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Has the ASR review/hatchet job on the Musetec MH-DA005 Changed Anyone's Mind?

A little over a year ago, after seeing so many glowing reviews of the 005 on this and other fora, I bought the DAC and thought it made a great improvement over my Mytek Brooklyn DAC+ (which I now use on my #2 system). Recently, I came across the ASR review, which concludes that the 005 is a piece of crap. I know that ASR has a dubious (at best) reputation in this forum, but I wonder if its review has caused anyone to have second thoughts about the Musetec. I confess I was initially concerned by questions like, why hasn't Musetec responded to the horrible ASR review, if it is inaccurate? But, then, every time I listen to my system with the 005 DAC in it, it sounds glorious. Obviously, the guidance, "trust what your hear" is important, but I'm not sure I'd be as trustful of my ears if the negative technical review came from, say, John Atkinson, who has far more professional legitimacy in measuring equipment. I confess I have one more than one occasion refrained from buying a certain item because of his test results. (Where I live, it is not feasible to listen to amps in stores before buying, and one quickly grows weary of buying and returning expensive equipment on line, especially equipment that does not have stellar subjective and objective accolades).  

audio-satisficer

Showing 2 responses by sns

sns
3,003 posts
 

Its not bad unit, Musetec responded to ASR by stating they voice components, measurements may take hit because of this, Musetec also admitted they didn't have the quality of measuring equipment ASR uses.

 

It would be interesting to hear what a 'cleaned' up 005 would sound like, would it be a more sterile piece?

 

 

sns
3,003 posts
 

I've owned 005 for a bit over three years now, still waiting to hear the sins of commission ASR measurements allude to. Based on their measurements I should be hearing a distorted tiring presentation, with small sound stage, 2D images, lacking in dynamics both micro and macro. I hear nothing of the kind, at one point owned the Okto Dac 8 stereo, I believe it had lowest SNR measured at ASR at the time, jitter right up there as well. I directly compared the two, kept the 005, sold the Okto.

 

In past couple months I've spent aprox $30k on streamer, lps for same, and some vinyl upgrades, I could have used those funds for virtually any dac on market yet I didn't, should speak volumes as to how I feel about this cheap crap Chinese dac😎

 

The one thing I never get about audio objectivists is why don't they all own the objectively best measured system. Get the best measuring equipment in every category and you objectively have the best audio system. With the relatively low priced equipment they usually measure wouldn't be that great an expense to constantly upgrade components to maintain objectively best audio system.

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