Musetec (LKS) MH-DA005 DAC

Hey dbb,

The D-Link has been hooked up. It's a bigger change to sound quality than the "Fiber cable & switches". However, I suspect that is because they are working very well together. Next step... Going to try a longer fiber cable to eliminate 100' of "generic" cat 6. 

As far as the DA005, it has approx. 80 hours on it now, so still breaking in. It's a great DAC that I wouldn't have known about without your thread & melm's.

Really enjoying it. 

Thanks DBB!

Just replaced my Audioquest Pearl USB cable with a WireWorld Starlight Platinum 8. Liking the added detail & ambiance of this cable.   

@lordmelton - FWIW, I knew that review was out there but pay absolutely no attention whatsoever to ASR's opinion on anything... The site is anything but interested in furthering the pursuit of high end audio reproduction. They make as much sense today as Stereo Review did in the 80's.       

Thanks for the information sns

@sirnui - You would think it would be like everything else, but... I tried the logical approach & unfortunately it didn't work. Thanks for responding though.

@lordmelton - Thanks, I'll check that out 

@bkeske 

Hey Brian, Not yet... having to much fun listening😁 (it is on my short list though)

Thanks Guys! I purchased an 005 from Jason a couple days ago. Only have about 12 hours on it, so far from broken in but enjoying it immensely. Have my CD transport hooked to it as well as an IFI Zen Stream for Roon. Nothing fancy yet for streaming. They are both hooked up via RCA connections, so there are improvements to be made. Part of the fun...😁

@lordmelton ​​@dbb Thanks... Even though it's breaking in, I already know it's a keeper. Listening to the Grateful Dead's "Road Trips Vol.1 No.4" last night was sublime. Never been moved by digital like this. 

DBB, What "switch" are you using?  

For "conditioning", I'm using an "Exactpower" SP15A (transformer) into a "Acoustic Revive" RTP-2 power strip. Power cables are "Noteworthy Acoustics". Sounds fantastic even with only about 60 hours on the DAC.

Full Disclosure / I own Noteworthy Acoustics  

Thanks Guys!

Melm,

So I've been going through some of you guys posts & have ordered the following:

• D-Link DGS105 (shipped but not received)
• AQ Pearl Ethernet cables (received)
• Fiber Patch Cable (received)
• 2 Ethernet to Fiber converters (received)

Really liking the results so far. Hopefully the D-link will be delivered tomorrow. 

Thanks Melm

@sns - Which LPS are you using for FMC optimization? 

@americanspirit - Nice review. I agree, this DAC is amazing! Out of curiosity, what B&W's are you using in your system? 

Question: How do I get this DAC to see the USB signal from my streamer? Setup:

Roon loaded on laptop / IFI Zen stream / DA005

It sounds wonderful with the rca digital cable already but would like to try the USB (since that is what most of you are doing) to see what I'm missing. 

Hey Brian,

Good point. Not sure I can get Roon with the "all in one" setting but will mess around with it to find out. Thanks for the input!

+1 Brian

Melm, I've been experimenting with power supplies as well. Since sns was talking about the positive effect of them, I bought three 5v ifi iPower X's, & one Nuprime LPS-212 (12v). The 5v power supplies for the D-Link DGS105 switch, & the two Ethernet to Fiber converters. The Nuprime Linear Power Supply for the ifi Zen Stream. Nice improvement in clarity & sound stage. This is seriously approaching the sound quality of my TT now, & has surpassed that of my CD transport. Really didn't expect this level of SQ from streaming.   

@bkeske - So I changed to the "all in one" setting on the ifi streamer & am now able to stream via UBS & Tidal. Still can't figure out Roon & UBS so I am running that via RCA for now. Thanks for the suggestion!

@bkeske - Thanks so much Brian! Updated the zen firmware per your advice & now have Roon running through USB. Sounds fantastic! 

@jjss49 - Just curious what power supply you are using with the ifi streamer?

All - The more I use the 005 the more I like it. Around 4 hundred hours on it now. It mates up wonderfully with the Linn Klimax preamp & B&W 802D speakers. 

@jjss49 - Thanks for the response in regard to PS for the ifi streamer. I've been pleased with the upgrade to SQ when switching from the stock PS as well. Currently using a Nuprime 12V LPS. 

@yyzsantabarbara - Roon has been running well for me with the 005. Took a bit to get it set up with the ifi streamer via USB to the 005, but it's been stable & sounding good since then. 

+1 for the Furutech power "filters". Great product, been using my Flux 50 with the power amp. Will give it a try on the 005 next time I shut the amp down. 

So I tried the Flux 50 with the 005 & yes it certainly does lower the noise floor of the DAC. Problem is... I like the sound of my system better when the Flux 50 is feeding the SS power amp. May have to purchase another one...

@lordmelton - No problem at all. It has been a fun experiment. As stated before, I liked the sound of my system better with the Flux 50 going to the power amp than going into the 005... But also liked the improvement it made to the DAC (lower noise floor) when placed there. That has prompted me to add a passive ground filter to the outlet powering the amp while leaving the Flux 50 running directly into the 005 DAC. This has produced a nice sonic improvement that I will leave as is for further evaluation.     

Thanks for the evaluation @jjss49. 

@lordmelton - Still have the flux 50 going straight into the 005. It sounds amazing! Picked up an Acoustic Revive RAS-14 Triple-C inline "filter" (similar to the Flux 50) for the power amp and built a couple 12ga silver power cables... One going to the power amp & the other to the ExactPower transformer. 

All - It amazes me how utterly transparent this DAC is. The above changes have brought the SQ to another level. The soundstage is a little deeper now but the width & separation between instruments rivals my turntable, which is saying something.  

@lordmelton asked:

"Maybe it’s too early to compare but how does the AR stack up against the Furutech?"

I have to put more time on the Acoustic Revive RAS-14 Triple-C to answer the question. They both however make a positive difference & they are both good. IMO Furutech’s approach was to clean up the ground where AR’s isn’t. The reason I say that is when running the Furutech into the power amp I couldn’t use my ground filter with it without dulling the SQ a bit. That is not at all the case with the AR. In fact it sounds best in combination with my ground filter. That is "first impressions" however & I'll report back after getting more time with it. 

"I don’t view the measurements of the musetec as the cause of how the unit sounds but more as a general indication of the engineering involved."

The engineer admits to choosing parts based on SQ, not measurements.  

@melm - I agree it is very system/room dependent. 

@americanspirit I'm not sure what you mean with "Liquid Music" so this post may be meaningless. However, I have Roon on my PC which controls the iFi Zen Stream going into the Musetec. It sounds great!

@melm - I think the ESS bashing was due to the r2r craze, which seems to be slowing down a bit lately.