. It may not display this or other websites correctly. Who knows ?! At some point you have to be content in this hobby. Chord Dave vs Mola Mola Makua/Tambaqui vs Emm Labs Dac2x vs Rockna Wavedream IGNORED Chord Dave vs Mola Mola Makua/Tambaqui vs Emm Labs Dac2x vs Rockna Wavedream . http://www.computeraudiophile.com/members/mikejazz/, funded this campain: http://igg.me/at/geekpulseaudio/x/5216671. Bespoke Audio Ultimate Silver TVC passive preamp, Totaldac xlr version D1-Drivers x2, Eisteddfod 340 & 840 amps, Magico S5 speaker, MSB Select DAC, MSB Select Transport, Nakamichi 700 XLE cassette deck, Taiko Audio Extreme Server, Tripoint Troy Signature NG groundbox, PLiXiR Elite 1500 isolation transformers. The biggest question about this device is, Yeah listened to the same HEk V2 and Chord Dave with. With the MSB there has been a great deal of attention paid to ensuring the signal stays as pure as possible and is not affected by other parts of the DAC or outside sources; modular construction, dual power supplies, isolation of USB etc. I think people buy what they like. Equipped with high-visibility and a wide viewing angle, the display is both easy-to-read and stunning, exhibiting our love for intuitive features. Euphony Summus, EtherRegen, MSB Discrete. If so I'd recommend the Aqua Formula xHD and the TotalDAC d1-Seven. This all-American theme is continued in the companys PCB Shop where they use circuit boards produced for them in Silicon Valley, which are then made ready for the automated adding of the smaller components and hand-fitting bulkier components before washing and inspection. Mike, Scott has been absolutely wonderful in his support, despite my purchasing the Found-Music 2A3s used (from Art S.) He has visited once and is planning another visit after the trip your way. For sure with Hugo and Qutenot even debatable. It is a manual step which I forgot. Like x 5 List StereoNET (Australia) is part of an international network of publications owned wholly by Sound Media Group (Australia). There are some tonal differences too, but what you prefer will depend on your other equipment and the music you like. Its not bombarding you with information, but it is a notably more defined sound with regards to the spatial information and the way that elements sit in the mix a tad more solidity and more of a sense of the stereo image being wider and deeper and with instruments and sounds occupying a definite space of their own. You must log in or register to reply here. So this was headphones straight out of the DAVE? First I want to say that I fully agree that the hobby is Hifi Pig is part of the Big Pig Media LLP group of companies. We are johndoe21ro The only true way for the end user to know what they prefer is through listening in their own system.. Chord Dave DAC "Sealed Box Brand New" Never Opened !! DAC Comparison Reference DAC Modules 4x Hybrid DAC Clock The Femto 33 Digital Inputs 4x User Replaceable Input Slots Optical and Coaxial input module Included Analog Outputs Preamp XLR Output Module - 150 Impedance RCA output available with external adapter Analog Inputs XLR Analog Expansion Modules RCA or XLR Input RCA or XLR Output I've had some excellent preamps in my system (Dartzeel, Absolare, Robert Koda, Kondo). Mind you, I have chipless DSD with 1 bit processing, so the bar is set VERY high for me. This would help to take your digital playback upa few levels. I'm super happy with my Esoteric N-01, which is a noticeable step up in quality/musicality from the DAVE - as yes the DAVE sounds a bit "thin" (though extraordinarily detailed). My wife said it It's UPDATE VIDEO THREE for the Chord Electronics DAVE DAC REVIEW I have spent a lot more time with the DAVE Dac, still using. You go off people's opinions and hope it'll match your equipment and system when you put the hard earned down. 2. The end result is a digital experience defying expectations. dac at a reasonable price. The demo model came in brushed aluminium but you can also get black. The Discrete DAC Features - MSB Technology The Discrete DAC Refined sound. Did you audition all of them in the same place with the same system? and as I said earlier there is no "best" when it comes to dacs or Yes, definitely, as it is those extra tiny little bits of detail that adds the cherry on top of an already rather splendid slice of musical cake brought out on tracks like the audio show mainstay Keith Dont Go from Acoustic Live by Nils Lofgren. For example, the chassis for the products are made from North American-sourced metals, and then that is machined using Haas CNC machines that are built in California. But MSB Select 2 is regarded by many as the best thats why for something 1/10 of the price to compete in anyones eyes is quite an accomplishment. Height with feet: 68 mm Weight: 8.2 kg, Accessories included: Manual Remote control Aluminum MSB USB charging cable 4 X Spikes and Cups 4 X plastic inserts Power connector splitter, MERASON FRROT DAC REVIEW The Merason Frrot DAC costing 995 isn't the first thing that comes to mind when we think of Switzerland. Please specify coaxial S/PDiF or optical S/PDiF. You're very polite about how you describe your preferences, cmarin. The Pro USB was developed to offer a multi part USB solution that features complete electrical isolation and all the performance of MSBs proprietary Pro ISL input. Would I pay extra for the second supply? Almost all gear I hear is pretty good and some are great but the most expensive ones are not universally the best to my ears. https://www.audiogon.com/listings/lis9eh61-lampizator-pacific-da-converters, https://positive-feedback.com/audio-discourse/lampizator-pacific-dac/, https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/subjective-grading-of-dac-that-i-had-heard-during-last-one-year-period. Strangely, this new review is not displayed when you select the review folder on the homepage. Thank you, Mike. Theyre not limited by audio formats, sample rates, or even speed. Btw, my MSB friend and I used the internal analog preamp for MSB and built-in digital preamp for DAVE. I've sometimes heard people say that DAVE is too bright or analytical for them. Each clock is made up of two independent clocks but only one is used at any given time so as not to add unwanted noise to the circuit. The Chord Qutest DAC has the same DAC architecture and filters as the Chord Hugo 2. First let me preface my comments by stating that I have not heard a lot of high end DACs in my system. It may not display this or other websites correctly. When connecting to the MScaler, Dual-BNC was used on the chord dacs with shawline digital BNC cables. https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-rothschild-70aab85/, Headphones and Personal Audio with Pitch Perfect Service. Does anyone have formula for that? Ok, I looked a prat but it proves that the separate PSUs are actually doing something rather than being there for show, though they do look rather cool in themselves. The clock can be seen as being the heart of the DAC and once again the clocks are made in-house. Aurender W20-> Lampizator Pacific SE -> Ayon Crossfire III or Circle Labs A100 -> Avantgarde Acoustic Trio LE 26 with 4x REL Carbon Special ,SACD Player: Audio Aero La Fontaine. In comparison to spdif which feels more 3D but relatively smaller sound stage, with better separation, vocals are more focused/accurate, everything sounds more evenly balanced. Rori is definitely welcome. Others might disagree but these are my findings. It's my understanding that the Wavedream only Of course this DAC is super pricey and out of the reach of many (including me). Sablon Audio King/Prince power cords throughout. I can see that in an A/B comparison, many other DACs sound more impressive than DAVE/Blu2. I actually like the simplicity of this and it is very intuitive to use when you get into setting up and menu diving, though diving is over-egging it a bit as the Discrete is a doddle to set upif you do it right, but more on that in a while. It features the very best conversion technology available, using proprietary techniques never seen before, making DAVE the most advanced DAC/preamp amplifier in the world. Focal Utopia ~ LCD i4 ~ ETHER FLOW open/C ~ LCD-2.2/XC ~ Nighthawk ~ K10 custom ~ JH Angie, Chord mscaler // Chord TT2 // Oppo PM-1 (Artisan silver headphone cable) // Beyerdynamic DT880 600 Ohm // WAVE Stream bnc cables // Kef LS50 Meta. It's better than the MSB Analog I listened to. That's just too money for the performance. The Discrete DAC we have here is the baby of the four DACs MSB produces, with the top-of-the-range Select DAC boldly proclaiming to be the worlds finest DAC. T&A Dac8 (for DSD512) or Lampi Atlantic for any native rate DSD playback. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material (in part or in full) without express and written permission from this websites author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. However, there are also products that manage to straddle both sides of the electric fence (whilst being careful not to electrocute their nether regions) and give us a tremendously enjoyable reproduction of a recording whilst remaining true to the source material. Sonically it is very much as its name suggests and converts files faithfully and without loss or (importantly) embellishment. It features the very best conversion technology available, using proprietary techniques never seen before, making DAVE the most advanced DAC/preamp amplifier in the world. The Chord DAVE was also on my list, but I decided to pass (my Chord retailer was very 'pushy' and not helpful). How r they comparing to the MSB Select 2 and Trinity? CH Precision C1 DAC. I agree with your statement. The only other items in the chain were the Stack streamer and a pretty well-sorted network setup. Very resolving, tone is on the cold side of neutral but otherwise pretty free of digital nasties compared to the cheaper Chords, and the stage is flatter than Keira Knightley. turns out that with the Extreme USB slightly pulls ahead of the Ethernet with the Renderer, then adding the Pro USB there is now a significant step up over the Renderer. Amplification: Cyrus Mono x300Signatures. Well build a personalized offer for your existing MSB products that count towards a new DAC or amplifier. But if you don't, what is your reference point? The USB module is completely electrically isolated and is again a standalone module capable of 32 bit#768kHz, MQA decoding and 8X DSD. Up to 8X DSD There is no such thing as a "FPGA DAC"! Anyway, the little bit of extra detail on the strings, the attack, and decay are all there to be heard and its a marvelous thing to listen to. You already have a very top tier DAC. You absolutely can say that you prefer other DAC's to the Berkeley Alpha Reference. personal preference. However, Id argue that there is sort of two trains of thought on this subject; one where theres absolute fidelity to the source material at all costs, and another that sounds great though to the listener but perhaps not absolutely true to the original source and I dont think its unfair to say that both these positions have their place in the world of playing tunes at home. Right now my favorite DACs in my system are the Pacific Microsonics Model 2 (for PCM), Phasure NOS1a (for PCM), Meridian Ultra (for MQA), and the Playback Designs MPS5 (for DSD128). I like Aqua Formula xHD and Totaldac Six. Let us do the work of refurbishing and finding your current electronics a new hometheyll continue to be enjoyed for years to come. Some very good advice here. https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/how-to-support-audio-science-review.8150/, Check the true bit-depth of your files and audio engine, Guide to Subwoofer Calibration and Bass Preferences, Know your limits (Sound Exposure Safety Chart), Topping DX7 Pro+ vs Chord DAVE measurements (Cosmos ADC) - DAVE is better in some areas (surprise! When a dealer post something you have to take it with a enormous grain of salt. Too many DACs> Too many amps> Too many headphones. which make some people prefer this one to MSB Select II Point 85 Chord Dave and Mscaler (or Blue II transport) This one give transparent and 3D soundstage with excellent details. Personally we have A/B 76 different digital front ends. Thanks guys! Digital Audio Forum: DAC, Transports, Digital Processing Forum, 4x20A circuits | Audioquest Niagara 3000 | Paul Hynes SR4T + HDPlex HD500 PSUs -> Music PC w/JCAT XE nic, HQPlayer, Roon, Tidal / Qobuz | HDPlex HD100 PSU -> OCX clock + EtherRegen | Aqua Acoustic Quality LinQ streamer | Aqua Acoustic Quality Formula xHD Rev. Thanks. And in the case of a great DAC with great amps in a system with very low noise, going direct to the amps can be magical. Sounds shrill on my workstation and work laptop. I agree with what you are saying but "far too often" the It's not just a matter of being polite, it's also about acknowledging that what we hear and what we prefer is uncertain and changes; that the comparisons were made at different points in time wherein my system had varying levels of resolution/ noise; the fact that making a change requires greater energy and usually more money than staying with what you have; and that sometimes the differences between components are not significant or actionable. You'll be shocked by how much you lose by going through a separate preamp. In my assessment the Makua offered a more open and spacious sound. @ricred1, youre right to point that out. Its a clever thing meaning that their products are repairable and upgradeable for example, you can have a card that is set up for single-ended outputs or balanced XLR outputs (for review we have the balanced version). Great Dac but for me a NOS DAC (Metrum Adagio) won the contest over all the others Dacs I have tried so far. 1 - MSB Discrete 2 - dCS Bartok 3 - Mola Mola Tambaqui 4 - Chord DAVE (add the M Scaler later) 5 - Keep my Ayre QX-5 Twenty, do nothing Thanks! I don't think any of us have heard the Dave, and we don't have any interest. I wish you would have had the Totaldac D1 Seven to try. Id imagine that upscaling refers to increasing bit-depth (like from 16 to 24 bits) which adds "vertical" resolution to the waveform in theory, improving amplitude resolution making subtle low-level detail more natural and audible (among other things) if done correctly. Oppo Modwright BDP-205 full mod. Sound Media Group Pty Ltd. All Rights Reserved. and this is borne out in the sound that this DAC brings to the party. You might want to consideradding oneof Chord's Upscalers, either HugoM scaler, or the Blu Mk. I'm looking for suggestions between $10K - $12K. @smodtactical I would not take price as any arbitrator of quality, especially nowadays. Founded in 2010 Whats Best Forum invites intelligent and courteous people of all interests and backgrounds to describe and discuss the best of everything. The Discrete DAC, The Premier DAC, The Reference DAC, The Select DAC II, Theater Master. dCS Bartok>Chord DAVE>MSB discrete discreteR2R R2R DAVE BartokdCSBartok Ps Audio Directstream Dac Vs Auralic Vega Founded in 2004, Games for Change is a 501(c)3 nonprofit that empowers game creators and social innovators to drive real-world impact through games and immersive media Here is the list : Trinity Designs [Trinity DAC] TotalDAC [d1-Six] Aqua Acoustic Quality [Formula xHD] MSB Technology [Select DAC II Full Option . As you mentioned imaging better, incredible PRaT with MSB. I haven't heard MSB or theDenafrips DAC. A fully balanced, ultra-high precision, discrete ladder DAC architecture ensures each note tells a story. Vega DAC 6/10 As dynamic as the Weiss, but a little too edgy in sound emphasised presence made female voices a bit hard on the ear. It will kick your ass. That is not to say that a preamp doesn't produce value with respect to other sound quality characteristics that may affect the personal appeal of the musical reproduction (e.g., soundstage), or that the extra transparency won't reveal system issues, but there is no question that transparency is higher when going straight to the amps. Sonically, it is akin to the old straight wire with gain only in the digital realm. DAVE is perfect for headphone system because you can save space and money of headphone amplifier. Like a true audiophile with "issues", I'm saying to myself, if at $8300 You could try some of the newer dacs that has gotten good reviews. Thats why were thrilled to offer up to 100% trade-in value for existing MSB products when upgrading to a higher performing series. The best upgrade for Dave easy. 2 are upscalers , not upsamplers. To cut a long story short: A burnt in MSB Analog DAC with Power Base demoed side to side to a burnt in DAVE was no challenge for the MSB. Well this is going to set the cat amongst the pigeons for sure. The BADA Ref is a great DAC and I understand the new version takes it to even another level. . Actual auditioning of the unit prior to purchase is paramount. If you currently have an MSB DAC or amplifier that you lovebut are looking to experience more from your systemplease reach out to your local dealer. I would say go for one of the other MSB ModelsThe Reference is half of the Select dac and the premier and discrete dacs are stunning performers for their price level Just in case it's not obvious, toetapaudio is a Mola Mola Dealer. Thank you for posting!
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