2. digital
  3. 166933-4269

Musetec (LKS) MH-DA005 DAC

Some history: I was the OP on a four year old thread about the Chinese LKS MH-DA004 DAC. It achieved an underground buzz. The open architecture of its predecessor MH-DA003 made it the object of a lot of user mods, usually to its analog section, rolling op amps or replacing with discrete. The MH-DA004 with its new ESS chips and JFET analog section was called better then the modified older units. It has two ES9038pro DAC chips deliberately run warm, massive power supply, powered Amanero USB board, JFET section, 3 Crystek femtosecond clocks, Mundorf caps, Cardas connectors, etc., for about $1500. For this vinyl guy any reservation about ESS chips was resolved by the LKS implimentaion, but their revelation of detail was preserved, something that a listener to classic music especially appreciated. I made a list of DACs (many far more expensive) it was compared favorably to in forums. Modifications continued, now to clocks and caps. Components built to a price can be improved by costlier parts and the modifiers wrote glowingly of the SQ they achieved.

Meanwhile, during the 4 years after release of the MH-DA004, LKS (now Musetec) worked on the new MH-DA005 design, also with a pair of ES9038pro chips. This time he used more of the best components available. One torroidal transformer has silver plated copper. Also banks of super capacitors that act like batteries, solid silver hookup wire, 4 femtoclocks each costing multiples of the Crysteks, a revised Amanero board, more of the best European caps and a new partitioned case. I can't say cost NO object, but costs well beyond. A higher price, of course. Details at http://www.mu-sound.com/DA005-detail.html

The question, surely, is: How does it sound? I'm only going to answer indirectly for the moment. I thought that the MH-DA004 was to be my last DAC, or at least for a very long time. I was persuaded to part with my $$ by research, and by satisfaction with the MH-DA004. Frankly, I have been overwhelmed by the improvement; just didn't think it was possible. Fluidity, clarity, bass extension. A post to another board summed it up better than I can after listening to piano trios: "I have probably attended hundreds of classical concerts (both orchestral and chamber) in my life. I know what live sounds like in a good and bad seat and in a good and mediocre hall. All I can say is HOLY CRAP, this sounds like the real thing from a good seat in a good hall. Not an approximation of reality, but reality."

melm
melm OP
1,075 posts
 

@wharfy 

It's so nice to read your impressions of the DAC.  There's always a bit of anxiety for some of us recommending an audio product.  When writing of the LKS 004 I was never so secure in a recommendation though I thought it was, and is, a fine DAC for the money.  But the Musetec is the real deal.  We keep saying that it's "implementation."  To me that means mostly power supply and analog section.  Those are places where this DAC excels.  But they're not the only places.

Glad you could get it at the Black Friday price which is ending today.

As for CDs, everyone will have their own solution.  My CD player is an Oppo 105, likely not as good as your player.  I doubt that you will find a quality disk player that will output USB.  I determined easily that ripped CDs even played simply from a USB hard disk to laptop (using Jriver) to DAC provided better SQ than playing from the disk player.  Plus the convenience.  So I ripped my CDs and now have a more sophisticated set-up.  It took a while, but a few each day . . .  Can you rip to your server?

sns
3,203 posts
 

My last great cd transport was Mark Levinson #37, when it died never found equal trans., motivated me to try streaming. Never looked back, cd rips were better than cd's over my last transport. Having said that, look at the new ProJect CD Box RS2 if keeping with cd transport. This designed by same guys who developed Phillips Pro transport in ML #37, lots of rave reviews for this. I give great credence to those reviews.

boukman
13 posts
 

Is it possible to achieve optimal performance leve; of the Musetek 005 if one uses rca interconnects and rca digital cable?  Thanks for your response!

sns
3,203 posts
 

One could use rca out, I believe balanced/XLR superior. RCA or SPDIF in not 005 optimized in, usb superior, still possible to use the rca.

yyzsantabarbara
4,810 posts
 

@westcoastaudiophile I am not a huge tube fan and the Gustard X26 Pro was a bit warmer than my go to DAC which was the Benchmark DAC3B. Now the DAC3B is a little hot on top but I can make it work with my warmish CODA 07x preamp.

The Gustard maybe preferred by people that like a bit more warmth in the sound. I actually thought it was excellent for the most part, but there were times I thought the DAC3B sounded better with some music. It is just a preference issue and I cannot say the Gustard was worse than the DAC3B.

The 005 sounds a little less warm than the Gustard but warmer than the DAC3B. There seems to be more bass from the 005. My music seems more dense or filled in with the 005. I was getting some fatigue listening to the 005, but now that is gone away. I have about 50 hours on the DAC. I think that fatigue was due to a bit of coarseness in the sound during break-in with more bass. Now that is all gone way, I have the best sound from a DAC I have ever had in this system. The 005 is also very coherent sounding with no frequency sticking out. The DAC3B is a little bass shy compared to the 005 and a bit hotter on top. I do like the DAC3B still and plan on keeping it long term.

If the 005 had 2 optical inputs I could easily use just the 005 in the office system and move my DAC3B elsewhere.

The more I listen to the 005 I realize I hit a homerun with this purchase. If this DAC was not physically so big, I would buy a second one for my downstairs system to replace the Topping D90SE I have there. It is a very good DAC but the 005 is better.

 

 

 

More to discover