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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
westborn
146 posts
 

Thanks @melm..

Took delivery of the DAC today. Awesome purchase time to delivery time.

Ordered it Tuesday night, delivered (Houston) by DHL Express Friday afternoon.

I’ve got it plugged in and powered up, but otherwise not connected to anything yet.

 

sns
3,003 posts
 

@westborn Congrats on purchase. Don't know if you believe you're burning in using in this manner, but you need to connect and send signal through via whatever input and outputs you're using for burn in.

westborn
146 posts
 

@sns - thanks, yes I have it hooked up and have the transport playing on repeat.. My transport does not ouput usb however, for which I understand the 005 is optimized. Looking at upgraded streaming options. Out of the box and cold the 005 already handily bests my previous Wyred4Sound Dac2DSD.

sns
3,003 posts
 

Wyred4Sound SE version was on my short list of dacs at one point, same 9038 Sabre chip as 005 and Vishay Z foil resistors, never heard one.

 

I'd expect you'll still undergo some time with burn in on usb input, both power supply and clock on usb board need time.

 

I'm finding 005 resolving/transparency potential seemingly bottomless with my new setup, every listening session a revelatory experience with nearly 100 hours listening time, and some components still going through burn in transition.

 

 

sirnui
81 posts
 

I sold my Grimm MU1 streamer for funds and now I'm using parts of my old USB chain to feed the 005.  My NUC running Roon ROCK feeds the Uptone ISO Regen which connects to the 005 via a Cardas Clear USB cable.  The NUC is using it's standard SMPS and the ISO Regen is fed power using daisy chained ultra low noise linear regulators.  Is the music now just as good as when I had the MU1?  No, but the music is still very enjoyable, almost surprisingly so.  But I am also being very strategic with how I'm putting my system together and it's still changing.  The point here is one doesn't need to spend megabucks on any part of an 005 based the system to immensely enjoy the music and it helps to be strategic with where the money can be spent to maximize the system.

One function the MU1 did was upsample my Tidal streamed 16bit 44.1/48KHz files to 24bit 176.4/192KHz.  I always thought this helped the 005 perform better so tonight I configured Sample Rate Conversion in Roon and now the Tidal streams are coming in at 32bit 176.4/192KHz.  I prefer Roon upsampling than without it and I also have Headroom Management turned on.  I also tried conversion to 24bit but I slightly prefer 32bit.

On yet another note, I recently bought an LKS USB-100 DDC and the LKS LPS-25-USB power supply to power it.  They should be arriving in the days and weeks ahead. I've already bought a 0.5m Wireworld Platinum Starlight Ethernet cable and a Wireworld Platinum Starlight 48 HDMI cable so I'm ready to experiment with I2S when the LKS devices arrive.  I also have my eye on the new HoloAudio Red streamer and the Pi2 Design Mercury V2 streamer that both output I2S but if these LKS devices hit it out of the park, then I will stay put.

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