Ill go through the modules included in the Discrete DAC and explain a little about each. for instance, the Select II is modular (customers can easily change modules in seconds)so it has the ability to quickly modify its inputs to allow for optimization of various interfaces. Out of all of the DACs I've A Chord DAC converts to analog via Chord's "Pulse Array DAC" which is a discrete circuit, similar to the discrete circuit used in the MSB DACs (but not the same). I like all this attention to detail and the MSB website suggests a company that is massively proud of its American heritage and of the products they make. I agree with what you are saying but "far too often" the @yyzsantabarbara, your dealer quote is interesting, I suspected that the Mola Mola was that good. MSB Technology Discrete Modular DAC Page 2 | Hi-Fi News The reasoning behind the two clocks dealing with different frequency families is that music is mostly recorded within multiples of the 44.1kHz family or the 48kHz family and having a clock dealing with each family minimises loss. Everyone hears differentlyI heard the Dave with the Blu and I prefer it without it. Of course this DAC is super pricey and out of the reach of many (including me). I expected a lot better. Founded in 2010 Whats Best Forum invites intelligent and courteous people of all interests and backgrounds to describe and discuss the best of everything. Of the ones you mentioned I'd be most tempted by the Emm Labs DAC 2x though if you can get a used higher-end Esoteric, you should jump on it. Over the air updates will ensure that your renderer always has the latest capabilities and ultimate convenience. 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. Now, this is an important and quite a cool lesson in what is going on with the two PSUs. 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! luxury apartment hotels paris. fake by any means necessary jacket. He liked the Mola Mola Tambaqui over these others listed below. 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. I haven't heard MSB or theDenafrips DAC. Well this is going to set the cat amongst the pigeons for sure. 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. As you pursue higher levels of playback, an MSB upgrade path is always available to help drive your own desire for innovation. 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. You might want to consider adding one of Chord's Upscalers, either Hugo M scaler , or the Blu Mk. You must log in or register to reply here. You could try some of the newer dacs that has gotten good reviews. digital front ends. Some very good advice here. Stainless steel buttons arrayed around an elegant volume wheel to optimize performance and response. And differences at that level can be good. Never use!! II cannot do anything but award this DAC our highest award, but that award goes with the caveats that it should be used directly into an amplifier and that Id like to have had the options for analogue inputs. I wanted to know for anyone who has heard it have you also heard a DAC that approached it in sonic performance? I've had many world class DACS in my studio over the years and the Crane Song is as good as any no matter the cost. Over the air updates will ensure that your renderer always has the latest capabilities and ultimate convenience. 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. @ricred1, I would like to suggest you take a look at the Mola Mola Tambaqui when it arrives later this month I understand. Our publication is supported by its audience. The only true way for the end user to know what they prefer is through listening in their own system.. Auction bid 7 150 25 . Who knows ?! Digital inputs : RCA coax, AES/EBU XLR, 2x Toslink optical, 2x module slots, word . 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. 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. heard, I could easily live with the Aeris, Dave, or Wavedream. CD - SACD DAC player Music Server MSB Technology, CH precision,Chord CHORD ELECTRONICS DAVE | Page 934 - Head-Fi.org what Im saying is that comparing dacs also must take into account of all the interface advantages of each particular dac. Or arm yourself with a nice bottle of red and pay a visit to@Stereophilus. Amplification: Cyrus Mono x300Signatures. Actually the ChordHugo M Scaler and the Blu Mk. To be 100% honest we have A/B tested most of the dacs mentioned I agree price is necessarily indicative of quality or performance. retail client forgets that most audio stores and audio distribution companies 1 Link to comment Share on other sites. From beginners to life-long hobbyists to industry professionals, we enjoy learning about new things and meeting new people, and participating in spirited debates. But the majority of the time all 6 of 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. I found it big bold brash and dynamic but hard cold glary and fatiguing - all the old fashioned things I hated about early digital. The only true way for the end user to know what they prefer is through listening in their own system. See what the reviews are saying. It's my understanding that the Wavedream only Strangely from this company is lack of any anti-aliasing on the text causing pixels to not be seen in the fonts chosen! 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). Both DACs connected directly to power amp using each DACs volume controle. 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. 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. and this is borne out in the sound that this DAC brings to the party. and build quality is also excellent. When connecting to the MScaler, Dual-BNC was used on the chord dacs with shawline digital BNC cables. It is worth every penny. I believe it comes down to 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. Sound Media Group Pty Ltd. All Rights Reserved. As a contented Qutest user, I would have hoped for "improved", performance from the Dave. But even with great preamps, a great DAC in a low noise environment, will produce a more transparent sound going direct to the amps than through the preamp. 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! Chord DAVE DAC Preamp Amplifier - Moon Audio For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. But if you don't, what is your reference point? I wish you would have had the Totaldac D1 Seven to try. I just heard DAVE directly connected to MacBook Pro via USB without any expensive cables, headphone amplifier, power conditioner. This is THE place where audiophiles and audio companies discuss vintage, contemporary and new audio products, music servers, music streamers, computer audio, digital-to-analog converters, turntables, phono stages, cartridges, reel-to-reel tape machines, speakers, headphones and tube and solid-state amplification. 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. 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). 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. Then we have the Integrated Clock module and Im starting to get the whole modular approach to the design of the MSB DAC. You're very polite about how you describe your preferences, cmarin. Thank you all for your answers. connection to the dac chip. Any MSB fans here ? - Page 3 - DAC - Digital to Analog Conversion In that price range, you would be mad not to addthe MSB Premier DAC to your list as well. I don't understand why Chord DACs have to be so damn ugly! 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 puts it up against some serious competition! Playing Gil Scott-Heron and Brian Jacksons Your Daddy Loves You from the Winter in America album gave me the same impression of a reach-out-and-touch soundscape with incredibly well-defined positions in the mix and a whole load of detail the over-driven sound of the electric piano at around a minute forty really stood out as being faithful to the recording; a case of high-fidelity highlighting a low-fidelity artefact? The DAVE is very resolving, but thinner tonally in comparison to the EMM Labs. 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. MSB Discrete DAC | Hifi Pig I've sometimes heard people say that DAVE is too bright or analytical for them. a year ago I got the new Renderer V2 which was a step up over USB. 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. those surpass any other digital choice. And yes, you can improve it more by adding nice power source and cable. An FPGA does not have analog output, in the Chord DACs, the FPGA handles digital processing only, not conversion from digital to analog. You are using an out of date browser. Copyright Hifi Pig and Hifi Pig Magazine, Big Pig Media LLP. This gives us lots of headroom for future sample rates and audio formats.. Btw, my MSB friend and I used the internal analog preamp for MSB and built-in digital preamp for DAVE. There are separate optimal PCM and DSD modes for playbacks and bit perfect playback is how DAVE performs optimally as the FPGA up samples and noise shapes everything to 104MHz 5-bit. So thats it and I think the only thing I think Ive left out of the build part of this DAC is the 3 buttons and the knob on the front panel which are used for manually changing the volume and menu diving, though all this can be done from the remote. the North American distributors for Rockna so I thought I would jump in on this Only hifi shops and shows hear and there. I agree with your statement. msb discrete dac vs chord dave - 1click3d.com Talking of cool lets talk about this remote. That's just too money for the performance. This one has similar sound signature to MSB Premier But it is half notch below MSB Premier on dynamics, details, soundstage. Is it better than the Chord DAVE that I raved about a few years ago? You already have a very top tier DAC. JavaScript is disabled. 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. 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. Thats not allthe CNC unibody aluminum chassis provides the discrete power supply with optimal thermal performance and an elegant design aesthetic. dCS Bartok>Chord DAVE>MSB discrete discreteR2R R2R DAVE BartokdCSBartok The Discrete is around 11,000 whilst the Select is 120,750 with its power base. I say take what everyone post when a grain of salt, because an individual's preference may be different than yours. 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. Thanks. 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. We feel home system and listening for that end result. I know it is a standard talking point by some to suggest that Chord DACs aren't as good with DSD as PCM. I havent heard the Rockna. There is no such thing as a "FPGA DAC"! I'm looking for suggestions between $10K - $12K. Well, you may not have heard a lot of high-end DAC's in your system, but the one's you've listed are pretty darned good. sounds just like the Dave. 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. as my Select II sits it would list for $116,450. "Im not sure if there are algorithms that can add high-frequency information that wasnt captured in the original sampled result". The SQ is amazingly good. You already have a very top tier DAC. I think people buy what they like. First let me preface my comments by stating that I have not heard a lot of high end DACs in my system. There is no dark magic involved. Many of these were already in a shootout on Audiogon with the same requirements - has to sound stellar on 16/44.1 tracks: I agree that the DAVE plus Blu 2 is spectacular, but not in a "hi fi" sense. state his/her experience and preferences. 5 other people who only have 2 things in common with our system. This is the main advantage of DAVE (i.e. Its headphone amplifier is good but no match for higher powered units. 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. 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. How is Chord Dave? | Super Best Audio Friends 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. Not sure why you would spend so much on a DAC when the Crane Song Solaris is available at $1,949. MSB thrives off the innovation required to meet consumer demands. list the Rockna Wavedream Edition sounds this good, how good does their 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. the Select II pushes the analog to be its best. Best DACs comparison test result [[My Subjective Opinion]] The DAC has two modes; multi-bit PCM and single-bit discrete DSD mode. Digital: Jay's Audio CDT2 MK2 CD transport, Modified MHDT Labs Balanced Pagoda DAC. The next module is the display which is a cool and easy-to-read LED that is slaved to the audio clock. If I want to build a complicated system, I won't consider DAVE because for the position of DAC, I can choose from other brands (Totaldac, NADAC, Rockna, Prismsound 8XR etc) at the same price. 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. Whats Best Forum is THE forum for high end audio, product reviews, advice and sharing experiences on the best of everything else. Im sure it does have a flavour of its own, but from my standpoint, it sounds like a very neutral and transparent DAC. Nothing was amiss. 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 . 2. I listen mostly to classical music, particularly with symphonic work, I prefer DAVE to MSB. The sonic signature is detailed and yet easy to listen to, with the Discrete bringing a sense of the recordings scale (big or small) to the listening experience. DLNA Protocol. Wavedream only has a couple hours on it, but from the first note it Would love to hear your opinions of which was better and why? 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. Im outputting directly to the LAB12 (and later a Krell KST100) power amp and so a digital volume algorithm is used where the digital volume control is left at a relatively high output so as not to encounter loss at lower volume levels. Founded in 2010 Whats Best Forum invites intelligent and courteous people of all interests and backgrounds to describe and discuss the best of everything. I did have the BADA Ref in my system for a short audition, and the Trinity And CH Precision C1 for a longer stay during a previous iteration of my system. I have personally not observed this - with either the DAVE or my Mojo. However, there are two inputs for external PSUs and a little doodad/adapter that allows the use of one external PSU. 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 What makes you want to upgrade from DAVE? MSB Discrete Dac with one additional basic power supply. I still did not found better audio source. I dont know as that was years ago and I dont have one here to test against. 2 are upscalers , not upsamplers. DAVE is perfect for headphone system because you can save space and money of headphone amplifier. After a year of listening to various components I'm content. The Base module is used on the two lower DACs (including this one) and then the Preamp Output Stage for the top two DACs in the range. It may not display this or other websites correctly. Guess what I am trying to say is: preamps are important. It would be absolute suicide for an audio distributor to Astrostar here, said it completely blew away any dac he had before, and mind you, he has the entry level AC model. Up to 32 bit 768kHz The Chord DAVE was also on my list, but I decided to pass (my Chord retailer was very 'pushy' and not helpful). As I listen to this tune a few times it strikes me that the Discrete is just that (discrete), it doesnt seem to add a great deal of itself to the file it is playing. that it is difficult to say you have the best in regard to dacs but Rockna is 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. Like x 5 List I mean is it audibly noticeable? Dave gets a "thumbs up" overall from me though. - MQA decoding. Moving away from the actual sound of the music, one of my main takeaways from listening to the Discrete was the sense of timing it brought to music. Your web browser does not support iFrames. Some silly sausage plugged a white power cable into a black device. Too objective for subjectivists; too subjective for objectivsts.

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