If so I'd recommend the Aqua Formula xHD and the TotalDAC d1-Seven. And now that my system is much more resolving, it's possible that the differences could be larger and my preferences could change. I agree with what you are saying but "far too often" the Chord Dave DAC "Sealed Box Brand New" Never Opened !! Once you add the second discrete PS, and a module or two for it to work, the price goes over $23-24K. Compared to some other similarly priced DACs ($10 - $15k MSRP) I prefer the Discrete with 2 Discrete PS. Rori is definitely welcome. It is an unassuming but very nicely put together component that has had a great deal of thought put into the architecture of the parts that make it up. I suppose that the vast majority of people who listen for pleasure at home are looking for a balance between the two, and whilst I still maintain we are most likely to hear the biggest effect in a system by changing transducers, every element in the chain of sound will affect the final sound and, in a digital system, I think the DAC you choose can have a huge effect on the final sound. And this is what separates the very good from the excellent piece of audio equipment. Tailored for both the transport and the DACs daily use, our remote brings you closer to the music you love. With the Bartok now quite a few $$$ more, the Tambaqui represents a fantastic price v performance ratio that would be at home in most highly resolving systems. There ain't no Coupe deVille hiding at the bottom of a Cracker Jack Box. Fully agree that it could come down to personal preference @RoriHope you have arranged auditions. I'll take a look, however I've heard they're on the warm side? One of the things I jotted down in my notes during this time was the sense of scale the Discrete brought to the music I was listening to big music sounded BIG and more intimate recordings had their own scale too. In that price range, you would be mad not to addthe MSB Premier DAC to your list as well. Lots of time it But the majority of the time all 6 of Thanks. Pass Labs INT-60. The reasoning behind the two clocks dealing with different frequency families is that music is mostly recorded within multiples of the 44.1kHz family or the 48kHz family and having a clock dealing with each family minimises loss. What makes you want to upgrade from DAVE? Can't beat the form factor of it though, great for off a desk top. Sonically it is very much as its name suggests and converts files faithfully and without loss or (importantly) embellishment. The remainder Playing Gil Scott-Heron and Brian Jacksons Your Daddy Loves You from the Winter in America album gave me the same impression of a reach-out-and-touch soundscape with incredibly well-defined positions in the mix and a whole load of detail the over-driven sound of the electric piano at around a minute forty really stood out as being faithful to the recording; a case of high-fidelity highlighting a low-fidelity artefact? Thanks for the interesting reply, cmarin. Fixed. Ill not get into the whole detail of this here but the MSB website does have an excellent (and interesting) explanation of jitter and why having a very low jitter clock is favourable to having a very accurate clock theres a link at the bottom of this review. Ok, I looked a prat but it proves that the separate PSUs are actually doing something rather than being there for show, though they do look rather cool in themselves. Do diamonds shine on the dark side of the moon? Bespoke Audio Ultimate Silver TVC passive preamp, Totaldac xlr version D1-Drivers x2, Eisteddfod 340 & 840 amps, Magico S5 speaker, MSB Select DAC, MSB Select Transport, Nakamichi 700 XLE cassette deck, Taiko Audio Extreme Server, Tripoint Troy Signature NG groundbox, PLiXiR Elite 1500 isolation transformers. I auditioned a DAVE (not deconstructed) and TT2 and found all Chord products lacked the musicality of MSB. Anyway, the MSB Discrete is a machine that I consider to be highly resolving and a true HiFi product with regard to the definition I quoted above. The Pro USB was developed to offer a multi part USB solution that features complete electrical isolation and all the performance of MSBs proprietary Pro ISL input. Since opening our doors in 1986, weve been driven by one goal: to craft an unrivaled listening experience for music lovers across the globe. There is no dark magic involved. What is available on models higher up the MSB food chain is the ability to add an analogue module so that you can use the unit as a true preamplifier and DAC. This effect was evident on track after track but didnt feel like it was overly exaggerated. The Chord DAVE was also on my list, but I decided to pass (my Chord retailer was very 'pushy' and not helpful). A modular I/O card keeps even the discrete DAC flexible, repairable, and upgradeable. The sonic signature is detailed and yet easy to listen to, with the Discrete bringing a sense of the recordings scale (big or small) to the listening experience. While it's an easy setup to wrangle at a show, it does seem like it wasn't doing either component any favours! As I said, its an odd one to describe but you do hear it as it brings a sense of rightness to rhythm tracks. The output modules are where the converted digital signals are output to analogue signals that our amplifiers can make use of and MSB make two flavours of the output module. Dealer's should be required to state they're a dealer every time they post or have a disclaimer in their username. Theres just a sense that with the MSB in the line that everything is timed correctly and rock solid. Or arm yourself with a nice bottle of red and pay a visit to@Stereophilus. its that good. The USB module is completely electrically isolated and is again a standalone module capable of 32 bit#768kHz, MQA decoding and 8X DSD. dac at a reasonable price. At some point you have to be content in this hobby. Set up is key, cables are super important, server is also It seems to me that manufacturers are jacking up the price for the perception of quality. So I saw the DAC lighting up and it looked fully functional, right down displaying the bit rate etc of the file playing, but no music. To build a simple and good system). Different songs will sound better with different sources - Different horses for different courses. The demo model came in brushed aluminium but you can also get black. It doesnt get too hot to touch. Elevator Pitch Review: Built in America, the MSB Discrete is a modular DAC that also acts as a preamplfier, though, as supplied, it has no analogue inputs. MSB DACs also use a processing chip to handle oversampling and digital filtering (not sure if this chip is an FPGA or other type processing chip, but it is a high speed digital processing chip). I have listened to MSB Analog DAC and Diamond DAC IV but not in the same setup as DAVE. There is no such thing as a "FPGA DAC"! conversation. The DAVE is very resolving, but thinner tonally in comparison to the EMM Labs. Search: Msb Discrete Dac Vs Chord Dave. This DAC is 11,000 and as such, it is a considerable investment to make, but I would suggest that this is not stupid money for the kind of transparency and clarity it brings. Of course your opinion on sound quality is your own, and valid, but to suggest that the reason for the difference is because the Chord is an "FPGA DAC" is technically incorrect. the Select II pushes the analog to be its best. The MSB Discrete DAC is an American made Digital to Analogue Converter costing 11,000 plus an extra 1650 for the second external power supply. Copyright Hifi Pig and Hifi Pig Magazine, Big Pig Media LLP. Nothing was amiss. It may not display this or other websites correctly. a year ago I got the new Renderer V2 which was a step up over USB. Good points by all. Of course this DAC is super pricey and out of the reach of many (including me). I may need to reset expectations a bit lower: This is an update to some old DAVE vibration control posts. The Merriam-Webster online dictionary tells me that the definition of high-fidelity (HiFi) is the reproduction of an effect (such as sound or an image) that is very faithful to the original and it would seem to be reasonable to assume that this is the goal of audiophiles around the world. You must log in or register to reply here. However, there is nothing wrong with "taking" recommendations, which help me build a list that I can use to research then find a way to audition my shortlist. But then we have to apply the law of diminishing returns. ISOAcoustics Oreas footers. Up to 32 bit 768kHz At $20,000 I recommend the MSB Premier DAC with two power supplies (KeithRs system). those surpass any other digital choice. prefer to keep our test results among ourselves. Nice. @ricred1, I would like to suggest you take a look at the Mola Mola Tambaqui when it arrives later this month I understand. After a year of listening to various components I'm content. First I want to say that I fully agree that the hobby is I don't understand why Chord DACs have to be so damn ugly! Digital: Jay's Audio CDT2 MK2 CD transport, Modified MHDT Labs Balanced Pagoda DAC. CHORD Dave could be the most expensive deeply design DAC in the world and if you find it not your taste there is the best off the shelf DACs like akm4499 in Topping D90 for 699$ that could be even better than Dave. Gbel High End [Divin Noblesse], [Divin Marquis], ([Epoque Aeon Fine]). Blimey my RME ADI 2 DAC looks to have better performance at a fraction of the cost, /===============================================================/, DACs, Streamers, Servers, Players, Audio Interface, Combination Audio DAC and Headphone Amplifiers. auditioned the Rockna Wavedream Edition DAC. I can see that in an A/B comparison, many other DACs sound more impressive than DAVE/Blu2. It is on kind loan from a member and costs US $14,000. It may not display this or other websites correctly. What did you think with the Chord Dave vs Emm Labs Dac2x? Moving away from the actual sound of the music, one of my main takeaways from listening to the Discrete was the sense of timing it brought to music. Our digital testing has been done over the last 20 + years - Meat Loaf. Im sure it does have a flavour of its own, but from my standpoint, it sounds like a very neutral and transparent DAC. in this forum and they are all very good dacs. it just complimented my system better than those other two. So this was headphones straight out of the DAVE? For the most part, I used this input and for a quick comparison one of the optical inputs. Looking forward to the your additions to the list. home system and listening for that end result. Main Menu Of those, I've only heard the DAVE. sounds just like the Dave. By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies. Thanks for the suggestion ecwl. It may not display this or other websites correctly. The DAC has two modes; multi-bit PCM and single-bit discrete DSD mode. What ice cream do you prefer? If I got a great $20K DAC for less, I would not object. To me, the instrumental timbre seems more accurate with DAVE than any other DACs I've heard. I wanted to know for anyone who has heard it have you also heard a DAC that approached it in sonic performance? 5 other people who only have 2 things in common with our system. The Dave as a DAC actually sounds decent. and this is borne out in the sound that this DAC brings to the party. It's UPDATE VIDEO THREE for the Chord Electronics DAVE DAC REVIEW I have spent a lot more time with the DAVE Dac, still using. I can see the problem with this unit. When you get the chance to hear Chord DAVE, try playing files bit perfect instead of upsampling them to DSD256 with HQPlayer. MSB Technology Discrete Modular DAC Page 2. You must log in or register to reply here. Great Dac but for me a NOS DAC (Metrum Adagio) won the contest over all the others Dacs I have tried so far. Was it a speaker setup or headphone setup? With two prime DACs, the MSB Discrete yields an unprecedented level of detail that reproduces the musicality, soundstage and texture of an original performance, bringing the artist to you. Everyone hears differentlyI heard the Dave with the Blu and I prefer it without it. I'm looking for suggestions on DACs I should listen to as possible replacement of my Chord Dave. . We used PCM (16/44,1 to 24/192) and DSD 64 and 128 for the comparioson. Thank you, Mike. This unit came with two power supplies and Ill be playing with the DAC with one and with two to compare and contrast. Anyway, the little bit of extra detail on the strings, the attack, and decay are all there to be heard and its a marvelous thing to listen to. There are some tonal differences too, but what you prefer will depend on your other equipment and the music you like. Thanks. There is scale on bigger productions and intimacy on smaller-scale recordings and pieces, It wont make a pigs ear into a sows purse, but its majestic on really good recordings, Its very detailed but not harshly so actually, its a very easy component to fit in a system and live with, Its not cheap and you will want both PSUs once you compare with just one, No analogue inputs to make it the heart of a full system, You know that MSB have stuff that is out of reach financially and potentially better, Price: 11,000 plus 1,650 for a second power supply. The video cannot be shown. II cannot do anything but award this DAC our highest award, but that award goes with the caveats that it should be used directly into an amplifier and that Id like to have had the options for analogue inputs. Thanks. Thank you all for your answers. There are separate optimal PCM and DSD modes for playbacks and bit perfect playback is how DAVE performs optimally as the FPGA up samples and noise shapes everything to 104MHz 5-bit. Im participating to both learn and make suggestions where I have experience that may help. It would be absolute suicide for an audio distributor to There is a real sense of spectacle and scale when the MSB is in the system. Our publication is supported by its audience. for instance, the Select II is modular (customers can easily change modules in seconds)so it has the ability to quickly modify its inputs to allow for optimization of various interfaces.