If you still spin CDs, this may be the best option.

[bonzo75]

Thanks for your recommendation.

But i am not interested in adding Tube Dac since my system have enough fullness.

It could be too much of good things.

Yes I understand the theory except I don't agree it works that way in practice, both with these dacs or a tubed phono. That's why you see many SETs based systems with tubed phonos, and you see SS based systems with tubed phonos, and you see SS phonos in tubed or SS systems. You see more SS digital simply because in digital unlike with phonos, most are SS. You just have to put the best ones in by trying.

 

[bonzo75]

The Silbatone room at Munich used dCS till last year with tubed downstream. Now they used Silbatone and it is much more improved. Btw I have no idea of it is tubed or not.

 

[Folsom]

The only time I like the Golden Gate was on PCM.

 

[bonzo75]

My comparisons are all PCM. In the absence of valve rolling compare is irrelevant

 

[Hieukm]

Hmm imagine the designer of Chord would go with fancy PSU, clock and all other cost no object parts like MSB or Wadax does.

 

[the sound of Tao]

Hmm imagine the designer of Chord would go with fancy PSU, clock and all other cost no object parts like MSB or Wadax does.

Or even just without a switch mode supply

 

[Hieukm]

Or even just without a switch mode supply

Rob Watts is quite confident that his design is cost no object though.

 

[thomask]

Or even just without a switch mode supply

I am using 16V output from Li Battery Pack for Mscaler to get slightly more organic and natural sound in critical listening.

I had Dave connected to separate isolation transformer.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0791WDZTW/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[the sound of Tao]

Rob Watts is quite confident that his design is cost no object though.

In fairness to Rob that is exactly the way they like their dacs to sound.

The implementation of his filter and 1million taps upsampling is eye opening in terms of taking the synthetic quality out of digital and getting to an essentially more natural sound with instruments and to the true importance of fine rhythmic nuance in performance in connecting us more deeply with music is among the finest I’ve heard outside of the megabuck end of the digital spectrum.

I am happy to trade the very last iota of artificial and souped up super clean detail that an smps brings (plus a subtle inherent pervasive grey brittleness) and get to the more visceral rich organic core and sense of rightness that a really no holds barred linear psu set up on really great cables and totl isolation can bring to the mix.

I also agree with Thomas, the balance of this sound played with mscaler rightness through SET amps is just for me very right. I never think about a thing while I’m listening to music through the m scaler, SET and horns... and the zotl pre really cuts to the heart of the performance and captures all that rhythmic life and rightness down to a tee. Great mix... ofcourse I’d love to play with MSB Select and SGM Extreme if I was living in that rarefied postcode but if not then this combo is for me fairly much happily an end game digital source musically.

 

[Hieukm]

In fairness to Rob that is exactly the way they like their dacs to sound.

The implementation of his filter and 1million taps upsampling is eye opening in terms of taking the synthetic quality out of digital and getting to an essentially more natural sound with instruments and to the true importance of fine rhythmic nuance in performance in connecting us more deeply with music is among the finest I’ve heard outside of the megabuck end of the digital spectrum.

I am happy to trade the very last iota of artificial and souped up super clean detail that an smps brings (plus a subtle inherent pervasive grey brittleness) and get to the more visceral rich organic core and sense of rightness that a really no holds barred linear psu set up on really great cables and totl isolation can bring to the mix.

I also agree with Thomas, the balance of this sound played with mscaler rightness through SET amps is just for me very right. I never think about a thing while I’m listening to music through the m scaler, SET and horns... and the zotl pre really cuts to the heart of the performance and captures all that rhythmic life and rightness down to a tee. Great mix... this combo is for me fairly much end game musically.

To me the combo Dave + MScaler is lacking in term of harmonics and a little bit naturalness of sound. I dont know if it is the cause of RF/EFI from Blu2 or the Habst BNC cable i am using. Other aspect like bass, tone, sound stage is excellent.

 

[the sound of Tao]

To me the combo Dave + MScaler is lacking in term of harmonics and a little bit naturalness of sound. I dont know if it is the cause of RF/EFI from Blu2 or the Habst BNC cable i am using. Other aspect like bass, tone, sound stage is excellent.

Hieukm, I found the problem for me lay largely in the stock power supply and cables. I have also gone to great lengths to then further shield all the already much better shielded cable’s connectors with Entreq wraps and then better separate the dig from analogue using Triton, Typhon and Cyclops. Digital is a recipe for RFI soup. Would be way easier to just adjust the VTA if that was at all possible

 

[thomask]

To me the combo Dave + MScaler is lacking in term of harmonics and a little bit naturalness of sound. I dont know if it is the cause of RF/EFI from Blu2 or the Habst BNC cable i am using. Other aspect like bass, tone, sound stage is excellent.

I recommend you try isolation transformer and Sablon Lanetta BNC cables.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00R5CDG8O/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

This one is inexpensive but works well with Dave and Mscaler.

 

[the sound of Tao]

I recommend you try isolation transformer and Sablon Lanetta BNC cables.

and maybe a Daiza or two

 

[Hieukm]

I recommend you try isolation transformer and Sablon Lanetta BNC cables.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00R5CDG8O/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

This one is inexpensive but works well with Dave and Mscler.

I supply my Blu2 + Dave from an isolation transformer main and a Trinity power conditioner which is comparable to the Denali approach. However, the harmonics tail is really lacking if i am to compare with Gryphon Mikado. Can you take a picture of your HMS with the Entreqs wraps on connectors for me? That would do me a great favour, Sound of Tao.

Also there is this newest report that someone will introduce a product which convert dual BNC to optical then to dual BNC to 100% mitigate RF/EFI. The initial report show much improvement compared to ferrites on cables. Good DC supply from Uptone LPS 1.2 to this converter also show benefit.

The converter itself is quite cheap but the cost for additional BNC and LPS might make it toward uncomfortable territory for some.

 

[morricab]

In fairness to Rob that is exactly the way they like their dacs to sound.

The implementation of his filter and 1million taps upsampling is eye opening in terms of taking the synthetic quality out of digital and getting to an essentially more natural sound with instruments and to the true importance of fine rhythmic nuance in performance in connecting us more deeply with music is among the finest I’ve heard outside of the megabuck end of the digital spectrum.

I am happy to trade the very last iota of artificial and souped up super clean detail that an smps brings (plus a subtle inherent pervasive grey brittleness) and get to the more visceral rich organic core and sense of rightness that a really no holds barred linear psu set up on really great cables and totl isolation can bring to the mix.

I also agree with Thomas, the balance of this sound played with mscaler rightness through SET amps is just for me very right. I never think about a thing while I’m listening to music through the m scaler, SET and horns... and the zotl pre really cuts to the heart of the performance and captures all that rhythmic life and rightness down to a tee. Great mix... ofcourse I’d love to play with MSB Select and SGM Extreme if I was living in that rarefied postcode but if not then this combo is for me fairly much happily an end game digital source musically.

So far, I have only really found "rightness" with R2R DACs and particularly with tube output, although I have owned and heard some darn good ones that were SS output. That said I haven't heard this Chord model with the upsampler but my experience so far with upsampling has been less than convincing. I have heard very good sound from R2R DACs using OVERsampling (the old school 8x that allows the chip to run at full capability) though...although my current DAC of choice is a non-over or up sampling R2R with tube output.

I simply hear an artifice with DACs that are not following something along the lines I have laid out. Battery power will help in some cases and clean power will help in nearly all but still the artifice, howver, subtle remains. IMO, a DAC that displays some "brightness" is not doing something right and to me this destroys the illusion.

 

[thomask]

I supply my Blu2 + Dave from an isolation transformer main and a Trinity power conditioner which is comparable to the Denali approach. However, the harmonics tail is really lacking if i am to compare with Gryphon Mikado. Can you take a picture of your HMS with the Entreqs wraps on connectors for me? That would do me a great favour, Sound of Tao.

Also there is this newest report that someone will introduce a product which convert dual BNC to optical then to dual BNC to 100% mitigate RF/EFI. The initial report show much improvement compared to ferrites on cables. Good DC supply from Uptone LPS 1.2 to this converter also show benefit.

The converter itself is quite cheap but the cost for additional BNC and LPS might make it toward uncomfortable territory for some.

I do not use Entrequs with Dave or Mscaler.

, I recommend you to try Li Battery Pack with your Mscaler

It will not damage the unit with unstable peak voltage.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0791WDZTW/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1


Since I am happy with the sound, I have no more intention to change digital cables.

I am done with tweaking and will enjoy music.

 

[morricab]

Hieukm, I found the problem for me lay largely in the stock power supply and cables. I have also gone to great lengths to then further shield all the already much better shielded cable’s connectors with Entreq wraps and then better separate the dig from analogue using Triton, Typhon and Cyclops. Digital is a recipe for RFI soup. Would be way easier to just adjust the VTA if that was at all possible

I saw something like this with the built in DAC in my streamer. With the switching PSU it was just dreadful. With battery power it became listenable (still not worth using but the contrast was interesting).

 

[the sound of Tao]

I supply my Blu2 + Dave from an isolation transformer main and a Trinity power conditioner which is comparable to the Denali approach. However, the harmonics tail is really lacking if i am to compare with Gryphon Mikado. Can you take a picture of your HMS with the Entreqs wraps on connectors for me? That would do me a great favour, Sound of Tao.

Also there is this newest report that someone will introduce a product which convert dual BNC to optical then to dual BNC to 100% mitigate RF/EFI. The initial report show much improvement compared to ferrites on cables. Good DC supply from Uptone LPS 1.2 to this converter also show benefit.

The converter itself is quite cheap but the cost for additional BNC and LPS might make it toward uncomfortable territory for some.

Am away at the mo but will do when back tomorrow. You could try the 80 watt LPS80VA beastie from Jays Audio (previously Vinshine) in Singapore... can get it @ 15 volt 4 amp and spec’d to the hilt.

 

[morricab]

I do not use Entrequs with Dave or Mscaler.

, I recommend you to try Li Battery Pack with your Mscaler

It will not damage the unit with unstable peak voltage.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0791WDZTW/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1


Since I am happy with the sound, I have no more intention to change digital cables.

I am done with tweaking and will enjoy music.

That one's even bigger than my 50000mAH Maxoak!

 

[morricab]

Thanks for your recommendation.

But i am not interested in adding Tube Dac since my system have enough fullness.

It could be too much of good things.

I have 41 years of audio history so I can guess the sound from auditioning at the shop.

Thus I made a right choice of selecting Chord Dave and Mscaler within the budget of 20K$..

I don't challenge your choice of DAC but I have to agree with Ked that it doesn't really work that adding a tube DAC will inherently result in too much fullness. Distortions from various bits are often not really additive and it takes just one thing giving out something unnatural to spoil the whole system (to a greater or lesser degree). Just my 2 cents...