msb discrete dac vs chord davewhat to say when a guy says he's craving you

I have heard the Dave and EMM Labs DAC2x up against aMakua that I subsequently purchased. Mind you, I have chipless DSD with 1 bit processing, so the bar is set VERY high for me. This is a very odd one to describe but came to the fore on tracks like Pan Eros from World Of Drums and Percussion. Founded in 2010 Whats Best Forum invites intelligent and courteous people of all interests and backgrounds to describe and discuss the best of everything. 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. Thank you, Mike. ISOAcoustics Oreas footers. However, there is nothing wrong with "taking" recommendations, which help me build a list that I can use to research then find a way to audition my shortlist. Roon Endpoint You are using an out of date browser. The world's largest high-end audio community. "To be 100% honest we have A/B tested most of the dacs mentioned 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. To each their own, but I think Chord sounds cold and artificial. The Discrete Power Supply feeds the DAC with dual low-noise power streams that are linear and independent. And what streamer are you using to feed the DAC? 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). Good points by all. Anyway, I switched out the valve power amplifier and put in its place the Krell KST100 (all fully fettled and brought up to a better than new spec by Krell in the States) with my intention being to see what effect was the DAC and what was down to the amp basically isolating the effect to a component. The MSB DAC comes with one external PSU as standard. For the most part, I used this input and for a quick comparison one of the optical inputs. 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. This effect was evident on track after track but didnt feel like it was overly exaggerated. And this is what separates the very good from the excellent piece of audio equipment. I have great synergy in my system and see no reason to listen to every new DAC out there. Ill go through the modules included in the Discrete DAC and explain a little about each. As I said, its an odd one to describe but you do hear it as it brings a sense of rightness to rhythm tracks. Equipment used: - Roon - 3-in 1-out XLR switchbox - Goldpoint SA2X Attenuator - Benchmark AHB2 Amplifier - Hifiman Susvara headphones (Also used Arya and HD800S but for the most part susvara) Video review of DAVE + Mscaler here: And thinking more about it, the differences at the time could have been small because the noise level in my system at the time of the comparison were relatively higher than they are now. As a matter of fact, I'd appreciate getting your impressions. personal preference." - Meat Loaf. This latter recording gets played to death at shows, but that doesnt detract from it being a very good tune and a very good recording, though I have been known to take the piss a bit when it gets played for the tenth time in a day at audio events. 2001-2023 Head-Fi.org. I cant help with comparisons of two of these DACs, but I did hear the Tambaqui up against the dCS Bartok and it was a pretty close call, but ultimately the dCS sounded more analogue and more immersive, I have heard the Dave and EMM Labs DAC2x up against aMakua that I subsequently purchased. I like Aqua Formula xHD and Totaldac Six. At some point you have to be content in this hobby. have had the opportunity to A/B many more pieces of equipment than any consumer Copyright Hifi Pig and Hifi Pig Magazine, Big Pig Media LLP. It may not display this or other websites correctly. I hate to repeat myself, but there are no absolutes in audio, only preferences. As the noise in my system keeps getting lower, the PM2 keeps reaching deeper to find even more musical engagement and purity in standard 16/44 files. 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. To build a simple and good system). I'd also look at the Mola-Mola Tambaqui and the new dCS Bartok. And now that my system is much more resolving, it's possible that the differences could be larger and my preferences could change. Out of all of the DACs I've The other stand out dacs that we like are the I understand that audio stores and distribution companies have the opportunity to A/B a significant amount of equipment. 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. 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. November 11, 2020 in Digital Sources, DACs, and Computer Audio. what Im saying is that comparing dacs also must take into account of all the interface advantages of each particular dac. @smodtactical I would not take price as any arbitrator of quality, especially nowadays. I believe it comes down to and the MSB Select II has a huge advantage over other dacs with its modularity and in-house development which promotes, in a very timely way, keeping the product at the very tip top cutting edge of digital interface developments. The end users ears are the only ears that count. I wanted to know for anyone who has heard it have you also heard a DAC that approached it in sonic performance? Too many DACs> Too many amps> Too many headphones. 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. prefer to keep our test results among ourselves. @ricred1, I would like to suggest you take a look at the Mola Mola Tambaqui when it arrives later this month I understand. Only hifi shops and shows hear and there. All in all the Discrete DAC is beautiful looking, minimal, easy to set up (its all but plug and play if you turn both the PSUs on) and it feels like a proper bit of audio engineering. I submit dealers use the statement "component X competes against much more expensive components" far too often. You are using an out of date browser. It would have been a different outcome though with the Cyrus pre-amp I previously owned, which cast a veil over everything. I still did not found better audio source. 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. 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. You go off people's opinions and hope it'll match your equipment and system when you put the hard earned down. 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. There are so. As the topic suggests, looking for comparisons on the above Dacs from people who have atleast heard and compared 2 of these dacs. Digital inputs : RCA coax, AES/EBU XLR, 2x Toslink optical, 2x module slots, word . It's too damn expensive, full stop. Great Dac but for me a NOS DAC (Metrum Adagio) won the contest over all the others Dacs I have tried so far. At $20,000 I recommend the MSB Premier DAC with two power supplies (KeithRs system). He liked the Mola Mola Tambaqui over these others listed below. Like x 5 List Check out the awards + accolades. 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. 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'm looking for suggestions on DACs I should listen to as possible replacement of my Chord Dave. SoundLab A1Px's, ARC REF40, VTL Siegfired II, cj GAT2, cj ART, DCS Vivaldi 2.0 stack, Taiko Audio SGM Extreme, TechDas AF1+ , Graham Phamtom III, Sumiko Palo Santos, vdH Black Beauty, ARC Phono 3, Studer A80, Crystal Dreamline, Transparent Audio Ref XL digital and Ref Gen V power cables, CenterStage footers, Nordost Qkore6' s and QB8's! While it's an easy setup to wrangle at a show, it does seem like it wasn't doing either component any favours! DAVE is the most advanced DAC Chord Electronics has ever made. connection because it eliminates some parts and gets you closer to a direct the Select II pushes the analog to be its best. This is because one PSU is supplying juice to modules including the screen and USB input etc but not to the output module. If so I'd recommend the Aqua Formula xHD and the TotalDAC d1-Seven. Now, this is an important and quite a cool lesson in what is going on with the two PSUs. That's just too money for the performance. How does the PS Audio DirectStream DAC compare to the Chord DAC? Chord states "DAVE is the most advanced DAC we have ever made. @yyzsantabarbara, your dealer quote is interesting, I suspected that the Mola Mola was that good. 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. You already have a very top tier DAC. The Discrete DAC, The Premier DAC, The Reference DAC, The Select DAC II, Theater Master. The DAVE is very resolving, but thinner tonally in comparison to the EMM Labs. Well this is going to set the cat amongst the pigeons for sure. It is a pretty DAC but usability is left behind. You absolutely can say that you prefer other DAC's to the Berkeley Alpha Reference. It could sound analytical or hot coupled with bright combination of speaker and amplifier. This unit came with two power supplies and Ill be playing with the DAC with one and with two to compare and contrast. 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. From beginners to life-long hobbyists to industry professionals, we enjoy learning about new things and meeting new people, and participating in spirited debates. The main reason we took on Rockna was because their In that price range, you would be mad not to addthe MSB Premier DAC to your list as well. Stuart Smith finds out. So yes it's a question of being polite, but it's also about acknowledging the limitations inherent in making absolute pronouncements about differences between high performing components. 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. The Chord DAVE was also on my list, but I decided to pass (my Chord retailer was very 'pushy' and not helpful). Australian Business Number 38 650 151 296, Digital Sources, DACs, and Computer Audio, Chord Dave vs Mola Mola Makua/Tambaqui vs Emm Labs Dac2x vs Rockna Wavedream. Since the Topping D70s SINAD is ~120 dB and it costs ~$650, then given that "money is power" (as opposed to amplitude), I would expect the Chord DAVE SINAD to be at least 120 + 10*log($14,000 / $650) = 133.3 dB. In that time, weve pushed the industry forward with each product weve built, redefining whats possible. I would have loved if you heard them in the same system for a direct comparison. Please specify coaxial S/PDiF or optical S/PDiF. I have a PS Audio DSD ATM and it is also on the warm side which is good, but I'm thinking I need something more neutral due to my speakers being fairly warm and full bodied in their own right to take my system to the next level. 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. Fair enough if you know some of the posters here and their listening preferences. 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. Dealer's should be required to state they're a dealer every time they post or have a disclaimer in their username. Compared to some other similarly priced DACs ($10 - $15k MSRP) I prefer the Discrete with 2 Discrete PS. I dont know as that was years ago and I dont have one here to test against. The good DS (delta sigma) dacs that aren't hard or harsh, are a bit of a yawn, and lack bringing out the life (boogie factor) of the music, but in a . This would help to take your digital playback upa few levels. This is a company that is All American and fiercely proud of that fact. 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. With the Bartok now quite a few $$$ more, the Tambaqui represents a fantastic price v performance ratio that would be at home in most highly resolving systems. But in the specific case of the BADA and PM2, if you wish for me to be more precise, then taking into account that I only had the BADA ref for a very short time, the bottom line was that I didn't feel at the time that the difference between the PM2 in my system was significant enough to make it worth the energy to change components or the potential financial loss involved in a trade. You might want to consideradding oneof Chord's Upscalers, either HugoM scaler, or the Blu Mk. This puts it up against some serious competition! 2 are upscalers , not upsamplers. The Discrete is around 11,000 whilst the Select is 120,750 with its power base. luxury apartment hotels paris. For sure with Hugo and Qutenot even debatable. 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. This is a dealers email comment to me about comparisons he did. It matches Chord Dave and Mscaler on dynamics with slightly more bass slam. Taiko Audio Extreme > Sablon Audio Reserva Elite USB2022/Sablon Audio Reserva Ethernet2020> Aqua Formula XHDV2 > Sablon Audio King Sablon Interconnects > LDR pre > PuLSar45 DC SE amp > Sablon Audio Reserva speaker cables (pigtailed) > Avantgarde Duo Omega( Duelund xover). MSB Technology Discrete Modular DAC Page 2. The PM2 is very special. Unless they have the exact same components as the end user, it's impossible to tell that customer how component X will sound in their system. 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 https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-rothschild-70aab85/, Headphones and Personal Audio with Pitch Perfect Service. 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! So this was headphones straight out of the DAVE? Ultimately, reducing noise in a system or improving room acoustics can have a bigger effect. Talking of cool lets talk about this remote. 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 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. Astrostar here, said it completely blew away any dac he had before, and mind you, he has the entry level AC model. But the majority of the time all 6 of Firstly, that was a very impressive list of high end components you have listened to. very important and our preference connection is an i2S connection. Search: Msb Discrete Dac Vs Chord Dave. 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. I would just add budget and the other components in the system are major factors to consider. fake by any means necessary jacket. there are others I know about but Ive not heard them recently. 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. Our publication is supported by its audience. personal preference. Can't beat the form factor of it though, great for off a desk top. Watts is avidly not reading this in anticipation of the video version he won't watch. More sharing . Putting price aside, what are your thoughts about the Hugo TT as an integrated DAC+amp? Perhaps thats a bit of an odd example for me to use as its a bit World Music but you are also made aware of the rightness of timing on percussive techno tracks. https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/a-dac-that-crushes-price-vs-performance-ratio. The MSB Discrete DAC is an American made Digital to Analogue Converter costing 11,000 plus an extra 1650 for the second external power supply. Is it too hot to touch? No matter what ice cream you prefer, I prefer something else. The Hugo TT2 is intended to bridge the gap between the range topping DAVE and budget Qutest rack mounted offerings. a year ago I got the new Renderer V2 which was a step up over USB. How does it compare? You'll be shocked by how much you lose by going through a separate preamp. Going by the performance of the Mola Mola Makua (pre with dac module) it will be extremely good. Is it better than the Chord DAVE that I raved about a few years ago? For some folk, a highly resolving and accurate system may well be described as being over-analytical, and on the other side of the audio fence, some will suggest that some systems sound nice but flawed. The headamp is powerful but not involving. Unfortunately not, I'm going the second hand route as I've done with most of my setup. And this is where I had a problem with this DAC, though mostly the problem was of my own making. Still would like to listen to the Soulution 760 DAC, Mola Mola DAC, Trinity DAC, MSB Select DAC, and maybe the Light Harmonic Da Vinci DAC, Gryphon Kalliope DAC, TotalDAC of some kind, Phasure NOS1A DAC, Esoteric Grandioso DAC, TAD DA1000 DAC, Audionet DAC, Chord Dave DAC . I expected a lot better. the Extreme has some special optimization for USB. A fully balanced, ultra-high precision, discrete ladder DAC architecture ensures each note tells a story. It is a manual step which I forgot. There are some tonal differences too, but what you prefer will depend on your other equipment and the music you like. Cs | Critical Mass CS2s -> components, Isoacoustics -> speakers + subs | Adona Eris II rack on Herbie's titanium footers | Fully treated and dedicated 2 channel room. Up to 1km lossless transmission. This leaner and cleaner edge has the effect of adding a level of perceived detail to the listening experience. This one has similar sound signature to MSB Premier But it is half notch below MSB Premier on dynamics, details, soundstage. With two prime DACs, we yield an unprecedented level of detail, reproducing the musicality, soundstage, and texture of an original performance, bringing the artist to you. I have personally not observed this - with either the DAVE or my Mojo. Along with an integrated clock, changing this card allows switching between single-ended and balanced outputs. comes down to knowing what you are actually trying to achieve in a high end The only other items in the chain were the Stack streamer and a pretty well-sorted network setup. I've owned a PS Audio Sablon Audio King/Prince power cords throughout. Couldn't agree more. Gbel High End [Divin Noblesse], [Divin Marquis], ([Epoque Aeon Fine]). lastly; what I compare my MSB Select II to every day is my top level vinyl and top level reel to reel tape. 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.

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