I have Chord Dave and Blu2 too. in this forum and they are all very good dacs. frequency response graphs, CSD waterfall plots, subjective gear reviews. Have you thought about hooking up a Blu2 to Dave? 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 And now that my system is much more resolving, it's possible that the differences could be larger and my preferences could change. 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. have had the opportunity to A/B many more pieces of equipment than any consumer 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. The DAVE is very resolving, but thinner tonally in comparison to the EMM Labs. There is scale on bigger productions and intimacy on smaller-scale recordings and pieces, It wont make a pigs ear into a sows purse, but its majestic on really good recordings, Its very detailed but not harshly so actually, its a very easy component to fit in a system and live with, Its not cheap and you will want both PSUs once you compare with just one, No analogue inputs to make it the heart of a full system, You know that MSB have stuff that is out of reach financially and potentially better, Price: 11,000 plus 1,650 for a second power supply. Theyre not limited by audio formats, sample rates, or even speed. - Roon Endpoint. 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. Is it too hot to touch? I havent heard the Rockna. 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. 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. 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. The headamp is powerful but not involving. 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. Amplification: Cyrus Mono x300Signatures. I'll take a look, however I've heard they're on the warm side? I thought the DAVE was just as stunning with DSD as PCM. Put simply, your DAC is ready for the future. In my assessment the Makua offered a more open and spacious sound. 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. Like a true audiophile with "issues", I'm saying to myself, if at $8300 As the topic suggests, looking for comparisons on the above Dacs from people who have atleast heard and compared 2 of these dacs. It will kick your ass. The demo model came in brushed aluminium but you can also get black. Conversely, you could spend a lot more and not gain a great deal in real terms. Any specific reason you wanna replace the Dave? 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. The Chord DAVE was also on my list, but I decided to pass (my Chord retailer was very 'pushy' and not helpful). fake by any means necessary jacket. Concluding that there is some kind of problem with using an FPGA vs. what MSB does is not technically supportable. Thanks. 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 can only comment on the Emm labs, if u can get a DA2 I think you will be happy "An audiophile is only done when they go to the great brick and mortar store in the sky" Ron Resnick Besides that the MSB looks so much better. 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. MSB Technology Discrete Modular DAC Page 2. We await Phase 2 where all DACs are assessed using upsampled data via your Lumin U1 to establish ranking and the preferred format through each. There seemed to be a little more separation of instruments in the mix of whatever I was listening to than with the LAB12 DAC and Pre in the signal path and a slightly leaner edge to the music more clearly etched, perhaps? 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. 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! Stainless steel buttons arrayed around an elegant volume wheel to optimize performance and response. 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. What ice cream do you prefer? Then just stay with the basic Premier unit, and the power supply that comes with it. If you take a look at their website you will see that the machining shop is a fully equipped facility designed to meet the needs of a company producing high-quality cases in which the electronics will be fitted no off the shelf or cheap bent metal cases here! Cheers @Stereophilus At some point you have to be content in this hobby. You must log in or register to reply here. Equipped with high-visibility and a wide viewing angle, the display is both easy-to-read and stunning, exhibiting our love for intuitive features. 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. As a contented Qutest user, I would have hoped for "improved", performance from the Dave. I own the MSB Select II with the dual powerbases and 33 Femto Clock. Watts is avidly not reading this in anticipation of the video version he won't watch. I wanted to know for anyone who has heard it have you also heard a DAC that approached it in sonic performance? DAVE is the most advanced DAC Chord Electronics has ever made. Toggle signature. I believe it comes down to It's easy! Well build a personalized offer for your existing MSB products that count towards a new DAC or amplifier. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Its an interesting setup with everything from design through to milling the chassis to building the circuit boards being done in-house. "OK, it would be. It's my understanding that the Wavedream only If you send me a dave i will happily be your 4th friend who also owns a dave. Sound Media Group Pty Ltd. All Rights Reserved. . Compared to some other similarly priced DACs ($10 - $15k MSRP) I prefer the Discrete with 2 Discrete PS. Out of all of the DACs I've prefer to keep our test results among ourselves. Digital: Jay's Audio CDT2 MK2 CD transport, Modified MHDT Labs Balanced Pagoda DAC. It would only sound like sales so we 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. In that time, weve pushed the industry forward with each product weve built, redefining whats possible. Personally we have A/B 76 different digital front ends. I wired it all up and the unit lit up but I could get no sound out of it whatsoever. It is just as important as the DAC itself. A fully balanced, ultra-high precision, discrete ladder DAC architecture ensures each note tells a story. Actually the ChordHugo M Scaler and the Blu Mk. You might want to consider adding one of Chord's Upscalers, either Hugo M scaler , or the Blu Mk. Aurender N10 is still not a USB only dedicated streamer so you will not hear what USB audio is fully capable off through Ms/Dave. There are some tonal differences too, but what you prefer will depend on your other equipment and the music you like. I'm looking for suggestions between $10K - $12K. Im participating to both learn and make suggestions where I have experience that may help. I've had some excellent preamps in my system (Dartzeel, Absolare, Robert Koda, Kondo). subjective to a point and that is why we do blind testing and A/B testing with Not a bad idea Snoop! I have had Dave in my system. Too objective for subjectivists; too subjective for objectivsts. 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. I'm doing this off the top of my head. very important and our preference connection is an i2S connection. By I understand that audio stores and distribution companies have the opportunity to A/B a significant amount of equipment. Roon/Jriver 22 -> Ayre QX-5 Twenty -> Ayre AX-5 Twenty -> B&W N802D (Transparent Cables). 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. By clicking links on our site, we may earn affiliate commission, but our editorial remains entirely independent and unbiased. JavaScript is disabled. We are Whether its a software update or a leading-edge modular component, were here to help the most valued aspect of MSBour customers. 2 are upscalers , not upsamplers. How does it compare? Nice. - Meat Loaf. I agree price is necessarily indicative of quality or performance. Directstream, Bricasti M1, Jeff Rowland Aeris, Chord Dave, and today I 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. Chord Dave Replacement. Thank you, Mike. Thanks for the interesting reply, cmarin. SO/ROON/HQPe: DSD 256-Sonore opticalModuleDeluxe-Signature Rendu optical--Bricasti M3 DAC--DIY Purifi Amplifier-Focus Audio FS888 speakers-JL E 112sub-Nordost Tyr USB, DIY EventHorizon AC cables, Iconoclast XLR & speaker cables, Synergistic Purple Fuses, Spacetime system clarifiers. What makes you want to upgrade from DAVE? It's too damn expensive, full stop. 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. @ricred1, youre right to point that out. The Prime DAC Module. JavaScript is disabled. It is an unassuming but very nicely put together component that has had a great deal of thought put into the architecture of the parts that make it up. I may need to reset expectations a bit lower: This is an update to some old DAVE vibration control posts. I've sometimes heard people say that DAVE is too bright or analytical for them. 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. home system and listening for that end result. If I had been responsible for coding that display I would never tell anyone. CH Precision C1 DAC. EAR FILLERS HiFi Pig Playlists on Qobuz, Transatlantic Dispatches: A New World Disorder, Astell&Kern Launch Three New Products At High End Munich 2022. personal preference. DAVE stands for 'Digital to Analogue Veritas in Extremis', a moniker that best reflects the product's . And yes, you can improve it more by adding nice power source and cable. Sign up for a new account in our community. September 6, 2016 in DAC - Digital to Analog Conversion. The world's largest high-end audio community. Up to 32 bit 768kHz The bottom line for me is that great DACs can make a difference over good DACs. Can it output a Low or High Voltage on a single pin in a bitstream? I have the Berkeley Alpha Reference DAC, waiting for an upgrade. The Pro USB is offered as a stand alone module for users who already have an MSB DAC that is equipped with a Pro ISL input as well as a starter kit with a Pro ISL input and everything you need to get up and running. 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. This is a company that is All American and fiercely proud of that fact. The dCS Bartok was also interesting but, based on my research, I kept coming back to Bricasti. The 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 haven't heard MSB or theDenafrips DAC. Chord Dave Black New The Prime DAC With two prime DACs, MSB yields an unprecedented level of detail, reproducing the musicality, soundstage, and texture of an original performance, bringing the artist to you Ps Audio Directstream Dac Vs Auralic Vega Founded in 2004, Games for Change is a 501(c)3 nonprofit that empowers game creators and . sounds just like the Dave. 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. 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.