If so I'd recommend the Aqua Formula xHD and the TotalDAC d1-Seven. - Roon Endpoint. lastly; what I compare my MSB Select II to every day is my top level vinyl and top level reel to reel tape. 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. The bottom line for me is that great DACs can make a difference over good DACs. We have what I consider to be a pretty resolving system, but we also listen to music a fair old bit for pure pleasure and so theres a valve amp currently feeding our chosen reference loudspeakers though thats not to say this system isnt highly resolving in its own right. They are all excellent DACs and at that level of performance, it's ultimately about system synergy, personal preferences and the limitations of our hearing. The Discrete Power Supply feeds the DAC with dual low-noise power streams that are linear and independent. Elegant design. 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. I don't like Dave with or without upsampler but I do like Auralic G2 with their upsampler and clock. This DAC is 11,000 and as such, it is a considerable investment to make, but I would suggest that this is not stupid money for the kind of transparency and clarity it brings. An FPGA does not have analog output, in the Chord DACs, the FPGA handles digital processing only, not conversion from digital to analog. more might come to mind and I will add them. comparing top dacs directly is a bit challenging, even if you have them both together. I haven't yet come across one DAC that is best and will completely dominate other great DACs across all audio evaluation parameters. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Less experience with Dave on DSD, plus Rob claims to no longer decimate. Thank you all for your answers. I auditioned a DAVE (not deconstructed) and TT2 and found all Chord products lacked the musicality of MSB. I still did not found better audio source. Perhaps you should consider the Accuphase DC-37 currently for sale in the classifieds? 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. I have enjoyed my time with the MSB Discrete DAC a great deal. So take it for what it is. The demo model came in brushed aluminium but you can also get black. In my assessment the Makua offered a more open and spacious sound. Wavedream only has a couple hours on it, but from the first note it Dedicated Line DSD/DXD | Audirvana+ | iFi iDSD Nano | SET Tube Amp | Totem Mites, Surround: VLC | M-Audio FastTrack Pro | Mac Opt | Panasonic SA-HE100 | Logitech Z623, DIY: SET Tube Amp | Low-Noise Linear Regulated Power Supply | USB, Power, Speaker Cables | Speaker Stands | Acoustic Panels, You need to be a member in order to leave a comment. Like the Lab12. 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. Ill not get into the whole detail of this here but the MSB website does have an excellent (and interesting) explanation of jitter and why having a very low jitter clock is favourable to having a very accurate clock theres a link at the bottom of this review. The Chord DAVE was also on my list, but I decided to pass (my Chord retailer was very 'pushy' and not helpful). Any specific reason you wanna replace the Dave? I believe it comes down to Needless to say given everything talked about so far, the Prime DAC modules are made in-house and they have been making and designing discrete ladder DACs since 1999. DLNA Protocol. To build a simple and good system). Will do. And yes, you can improve it more by adding nice power source and cable. In that time, weve pushed the industry forward with each product weve built, redefining whats possible. You go off people's opinions and hope it'll match your equipment and system when you put the hard earned down. My first serious audio system was Garrard turntable, Fisher Int(SS), ADS bookspeaker bought on 1978. MQA decoding definitely up there with the best dacs in the world. 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). Others might disagree but these are my findings. Founded in 2010 Whats Best Forum invites intelligent and courteous people of all interests and backgrounds to describe and discuss the best of everything. as far as direct comparison with other dacs the closest Ive done is listening to the Select II at shows and then listening to other top dacs in other systems at shows. I have had Dave in my system. But dont take our word for it. StereoNET (Australia) is part of an international network of publications owned wholly by Sound Media Group (Australia). Sound Media Group Pty Ltd For sure with Hugo and Qutenot even debatable. But then we have to apply the law of diminishing returns. You are using an out of date browser. This is a review, detailed measurements and listening tests of CHORD DAVE combination DAC and headphone amplifier. The other issue is preference. the Extreme has some special optimization for USB. other dacs I have enjoyedin no particular order; I would not call this second tier; but I prefer what hear from my Select II to what Ive heard from these. 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! Up to 8X DSD The only other items in the chain were the Stack streamer and a pretty well-sorted network setup. Like the rest of the main body of the DAC and the PSUs, the remote is hewn from a block of aluminium. This is how MSB describe these modules: Its best to think of our DAC modules as a black box: the modules take the raw digital data in and output a continuous voltage. I recently bought a DAC with a digital volume control precisely to bypass the preamp, but when I compared the two approaches there was very little between them. Besides that the MSB looks so much better. Btw, my MSB friend and I used the internal analog preamp for MSB and built-in digital preamp for DAVE. The Merriam-Webster online dictionary tells me that the definition of high-fidelity (HiFi) is the reproduction of an effect (such as sound or an image) that is very faithful to the original and it would seem to be reasonable to assume that this is the goal of audiophiles around the world. I've owned a PS Audio Fair enough if you know some of the posters here and their listening preferences. I did try with just the one power supply and the Discrete remained a very strong performer with the differences being a very slight loss in the sense of separation and definition when listening intently. The USB module is completely electrically isolated and is again a standalone module capable of 32 bit#768kHz, MQA decoding and 8X DSD. MSB DACs also use a processing chip to handle oversampling and digital filtering (not sure if this chip is an FPGA or other type processing chip, but it is a high speed digital processing chip). What didn't you like about the Dave? - Up to 32 bit - 768kHz. And now that my system is much more resolving, it's possible that the differences could be larger and my preferences could change. I think people buy what they like. You must log in or register to reply here. Triangle Magellan Concerto 2< AQEverest< Vitus Audio SS-010 Mk2< AQDragon High Current< AQWELXLR< ChordQutestDAC w UpTone JS-2 & AQ Dragon Source < AQDiamond USB< InnuosPhoenix USBwAQ Dragon Source< AurenderN100H & AQ Dragon Source< NetGear GS105GESwitch w UpTone LPS1.2< Supra CAT8 Ethernet 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. 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). Conversely, you could spend a lot more and not gain a great deal in real terms. and as I said earlier there is no "best" when it comes to dacs or The biggest question about this device is, Yeah listened to the same HEk V2 and Chord Dave with. heard, I could easily live with the Aeris, Dave, or Wavedream. My wife said it Personally, I think that both these standpoints have their merits and its going to be a case of you paying your money and you taking your choice. retail client forgets that most audio stores and audio distribution companies JavaScript is disabled. Great Dac but for me a NOS DAC (Metrum Adagio) won the contest over all the others Dacs I have tried so far. I wired it all up and the unit lit up but I could get no sound out of it whatsoever. The only true way for the end user to know what they prefer is through listening in their own system. At $20,000 I recommend the MSB Premier DAC with two power supplies (KeithRs system). Analogue Volume Control 1dB from 0 to 106 Deactivable by menu, Dimensions ChassisWidth : 432 mmDepth: 305 mmHeight without feet: 51 mm. 2. 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). They both use FPGA for their decoding. You're very polite about how you describe your preferences, cmarin. Wherever I read I see unanimous praise for the MSB Select II. I may need to reset expectations a bit lower: This is an update to some old DAVE vibration control posts. The other stand out dacs that we like are the I had the DAVE for 3years, it is an amazing DAC. This effect was evident on track after track but didnt feel like it was overly exaggerated. 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. Mola Mola is another well built great sounding By clicking links on our site, we may earn affiliate commission, but our editorial remains entirely independent and unbiased. Let us do the work of refurbishing and finding your current electronics a new hometheyll continue to be enjoyed for years to come. Many competing DACs will have a more comprehensive display at this price and, more commonly still, an app designed for intuitive access via smartphone and/or tablets. By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies. I would just add budget and the other components in the system are major factors to consider. Look, says I theres obviously a fault with this unit as its lighting up, I can see it on the network and I can send tunes to it via the Stack streamer and Roon! We went through everything and I was getting ready to pack it up and send it back when I reached around the back of one of the PSUs and switched it on MUSIC!!! Founded in 2010 Whats Best Forum invites intelligent and courteous people of all interests and backgrounds to describe and discuss the best of everything. California crafted in-house from an aluminum billet, the enclosure feels solid yet refined. In that time, weve pushed the industry forward with each product weve built, redefining whats possible. 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.). It would have been a different outcome though with the Cyrus pre-amp I previously owned, which cast a veil over everything. - Meat Loaf. While were committed to long lasting products that hold their value, we realize audio systems are always evolving. so these are less preferred. You already have a very top tier DAC. And differences at that level can be good. The DAVE DAC does not perform anywhere near where it should. 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. MQA decoding I can see the problem with this unit. digital 149728-117859 MSB select II vs all dacs ? Along with an integrated clock, changing this card allows switching between single-ended and balanced outputs. MSB Technology's Discrete DAC was the best DAC I'd heard in my systemuntil the MSB Premier showed up. Nothing was amiss. 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. What ice cream do you prefer? Thats why were thrilled to offer up to 100% trade-in value for existing MSB products when upgrading to a higher performing series. It is my name after all! I havent heard the Rockna. Of course this DAC is super pricey and out of the reach of many (including me). You might want to consideradding oneof Chord's Upscalers, either HugoM scaler, or the Blu Mk. Like others said, I'd try first an MScaler with DAVE. Thanks. The other thing I've learned about the Chord Dave is it can sound very different depending on the interconnect and/or power cord used. I do however like the i2S connection better than any other Never use!! I haven't heard MSB or theDenafrips DAC. Im participating to both learn and make suggestions where I have experience that may help. @shkong78 how good is the dave + mscaler vs msb? So I personally prefer to listen to different DACs just like I prefer to listen to analog as well as digital. fake by any means necessary jacket. Auction bid 7 150 25 . The MSB DAC comes with one external PSU as standard. Whatever, the Discrete is a superb bit of kit that Id really love to take up residence in the system on a permanent basis, but thats not going to happen. Personally we have A/B 76 different digital front ends. And this is what separates the very good from the excellent piece of audio equipment. list the Rockna Wavedream Edition sounds this good, how good does their 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. The video cannot be shown. I have Chord Dave and Blu2 too. I have the Berkeley Alpha Reference DAC, waiting for an upgrade. With two prime DACs, the MSB Discrete yields an unprecedented level of detail that reproduces the musicality, soundstage and texture of an original performance, bringing the artist to you. It's easy! That's just too money for the performance. UPnP Protocol Did you audition all of them in the same place with the same system? Strangely, this new review is not displayed when you select the review folder on the homepage. What I do know is that the MSB brings an excellent level of performance by way of neutrality to a system that allows other parts of the system to do their thing its sort of the digital equivalent of a very (very) good cartridge. Even at very low listening levels, it was clear that the MSB was delivering a clean analogue output to the ampand Im aware that sounds a bit vague. If I got a great $20K DAC for less, I would not object. The Dave as a DAC actually sounds decent. But MSB Select 2 is regarded by many as the best thats why for something 1/10 of the price to compete in anyones eyes is quite an accomplishment. Complete electrical isolation As a contented Qutest user, I would have hoped for "improved", performance from the Dave. Were constantly improving digital input modules to stay at the forefront of the high-end audio industry, ensuring youre always equipped with the most current digital file formats and interfaces. CHORD Dave could be the most expensive deeply design DAC in the world and if you find it not your taste there is the best off the shelf DACs like akm4499 in Topping D90 for 699$ that could be even better than Dave. After a year of listening to various components I'm content. I also looked at the MSB Discrete DAC but everything thing was an extra cost option (USB, AES/EBU, power supply, etc.,) and expensive. One name that was thrown around by a few people I know is the Rockna Wavedream. The Hugo TT2 is intended to bridge the gap between the range topping DAVE and budget Qutest rack mounted offerings. Jon Hopkins Music For Psychedelic Therapy was a beautifully enveloping experience, made all the more so as sounds come and go in the soundstage in a somewhat more solid way than without the usual DAC.
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