First impressions of new MH-DA006, Musetec flagship

Just a brief word about DDCs.  The Phoenix was diacussed towards the end of the Musetec 005 thread where it was compared to the far less expensive Singxer UIP-1 PRO.  IIRC the Singxer has about the same clock, galvanic isolation and a simpler power supply.  Singxer has a very fine reputaion for its devices.  It is currently available at Amazon (US) and is returnable.  So one can try with zero cost.  These are USB-in/USB-out devices.

Other DDC devices that were mentiond are USB-in/I2S-out devices.  These units duplicate what each of the Musetec DACs does internally.  Some have reported that the device made by LKS actually outperforms the internal function in the DAC.  Others, me included, are sceptical.  Singxer makes a similar device.  

Finally, though not usually called DDCs, are Ethernet-in/USB-out devices, better known as streamers.  They avoid any use of USB at all.  There are those who swear by them.  Some such units also have coaxial SPDIF and/or AES/EBU outputs.  The jury is out on which of these outputs is preferred by owners of them.  However, the I2S can handle very much higher sampling rates than the others and even higher than USB.

@sns  My take on the 006 after maybe as much as 450 hours of break in is still evolving. I keep feeling that I may have made a mistake in reporting provisional and what I thought were final conclusions as it still, surprisingly,  may be breaking in. At first, I was ecstatic over everything I was hearing (dynamics, imaging, sound stage, resolution). Next I became frustrated with software hiccups where my streamers suddenly lost volume on three occasions. After that I started to hear some sporadic congestion usually involving high frequencies. Some of those anomalies were on favorite recordings. In a brief intemperate fit lasting a day, I decided to sell the 006 even though it was performing brilliantly on 90% of my recordings. I wanted 100%. After I heard sns’ first impressions, I changed my mind about selling it. Soon after that I thought that the fault was not in the equipment but in my own very limited but real high frequency hearing loss. (I’m 75 years old) After that, the anomalies I heard faded. All recordings were 100% listenable again. Maybe it wasn’t my hearing. It did seem to get darker for a while. Over the last three or four days the sound seems to have stabilized. I have not had any problems. It is the best DAC I have heard. But please do not take this latest report as my offering final conclusions. I have to put more time in to be sure. Sorry for the suspense.

Two corrections to my post on DDCs.

1. The Singxer UIP-1 PRO comes with a wall wart.  A good power supply is necessary to bring it anywhere near the Phoenix whose power supply is ample.  FWIW the device in its non-PRO version got a reasonably good review at ASR,  They found a reduction in noise at the most bothersome frequencies. The PRO version has an OCXO similar to that in the Phoenix.  The non-PRO version does not.

2.  The last paragraph should, of course, begin: Finally, though not usually called DDCs, are Ethernet-in/I2S-out devices, better known as streamers. 

Apologies.  i'm feeling the effects of a Covid shot yesterday and perhaps shouldn't be posting.  Hope I got the corrections right.

@sns good feedback so far on what seems atypical of the burning process. keep us updated. I am still not sure if I want to upgrade to 006 - so many DACs available at this price range. On one side I kept thinking of trying a non-Sabre DAC - AKM, R2R, Fpga, Hybrids, but then the Musetec 005 also sounds very musical in my setup. Not sure what to do - a problem with too many choices :-)

@melm nice summarizing all the types of DDCs.

There is one DDC that called my attention - its a Audiobyte Super Hub. Its expensive compared to others but I have heard good things about it.

https://www.audiobyte.net/products/superhub

With my experience with digital and a lot of DIY along the way, it extremely difficult to pick a winner. There are so many factors with digital that affects the sound, it is hard to say in advance what will work in one’s system. One really got to try it out. However, one thing that I can say confidently and which has worked in every situation is the better and more stable a power supply, the better the sound in digital.

I had a long listening session this evening with the 006. At this point it has been over 500 hours. My first conclusion is that it has finally stabilized. No more high frequency congestion. The wait tried my patience.  I was once skeptical that any piece of electronics really needed 500 or more hours to be fully broken in. I’m a believer now.

From a music lover’s perspective, which it what we audiophiles claim to be, this machine is a friend of the heart. It does not sound analog or digital per se but like live music which can lift your mood and elevate your spirit.

If asked my opinion on how it sounds from a critical listening audiophile perspective, it is all the good things that I have reported. Near astounding natural resolution, dynamics, soundstaging, and imaging. Not a trace of glare or harshness. The texture of the sound almost rejects common audiophile adjectives like smooth, thin, thick, etc. The words that I think are appropriate are real and palpable. I would still say it has neutral tonal balance with a slight tilt to the warm side much like the 005. Where it is beyond anything I have heard is that I am able to close my eyes during certain orchestral passages and hear so clearly various string sections entering and exiting, accent details like subtle bass and cello pizzicatos appearing and disappearing as if heard live. Some chamber music sounds so real it is spooky. Audiophiles call this resolution, but I don’t think the word does justice to the experience.