Click here to download your copy, At 11000 plus taxes as tested the Lampizator Big 7 is certainly no budget DAC, but does it deliver on sonic ability? and this is borne out in the sound that this DAC brings to the party. Founded in 2010 Whats Best Forum invites intelligent and courteous people of all interests and backgrounds to describe and discuss the best of everything. it just complimented my system better than those other two. Edited November 11, 2020 by seadog. When I have done the comparison with other DACs I have had at the same time - Ayre QX5-Twenty, EAR Dac 4, exasound e32 - often the immediate impression is that DAVE/Blu 2 is not quite as good - a bit dryer sounding, not quite as smooth, not as airy or three dimensional And yet, over the longer term, it is deeply satisfying at a musical level in a way that the other DACs are not. So, essentially, around the back of this DAC we have XLR output modules, dual power inputs (more on this in a moment) the digital input module (XLR, RCA, and two optical), and the USB input. Unfortunately not, I'm going the second hand route as I've done with most of my setup. 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. 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. By At $20,000 I recommend the MSB Premier DAC with two power supplies (KeithRs system). Theres just a sense that with the MSB in the line that everything is timed correctly and rock solid. "To be 100% honest we have A/B tested most of the dacs mentioned For the most part, I listened to the MSB through our LAB12 and Krell KST100 amps and TotalDAC D100 speakers. Thank you all for your answers. About Chord Vs Dac Discrete Msb Dave . 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. Up to 8X DSD 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. I mean is it audibly noticeable? Stainless steel buttons arrayed around an elegant volume wheel to optimize performance and response.
MSB Technology Premier Digital-to-Analog Converter 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. Looks like your budget goes up to ~$20k? And I make Best DAC Quality Ranking list. The MSB Discrete, as I mentioned, came with two power supplies but you can operate it with just one with the supplied doodad. Stuart Smith finds out. Strangely, this new review is not displayed when you select the review folder on the homepage. sounds just like the Dave. frequency response graphs, CSD waterfall plots, subjective gear reviews. I hate to repeat myself, but there are no absolutes in audio, only preferences. The DACs are individually shielded and thermally-bonded and multiple units are used per channel, which MSB tells us increases performance and lowers output impedance. And if I had to guess (given I haven't heard both), I'd guess it outperforms the Tambaqui. "Im not sure if there are algorithms that can add high-frequency information that wasnt captured in the original sampled result".
Does anyone have formula for that? DAVE is perfect for headphone system because you can save space and money of headphone amplifier. This effect was evident on track after track but didnt feel like it was overly exaggerated. However, the extra PSU does add to the cost considerably! We feel I agree with your statement. They both use FPGA for their decoding. @ricred1, youre right to point that out. In that time, weve pushed the industry forward with each product weve built, redefining whats possible. But DAVE also seems to me to highlight the original recording so if the recording is flat, the playback sounds flat (still with great accurate timbre) but if the recording really showcase the soundstage and the 3-dimensionality of the instruments and vocals, DAVE really portrays that well. 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. An FPGA does not have analog output, in the Chord DACs, VLC | M-Audio FastTrack Pro | Mac Opt | Panasonic SA-HE100 | Logitech Z623, : SET Tube Amp | Low-Noise Linear Regulated Power Supply | USB, Power, Speaker Cables | Speaker Stands | Acoustic Panels, http://igg.me/at/geekpulseaudio/x/5216671. I agree with what you are saying but "far too often" the 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.
Chord DAVE - DAC/Amp/Pre-Amp - Official Thread The modular nature of MSB products allows you to have the bits you want and leave out those you dont, The display is a bit basic but it does what it needs to and you can see it from the other side of the room, Detail and transparency are the main features, Allows a real insight into the makeup of a track, Brings a sense of timing being bang on the money, Detail isnt a result of the higher frequencies being artificially pushed, Both PSUs are not absolutely necessary but once you remove one you want to put the other back in. 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. Good points by all. Thanks for the suggestions Wisnon. I wanted to know for anyone who has heard it have you also heard a DAC that approached it in sonic performance? Personally we have A/B 76 different digital front ends.. Our digital testing has been done over the last 20 + years 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. 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. 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. @smodtactical I would not take price as any arbitrator of quality, especially nowadays. Oppo Modwright BDP-205 full mod. Less experience with Dave on DSD, plus Rob claims to no longer decimate. I'm not an absolutist, and frankly, I could be happy with any of the DACs I mentioned. I say take what everyone post when a grain of salt, because an individual's preference may be different than yours. Is this what passes for high end? Thanks guys! 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. As you pursue higher levels of playback, an MSB upgrade path is always available to help drive your own desire for innovation. personal preference." Never use!! One name that was thrown around by a few people I know is the Rockna Wavedream. Right now my favorite music player is from the same manufacturer of the Phasure NOS1a DAC: Stealth LPS running XXHighEnd software; again with the same caveat that I haven't heard a lot of the other highly regarded music players in my system. 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 still did not found better audio source. Others might disagree but these are my findings. Did you audition all of them in the same place with the same system? When we set out to make the MSB remote, the design was built from the ground up. 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. 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. I auditioned a DAVE (not deconstructed) and TT2 and found all Chord products lacked the musicality of MSB. Euphony Summus, EtherRegen, MSB Discrete. My wife said it I don't want to waste hifi shops time too much knowing I'll be going second hand either. @shkong78 Thanks for sharing your listening impressions of the Lampizator Pacific vs the MSB DACs as well as what you miss about the Pacific vs your Chord combo. After that you are GOLDEN. Anyone make that comparison? Click to expand. 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. At MSB, we believe excellence is a promise worth keeping. While it's an easy setup to wrangle at a show, it does seem like it wasn't doing either component any favours! But it need good system matching. You go off people's opinions and hope it'll match your equipment and system when you put the hard earned down. Let us do the work of refurbishing and finding your current electronics a new hometheyll continue to be enjoyed for years to come.
When connecting to the MScaler, Dual-BNC was used on the chord dacs with shawline digital BNC cables. Then we have the Integrated Clock module and Im starting to get the whole modular approach to the design of the MSB DAC.
Dave Chord Dac Vs Discrete Msb - 111.toptrans.milano.it Any MSB fans here ? - Page 3 - DAC - Digital to Analog Conversion DAVE is the most advanced DAC Chord Electronics has ever made. 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. November 11, 2020 in Digital Sources, DACs, and Computer Audio. 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 bottom line for me is that great DACs can make a difference over good DACs. and build quality is also excellent. UPnP Protocol 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 . Theyre not limited by audio formats, sample rates, or even speed. The Discrete DAC, The Premier DAC, The Reference DAC, The Select DAC II, Theater Master. T&A Dac8 (for DSD512) or Lampi Atlantic for any native rate DSD playback. 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. The AC modules are fully balanced at every stage, have no buffers, IV converters, or transistors in the signal path, and have no active devices used in the conversion process at all. What ice cream do you prefer? Concluding that there is some kind of problem with using an FPGA vs. what MSB does is not technically supportable.
Audiogon Discussion Forum 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. This is purely speculation based on browsing the internet over the years and internalising pro/con reviews from users. dac at a reasonable price. Talking of cool lets talk about this remote. The formats that is used in comparison test is all 16bit / 44.1KHz, not DSD The Result : 1st : Select DAC II Full Option - 100% 2nd : Trinity DAC - 90%
The Discrete DAC Features - MSB Technology For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. As a matter of fact, I'd appreciate getting your impressions. I don't think any of us have heard the Dave, and we don't have any interest. Additionally, MSBs robust in-house design enables the finest quality playback of PCM and native DSD, while our low impedance circuitry drives your amplification directly without adding coloration or buffering noise. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. There ain't no Coupe deVille hiding at the bottom of a Cracker Jack Box. Equipped with high-visibility and a wide viewing angle, the display is both easy-to-read and stunning, exhibiting our love for intuitive features. 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: I think people buy what they like. I expected a lot better. 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. 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. It would be absolute suicide for an audio distributor to When a dealer post something you have to take it with a enormous grain of salt.
By If you have a turntable, for instance, the Discrete will have to act as a standalone DAC and go into a preamplifier/integrated amplifier which will then add its own flavour to the mix. 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. us, over a 2 day test period come to the exact same conclusion. 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. And this level of detail the MSB Discrete brings to the listening experience was carried through everything I listened toand I listened to this DAC a lot, with it being the only thing I used to for a solid two weeks. MSB Technology Discrete Modular DAC Page 2. - 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).
You must log in or register to reply here. I wired it all up and the unit lit up but I could get no sound out of it whatsoever. After reading that review, and remembering the reverence APL had back in the day, alongside the Stahl Tek and Trinity dacs that were the heavy hitters 10-15 yrs ago, I was just curious as to whether . 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. I understand that audio stores and distribution companies have the opportunity to A/B a significant amount of equipment. I was upgrading it in this order and still could not believe every time it sounded better. Roon/Jriver 22 -> Ayre QX-5 Twenty -> Ayre AX-5 Twenty -> B&W N802D (Transparent Cables). Up to 32 bit 768kHz The other issue is preference.
Subjective grading of DACs that I had heard during last one year period Is it better than the Chord DAVE that I raved about a few years ago? The next module is the display which is a cool and easy-to-read LED that is slaved to the audio clock. Some silly sausage plugged a white power cable into a black device. Copyright Hifi Pig and Hifi Pig Magazine, Big Pig Media LLP. 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.